The next century of rugby league
Roar Guru By Frank Lee Kennedy, 24 May 2012 The Crowd is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- NRL, NRL expansion, Rugby League, Western Reds
Rugby league is traveling well at present. Other than the TV deal, there are not too many major issues to be sorted out.
However, the game needs to be proactive and not rest on its laurels. The future is where the battle will be won or lost. One of the most important issues for the future is the code spreading into new areas.
Here is my plan for rugby league expansion over the short, mid and long term.
Next 20 years
The immediate aim is to get in to Western Australia, with a team in Perth. Western Australia is the fastest growing state by population, including a lot of NSW and Queensland ex-pats.
If there is no rugby league presence in Perth, these people will go to other sports.
A team in Perth is a must in the next few years.
The next place is New Zealand. It is unbelievable how popular the code is with the Pacific Islanders over there and around the Pacific. In the next 10 years another New Zealand team is also a must.
Further consolidation in the meantime is needed in the heartland, with another team in Brisbane and a further one in central Queensland. NSW is well served by the existing 10 teams, but the country areas could be served by moving perhaps 6-12 games per year into NSW country areas like Gosford, Wagga Wagga and Coffs Harbour.
By 2032 we need a 22 team competition, with teams in Adelaide and Darwin.
Next 20-50 years
By 2062 Queensland will be the second most populous State according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and Australia’s population is predicted to be between 35 to 45 million.
By then, rugby league will be well established as the major national winter sport in the country.
Further rationalisation of the code will be inevitable. Nine Sydney teams are a luxury so one shall move to Wollongong and another to the mid north Coast, perhaps around Coffs Harbour, Grafton or Lismore. The NRL should also consider Tamworth and Armidale.
Overall, there should be a maximum of 6-7 teams in Sydney by 2062.
We shall also have a 24 team reserve grade and a 12-16 team second division. There will be a relegation system in place. The Pacific Island Nations shall have a team in the competition.
Next 50-100 years
By the turn of the Century, Western Australia will be the second or third most populous state in the country, pushing Victoria further down to fourth. There is absolutely no doubt, that Western Australia will be the state where the war between rugby league and AFL will be won or lost.
AFL is far ahead at the moment there, but one shall not forget, that rugby union is already played there and league will be coming soon.
The similarity of the codes will split the population between NRL and AFL and the title of Australia’s most popular code will be up for grabs.
- Explore:
- NRL, NRL expansion, Rugby League, Western Reds
May 24th 2012 @ 2:28am
Cameron said | May 24th 2012 @ 2:28am | Report comment
This has to be the code war article to end all code war articles. Honestly, why can’t we just appreciate the two sports? We just cannot seem to put down the measuring sticks as to who has the biggest this or the most that. In America, there is nowhere near the level of hatred between fans of their major sports as there is here in Australia. it’s embarrassing.
May 24th 2012 @ 5:17am
OBJones said | May 24th 2012 @ 5:17am | Report comment
I live in America and we don’t hate on our sports nor we have code wars. This article is misleading. Rugby League will always be a New South Welshman and Queenslander game while Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania have Aussie rules footy as king. This article is misleading.
May 24th 2012 @ 10:00pm
Sea Eagle of Brisbane said | May 24th 2012 @ 10:00pm | Report comment
Suppose you can see 100 years ahed. The new Nostradamus.
May 24th 2012 @ 10:59pm
Lazy Ted Failyou said | May 24th 2012 @ 10:59pm | Report comment
With union now fully pro, is there a point left in playing RL?
May 25th 2012 @ 1:02am
pedro said | May 25th 2012 @ 1:02am | Report comment
Until all the old boys in Union are dead, yes. It may be pro but the game is still 100 years behind.
May 25th 2012 @ 6:26am
mark melville said | May 25th 2012 @ 6:26am | Report comment
yeh, modern rugby union is crap, i would rather watch amateur union. american football is more enjoyable than union now (and thats saying something)
May 25th 2012 @ 12:00pm
D Maaga said | May 25th 2012 @ 12:00pm | Report comment
so you rather watch a sport that is more slower than rugby union. lol
May 25th 2012 @ 12:51pm
Crosscoder said | May 25th 2012 @ 12:51pm | Report comment
Leave lawn bowls out of it.
May 25th 2012 @ 3:57pm
D Maaga said | May 25th 2012 @ 3:57pm | Report comment
the only person in australia or new zealand who picks american football over rugby league or rugby union is a rugby league or a rugby union hater.
