Folau's move to rugby highlights NRL failings

'Let's see the same ole tune, because one code is far bigger than another,you get out the measuring ruler, to beat ones chest.Bring on the marching girls,strike up the band.RL people know it accept it,and try to grow their game.The cynics in contrast have difficulty in trying to accept that effort. Funny how the usual cynics always exclude PNG,which has a population bigger than Wales and NZ combined. A few very small countries,really!! do a little research it is far more than a few.Try 20 -30 to be a little closer to the conservative mark. If one were to apply the same logic,there would be only one world sport.Soccer where it is the major sport in more countries than one can poke a stick at. 160 countries.of which the overwhelming majority, it is a minor sport,and only 8 of those countries showed voluminous interest in the 2007WC final according to the IRBs own figures.97% of the viewing audience.Some work needs to be done ,methinks. The IRB Sevens is indeed a wonderful concept and should be congratulated fo getting into the Olympics.I don't knock success. .I admire the size and scope of the RWC in fact envy it, compared to the RLWC.I do knock overblown hype and ignorance. The RLWC in the UK and France in 2013 is not SOO,and actually involves more than a few countries.This is used to grow the game internationally ,not SOO.The code has been given approval for stge 3 entry to the commonwealth Games. .As far as rl being recognised world wide,will probably never happen ,indeed in my lifetime.But so what,the vast majority of the worl'd population reside in China,India,and the M/E ,they couldnt give a stuff about contact sports.

You understand the difference between " the game is bigger than one man " which was stated ,in contrast with the game is internationally big,which was never stated. Understand the meaning of the word International (happening between nations,ccontest between countries),which makes the description NO International appeal ,fatuous.The fact you even mentioned 4 major countries,whiteants your description.

the game is not big only 4 major countrie playng after 100 years +- it has no internatonal appeal !!

The Australian Rugby lleague continues to be a non- entity in World Sport. It broke away from the ARU over 100 years ago and after all that time has only NZ, England, France and a few very small countries involved in the game. It has FAILED to succeed as a World wide sport. At te same time RUGBY has over 160 nations involved in the game where they run their own major internal competions. The IRB Sevens is a fabulous success and "Sevens "will be played in the next Olympics at Rio. League need more than State of origin to be recognised world wide !!

Masters figures may not be spot on,but they are pretty close. We all know he is correct, Folau did get a top up from the ARU. So did Cooper. Masters may have been trying to stir up the Union blokes, but he had some facts and figures backing it up. He is extremely well connected. The ARU appear to have gone into lockdown on the subject of Folau and Coopers pay deal. Sign of guilt?? Union yet again has sold its soul and threw money away. It kind of makes sense though, Union realise if they did not have the Folau and Cooper drama, they would struggle to get their share of the back page, as there is little else to talk about.

Big Time I applaud your comments, raw,on the button but factual .,let history be your guide. The game is bigger than one man.

I don't really care one way or the other Mr T.I just find responding to some inane responses rather tiring.

Perhaps we could ask the same question of the Engish ru(the home of the game with a huge junior base) and the French ru. The grassroots was certainly doing fine in this country from the 50s onwards,despite no access to GPS and assoc schools,nor the armed services..Ditto UK. The rl grass roots took a very big hit in France in 1941-1946 and beyond due to non Govt sanctioning.Wonder why that was! I offer this one query,which code is alleged to be top heavy in this country? I say no more.

So you think everyone cares because the Warriors will get a crowd of over 20,000 in Wellington against the Bulldogs this year or in Christchurch where 22,000 fans wtach a NRL game in heavy snow and rain never seen on this earth before.... Over 10,000 fans watch a rugby union test match in PNG but I don't think rugby union is popular over there.

Well that is their problem,not being able to access or apply Commonwealth Games stage 3.Perhaps they need to get Commonwealth countries participating,that sure helps . Tourism had nothing to do with Lebanese govt support,it was due to the growth of the game in the unis and clubs and now the schools..Same situation applies to the Ukraine and Serbia and Jamaica.The latter has English govt grants involved. You probably are not aware of the fac,the British Govt has an interparliamentary rugby league group. AFL does not have pro or semi pro teams in coountries other than Oz.Rugby league does England,PNG,NZ,France.They also receive subbstantial sums from local TV beause there is demand. In fact young players from Scotalnd and Wales are plying their trade in the ESL Academy teams.. To compare an AFL premiership match played in another country with rl teams that play in that country or others or a RLWC ,is chalk and cheese. Unless of course there is a Wellington AFL team. A liitle bit of checking would do no harm,as no one has suggested rl is an international powerhouse.It is the usual predictable cynics that proffer that view to push their code's agenda..There is only one code that is such an animal: Soccer. A mouth watering prospect the Warriors v Bulldogs, will also play a game at the Caketin,where apparently no one cares.

