Back in the 1980s, Manly godfather Ken Arthurson was the Chairman of the Australian Rugby League as well as the NSWRL.
Imagine the outcry if we had a club boss also running the game today.
We probably would not have a Melbourne Storm, a Wests Tigers, a St George Illawarra or teams in North Queensland or New Zealand.
Let’s fast forward through media chum David Gallop’s decade as CEO, and focus on his successor Dave Smith, discussing what will be a pass mark when we examine his card in three years.
As an avid consumer of rugby league I want the game’s boss to be a strategic thinker and hire people who will make him and the game look good. He doesn’t need to know how to spell Minichiello, or how many grand finals St George had won in a row.
I like the fact that journos have to earn their keep now as they don’t have the speed dial for the man in charge of our $3 billion corporation.
A number of the classes have been in the process now for two years and the first major subject on Dave Smith’s report card will be the next TV and radio rights deal.
Some will use the crude numbers to judge growth, so let’s start Dave’s objectives here.
1. NRL TV rights agreement – In Aug, 2012 ARLC Chairman John Grant announced to the media the five-year deal with Nine and Fox Sports is worth $1.025 billion, comprising $925 million in cash and a further $100m in advertising.
I would like to see another free-to-air broadcaster added and given stand-alone Test and City versus Country weekend matches and/or State of Origin matches. Also the New Zealand rights should include commentary from Andrew Voss if Nine continue to shun him.
2. Mobile, online rights – This is a massive growth market not only for business development but also for advertisers. The AFL deal is mind-blowing and there is no reason why Dave cannot do even better.
3. Radio rights deal – We should be able to turn the radio on anywhere in Australia and New Zealand and hear every match live. We have some top class callers like Andrew Voss, Graeme Hughes and David Morrow who would love to call matches to frustrated fans who currently miss out.
4. Ensure financial sustainability for clubs – The saying that “it starts at the front office” is very true and Dave Smith already should be applauded for “assisting” some clubs with genuine business expertise at both board and operational level.
5. An NRL-owned stadium – Why rent when you can buy? The NRL will have the cash to fund the purchase of their own Stadium which can be built for rugby league and make the experience more affordable for fans.
6. Don’t lose market share to the AFL – This is a tough one to measure and it depends on the objectives set, but clearly bums on seats, TV ratings and the rights deal are biggies.
7. Grow rugby league among 17 year olds and under – Obviously a crucial objective as they are the future and so many kids drop out of the game before they reach 18. The NRL must first understand why and address each issue but the major impediments are their parents cannot afford the huge insurance costs and their clubs are going broke.
Also the influx of players from New Zealand and the Pacific Islands literally ‘frighten’ many kids away as they are often much bigger. Soccer and AFL become attractive by default.
8. Grow the female fan-base – The NRL are doing a great job here and the crack down on domestic violence must remain aggressive.
9. Introduce rugby league to more schools – Many schools, both private and public, would consider league for their students if given a reason. The NRL should them justify it.
10. Assist clubs in attracting and signing members – This is an area where the AFL leaves the NRL for dead. Find out the “secret” and copy it, as it cannot be that hard.
Remember that an extra 5,000 members at $200 is $1million. AFL club Collingwood boasted 80,793 paid members this year.
11. Assist clubs how to be self-sufficient without relying on poker machines – Pokies have created a ‘false economy’ and laziness with many clubs and they need to create new revenue streams.
12. Put a cap on players who do not play their initial junior league in Australia – The NRL is looking more like American sport every month and they need to ensure that there is always a place for kids from dairy farms. The original fabric of the game is disappearing.
13. Provide a third-party level playing field for all clubs – A handful of clubs have a distinct advantage over others with the use of third party payments to players. This can be as much as $1m a year as some clubs are disadvantaged because of their location.
This needs to be recognised by the NRL and those clubs compensated.
14. All rep player payments to go to the RLPA for management and distribution – Player representative payments should be negotiated by the RLPA and all monies should be paid directly to them so they can distribute appropriately.
15. The Integrity Unit – Currently this group is 100 per cent reactive and they do not have a mechanism that monitors all rugby league bookmaker activity and have sufficient in-house “expertise” on hand to advise of any red flags before the event. I find this staggering, given there is a lot of money at stake.
