Which will it be: the Waratahs or Rebels?
Roar Guru
By LeftArmSpinner, 16 Jan 2010 LeftArmSpinner is a Roar Guru
176 Have your say
Crusaders' Andy Ellisleft, bottom left, tackles the Waratahs' Dean Mumm as his captain Phil Waugh jumps to make room for a pass during their Super 14 rugby union game at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, March 21, 2009. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
After more than 30 years of support, I am seriously considering dropping my financial and emotional support for the Waratahs, throwing it behind the Melbourne Rebels, and taking more time to attend Randwick’s games in the Sydney Grade Rugby competition.
There are two reasons for this:
1. The Waratahs disloyalty to its loyal and long time supporters and
2. the exciting announcements emanating from down south.
On one side of the ledger is 30 years of blind loyalty to the Waratahs.
I was born in NSW and so I supported the NSW Waratahs. (I was born and raised in Randwick and played Juniors and Colts for them. I love the way they play)
I have not missed a Waratahs home game for ten years.
In reality, this passion has been severely diluted by the persistent, continuing deep seated ten year frustration, on and off the field, of being a Waratahs supporter.
The net result is that my blind loyalty is now more like a disenchanted lover actively eying off the prospects.
On the other side of the ledger, I have read of the appointments of Waldron and McQueen. Hill will be a bonus if and when he is appointed.
There is the excitement of being involved in something new, unknown, but already kicking big goals with these appointments.
Add to this the attractive “Uber-Australian” Rebels brand values: the underdog, the David v Goliath positioning, professional, clever, experienced, practical but not TOO serious, refreshingly honest, the team not individual comes first, youthful, ground breaking. etc.
Add to this the satisfaction of finally giving the Waratahs a bloody nose. The Waratahs don’t rate my support. They think that I’m welded on.
More fool them.
Then deduct (or possibly add) the unpredictability of the new enterprise.
For me, this decision is not about winning games and winning competitions. If this were the case, I would have left the Waratahs many years ago.
On this analysis, the Rebels win hands down, and so what started as an academic exercise, suddenly warrants closer inspection.
There are other questions that must be answered:
1. How reliable is my assessment?
Surprisingly, I can trust that the Rebels will be very well managed on and off the field. Just look at the track record of Waldron and particularly McQueen in building self-sustaining new entities.
The Brumbies organisation is impressive for its culture and playing record, even a decade after McQueen’s departure.
The Waratahs CEO/Coach team doesn’t remotely compare to the Rebels.
Every Waratahs fan can attest to this through their multitude of ridiculous decisions on and off the field and press pronouncements.
And so I come to the qualitatíve matters.
2. Loyalty to my state of birth: The Waratahs no longer represent NSW. The Waratahs no longer comprise the best NSW players.
3. What will my friends say? Nothíng. Most no longer have any interest in the Waratahs.
4. What is my gut saying? Life is too short to put up with dickheads and it will be a fun ride on something that is not life or death.
5. So logistically how would this work? As an SCG/SFS member, I already have 4 tickets to Waratahs home games. I would only attend the big Waratahs games to catch up with my mates. The Waratahs decision to progressively move more big games to Homebush now fits beautifully with my plans. I can get a Members ticket from a mate for the Waratahs annual Homebush game I really want to see. By no longer attending four of the low quality home games, I will save $600 in parking, merchandise and food.
6. But The Rebels are in a city hundreds of kilometers away. When will I see their games?
Away games for both The Waratahs and Rebels are on Foxtel. I currently don’t have Foxtel and so don’t see any of these games. No change there.
With the money I save from not blindly attending the rubbish Waratahs home games, I will spend $90 for a one year subscription to Fox Sports live internet and download coverage of all S14/15 games.
There is a fine line between loyalty and reality. Loyalty is not to be taken for granted, should be returned and can be moved if circumstances dictate.
The net effect would be that the Waratahs have successfully converted a life long supporter into a “fair weather”, one game a year attendee, a full time supporter of a competitor franchise and an internet Super 15 subscriber.
The net financial outlay is a saving of 80 percent to me.
Consider this article as the final attempt to reconcile, the final attempt to get a lover to change her ways so that the relationship can recover. Rarely does it achieve the outcome.