May 25th 2012 @ 6:26am
mark melville said | May 25th 2012 @ 6:26am | Report comment
yeh, modern rugby union is crap, i would rather watch amateur union. american football is more enjoyable than union now (and thats saying something)
May 25th 2012 @ 9:54am
Crosscoder said | May 25th 2012 @ 9:54am | Report comment
Lazy Ted.
It’s been fully openly pro for 16 years,and it seems to have made little difference to the desires of players wanting to play rl.
May 25th 2012 @ 10:30am
Simon said | May 25th 2012 @ 10:30am | Report comment
League has been proffesional for over 100 years. With the new tv deal coming up there is going to be some good cash on other so I would say there is plenty of reason to play RL
May 25th 2012 @ 7:14pm
Emric said | May 25th 2012 @ 7:14pm | Report comment
In Australia?? or the World? Perhaps the Northern Union Leagues will move to the NRL for retirement now
May 26th 2012 @ 8:48am
Crosscoder said | May 26th 2012 @ 8:48am | Report comment
You mean northern rugby! in that part of England as its known Emric.
Judging by what is happening in Europe,there will be plenty of opportunity for people wanting to play in the NRL or even S15.
May 26th 2012 @ 9:27am
Boomshanka said | May 26th 2012 @ 9:27am | Report comment
Up north, we simply call the thirteen a side football code ‘Rugby’. Remember Wigan (and other northern clubs) used to play the so called amateur game for twenty three years before seeing the light.
The other fifteen a side game is just ‘Union’.
Although I’ve heard the term Northern Rugby, I wouldn’t have said it was in popular use.
May 26th 2012 @ 2:34pm
D Maaga said | May 26th 2012 @ 2:34pm | Report comment
in most places its rugby or rugby union for rugby union and league or rugby league.
May 26th 2012 @ 4:21pm
Crosscoder said | May 26th 2012 @ 4:21pm | Report comment
Trouble is, most places wasn’t mentioned only northern England.Hence the obvious response.
May 24th 2012 @ 3:12am
OBJones said | May 24th 2012 @ 3:12am | Report comment
What is this guy thinking? A NRL team in Perth would be good, but AFL will always be king in Perth. A code war? AFL rules Perth!!!!
May 24th 2012 @ 3:51am
Cameron said | May 24th 2012 @ 3:51am | Report comment
“The immediate aim is to get in to Western Australia, with a team in Perth. Western Australia is the fastest growing state by population, including a lot of NSW and Queensland ex-pats. ”
The logic here is flawed. There are a heap of Victorian expats living in QLD, but one could hardly say that AFL in QLD has taken over there. Yet the author asserts that the large number of expats from the Eastern states will help RL to win the “war” over the AFL?
May 24th 2012 @ 6:03am
Steve said | May 24th 2012 @ 6:03am | Report comment
Apart from a tv deal, no major issues. Is this a gee up?
May 24th 2012 @ 6:04am
Manoa said | May 24th 2012 @ 6:04am | Report comment
Popular in the Pacific, explain.
May 24th 2012 @ 1:32pm
hotdog said | May 24th 2012 @ 1:32pm | Report comment
Frank said it’s “unbelievable” how popular r league is in the pacific. He’s not expecting you to believe him !
May 24th 2012 @ 9:02am
OBJones said | May 24th 2012 @ 9:02am | Report comment
Western Australia will never have a rugby league and Aussie rules war because Aussie rules will always be king in the state. You do not know Western Australian sports history. Remember the WAFL days. Rugby League will never outpass AFL in the state because Perth is a footy city not league. Get your fact straight. Perth is an AFL dominated city just like Melbourne.
May 24th 2012 @ 10:29am
Go warriors said | May 24th 2012 @ 10:29am | Report comment
OBJones it does not matter what code is no.1. Perth should have an NRL team, the locals will embrace it just like they do with the Force and the Perth Glory. The NRL is amajor sporting competition in Australia and it is crazy that Perth are not part of that. It is not just about having a team in the NRL it is about growing the sport in that region. Just like what the warriors have done in NZ.
And Manoa. The Cook Islands and PNG are part of the pacific and RL is the national sport of both of those countries. They game is also growing strongly in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga not to forget the fact that are is a large percentage playing in the NRL and the Toyota cup that have polynesian heritage.