16. Own their own stats – The NRL has tried renting from third parties without success and I find it stunning that they do not own their statistical data. Not only must they have their own stats but they must be made available to the fans for free.
Stats are an indirect way of promoting the game and they create discussion points which is what fans should be encouraged to do. Give the fans intel and they will deliver mind share.
17. Product fees – This is a relatively new revenue stream for the NRL which should be passed back to the clubs as they have provided the product. The NRL needs to negotiate a win/win product fee strategy based gross profit with Australian bookies and importantly be proactive working with the Federal Government stopping off shore wagering who pay no taxes or product Fees.
18. Live betting – Currently NRL fans can only do this via the phone but if they were able to also do it via the internet the revenues would double and so to would the taxes and product fees.
This draconian law has not been updated in line with modern technology and the NRL should join all sports in lobbying Canberra for change.
19. Expansion – I would like to see the NRL introduce two more teams and move the NRL competition into two conferences ensuring key rivals and derbies play each other twice.
It would be important that the two groups are equal so ‘massaging’ would have to be done to ensure popular clashes are not missed like Storm versus Warriors or Cowboys versus Broncos.
20. NRL Central to house all video refs – Why do video refs have to travel to each game?
The answer is they don’t. It is a massive waste of human resources and costs. We have the technology to have three Video refs available for every game at NRL Central.
The consensus wins. We also have the technology for video refs to ‘tip’ offside passes. Let’s not be too hard on our refs though. Howlers appear in all sports – did you see the Wanderers in the Asian Champions League?
21. Increase the attractiveness for travelling to a match – This becomes much easier if the NRL own the stadium but clearly they need to make it affordable for families and crack down on outrageous food and drink prices.
22. Referees academy – Create a referees academy so ex-players can graduate. We are losing many young players in their early 20s who cannot find a new career path.
23. Coaching academy – Create a coaching academy so distinctive skills like organising, passing and tactical kicking are not lost. Only a handful of players actually are ready and know what to do and how to execute. Does anyone teach it these days?
There it is and I should probably stop as Dave Smith only has another three years before his report card is marked.
Let’s all hope that he graduates and gets a distinction with a big gold star on his forehead.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Sleiman I appreciate your insightful mind share my friend and as a reward I have given you an honorable mention in my next piece.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Riff The RL stats should be the prized ownership of the NRL. It should be their IP. I am staggered that they use 3rd parties. You are correct that they are only as good as they are accurate.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
mushi Are you on drugs?, or just cannot read? You have a bad habit of "inventing" words and if you keep it up you will get life from me which would be a shame as you often make great contributions. Mate, what i said was that I personally do not have a view on the subject but pointed out how our game is changing. If you cannot see that then you really are on drugs. I dont care what changes we see as long as we never lose what made the game great in the first place.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
1. Anything to split the authority that Channel Nine has over league is a good thing. The NRL needs to take more control over how the sport is presented. 2. The new world already began - years ago. It is typical of monopoly thinking to not have adapted properly to it. 3. Ray Hadley's apparent popularity with speaks volumes about the quality of Australia's radio listening public... 4. It took Souths four decades to enter the modern world. Parramatta have endured reactive chook raffle and poker machine vision for almost three decades. Clubs need to throw away that kind of past and actually start living again. 5. There is absolutely nothing, and I mean nothing, wrong with watching rugby league from the hill like in the old days. But if people want to do that, they can go and watch local amateur football. I don't know if a centralised stadium is the answer. I'm more inclined to accept local boutique stadiums with one big stadium for the bigger drawing matches. 6. I'm not a fan in comparing sports except in terms of vision management. 7. League is a violent sport and I think the adoption of touch football by the NRL will prove to be a master stroke. The Nines, too, will help. 8. Without women, you have nothing but thuggery masquerading as sport. 9. This is a no-brainer. Send players - who can speak coherently - to schools each week. It's simple, straightforward and effective. 10. It really is surprising just how slow rugby league has been in jumping on the membership wagon. A legacy, no doubt, of the visionary pokie era... 11. The attitude behind poker machines - their use and promotion - is a blight on human potential. 12. The 'fabric of the game'? You mean humans, right? 13. I'm not sure how far this could go. You may end up with not much more than the NRL playing big daddy providing funding for clubs who meet the competition's entry requirements. 