I don’t need to take a decision yet. The Waratahs have one last season at retaining me as a supporter and the rebels have 12 months to convince me to jump ship!
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Sth Auckland First XV said | January 16th 2010 @ 5:00am | Report comment
I can understand your frustration – the Waratahs (and the Reds for that matter) should each already have a couple of S14 titles under their belts. They are both incompetently run and I hope the rebels do well to prove that private ownership is the way forward, instead of the old Boards
JezNez said | January 16th 2010 @ 1:32pm | Report comment
The Reds do have a title, distant memory perhaps but more than my Tahs have
formeropenside said | January 16th 2010 @ 3:01pm | Report comment
Three, Super 6 from 1992 and Super 10 in 1994 and 1995. And world club champions from sometime in the 1990′s.
Lindommer said | January 16th 2010 @ 9:20pm | Report comment
Well and good but the Tahs have never come last. And they’ve played in more finals series, and final matches, than the Reds in the professional era.
Robbo said | January 16th 2010 @ 11:09pm | Report comment
Love hearing NSW and QLD fighting for the scraps!
“We’ve never finished last sir!”
The Brumbies have actually won the comp.
LeftArmSpinner said | January 16th 2010 @ 6:07am | Report comment
Sth Auck, it comes down to the mgt. Sure, it is a footy club, but the leadership counts for a lot. and the Rebels have this in spades. yes, it is higher risk, given that it is new, but, investors back the mgt team and the concept.
rugbyfuture said | January 16th 2010 @ 7:45am | Report comment
If you are to change loyalty, based on the problems you have caused for yourself by not signing to be a waratahs member but rather signing to a particular venue
and for the fact that Victoria have managed to get basically, better players not just in the game but in the business, then you are not at all worth keeping or scrounging for and nothing more than a glory supporter.
LeftArmSpinner said | January 16th 2010 @ 8:21am | Report comment
RF, I contribute significantly to the coffers of Tahs. if you are seeking to limit valid supporter status to being a tahs member, you have completely missed the point.
About 25% of attendances at SFS games are SFS members.
The Tahs get paid for every SFS member and guest that turns up.
The SFS members are much more persistent during the hard times.
It is misguided to piss such a big number/% of your core supporter base when it is completely unnecessary.
As they say “Charity begins at home.” or “love the one you are with” or “a bird in the hand”
It is equally misguided for the Tahs to piss off their landlord. No one else can provide the facilities that SCG trust offers. Just ask the players. central location: purpose built headquarters. Great rugby field to play on. Remember, they were at the Narrabeen goat track previously, with mgt. in demountables.
But you have looked too narrowly at the issue. This treatment has been a dripping tap, including poor quality footy, dumb footy. underachievement despite their rich advantages. and when people complain, we get the “winning ugly” comment. dumb and iladvised and wrong. But then they compounded it by not even achieving the winning bit!!!! But they still saved breath to sledge and fire back at the supporters.
Also, you ignore the broad consensus from both NRL and rugby supporters who correctly say that ANZ is a rubbish stadium to watch sport, no matter what code it is, unless there are 65,000+ people there. the view doesnt change but the atmosphere makes up for the poor view.
The Tahs cant even fill the SFS.
Finally, you dont mention that NRL is seeking members to supprot their brand. The cleverer NRL clubs, as part of this initiative, are putting the supporter experience before anything else. once you get a supporter, it is cheaper to keep thme than go and get a new one!!!!!! every salesman knows this.
TahDan said | January 16th 2010 @ 9:10am | Report comment
You’re definitely right about ANZ stadium LAS. The place is just not up to standard for watching the rugby codes (and I imagine soccer too). Even when it’s full for big matches like the SOO it’s still not as good an experience as the SFS. The problem is that it seems almost designed to let out the noise it generates and to put as many fans as possible as far away from the action as possible.The SFS on the other hand offers seats all over the stadium that provide a great view.
I’ve been a Waratahs supporter for far shorter than you – having converted to being primarily a rugby supporter during the Super League war and demoting league to my second favourite sport – but after 10 years I feel your frustration at how ineptly the Waratahs are run. Everything you say is true: the management have ignored the fans with the decision to move so many games to Homebush and simply don’t do enough to make its fans feel valued in the way that so many AFL clubs do and now many NRL clubs are trying to.