May 24th 2012 @ 11:15am
OBJones said | May 24th 2012 @ 11:15am | Report comment
A team in Perth would be good and I heard what happened to the WA Reds teams before the NRL was formed. Poor crowds and membership caused the team to lose a lot of money. It was over before they begun really fast. I got this from a Perth buddy. Now times has changed, but Perth is going to be a good NRL market despite being a AFL dominated city.
May 25th 2012 @ 10:00am
Crosscoder said | May 25th 2012 @ 10:00am | Report comment
OB Jones.it was not the poor crowds,which were in fact a lot better than many make out,but the club having to pay travel and accommodation costs for all visiting teams.
Throw in the SL war factor and the Reds jumping to that comp,which got many offside .
A new Reds team will be far better resourced han last time,and there are a hell of a lot more East coasters,NZedders and even Nth England people living there than 15 years ago.
May 25th 2012 @ 12:02pm
D Maaga said | May 25th 2012 @ 12:02pm | Report comment
yes, im sure gold coast went in this time with a far better resources than last time.
May 25th 2012 @ 12:56pm
Crosscoder said | May 25th 2012 @ 12:56pm | Report comment
In fact they did go in better resourced.It was money expended on a COE that got the club into trouble.
They had a new stadium for starters,they had a vey competitive team for starters,they had private investment in excess of last time and in fact higher profile sponsors such as jetstar,and they have a much better tie in with the junior rl clubs.Try again.
Whilst the Chargers were doing OK,it was the SL deal that screwed them.
May 25th 2012 @ 4:00pm
D Maaga said | May 25th 2012 @ 4:00pm | Report comment
yes, blame everything on superleague. the way i see it is that its no different except most nrl teams now days have backers who are willing to spent their own money on the clubs.
May 25th 2012 @ 6:24pm
Crosscoder said | May 25th 2012 @ 6:24pm | Report comment
The way you see it ,is way off the mark.SL was the major factor in the mid 90s to mid 2005.
Try club mergers,try clubs being flicked.
Where you get the idea,that I blame everything on SL, that is just fantasy.
I have spelt out on many a thread the various reasons rl dragged its feet prior to 1995 overseas.You read what you want to read,and ignore anything positive on rl.
.
Really the Reds,Broncos,Chargers,Rams were privately backed,it is hardly a new innovation for the 2000s.As were the GC Giants when they played at Seagulls Stadium.
Yes and it is good to see private backers wanting to get involved,they believe the code has a future.isn’t that what you want???
May 26th 2012 @ 3:20pm
D Maaga said | May 26th 2012 @ 3:20pm | Report comment
clubs merging isn’t a new thing it was either they merge or die unless your still hoping for 12 sydney clubs in the nrl.
alot of clubs have rich backers now where they didn’t in the past. there are many positives in league in the last couple of years some you have mention and some like using rugby union players, clubs and resources or moving the rugby league season so it doesn’t clash with rugby union. all god positives for the code.
May 24th 2012 @ 11:17am
OBJones said | May 24th 2012 @ 11:17am | Report comment
Gowarriors, I was taking about a code war in Perth, a NRL team is fine in Perth and it will happen
May 26th 2012 @ 4:32pm
Crosscoder said | May 26th 2012 @ 4:32pm | Report comment
Clubs merging is not a new thing.Clubs merging at the request of either the ARL or News ltd or,given the flick as a result of a SL war ,is indeed a new thing.Unless of course you can provide us with other examples of SL wars conducted by a media organisation.Waiting……..
St George did not have to merge they were financial,South sydney was viable as was North Sydney.The clubs had very little say,it was merge or go.
I agree D Maaga with your last para.Remember rl is not twisting the arms of any player from any code to play its game. Players can inded play both codes if they wish.some choose one only.For me at school I wasn’t given that choice.
I do know the private backers of both the Brisbane Bombers???? and the CQ team are putting a hell of a lot of money or will be into junior development.
And I understand the French rl is on the verge of introducing a13 team pro comp in the summer months.Whether it gets to that number,we will have to wait and see.
May 24th 2012 @ 11:08am
D Maaga said | May 24th 2012 @ 11:08am | Report comment
your right gowarriors, the nrl has a place in perth and i hope it happens sooner than later but what do you think of the misleading bit about ruby league taking over afl in western auustralia?
when did rugby league became the national sport of the cook island’s?