14. Doesn't the RLPA already do this? Watch the number of retired players who decide to work as part of the RLPA. 15. My views against sports betting and gambling are harsh. In principle, anything that does not promote it is something I would support. 16. Is it me or has it been a fashion for rugby league to go on research junkets to justify working out the obvious? And while the link with gambling is an inevitably disturbing one, it's a no-brainer that it would be great for the fans. Imagine The Roar being inundated with spreadsheets posing as articles! 17. I really do not like sports betting so... if this idea encourages it, then I am against it. 18. All I will add is that it is better if it is legal than illegal. Otherwise, it's all the same to me. 19. The issue is how do you manage the conferences? The travel costs of a non-Sydney conference, for example, would be enormous. I'm more partial to playing each team once, at least if there are going to be twenty teams. Home matches could be rotated each year. 20. Skype! lol 21. Nobody likes to be surrounded by fools shouting obscenities. 22. Seems obvious to have some kind of official training ground for referees. Referees need to be the big daddy on the field. Being fit and knowing the rules are not enough. 23. It's amazing how so few coaches get gigs in the NRL. It is always the same names being bandied about? Where are the coaches? The only problem I see with some of your solutions is that if implemented, the NRL will eventually be seen as a kind of Big Brother, lording over every little thing that occurs in the game. For years people were rightfully complaining about too many governing bodies but, of course, the flip side to that is an almighty NRL behemoth controlling everything.
Von Neumann
Roar Guru
Explanation, not an apology though. Hope this gets up even if its a double comment from myself, since it would be good for Scott if you saw it. We may avoid this in the future because there is a mis communication probably and a gross oversight on some part of others. Its a pertinent point and may address some of the angst I would not leave as residue upon yourself. I say this because you are emoting on these issues: for example, negative, take a bex, do me a favor, you don't actually say anything!, you've already made up your mind!" Hmmm, thats ok but you didn't think about that and I would like it cleared up. This should not descend into a personal show down. There's a higher issues here and if you place a high regard on integrity and the future of gambling in this sport and others, then don't be the cowboy and get muddy with superfluous stuff. Not trying to warn you; trying to state rules of engagement on this issue. I did say a lot, didn't I? I can't help if you dont want to read something closer to the truth. Im not emoting on these issues if you can't see, and I was not trying to be savage. I am calling it how it is. I didn't offer alternatives, no, but why should I - some should not be done at all. The alternative is null - dont do it. The NRL already has things in mind or in place on others. There's reasons beyond the scope of the article not to go into. Hey, some I did agree with. I did say it was fluffy, yes, because of the next point> Your words in the article were "lets start Daves objectives here" You are essentially telling them what you would like done. You are giving him a new set of objectives, some of which are carbon copies, and some which are new. *** *** The problem I have with gambling -- is not gambling itself. Mate, the other day I was in the casino winning big on blackjack. Dont like the slots so much, and I play keno and lotto and I have bet on horses before. I dont bet on rugby league officially but I will have the odd bet with family members once in a while **** So....with gambling the problem is that its a !separate! business! Its not the NRL. IF you are going to set 2 of daves objectives as priorities for the NRL but they have nothing to do with the NRL itself, then that is completely abhorrent and against everything the commission is set up for. "For the betterment of rugby league".... NOT for the "betterment of gambling in australia" The fact you dont have a problem with this, Im actually apologizing to you for the next bit- but its disgusting and maybe it says something about you that you are prepared to abuse the charter of the great games commission for what essentially would be personal benefit and nothing to do with rugby league. Not only that but you would seek to use the games resources, people and connections to see out that goal. It leads me to think you just dont mind. And dont you? ******** I mean some things you have suggested over time do hit a point with me. I dont purposfully remember these things, I just have a good memory.... I think of this stuff as paraphernalia to your gambling views. I simply figured you were cutting too close to the bone when you lost the distinction between the NRL and Gambling in this case. - the gambling ebook - the beteasy stuff - the time you said you think players should be allowed to bet on the game and that you know of people who get mixed up in stuff like that and that is ok to do so -the time you said exotic bets are a great thing - the continual references to the integrity unit, how you would restructure it and how it was a travesty its like it is. You should see that the distinction between two separate and honestly polar opposite ethically and morally even of the NRL and any gambling entity. They should be separate as much as possible. Their goals are miles apart, and frankly 10 million is no small change, but no one should jump into bed with something like that when the motivation is just so