Never the less though, I’m not prepared to stop supporting them. Rightly or wrongly I still love the Tahs… though I haven’t been quite as “tested” as you have over the year.
Pete said | January 16th 2010 @ 11:56am | Report comment
The Brumbies excited me when they started up, same with the Force and I have similar feelings about the Rebels, but through it all I have continued to support the Tahs. I am also discouraged by the running of the Tahs and their playing style, but that’s my team. Regardless of the results, how much the administrators p*ss me off or who is playing for them, I support the jersey. I’m not changing teams. However I hope the NSWRU do read all these posts, because its a sad indicative of what they have done to the supporter base.
I couldn’t sit behind a computer and watch a game and I’m not that enthralled by watching my team at home on Fox by myself. I want to be at the pub with my mates barracking for the same team or in the stands at the SFS or ANZ. Its never a financial reason to support the team for me, its irrational and emotional and I’ll support them no matter what. Here’s to a successful 2010!
rugbyfuture said | January 16th 2010 @ 12:37pm | Report comment
I am not seeking to limit valid supporter status to being a member of the club, im saying that you cannot be disgruntled that you didn’t get tickets as an SFS/SCG member to the one game moved to homebush. Are you disgruntled at the test or one day cricket matches when they arent in sydney and are instead at the MCG or the gabba, do you get tickets given to you for those games? after all, the australian cricket team plays in sydney.
you obviously didn’t pay attention to the comments on your last disgruntled post. I am unaware of how much the tahs get paid for SFS members and would like information from anyone who has it.
When your core supporter base is that of a few men and their horse from the eastern suburbs of course you’re going to try and expand to play outside of that area. one of your greatest greivances is probably the fact that you live at randwick and cant be bthered mixing with those oafs past ultimo.
I have not heard of the scg trust being pissed off with them moving one game to anz stadium so in your to piss of the landlord bit it doesnt make sense.
everyone agrees that anz stadium is a crap stadium for rugby and football but it is a more attainable area for the MAJORITY of sydney, where people can get to places close by. the tahs cant fill the sfs yes, that is exactly the reason they should be searching for more people outside of their rose bay catchment area.
the NRL is a game that changes to suit the audience, they themselves have been guilty of administrative incompetence and moving games to anz, so why are the NSWRU games any different?, they’re all getting paid to use it. it is cheaper to retain supporters, but if you lose one to gain two then it is a fair investment.
Foxy Loxy said | January 17th 2010 @ 9:11pm | Report comment
The NRL hasn’t moved games to ANZ. Individual NRL clubs have done it. As with the Waratahs, Swans and Cricket NSW, the NRL clubs have accepted financial incentives on offer from the ANZ management to take games there. I agree with you that the place sux as a venue, but it isn’t the NRL pushing the clubs to play out there.
Justin said | January 18th 2010 @ 8:06am | Report comment
In this day and age the clubs need that influx of cash that a deal with ANZ brings. You are right FL that its the clubs themselves taking the plunge not the NRL or ARU forcing it upon them.
LAS – perhaps you should look at what has happened to a number of AFL clubs who have sold matches interstate! Hawthorn, North, Western Bulldogs, Melbourne have all sold games interstate.
What do their members do? Well plenty of them jump on a plane and support the team.
You cant drive 40 mins to support yours?
You arent a Waratahs member so really you have no right to complain about the situation.
NickF said | January 18th 2010 @ 1:53pm | Report comment
rugbyfuture, the problem isn’t just the SFS – Homebush issue, it is much more than that. The “playing ugly” comments, the constant sacking of coaches even when the team is winning, the negative style of play, the way some of our greatest Waratahs have been push out (Matt Burke a prime example), the constant stream of advertising (take a look at the latest NSWRU members booklet the teams major sponsors name appears no less than 56 time, not to mention other sponsors) the HSBC this, the Tooheys that, the Bundy something, NSW have sold the naming right of to every part of the game. Pretty soon the Hot Dog man will be singing out “Get-cha HSBC doggie”. And so on, and so on.