What BS!!! Folau went for money. League shouldn't let blokes like this hold them to ransom, and be expected to bend over and take it whichever way these blokes decide to give it. I applaud the League for not signing the bloke. He turned his back on the game once before and allowed himself to be the face of the AFL in the West, he then leads us to believe he is coming back to League, and then signs for that other game. You are right in your first paragraph, League always comes back. By the New Year there will be little talk about Folau. Everytime one of the blokes goes, we manage to find 2 or 3 new ones. Whats the bet we get some blokes we have never heard of jump out of the ground and set the world alight. Who will give a hoot about Folau then?? Quayle and Arthurson never had to deal with other codes trying to pinch our players, so how can you use them as a comparison? It was always League grabbing Union players. Do you forget that the Super League War started on Quayle and Arthurson's watch?? Maybe that would never happen under John Grant's leadership!!! Everytime someone comes out and says they are considering an offer from another code, I think League should come out and tell them good luck, then suggest they sign for League within a day, or any offer they have in front of them will be pulled. If they then choose to go eleswhere, wish them luck and leave it at that. If they really want to go let them, no matter who they are. We will continue to replace them. I can remember when Hunt and Folau signed for AFL. It was the end of the earth, there would be players following from everywhere blah blah blah. Hunt who??? At the end of the day, Folau will take a pay cut and come back, they all do eventually!!!!

The International Boot Throwing Association (IBTA) is officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee, but how is it going to get a stage 3 approval in the Commonwealth games when none of the main players are part of the Commonwealth? I do believe that it gets grants in Ukraine. Anywhere that can get tourism going will get some government support - I believe that the AFL game in Wellington next year is getting substantial support from Wellington council, but I don't believe that puts AFL on the path to being an international powerhouse, but good for the local economy, like most world cups are.

p.Tah.Obviously less than the Eels were able/prepared to offer.Albeit belatedly. No the question I asked,what monies then did the Tahs/ARU finally able to sweep up..After all he .decided in the wink of an eye ,he wanted to be a Wallaby. Roy is a stirrer,but on many occasions due to his contacts with various sports (he was on the AIS Commission),he secures stories that are pretty close to the mark.He does get it wrong on occasions,but to suggest the ARU did not have a finger in the pie,is like suggesting Lindsay Lohan is a role model.

Yawn !! playing the same 45rpm record..When Boot Throwing gets a stage 3 approval in the commonwealth games,and gets official Ukraine,Serbian,Lebanese,Jamaican govt sanctioning thus the ability for grants.If the RLWC(14 countries attending) is able to secure British govt financing,and even Parliamentary support,and local council areas bid for the events games.If the European commission has provided the code money in the form of grants ,due to their development work. One could offer the suggestion if boot throwing ,farnarkling ,underwater fish kissing is able to secure such backing,then you may have what is considered a rarity on rl forums:A point. ATM it vividly comes across as a ru fan,with an axe to grind ,trying to up his relevancy rating on the richter scale of importance.I can understand the discomfort ,with another code developing and growing its game,from a small base.As the saying goes cést la vie ,it happens.

I am reporting Emric and Mr Taylor on comments by ru people(the final analysis) ,after the 2007WC,and judging by the figures watching the finals,they may have a point.

FastEddy - it's all a matter of perception. If you're a league fan, you're going to notice every little scrap of information overseas that non league fans wouldn't notice. A case in point is when I go to the Boot Throwing world cup, it's huge, but outside the 3-4 main countries that attend, you wouldn't know it exists - but try telling that to a polish fan after a day downing Zywiecs and you'd get a different story (if you're brave enough to). In the end it's all good fun and good that people are out and exercising, but take it for what it is.

CrossCoder who knows if the 4 billion figure is accurate. You would need to see the figures for every single nation in the world for every single game and add them all up. I did track the figures for NZ/Aus/UK/France and that incomplete cumulative figure was 180 million so i can certainly see how they might come up with the figure Oh and one the biggest game in Australasia in 2011, with an Audience of 5,207,210 - NZ V Australia World Cup Semi Final

they are tiny out side the league world Oikee

So you disputing the RWC accumulative tv ratings yet you don't dispute when other RL members on here bring in false figures or statements regarding rugby league & rugby. You mention that in over 100 years rugby union is only big in a dozen or so countries yet you hail the growth of your sport around the world and. I didn't know rugby union set a goal 100 years ago to overtake football, American football, GAA, sumo, buzkashi or any other national sports out there. Over 100 years only a handful of countries were playing the sport now its more than 120 countries. Its that BIG in your eyes or not?

Rugby league is just a game like many other games it has its ups and downs but it will soldier on. Fans of sports are a different kinds, when it all goes well everything is fine but if its not they turn a blind eye makes excuses and pretend its allright.