May 24th 2012 @ 11:50am
Go warriors said | May 24th 2012 @ 11:50am | Report comment
D Maaga In regards to RL taking over AFL in WA it is nonsense and it is just tongue and cheek. Dont take him too seriously. Sport however though is a business and in Australia and it is a very competitive business and each sport League, Union, soccer, AFL are all trying to crush each other to become the no.1 sport at the expense of each other.
I believe all sports can exist in Australia just like they do in any other country in the world. I have travelled to a quite a few countries and these code wars only really exist in Australia.
In regards to RL being the national sport of the Cook Islands I dont know what year it occurred but this is from Wikipedia.
Sport in the Cook Islands From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Rugby league is the most popular sport in the Cook Islands, with soccer and rugby union as the next most popular/played sports.[1] In September 2009, the country hosted the 2009 Pacific Mini Games.
May 25th 2012 @ 11:58am
D Maaga said | May 25th 2012 @ 11:58am | Report comment
we all know wikipedia is full of misinformation. i’m not sure who said rugby league is bigger in the cooks islands when rugby union and soccer have more players, participants and clubs.
May 25th 2012 @ 12:05pm
allblackfan said | May 25th 2012 @ 12:05pm | Report comment
correct, D Maaga.
I can go on wikipedia and say NFL is bigger in Cooks Islands than either rugby code. That’s the danger of wicki — it allows anyone to add what they think is fact when, er, in fact it’s their opinion!
May 25th 2012 @ 1:07pm
Crosscoder said | May 25th 2012 @ 1:07pm | Report comment
To both D Maaga and ABFan I agree Wiki is not the final abiter,and is open to criticism.I would not use that source for referencing,but that is just me.
Let me just say rugby league is doing quite nicely in the Cook Islands.
http://www.rlif.com
Now if you try to debunk the RLIF ,one is quite entitiled to conversely do likewise with the IRB reports.They both can make the odd mistake.
May 25th 2012 @ 4:06pm
D Maaga said | May 25th 2012 @ 4:06pm | Report comment
cc, no one is saying rugby league isn’t doing well in the cook islands. i just wanted to know who in rugby league circle said rugby league is the national sport when rugby union and soccer have more players and clubs on the island.
May 25th 2012 @ 6:29pm
Crosscoder said | May 25th 2012 @ 6:29pm | Report comment
Look D Maaga I have no idea,nor do I particularly care, who suggested rl was the national code of islands with 20,000 people.All I know is ,the game is doing extremely well there,which conflicts with statements that rl is not doing well in the PI.The same applies to Fiji.In response to some of the anti snetiments expressed here.
May 24th 2012 @ 11:28am
clipper said | May 24th 2012 @ 11:28am | Report comment
OBJones – I agree Perth will never have an Aussie Rules / league war, but the could have a Rugby / league war, as Rugby (like SA and Vic) is the more popular of the two.
May 24th 2012 @ 11:54am
League fan said | May 24th 2012 @ 11:54am | Report comment
Clipper where did you hear that union is more popular than league in SA and VIC. I think you will find both codes are very nieche sports in these states where the majority of the population does not even know the difference between the two rugby codes.
May 24th 2012 @ 1:11pm
The Cattery said | May 24th 2012 @ 1:11pm | Report comment
I can’t speak for Adelaide, but you only need to see the big followings the Force and Rebels have to see that rugby is definitely bigger than League in Perth and Melbourne.
May 24th 2012 @ 2:35pm
Stevie said | May 24th 2012 @ 2:35pm | Report comment
The Cattery how do you come to the conclusion the Rugby is bigger than League in Melbourne. Are you basing it on crowd figures because the storm and rebels crowd average is very similar. Are you basing it on tv ratings because the storm outrate the rebels by a country mile. Are you basing it on success because the storm are on the top of the table and for the last decade have been one of the most succsful teams. The rebels on the other hand are the whipping boys.
May 24th 2012 @ 7:16pm
lauboy said | May 24th 2012 @ 7:16pm | Report comment
stevie, you just helped proved Cattery’s point.
The Rebels have been around for only two seasons and they are the competition’s whipping boys yet (according to u) their home crowds are similar to the storm (who have been around much longer and won plenty of titles)
May 24th 2012 @ 11:11pm
Timmuh said | May 24th 2012 @ 11:11pm | Report comment
Can I base it on the years I was living in Melbourne? At that time, the Storm were top league team and the Rebels didn’t exist. Rugby was far more popular than League, among those that could discern the difference.