rugbyfuture said | January 18th 2010 @ 2:04pm | Report comment
the winning ugly and continuing political upheavel with coaches and players are all things which will pass in time, much like a political regime of a country. i agree that these are major issues, but the winning ugly thing isn’t going to be sustained this year, im pretty sure of it. In terms of sponsorships, thats the reality of the proffesional era and the team must gain that money right now as they aint getting much else. if there was enough support then they wouldnt need to mention the sponsors every time as they wouldn’t need as much money.
the argument that it isn’t just about that though is a bit suss. look at LAS’s previous article, this is a direct follow up on his own problem that a single game isn’t being played at the SFS (just you wait til he figures out the rebels won’t play there too). this article is primarily an excuse to complain more about this fact.
a true supporter would realise that through thick and thin, any changes in policy (which could easily change back just as quickly) and any political and financial upheavel, you stick by your team, and in time, that time will come back to you. these problems are actually all about the fact that so many fans for the team are glory supporters who simply abandon their team with any change. THIS is what actually needs to change and with it so will the team.
NickF said | January 18th 2010 @ 2:35pm | Report comment
rugbyfuture, I don’t agree with you about sponsorship and the professional era. As I stated in a post below I have become a season member to the St George Illawarra Dragon, and again I state I this is not about rugby or league, but the equivalent Dragons membership booklet does not contain one sponsorship mention, it does contain pictures of the team with the sponsorship on the jersey, they include their sponsorship without shoving it down your throat, and at the same time they make you feel like you are an intregal part of the Dragons team, which of course the fan is. There is a balance that can work, but the Waratahs problem is that it is concerned only with the sponsorship, not only at the cost of the supporter but sometimes with total disdain of the supporter.
As to “the winning ugly and continuing political upheavel with coaches and players are all things which will pass in time”, it has been going on for many years so far, and I see no reason why this won’t continue.
Rugbyfuture I would consider myself to be a ‘true fan’, and I object to the inference that I am not one, but as a fan I feel it my duty and right to speak out if I am unhappy with the running of my team. And my only way of making my point is to post here and to not waste money on season tickets, when my expeirence has no been enjoyable. I continue to watch every game on TV, as you might have noticed I have not once criticised the players, as they will have my support and my issues are not with them, but their leadership in the form of adminstrators.
rugbyfuture said | January 18th 2010 @ 2:47pm | Report comment
sorry nickf i didn’t mean to imply anything personal, i was simply saying that people should stick by the team thick and thin and then they would finally listen. as i said it is very dependant on the amount of fans they have and costs made on the club. the dragons hav e little costs and have many more dedicated fans in ratio as well as many more games. there is a change coming for rugby everywhere on the horizon.
i too am unhappy with some of the current administration, just look at my back catalogue of articles and i too believe it is the right of every fan to speak out, i agree with you there. however i have been brought up to believe that all loyalties are only loyalties if you stick by that forever and it is the duty of you if you are dissatisfied to help change that, and i am trying to work on that in this case.
NickF said | January 18th 2010 @ 1:25pm | Report comment
LAS, I prefer to watch and used to play rugby, but after years of supporting the Waratahs, I have been convinced by my league loving brothers (literally) and am now enjoying my second year as a Dragons season member. Your analogy of a slow dripping tap is perfect. At the Waratahs I always felt I was placed at a dustance from the team/brand, at the Dragons I have met the players, coach and administrtors, I feel welcome at the home game and I get welcomed in to the home game by all staff. I don’t feel that the Waratahs are MY team anymore, just another franchise of the Super 14. It is a very bland expierence out at the SFS these days.
But I also blame the fans as well. They don’t get angry, they don’t get excited and they don’t get involved. Next time any of you Waratah fans go out to the SFS listen to the crowd, and you won’t hear much of a roar there.
Yikes said | January 18th 2010 @ 7:34pm | Report comment
NickF, did you go and meet the Waratahs when they held an open training session at Kogarah Oval?
I also think if the Tahs had a Leagues club you might hear less about HSBC. Go have a look at St George Leagues Club’s annual report for 2008. They gave out 3.5 million in grants to football clubs. Do you think NSWRU gets anywhere close to that from HSBC?