another can make money off the game. Yes its servicing a need to a segment of the population, but service is but one consideration Especially since the NRL is - working in the community, often with disadvantaged people, - removing pokies from funding the game as much as possible, - running stacks of initiatives to improve and engage with the community. Im not saying stay away from gambling, but they need to be careful. Being at the forefront of the political vanguard of legislation change on this issue would be a shocking look. _____ Ok, so like The Barry says above, brevity is the soul of wit. Ha! Well distinction is the hallmark of intelligence. There is wittiness and then there is "wits". To wit: I think he does know this, to not allow this of him would label him lacking brains which he is not. I think we can all here find the distinction between the points being made. As to me being negative, now you try to school me on that. I know all about that. It was only last time I was on here, I was critisized for being too positive. Back in that time the game wasn't going so great and any positivity was not seen as being real. So about being real - thats what I am, always. Im a realist, but I am also a positive person. I am also dealing with facts. I dont whimsically think, even if I do sometimes think big. I am grounded in reality and I dont run agenda apart from whats best for the game. Im usually thinking 3 steps ahead, and I actually detest having to alter or shape my plans to head off another sport or economic condition. I am a little impatient in that regard but I have a lot of self control and apart from one or two vices, so I can wait things out. This may explain why I am not fussed on moving too quick or rushing into plans or over tweaking things. What have I ever said on here that has not really come true? You should know by now that what I say is usually on point. Back in the day I was positive, and stuff got better, way better, but people thought that was off base. Just you wait I said. Now, being called out for negativity, I find that ridiculous. Something is not negative if it is wrong, factually incorrect, done to deceive or misinform (where either of those two are relevant), ect. Being real, is being real; and being practical with the limited man power, time, resources and influence and value one can bring to the table, is a much better way of framing efforts. The roar is about opinion, yes. You gave one, it was wrong on many levels. I dont look down on you for it. Maybe its a bitter pill to take, but just think - im a positive guy, but im not delusionaly positive....so just think, and I believe this - you could use this a lesson, and that way it'll be of value. Though, neither am I a negative person. You were wrong again - ha! Oh lighten up. :) Just kidding on that. I just told it how I saw it, but the biggest thing for me was the lack of distinction between two entities - I call that corruption. For someone big on the integrity unit, you've got to be kidding me. That speaks volumes. Anyway, I covered a lot. These are public discussions and I honestly would not put anything out there without first making sure it was solid. But we all balls up. Nobodies perfect and look forward to the next article right.
The RiffMarn
Guest
Concur with stats - Prozone stats for NSW Cup reference for example are a joke & a blight to all other stat providers who have done a far better job in previous years
Von Neumann
Roar Guru
Nothing I have said is negative. Maybe your own mind clouds or narrows. It is not mine. How interesting you would get defensive on this whole thing. Is this not you obfusicating like I mentioned earlier. Right now you could clarify things for us. I'm not trying to corner you scott. Why so defensive? And followed by misdirection. ...yes best we cast attention onto something else. Would not want to reveal the weakness of your position here. .. I am confident and congruent. Do I need to take a bex... I wouldn't know what one is. You could enlighten me. Though it is an interesting rebuttal to all of my counter points. In the article you claim to give points to not only help the game but help dave smith. Yet evidence exists that you truly seek to help yourself. Help the game and yet you said you don't care about crowds. Right now those two things are at odds with the nrl and its stated objectives. It makes me wonder what you really think. Lets imagine no one was looking. What would your points be then? Are you honest and open with yourself. Because congruence seems to fail you. You're happy to sit at home. .. where everyone can sit at home in your view they could more easily place live bets.... provided your industry gets laws changed. I labelled your points fluff and I don't mean to be specifically rude when I say that. They simply are and the solutions in the main So we don't agree eye to eye. But then I wondered these are not the REAL Woodward points. Remove your feigned indignance and over look the anarchronisms of this letter to the ceo style articles. .. and you will see the true motivation. I'm essentially saying if you were ceo you would not lobby for new or upgraded stadia... you would be down in Canberra trying to over turn laws that are there, Scott, to protect the integrity of sports in this country from curruption as much as possible. Live betting. Be real. So many sharks and not enough harpoons. Maybe one day but keep dreaming. I don't have narrow viewes mate. I have wide view. If you are limited by your imagination to see my views as narrow then I can't blame that failing on you. I can only deal with it. Not trying for animosity....but I would love some intellectual honesty from you.
