I gotta give my hat to the AFL. They sure know how to announce a signing. For the second year in a row, the AFL has signed a NRL player during the time when the NRL shines over the other codes. And that, of course, is State of Origin time.
Never mind the record ratings for Origin 1, which were over 3.5 million nationally – higher than any footy code so far in 2010. But all the talk surrounding Origin 2 will be if Folau gets choosen for the Maroons.
So congratulations to the AFL. They have taken over Rugby League’s State of Origin series. But if it isn’t the biggest middle finger solute ever, then I don’t know what is.
A show of power, that’s all it is.
Okay, now onto the important issue: I wrote not long ago that Folau is free to walk away and can come back like many others have. The real offer probably wont be make public to avoid embarrassment to the AFL for how much they truly need a Rugby League player to promote their game.
Its a disappointing day for the NRL, but it isn’t the end, as some have claimed. The game, as it has for 102 years, will go on, but their surely must be a time when the code finally stands up for itself to do something to show they aren’t going to be a competition that is simply a breeding ground for the vultures of the other sports to come in and swoop from.
The game has boasted of the return of Tuquri, the re-signing of Thurston, and the possibility of Gasnier signing. But it can be un-done to an extent with Folau going to the AFL.
chris
Guest
Have the proposed Wallabies v Kangeroos game on at the same time as the GWS AFL home debut. Now that would annoy the AFL and Sheedy.
Sars
Guest
You are right Ken, as Gob alluded to, I also found it quite amusing that a lot of the things oikee spruiks about are what Superleague were all about (better TV deals through increased (pay tv) competiton, less teams so you can pay elite players more, a truly national comp etc. etc.), not to mention his bemoaning of the lack of vision at NRL HQ, and then he says that John Ribot should not be allowed anywhere near RL. What the...? Maybe he is just ticked and blames JR for Superleague failing to dominate and 'making a deal with the devil' to come back to the ARL?
M1tch
Roar Guru
I think they will goto CTMYWCBS (chase the money you will come back soon) ;)
Michael C
Roar Guru
see above reply to the Link - yeah, you're probably right that the SUperleague and subsequent NewsLtd shackles have thwarted the NRL big time. Heck, even I've heard of Jack Gibson,.....
M1tch
Roar Guru
I find it humerous that the AFL is horrified by their own players signing mid season, but no problem signing league players hmm, as I say all talk around Origin 2 will be Folau
Ken
Guest
I know you're only trying to get Oikee to blow up but I sometimes wonder where things would have been if the ARL had just rolled over for Murdoch. We would have lost a lot of tradition with clubs moving and/or dying, but Norths fans will tell you that happened anyway, Maybe it would all be a souless shell now, maybe a roaring success who knows? I'm not sure the IC is the golden light it's been made out to be but it can't be a bad thing to strip away all the layers of admin and stakeholders the game has now.
Michael C
Roar Guru
Link - agreed - - and not trying to demean the 'iternal' greats,.......however, for whatever reason - - and as you say Superleague is a pretty good one - - and NewsLtd ownership coming out of that - - - the NRL has managed to NOT go much beyond what the NSWRL would've. And the same small town attitudes to Australian Football exist,.....or, and peddled in the public domain by the vocal and visible, although, for me, people like Michael Hagan and Gus Gould do impress me.
Redb
Roar Guru
Kevin Sheedy is a huge Jack Gibson fan and often used him as a mentor.
Ken
Guest
Hey MC - it might not be talked of often but I think you're off track with the idea that coaches from rival codes don't exchange ideas and methods. I know I've read that Jack Gibson was a bit of a revolutionary in RL in the 70's with his trips to the US to visit NFL teams and also had his teams train alongside AFL and soccer teams at the time. He was considered the first professional coach in Rugby League. I'd be surprised if current AFL and NRL coaches didn't have some contact with each other. I don't think RL has any problems on the playing field, it's in the admin. RL people will tell you it's always been managed badly, an exaggeration but at times that's certainly been the case. The current scenario though is still an off-shoot of the Super League stuff, not only did it blow the game apart but it did it at a terrible time when true professionalism was spreading through sport with competition for every sponsor and every dollar becoming so important. RL was re-building while the AFL, for example, was doing the hard yards expanding. It relates directly to why the salary cap is in place, why our own expansion teams from the 90's didn't get a chance to blossom and why instead of celebrating our great game we're again talking about a star leaving and being unable to defend ourselves against raiders. Oikee i'm surprised you don't know much about Jack, I think you would have like him, one of his famous quotes was 'In football, if you are standing still, you're going backwards fast.' Of course his best line was the beautifully succinct 'Played hard, done good'.
Redb
Roar Guru
Or perhaps the Middle East. ;-)
DB
Guest
They are actually trying to trump the French Open. The AFL fear that tennis being played on clay will eventually takeover
Redb
Roar Guru
Would have thought so.
MyGeneration
Roar Guru
And if it was done to damage SOO, you would do it in an actual SOO week to maximise the damage.
uni no1
Guest
ha ha sorry :)
Redb
Roar Guru
I agree, in actual fact the timing was between SOO to allow some media oxygen in NSW. I think they avoided the clash with origin which is contrary to the views here. Not that the AFL has any obligation to protect the NRL/ARL's news cycle. If anything it coincided with K Hunt's start at GC.
Redb
Roar Guru
Oh well if that is the case, strictly speaking they stuffed up and should announced the day before Origin 2.
MyGeneration
Roar Guru
is it true that trolls like to repeat themselves?
uni no1
Guest
is it true that the NRL are going to change their name to OSDL (OTHER SPORTS DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE)?
uni no1
Guest
is it true that the NRL are going to change their name to OSDL (OTHER SPORTS DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE)? also if Mr Folau is from the western suburbs of sydney how does he play for QLD?
oikee
Guest
What have you been drinking, look mate, Ribot had his time in the sun, he failed. Not only did he fail, i would go as far to say he got us into this mess by being a failure, now i dont know if you are his cousin or something, but failure is a dirty word in league. Our brainstrust wont even hear of the word they are that used to it. If Ribot was the man, if he was going to be our all concuring leader, as far as i am concerned, the game would not be in this mess. 12 teams was not the go back then, it is now, 14 at the most in 5 years time. And all this without losing any clubs. Introduce relagation, something used in England, perfect for our game here in Australia. You wont be able to see this, its outside the square.