NickF said | January 19th 2010 @ 8:35am | Report comment
Yikes, you make a good point about a leagues club for the Waratahs. That big complex next to the SFS (the car park) would make a great place for exactly that. Have a drink at the club house, then over to the game, and back to the club after. Seriously I would be interested in joining that club.
sheek said | January 16th 2010 @ 7:46am | Report comment
Leftie,
While my first loyalty is to the Reds, I’ve always supported all the Aussie franchises more or less equally, especially the team that gets my pulse racing with positive, enterprising rugby. Which, for most of the past 15 years, has been the Brumbies.
Why else do we watch sport if not to have our spirits lifted? Something for those stick-in-the-mud & head-in-the-sand coaches, players & adminstrators to contemplate???
Yes, the Rebels represent a breath of fresh air. The Rebels is a terific brand, certainly more enterprising than the bland (WA) Force that preceeded it. More shame them for not sticking with their traditional Black Swan.
BTW, is the ARU inadvertently positioning itself for a reprisal of the ARC? The new Aussie franchise now appears certain to be ‘Melbourne Rebels’. Across the Murray river, former ACT is apparently pushing ‘Canberra Brumbies’ this year.
This will make it easier to introduce Western Sydney & Gold Coast in the future. Especially since many rugby fans from the greater west complain that the Waratahs don’t represent them.
In the future, I suspect it will also be easier for NSW to change to Sydney; Qld to Brisbane & WA to Perth. It’s part of the pro city-centric change in the Aussie population.
Also, getting back to the Rebels. If every franchise was run by a high pricipalled person like MacQueen, we wouldn’t have a lot of the rubbish trashed upon us by the marketeers & carpetbaggers.
Sam el Perro said | January 18th 2010 @ 8:33am | Report comment
I am not criticising you here Sheek, so please don’t take this the wrong way. This comment, I think, sums up the change in culture that is necessary for the rugby community to propel the game forward:
“I’ve always supported all the Aussie franchises more or less equally, especially the team that gets my pulse racing with positive, enterprising rugby.”
Rugby supporters, as we know, will support “the game” to an equal amount, if not sometimes great amount, than an individual team. This is sometimes a good thing (ie look at the crowds we got to the 2003 RWC for teams like Romania or the USA). However, if we had a culture of supporting the team and “stuff the rest” (to use the vernacular) it would be a longer term, deeper commitment that would hold us over through the leaner times (which despite the good headlines surrounding the admission of the Rebels, I believe we are in). Can you really imagine a Broncos supporter supporting all of the Sydney teams equally for the good of the game? As a Queenslander, it is inconceivable that a genuine Reds supporter would want to support the Tahs in anything. Ever! Hence the reason that I find this odd.
Anyway. Ramble over.
Rickety Knees said | January 16th 2010 @ 8:07am | Report comment
Leftie – I share your frustation. Likewse I too have been a long time Tah’s supporter. This year, for me, will also see whether my loyalties stay with them. Another season of the aimless dross that was served last year will see my departure.
N.E.B. said | January 16th 2010 @ 8:26am | Report comment
I agree.
LeftArmSpinner said | January 16th 2010 @ 8:28am | Report comment
RK, interesting that we are on the same page. I hope that the Tahs mgt get this article and realise the damage being done. research? what research could be better than this to get a feel for what their grass roots supporters are thinking and considering doing, before the situation is too far gone.
Rather than being disloyal to leave, I will be arguing that it is stupid to stay and smart to go!!! It is definitely not a decision I take lightly or quickly.
penguin said | January 16th 2010 @ 9:04am | Report comment
LAS – as you say it’s a bit early to know how the Rebels are going to shape up, although the early signs seem promising. Alternatively, just for 2010, why not give the Brumbies a go, or would that be treasonable?
They have strong affiliations with Randwick in both players and style of play. They represent at least a part of NSW so you can still kid yourself that you are supporting NSW, and Canberra is sufficiently close that you may be able to get to a few home games which always have a great atmosphere.
The big question is what your mates will say if you turn up wearing blue white and gold when they play the Waratahs at Homebush!
http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/high-expectations-for-brumbies-in-2010/
LeftArmSpinner said | January 16th 2010 @ 10:21am | Report comment
penguin, it is a very good thought. I agree with the pitch, the wicks connection, the style of play and her indoors is both a Brumbies fan and from ACT so its possible. they dont compare to Rebels in the excitement department, highs and lows and I am a big McQueen fan.