mushi
Roar Guru
but you also didn't debate the guy you said you'd be "happy to debate"
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Von Mate you need to take a bex and lay down. I appreciate you ramming your blinkered view down everyone's throat, but the reason why I choose not to debate with you is you have already made up your mind on everything and it would be a waste of time. Plz do me a favour and don't waste anymore column space as, despite the length of your response, you actually don't say anything or give an alternative. You are just 100% negative and that's not what the Roar is about.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Brevity is the soul of wit.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Yeah...forget that brilliant, original, evocative 100 year old name. Much better to call yourself after an emotion or a weather phenomenon. Souths Thunder, lightning, pride, fury, storm... They're all much better. Souths sunshine. Souths tempest. Souths jubilant?
Jay C
Roar Guru
Why not try to help out your mates. What's the point of wielding influence if you can't wield it irresponsibly in your favour? I would if I had any mates who weren't hopeless. The NRL is in bed with gambling anyway. I don't really see how the individual company they are in bed with matters. People were not fans of Tom, but I didn't mind him. $2 odds on the Broncos every Friday keeps me in the gambling mood. Maybe gambling is an important issue for you I'm guessing VN, but I don't mind it. Give me live betting online during the games. Why not. Have the odds up on the screen throughout the match. It is a very comprehensive list you have assembled any many points are valid. As with any list there are points I agree with and points not. It's a fairly long bow to draw that the only intention of this article is to sell Mr. Tipp to Mr. Smith. I don't really know how that would eventuate from this point. Is David reading these articles and making business decisions based on them (If so hold tight for some wacky NRL adventures in the near future). I suppose I pretty much broad-stroked over the gambling thing because I just don't care. I'm not going to dissect each point but I like listening to footy on the radio. There are lots of times when watching isn't practical and I would love better radio coverage. Also in regards to the food, you are essentially creating monopolies which is why there are higher prices. Anyway, I'm not arguing that you're wrong, just that it is a grim view. And also that Super League has a cap on imports. Which are both correct.
AR
Guest
woah
Von Neumann
Roar Guru
I will soon go over each point for what it is, nonsense. I told you they do not have the wits or whatever it is they need to even get a meeting with this amateur stuff, the NRL will never look seriously at this. For now: where is your critical thinking? Going to help you out. The article would have otherwise been written entirely about point 18 (live betting) except thats not a good look. Its like all gambling in coverage on tv - you have the main show then like stealth marketing or shock marketing, whatever you like to call it - bang! in your face ready to get the unaware and those firmly not in control of their rewards pathways pulling out their wallets.... BUT you would never lead with gambling at the top of the coverage....it would be mistaken for a prime time 'gambling' show then. They've been in the gambling game for a while, mate....they know where the cracks in your makeup are. Perhaps you are young, for which I can understand, and by young I know the internet is diverse, but maybe you are late teens. There's no way you can actually miss this if you think critically. Besides who cares about point 12 when you can care for point 18. >I mean its kids on dairy farms being helped out (point 12) versus actual live betting across all sports in australia (point 18). Which one do you think he's more invested in. Which one is truly the motivator? And which point has he previously shown he is willing to talk about at length, plonk his 2 feet firmly on the ground and not take a backward step? Point 12 -- The cap. Next door has a Maserati. Do you immediately go out and buy one yourself? So, super league has a cap on imports. Im sure you could come up with reasons for this and big deal. Its almost laughable that point 12 was written in the first place. Be really practical about point 12 - even though its a bogus point. They are all bogus points. Point 18 is the one he is itching to talk about. The other points are just fluff. And you fell for it! You fell for the whole sincere, genuine, points list. He wants Mr Tipp to sit down with Mr Smith and have a chat, he doesn't want to help the game. He's that close to Mr Tipp (he knows what Mr Tipp thinks). ___ !I can no longer take the article seriously. Its a devious ruse. ! So lets go over some other points --- point 12, sorry, ridiculous. Thats some kind of left-wing nationalistic, home grown bulldust. And it serves no purpose but to keep out better players. Our competition is not suffering from a lack of australian talent. Heck - most people TRY to play for Australia even when they're not australian. -- point 