May 24th 2012 @ 11:22pm
The Cattery said | May 24th 2012 @ 11:22pm | Report comment
Stevie
Rugby has a very long history in Melbourne, has a long lived state comp and has been played in the private schools since the very earliest days.
As for the Force, their level of support is outstanding given they rarely manage to win more than a few games per season (just going off the top of my head – no one hold me to that guess).
May 25th 2012 @ 7:15am
Boomshanka said | May 25th 2012 @ 7:15am | Report comment
TC
Melbourne is hostile to both rugby codes. It was only a handful of years ago, Melbournians got the privilege of watching the Sound of Music instead of the Bledisloe Cup match the rest of the country enjoyed live.
May 25th 2012 @ 10:04am
Crosscoder said | May 25th 2012 @ 10:04am | Report comment
lauboy.RU has been around in Vic for a hell of a lot longer than rl.It has been well entrenched in the private schools.
It has a long history,rl does not.You don’t build up a big fanbase in alien territory in a decade plus.Regardless of your high position on the ladder.
RU people like JON and FitzSimons have always maintained ru is bigger than rl in that state,because of the reasons I have given.
May 25th 2012 @ 10:11am
The Cattery said | May 25th 2012 @ 10:11am | Report comment
Boomshanka
you are confusing TV excecutives chasing ratings with hostility.
Across the Melbourne population, and the local press, you will not find any hostility directed towards any sport.
May 25th 2012 @ 12:04pm
D Maaga said | May 25th 2012 @ 12:04pm | Report comment
its simple, who ever has more players, teams and clubs in victoria is the bigger code.
May 25th 2012 @ 1:15pm
Crosscoder said | May 25th 2012 @ 1:15pm | Report comment
There is no rugby war in Vic Clipper,your point is baseless when applying it to WA.
Rugby league without a team in the west is going along OK.
Under moderation for stating the facts.Geez!!!!
May 25th 2012 @ 2:35pm
League fan said | May 25th 2012 @ 2:35pm | Report comment
D Maaga going by your theory soccer would be the most popular sport in NZ and NSW even though we know that is rubbish. A more accurate way to tell the popularity of a sport in a region is to look at crowds and tv ratings as not everyone can play a sport.
Now considering they had over 50,000 for state of origin and will have over 20,000 tonight for the top of the table clash storm v broncos I would say league is well on top. Also too over 300,000 Victorians watched state of origin a game that did not involve a victorian team outrates any rebels game would show RL is the more known rugby code
May 25th 2012 @ 4:17pm
clipper said | May 25th 2012 @ 4:17pm | Report comment
League fan – you have to compare the clashes that are the pinnacle of the sport. With league it’s SOO, with Rugby it’s RWC. In the RWC Adelaide was getting 120k plus in the finals and SOO got 57k. I don’t know the story with Melbourne, but I assume quite a few watched the RWC final.
Super Rugby isn’t on FTA , so cant compare there.
May 25th 2012 @ 6:32pm
Crosscoder said | May 25th 2012 @ 6:32pm | Report comment
It isn’t on FTA.There is part of you answer Clipper.
RWC happen every 4 years,SOO every year.Apples with pears.
May 25th 2012 @ 4:18pm
D Maaga said | May 25th 2012 @ 4:18pm | Report comment
LF, the last melbourne storm game on free to air tv on a sunday afternoon got 6000 in victoria. while the state of origin is an event not all 300,000 who tune in last night are league fans. rugby union holds the record in both free to air and pay tv most watched programmes out of the four football codes but it doesn’t make rugby union bigger than league and afl.
May 25th 2012 @ 6:09pm
Boomshanka said | May 25th 2012 @ 6:09pm | Report comment
The 6000 watching the storm in Melbourne refers to the 9 hr delayed match on channel nine shown after midnight.
In fact a reported 60k watched the delayed Storm match on GEM shared between Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth last weekend.
Enjoy the game tonight DM.
May 26th 2012 @ 3:26pm
D Maaga said | May 26th 2012 @ 3:26pm | Report comment
60k in states with a population of what again?
May 26th 2012 @ 4:54pm
Boomshanka said | May 26th 2012 @ 4:54pm | Report comment
That’d be about 11 times more than you originally gave credit for.
Remember this is an area were TV programmers only a few years ago gave us such gems as The Sound of Music instead of the Bledisloe Cup.