But, Congrats on the twist……..
penguin said | January 16th 2010 @ 10:46am | Report comment
Crikey! If she-who-must-be-obeyed is a Brumbies fan, how come you’ve managed to stick with the Waratahs for so long? Chapeau!
I agree with you about McQueen and see your point – I only suggested you try the Brumbies for this season until the Rebels get going.
You know it makes sense….
LeftArmSpinner said | January 16th 2010 @ 2:00pm | Report comment
It sure does. Shes a new “her in doors”. In fact, she is watching closely to see if the tahs games are “ruled out of bounds”.
The hiatus to brumbies coudl win me brownie points!!!!
Fragglerocker said | January 17th 2010 @ 11:06am | Report comment
I’m a Brumbies supporter, and have been since they began. However it may surprise many of my fellow Brumbies supporters (I’m been a Foundation member for years) to know I also support the Waratahs. I used to travel to Sydney regularly for home games when the Brumbies weren’t playing.
I’m assuming Lefty, that it’s not just the lack of success on the field that’s driving you away. I agree that moving the Tah’s most important game to Homebush is a stupid idea (as I hate watching rugby or any other sport at that ground), but can you give non-Waratahs members like myself some examples of how the Waratahs management has betrayed their fans? Was it the “win ugly” ideology, or something else?
PS: After the Brumbies I tend to support The Waratahs, Reds, Force, Wellington (Specifically Taranaki), Otago, and the Stormers (and Boland Cavaliers) in that order.
Keir Anderson said | January 16th 2010 @ 10:56am | Report comment
I must add I’ve been a Brumbies supporter since their inception largely because of the amount of Randwick players they initially had and their style of play. From recollection the first Brumbies team had four of five Randwick guys (David Knox, Adam Magro, James Holbeck, Owen Finegan). I can think of only one year in which NSW have had Randwick guys than ACT.
NSW just have an awful history of playing what I grew up calling Sydney Uni/Eastern Suburbs/10 man rugby typified by Hickey last year saying “we’d rather win ugly than lose pretty”.
penguin said | January 16th 2010 @ 11:26am | Report comment
This year there are 4 at the Waratahs (Freier, Mitchel, Mowen, Nadolo), and 6 at the Brumbies (Chisholm, Elsom, Fainifo, Hoiles, Phibbs, Valentine)
Keir Anderson said | January 16th 2010 @ 11:32am | Report comment
I was under the impression that Nadolo (Ratu) had switched to Manly.
Lindommer said | January 16th 2010 @ 9:29pm | Report comment
Mitchell a Randwick player? I think you’ll find he’s registered at Balmain RFC and is lent to Randwick as a favour. The lad’s obviously a Balmain boy through and through, and he doesn’t cry!
penguin said | January 16th 2010 @ 10:34pm | Report comment
I was just going by the team information on the Waratahs’ website (and I missed Kepu!)
LeftArmSpinner said | January 18th 2010 @ 5:11am | Report comment
lindomner, he doesnt play either. he is a queenslander!!!
Bay35Pablo said | January 17th 2010 @ 3:51pm | Report comment
KE, Ratu has gone to the Marlins.
Working Class Rugger said | January 17th 2010 @ 4:46pm | Report comment
” Ratu has gone to the Marlins ”
Seriously. What doesn’t he like actually contesting Shute Shield finals.
LeftArmSpinner said | January 18th 2010 @ 5:12am | Report comment
Here’s a thought. when you change clubs, you have to change names. In my case, I might have to become leftarmorthodox!!!!!
BennO said | January 16th 2010 @ 9:35am | Report comment
Crikey! I don’t think I could ever stop supporting the reds, although I don’t invest so much in them financially as you do the tahs. That is dire. I do like your plan to watch more wick’s games. It’s been a while since I lived around there but coogee oval is hallowed turf, is it not?
LeftArmSpinner said | January 18th 2010 @ 5:13am | Report comment
sure is.
NickF said | January 18th 2010 @ 2:07pm | Report comment
Also the crowd down at Coogee are raucous and lots of fun to be part of, unlike many other clubs in Sydney.