1 - a wash. He'd like to see another FTA - nah, probably won't happen /s. The reasons for this are fairly obvious, and [separate] last time they found it didn't provide any extra money. Who minds, either, because one network is capable of covering all the games as it is. If real reason is better coverage so be it. -- point 2. NRL deal was worth way more than AFL, and the NRL was able to retain ownership of its Intellectual Properties.....um....how is the AFL deal better again? No don't tell me...Im sure you have some pre prepared but wrong answer. -- point 3 radio rights - no one listens to radio, and it already has coverage/content on all the big AM and FM bands, including MMM. This is is just plain misguided. They don't need coverage - radio will continue to dwindle over the years. What they actually need here is more favorable commentary/time/equality on the ABC. Big time. Broadcasts of matches, ect, who cares. Its such a small pie now. They waste time on that and its something else they can't be doing. -- point 4 sustainability of clubs - well duh -- what do you think they're doing already. And you want to tell D Smith this? Personally? In a letter? Face to Face!? You could have mr tipp at your side and half way through you can do a bait and switch and start talking about gambling Them: "well the real reason we are here mr smith (and he'd be laughing at 17 points by now) is gambling" Dave: "Oh....how surprising.....thought it a bit odd when Mr Tipp sat down trying to help me with the day to day running of the code.....I really appreciate the fact that you were sincere in the intentions of the meeting - not...." Them: "At bet easy we will deposit money into you bank account so you can get onto the gamble-train straight away and practice gambling with money thats not even yours immediately!" Dave "maybe you guys should stick to street corners and AFL for now....." --Point 5. A delicious point, and sure its an asset, but its not imperative. Something is going on in that industry of food/beverages at sports and I'd say they'd have costs down pretty low as it is. If it could be lower, someone would have done it by now. The head guys at stadia, ect, would have given their cousin or brother in law a go by now. Or some similar situation. Its a supply/demand thing. And its the same the world over. Must tell you something. Food aint gettin cheaper and the beer will be watered down - but sure, thats something they can fix, but why do that here after the past 10 years of Lout behavior at cricket/soccer/NRL? Point 5 means better minds than you or I have thought this through (and to be sure I just glanced at it) -- point 6. Omg, do you really think D Smith needs schooling on this? And also, how much (and its not much at all) market share do you think the NRL has lost to AFL (i'd suggest its very little, baring swans/SL in 90s and even then we're not talking much). I mean, its not the kind of thing to keep you awake at night in this decade, is it. Another fluff point of the article. -- points 7, 8, 9, 10. More of the same, and just more fluff points. No light bulbs will be going off in Smiths' head at these. In many ways they are entirely condescending; or oblivious to the fact that its already happening. Or maybe OP really thinks they are not doing a good job here. Oh media bias. -- point 11. There's less reliance of poker machine money than ever before. Mainly because there's not a lot of poker machine money to go round these days. Why is this point in here. -- point 12. done, redacted. -- point 13. You should have made the article about point 13, there is something there, and I have mentioned this myself. However, its a thin saving I'd call it. Its nice to have, but if you can make the equalisation system happen without disadvantaging those you're not trying help, please do. I will *not* reveal my strategy here, dont want it plagiarized. But someone will come up with it eventually; but remember, its not such a big deal - because we are lifting clubs up still, not handicapping some, or redistributing -- because to redistribute, there'd need to be a lot of something and the gap in this area isn't that big, when you consider all clubs (even lowly cronulla) can compete --- its called the salary cap. -- point 15 - believe me - they are onto point 15. You find it ameteurish. Easy to say when you're not running it and its only been around a couple of years. You are not the arbiter here/there, and your own agenda clouds this view and previous views you have had. I even sent a letter in about such things once. Yes, this is how such systems are helped out....people squealing on others. For the game, mate.... so why dont you help the integrity unit if you're not already, and squeal on some people too. An environment of paranoia will really help it out.. -- point 16-- would be nice, but not entirely important. There are one or two things ive seen in the past about not owning it. But they were related to using the AFL's one around the time they bought falou, people said thats how they scouted him. Those days are done. And as if. I think if you are getting the right service for a decent price....or you are getting a top quality service