For me, I’m over the code war rubbish having had to endure roughly of twelve years of hoarding by TV providers down here. Very recent changes now see me watch my chose of code at a much more reasonable time, and for that I’m currently happy and satisfied.
We should be able to watch what we want when we want, however ill informed statements such as “only 6000 watched the game in Victoria” play straight back to those that want to see a return to the dark ages with TV dictating what we watch depending on where we live
May 24th 2012 @ 10:18am
mark melville said | May 24th 2012 @ 10:18am | Report comment
dreamer
May 24th 2012 @ 12:11pm
Manoa said | May 24th 2012 @ 12:11pm | Report comment
What has players of island heritage in the nrl got to do with the popularity of rugby league. Look at all the great Italian and Greek players in the afl. Cook Islands has a population of 20,000, you have not mentioned Wallis and Futuna where rugby union is the most popular game.
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May 24th 2012 @ 12:45pm
Go warriors said | May 24th 2012 @ 12:45pm | Report comment
Manoa Pacific Island players playing in the NRL has got a lot do with the popularity of RL in the Pacific Islands. Auckland is the biggest polynesian city in the world and there are more Samoans and Tongans living in Auckland than there are in Samoa and Toga. If you want to find them just go to a RL game or a warriors game and you will see them in their droves.
You can not tell me that Tony Williams or Akuila Uate playing state of origin last night was not big news in the Islands. I am sure when Akuila scored the first try the village would have gone crazy. Manoa please go to PNG and then tell me RL is not popular.
May 25th 2012 @ 11:42am
D Maaga said | May 25th 2012 @ 11:42am | Report comment
there have been many nfl players of samoan and tongan heritage in the last fifty years who are more famous back home than fui fui moi moi and ruben wiki yet there are no american football in both islands.
auckland or even nz has the most polynesian population on the planet and the majority of them play rugby union so your most likely to find them at a rugby union match all over nz. there are samoan, tongan, fijian, niuen and cook islands village and provincial competition played all over new zealand in both 15′s and seven’s every year.
go warriors television in samoa, tonga or fiji was off air when state of origin was on.
May 25th 2012 @ 1:18pm
Crosscoder said | May 25th 2012 @ 1:18pm | Report comment
There is a rugby league comp in the Cook Islands ,that is a hell of a differnce D Maaga.
May 25th 2012 @ 6:38pm
Crosscoder said | May 25th 2012 @ 6:38pm | Report comment
Easy D Maaga,as there is no amercian football comp,there is a difference when comapring it to players from Tonga Samoa who play in the NFL.Last I heard Cook Islands was in the Pacific.
May 25th 2012 @ 4:23pm
D Maaga said | May 25th 2012 @ 4:23pm | Report comment
you loss me CC, when did i said there was never a rugby league comp in the cook islands? i was talking about rugby union comps in nz involved fijians, cook islands, tongans, tokelaueans, samoan and niueans living in nz.
May 25th 2012 @ 4:23pm
D Maaga said | May 25th 2012 @ 4:23pm | Report comment
you loss me CC, when did i said there was never a rugby league comp in the cook islands? i was talking about rugby union comps in nz involved fijians, cook islands, tongans, tokelaueans, samoan and niueans living in nz.
May 25th 2012 @ 4:51pm
clipper said | May 25th 2012 @ 4:51pm | Report comment
There are 2,2258 registered Rugby players and 21 clubs in the Cook Islands, so I can’t see out of a 20k population that it would have more league players, without even factoring in soccer and other sports. But going by those figures, it does seem like they have an active, sports mad population, so good on them!
May 25th 2012 @ 5:17pm
D Maaga said | May 25th 2012 @ 5:17pm | Report comment
last time i looked rugby league is’t played at primary and high schools or have any female competitions on the islands nor do they have a sevens a side season as well as 13′s.
May 26th 2012 @ 8:44am
Crosscoder said | May 26th 2012 @ 8:44am | Report comment
The last time i looked there were in 2011in the Cook Islands
7 Premier teams
6 reserve teams
6 u19 teams
6 u16teams
6 u13 teams
Also further news in 2011
http://www.rugbyleagueinternationalscores.com/index.php/2011/07/eels-and-panthers-rock-the-islands/
May 26th 2012 @ 3:40pm
D Maaga said | May 26th 2012 @ 3:40pm | Report comment
that’s rarotonga rugby league with one team based in autitaki, rugby union have their own competition in every level clubs and schools in rarotonga, pukapuka, autitaki and other outer islands.