Yikes said | January 16th 2010 @ 9:40am | Report comment
Any “fan” who decides whether to support a team partly on the basis of the financial cost to him, and the “CEO/Coach team” (as if that won’t change) doesn’t really deserve responding to. As for loyalty, well you wouldn’t have lasted long as a Chicago Cubs fan, would you? Playing attractive footy is obviously desirable, but there are 2 teams in every game and rugby is a sport with problems at the moment, not just with the Tahs.
Not to mention that you talk about about what’s financially cheaper, yet you’re an SFS/SCG member. What would be massively cheaper would be to ditch that and become a Waratahs member. Then you’d get the ticket to ANZ you so desire. And you’d actually be supporting the Waratahs with your $$ like you pretend you do, instead of the SFS/SCG Trust. The Tahs do get a small amount for each SFS member but it’s not much.
If you’re getting other benefits from being an SFS/SCG member, don’t complain about not getting a ticket to ANZ.
And the final piece of hypocrisy is slamming the Waratahs for “not representing NSW” when in your last article you slammed the Waratahs for taking games to Lismore and Orange as being foolish disloyalty to SFS members. What gumption you have!
LAS, you write “life is too short to put up with dickheads”. I agree. I can only hope your new team the Rebels will enjoy your whingeing articles when they too fail to meet your expectations. As they probably will. Your already saying the new Rebels team “have leadership in spades”. They haven’t DONE anything yet!!!
LeftArmSpinner said | January 18th 2010 @ 5:19am | Report comment
yikes, I have been a roosters fan since 1966. Many many lean seasons but still proud until fairly recently when they bought old, bad bulldogs and others like Mr “Im banned from my home town” Carney. Its not about the winning or the losing, its about the incompetence followed by failure to take responsibility for the situation that they have created and that everyone knows is daft.
We currently have three examples of pissing off the core supporter:
the Aussie cricket team
the roosters
the tahs
all for slightly different reasons but all are evidenced by waneing audiences and general unhappiness in the supporter ranks. Each has a rich heritage and admirable players on which to base a reference point to turn the ship around.
Yikes said | January 18th 2010 @ 7:40pm | Report comment
I’d agree with you except the only real evidence you have provided of the Tahs pissing off the core supporter is moving one game to ANZ and not giving Stadium SFS members a ticket. Oh, and the fact they’ve been playing crap football.
(Now we know you’re a Roosters fan, your whinge about the ANZ ticket is even more outrageous!! You have an SFS membership so you can watch the Roosters, the Tahs, the cricket and use the gym, and then you complain NSWRU doesn’t give you a free ticket to ANZ? You have some cajones!)
Mark Young said | January 16th 2010 @ 9:57am | Report comment
If you are thinking of leaving you should go.
Think of it as a marriage, if isn’t working and is just causing you misery you should leave.
And when you get jack of the Rebels then you can do the same thing and try and reconcile with your old partner. Although be warned, it will never be the same as it used to be.
LeftArmSpinner said | January 16th 2010 @ 2:06pm | Report comment
if I go, i wont be moving again. If I survived the last 10 years at the Tahs, I can survive anything from the Rebels, and at least they will have the lingering benefit of McQueen etc.
LeftArmSpinner said | January 18th 2010 @ 5:20am | Report comment
If i choose to move, I will be giving the rebels the same time frame I gave the tahs, 30 years. that puts me in a nursing home and probably off the air anyway!!!!!
Blinky Bill of Bellingen said | January 16th 2010 @ 10:30am | Report comment
LAS – I think a lot of us are interested to see how the Melbourne Mob go. I wish them all the best.
As for ‘divorcing’ myself from the Tahs……….I don’t know. I think I’ve become too comfortable with their mediocrity and unfullfilled pre-season promises to go out looking for anything more exciting. I mean I haven’t dated since flares were fashionable.
But seriously, Tahs management needs to have a good hard look at themselves, the Tah product and what disenchanted fans are saying. Otherwise many others will simply either wander off to another sport or support another Rugby team.
Another season of the absolute dull dross that Hickey & Co dished-up and I may be forced to support a Kiwi team.
LeftArmSpinner said | January 18th 2010 @ 5:21am | Report comment
linky Bill
Here here!