for a price that reflects that without being exorbitant -- then why do your own if its only going to make you have to hirer more staff and be yet another expensive arm of the business.... outsourcing can make sense, right..... point 17 -- I focused on point 18 mostly, but 17 is even more over peoples heads. Yeah.....will just say that anything to help you guys eek out a market..... see point 17 is not about the NRL, and the federal govt is against point 17. How contentious! Getting over point 17's little speed hump is made harder....now you, MR Tipp and mr Smith will have to sit down with a Government official to sort out this mess! And probably bringing in AFL's Mclocklan (s.i.n.c ? sorry/time ) in as well, and the cricket guys and the soccer guys - it would be a Gallop reunion. How wonderful. yeh....lets be honest shall we...and change point 17 and 18 from helping the NRL to helping Yourselves. It'd be nice in a world where you can make money and the nrl make money and everyone goes home happy.....but punters, you need/want more punters and more ease of access to gambling. What you need is a pirate island, not a real, modern nation. Yeah....the govt..... /s There's reasons why point 17 and 18 sailed over most peoples heads. Our country is too moderate for this stuff yet buddy. Come back in 10 years time. Seriously. Thats not a /s moment. -- point 19 and 20 I agree both but with caveats. I dont know (they dont know, but will find out) if expansion is worth it now. I'd say, on balance Yes! but I dont know if they need to wait or do it soon, or later. Would love to know. and video refs, well it can't hurt can it, and it makes sense practically you'd think. -- point 21. can't. It is what it is. They are not a dictatorship or possess a millitary arm such as Hamas. -- point 22. Sure doing so would just be doubling up on the same thing they got. An official glowing plaque and building and titles that gives some prestige could encourage more young men to do it. An academy. I like the sound of it. -- point 23. Coaching academy. No thanks. Honestly, we want to disperse these rules prying, tactic wedging clever cookies further and further apart. We don't want any centralized place where they gather, and we can't really brain wash them. We love the fact they are free thinkers. So the answer you claim to seek here with such an academy, will not be found here. I am sure in any case that the current accreditation system would be doing fine. You only need so many of such people before you have too many. __ So there it is. Many of the points were fluff, with 2 key points in the middle. Social reconstruction. I mean, school costs are going up, and extra money for gambling should be avoided.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Probably the same batch...
Jay C
Roar Guru
Super League has a cap on imports...
Jay C
Roar Guru
That's a pretty grim view.
Von Neumann
Roar Guru
Alex actually touched on something important. Point 12. In fact all the points, bar 18, are much like point 12. Pointless. And when tasked to debate it, no debate was forthcoming. The entire article was conjured up in an effort to present an altruistic exterior, but on the downlow, it was merely a ruse for the selfish goal of promoting point 18. When you understand that, point 12 makes a lot of sense. Also if you expand out the letters AR....they become Aussie Rules. Don't these things tell you something? I see the letters AR in here all the time, and that poster doesn't even watch a game. Same handle (probably a different person perhaps) who once told me "Naaah, they will never - i promise you - never get a deal over 1 billion." They also do it for personal entertainment. Its a little bit sadistic, if you will. And yet Hitch hikers....one is there trying to slow the car down (the later mentioned), while the former wants to speed up the car and the cars progress so he can make more money off its popularity. In both cases, they do not have the wits, means, nor intelligence to lobby successfully or create epiphanies in people like an entrepreneur as if to make people think "We GOT to get onto that!" Its not until you realign all the points upon gambling, does the list make sense. And the clincher, was when it was revealed to me by the OP - that his friend, Mr Tipp would like to talk to the NRL CEO in person... Well, the forum has always had a problem with feeding the trolls; if they are allowed to exist, then it should be made known just how they operate, so you all are not at a disadvantage. The weaponry on display against you is dismissiveness, defensiveness, obfusication, confusion, misdirection, ad hominen attacks (personal to take heat off weak, failing arguments) and a bunch of other things.
AR
Guest
So...when the NRL recieves more state and federal monies for stadiums (presumably above the 100% of current funding)...and when it has exclusive use of those stadiums during winter...then, and only then, should the NRL chip in some of its own money. Man. You really don't get how this works do you? Good luck.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
so you'd be happy to see money funnelled away from promoting the game to paying for a stadium?