May 26th 2012 @ 4:39pm
Crosscoder said | May 26th 2012 @ 4:39pm | Report comment
It is still a Cook Islands rl comp,and the break up of the various teams and age groups. The game is developing strongly there D Maaga.The Autitaki team plays the teams from the main island,that’s the point.A good effort.
I am not disputing what ru has there champ.What I am disputing are comments by some ru fellow travellers ,who keep raving on about 2 states in australia and 2 counties in England in a puerile attempt to discredit rl.It is utter balderdash.Whilst they continue to offer such untruths ,they will be responded accordingly.
BTW I notice you stated Wiki has little credibility,and then you used that very source as a ref point for French ru LOL.It is either credible or you don’t use it.
May 24th 2012 @ 1:24pm
Ian Whitchurch said | May 24th 2012 @ 1:24pm | Report comment
Why are people so eager to repeat the idiocy of cutting teams, when it worked so well last time ?
Most people dont support a code – they support a club. Lose that club and you lose many of those supporters.
The ‘but we’ll dilute the talent’ argument is weak – more clubs equals more opportunities equals more superstars developed.
But again and again and again, alleged rugby league supporters keep calling for clubs to be killed.
May 25th 2012 @ 5:40am
Pete said | May 25th 2012 @ 5:40am | Report comment
Actually, it did work. Support is up massively from when we had 20 teams, specifically because the quality of the comp is better.
May 25th 2012 @ 10:03am
Ian Whitchurch said | May 25th 2012 @ 10:03am | Report comment
1995, 3.35 m people through the gates.
2006, 3.1m people through the gates.
In 1995, South Queensland Crushers had home crowds of 21 000. Perth had home crowds of 13 400. Norths had home crowds of 11 500. Illawarra of 9651. Canberra 15 600.
2006, Penrith had home crowds of 11 600, Souths 10 600, Canberra 11500.
Contraction away from a national competition was a disaster for rugby league.
http://stats.rleague.com/rl/crowds/summary.html
May 25th 2012 @ 10:09am
Crosscoder said | May 25th 2012 @ 10:09am | Report comment
Whilst i agree with your reasoning and your points Ian,you left out one of the most obvious effects,the SL war.Which by confidence started in 95,when the code was booming and the very big stage of exapsnion started.
The conraction was the deal struck for peace.
Yet 2005 was a record year fro the code.Go figure.
May 25th 2012 @ 11:55am
D Maaga said | May 25th 2012 @ 11:55am | Report comment
cc, i like how you think superleague war had an affect on rugby league but it didn’t. a mater of fact is superleague had an affect in australia only. without superleague the sport wasn’t moving anywhere espeacially in the pacific islands where the extra cash was much needed funds which was better than nothing which they would have got from the arl.
May 25th 2012 @ 2:05pm
Crosscoder said | May 25th 2012 @ 2:05pm | Report comment
That first line of yours D Maaga ,spells out ignorance with a capital I.
The ARL had at least $20m in the bank in 1995,,prior to the outbreak of SL
The code had intended to have a team in Melbourne(Arthurson stated so).
SL poured a load on money into the PI and splashed it around everywhich way.The ARL used up their cash on player contracts.
You have no idea of the impact in France and the UK,wth teams set up in Paris(waste of time and money).Read a little about the history of the SL war.To suggest it only affected Australia only is rubbish,Have a chat with with former Wigan CEO Maurice Lindsay.He will put you straight.
It’s funny but not surprising you are but one of a few who believe SL did not impact the game as a whole ,apart from the Australian aspect. Head in the sand.
Fiji only took up rl as a reult of playing in the World 7s in sydney in the early 90s.the progress in that country is more than satisfying.
May 25th 2012 @ 4:42pm
D Maaga said | May 25th 2012 @ 4:42pm | Report comment
so, you think $20 million of arl money that was never going to be seen by anyone outside of nsw and queensland was more important than the milliions and millions of news limited cash that got many nations playing. was the arl $20 milions going to pay for the uk tv rights which superleague got from sky tv? rugby league in france was heading down that path anyway. former french rugby coach jacques fouroux started a summer rugb y league comp in 1994 but it was canned after poor crowds and no interests in favour of paris st germain club.
fiji took up league because twelves rugby union internationals took up an offer to play as fiji in the world sevens in sydney but superleague money was the main reason the main game took hold in fiji at club level.