Why the Waratahs need to win the west

You know I have to laugh at Mr Crowden's column in the SMH sometimes -how he oh-so-publicly declares the sins of a official nick-named "Radio" -it's like a long-running soap opera - you think the bad guy is finally going to get his "comeuppance " but NOOOO the same old silly vicarious franchise's existence and regime just keeps on keeping on regardless -well I have chosen to ignore his gossip statements actually i think they are like all gossip column writings -designed to titillate but without any real substance to them . :-)

Maybe this article should have the heading WHY THE WARATAHS NEED TO WIN :-)

100% correct

The Rugby Clubs should have a segment each week explaining a rule, it's uses, why it exists, and what the consequences of the ref ignoring it can be. People get frustrated at endless whistle-fests, but they also get frustrated when a team gets away with murder. Showing the impact of various rules could take the heat off undeserving refs, like Joubert for example, by showing how each team was blatantly cheating and being unwilling to stop doing so, and onto other refs, like Kraplan, who blow penalties in situations that don't affect the game. It might also put the heat onto teams going into matches with negative tactics, ala Reds vs Brumbies in Canberra. The game where Ben Alexander cheerfully sat on Liam Gill for over half a minute a couple of metres from the ruck. Both teams concentrated on blunting the opposition, not outplaying them, and regardless of Steve Walsh's handling of the match, it was the teams that ruined it for everyone.

OK firstly this stuff about Rugby League as less tactical is becoming quite the mis-information isn't it? Rugby League is just as tactical as Rugby Union...BUT yes there is a but...it is also a game of true athleticism, which means unlike Rugby Union (and Australian Football) the players need to be true all-rounders (more or less being both half-backs but also half-forward at least some of the game play). Rugby Union and Australian Football are more about skills you need to learn on the pitch, rather than in park footy. You can't just scrummage or high mark without practice and quite a lot of patience in acquiring proficiency (in my opinion) and so there's less all-round athleticism and if there is athleticism it is secondary to one's ability to win the ball and to use it smartly from there. I also think at the level of playing talent, Rugby League the advanatage as it still can claim (to some extent) that it is a game for all sizes, Australian Football cannot anymore (and so I think only the tall may be 'poached') and Rugby Union requires specialised training from birth (to be honest) if you want to do well enough to be pro. As I said above, Rugby League is the most all-round of the three (though Soccer beats Rugby League by virtue of its Universality) which means it will always hold the football 101 trump card. The West is more a symbol to be really honest. The AFL can convince Southerners that Sydneysiders are more tolerant now about their code, which means they can keep on with the compulsive need to have three major inner city clubs (versus one in Sydney) in a city that is still smaller than Sydney, where home field advantage becomes about as relevant as pre-kickoff coin tosses.

Waterboy - the Tahs were making finals but in most cases scraping into last spot while being massive underdogs to progress. The playing style for a long period was been to control games, if they lose don't lose by a lot and put some of the weaker teams to the sword. Their results flattered to deceive and despite making finals people weren't fooled and many stopped attending. This year the wheels have fallen off and I'm hopeful it will force change through the organisation and we'll start seeing positive play again which in turn will hopefully turn into positive winning rugby.

The best thing that has happened to RL is the emergence of a new AFL side. The NRL has pulled its finger out and has made great strides especially in the marketing area with the introduction of club memberships. In the end RU needs to make a decision on whether it wants to maintain a niche market or go all out to gain more players and fans. The latter is going to take a lot of money that they do not have and unfortunately this will mean a never ending stream of these articles in the years to come.

agree JVGO & waterboy. RU needs to consolidate it's tradional heartland as well as focussing on some key growth areas. The Reds/QRU are no shining light, as way more could be done to promote the game at junior level, but they are winning some hearts and minds for sure. One look at the diversity in the crowd at Suncorp on Saturday night tells you that the game's reach and appeal has changed dramatically in the last 10 years in Qld. But it sure don't hurt that the Reds are winning, or at least playing attractive footy...

Terry, crowds were dropping off when the Waratahs were winning and consistently making the Super competitions semi-finals. JVGO, great point. Rugby Union has been so focused on the supposed old enemy, whom they have co-existed with for over 100 years that they have completely taken their eye of the greatest threat to them the AFL. Not only is it a demographic threat in the areas of the Eastern Suburbs and North Shore, it is a direct threat for tall, lineout jumping type athlete, and AFL somehow being welcomed through the hallowed gates of private schools whom have staunchly refused any rugby league presence for a similar aforementioned time period, exposing their great nursery source to the AFL

if the warratahs ever make a super rugby final, 45,000 people will pack into allianz stadium..crowds are not turning up because they're not winning..look at the reds..

RU needs to look after its own heartlands re AFL first.. RU these days has very little competition from RL in the northern and eastern suburbs yet this is where AFL has made most of its inroads in Sydney and beyond the GPS system has RU on the back foot. The AFL basically has a two pronged marketing attack in Sydney whereby the Swans are targetting the traditional RU demographic and GWS has arrived to take on the RL heartland. At least the NRL are prepared to put up a fight and I doubt that GWS will really amount to much. RU types like to think AFL is their ally in the war against the dreaded mungos and meanwhile AFL grows relentlessly in the middle suburbs of the north shore at the expense of union, an area which the NRL has basically abandoned. This is why the AFL likes to make out that it is a battle with the NRL it is engaged in. Meanwhile it appears RU is struggling and has been the big loser through the growth of AFL in Sydney.

Great article. I agree with the last few points on a broader scale as I just don't see the importance of winning Western Sydney. The NRL is paranoid, the AFL thinks it is king and now it is overflowing into Union. All this sport has to do is, as you said, get on free to air and then League and Union together will run the AFL club into the ground.

That old chest nut about the west. Too true. I'd love to revel a couple of facts i know about the nswru turning its back on the west but i'll just say that I was once in a position to try and it was flat batted. That's all i'll say. Good point about promoting safety but we also need to promote the basic laws of the game because too many from league backgrounds don't understand some of the complexities which I believe causes much frustration. Thats up to the commentators and journalists. Less kearnsey trying to be funny. More talking about rugby!