One of the great Australian sporting stories of all time is how at the very inception of Super Rugby, at the dawn of rugby professionalism, Rod McQueen took over a newly formed squad of rejects from other states and some local boys together.
He did so to mould a team capable of not only competing against the very best provincial clubs of the day, but to play some of the most scintillating running rugby ever seen in this country.
Those who can recall watching the Brumbies in those formative years will be able to attest that I am not exaggerating.
It’s hard to believe now, but some of those so-called “rejects” included the likes of the legendary Wallaby, George Gregan.
The local boys I speak of above came from what once appeared to be a permanent supply line of quality rugby players from two of the most prolific nurseries of the day: Marist and St Eddies. This included all-time greats such as Joe Roff and Matt Giteau.
The Brumbies did not start this tradition of melding imports with local products. From the mid 1980s to the mid 1990s, the Raiders had used a similar formula, importing a long list of great Queensland State of Origin players and recruiting country lads from the local region, such as Junee’s Laurie Daley.
Even prior to that, you had the Cannons attracting Phil ‘the General’ Smyth, and earlier still, the Canberra Arrows were able to attract former Socceroo captain, Johnny Warren, at a time when Canberra was merely a country town.
The key difference between then and now is that the vast majority chose to stay in Canberra for much of their playing careers.
In recent years, first the Raiders, and now seemingly the Brumbies, have found it hard to hold onto players coming from other parts of Australia – this is the Canberra malaise.
They seem to follow the same pattern as the recent defection of Brumbies and Wallabies captain, Stephen Moore, where one minute we are hearing that they are perfectly happy living in Canberra, and the next we are hearing that they need to move for personal reasons.
Of course in the case of Stephen Moore, he will play out the 2016 season with the Brumbies, still at the top of his game, in a season promising much for the Brumbies who have been there or thereabouts the last few seasons.
Off-field and there is a mixture of good and bad news for the Brumbies.
Currently the club is embroiled in a complicated commercial dispute with the University of Canberra which is related to an ongoing investigation into the sale of its Griffith property.
In the past week, the Brumbies announced a fifth consecutive loss, this time to the tune of some $1.6 million.
The good news is that the ARU’s new $285 million TV deal will help turnaround the Brumbies financial fortunes. They are already budgeting for a $2.5 million turnaround next financial year, mainly funded by an increase in the ARU’s annual funding by some $2 million per annum.
Also helping out is a new stadium deal with the ACT Government, starting next year, which allows the Brumbies to take full control of all corporate hospitality. The Brumbies are budgeting on an increase of $200,000 per annum to the bottom-line as a direct result of the new deal.
With increased financial stability, and a squad which still boasts 10 Wallabies, there is enough good news for Brumbies’ fans to look to next season with plenty of confidence, as their club strives to rise above the Canberra malaise.
colvin
Guest
Bakkies, New Zealand, particularly the South, has the best climate in the world. A nice summer (plenty of beautiful beaches), a cold winter (plenty of skiing, ice skating and rugby, a beautiful spring (when you often skip and dance while you walk to work), and an exciting autumn (the beginning of the rugby season). Mixed with a little rain to keep everything clean. What more could you want? And in many parts of New Zealand, but particularly the South, they are also smart. In Dunedin, they built a roofed stadium which keeps the occasional coolish weather out but allows Dunedin to develop the best Club rugby team in the SH. And in our roofed stadium we can also host Fleetwood Mac playing to 35,000 people even if it was coldish outside. And Neil Diamond. And of course Dunedin educated Richie McCaw and Brendon McCullum and the variety of activities our weather provided was instrumental in the development of those great men. Dunedin made the great Mc's great. if anyone wants to be great, get educated in Dunedin. With McCawsome and Bmac retiring in the same year, Dunedin will as a matter of right produce replacements. Add to that the meat pies, fish and chips, cheese rolls, Speights beer and pavlova and you can see why New Zealand is so great everywhere and at anything. The All Blacks of course have now won the Rugby World Cup three times including the last two in a row and the Black Caps will beat the Australian Cricket team in Feb 2016. Just watch. We will be smart at producing wickets that suit our players. And the Rugby World Cup is now ours permanently. And New Zealand is also getting a new flag although we are expecting Australia to mimic our new flag but add an extra leaf to provide a continuing point of difference... Our new flag will fly gloriously in our gentle breezes. So Bakkies, if allblackfan has an opinion, common with all Kiwis, it will surely be based on humility and modesty, and accuracy. He will have developed the same basic smarts all NZers display. So to conclude with my point before I forget, if he says he will need a piping hot coffee, you can be sure, based on his amazing NZ experience of life, he will need piping hot coffee.
Bakkies
Guest
You call yourself a kiwi? Canberra is positively warm compared to Invercargill and Christchurch. You wouldn't survive in Europe watching Rugby. Bruce isn't a patch on sitting high up at Twickenham and SdF where it bites. SdF doesn't have undersoil heating which makes it uncomfortable for the players particularly during 9pm games. Dress properly with a proper jacket, beanie, scarf and wear gloves then you will keep warm. Australians even in Canberra rarely do that.
Bakkies
Guest
Musto the crowds aren't going in the Summer and Autumn either. Raiders used to pack the stadium when it had dewy grass banks further from the pitch. People have just got lazy and soft
Bakkies
Guest
ACT rarely gets tests due to the size of the stadium, profit levels and the fact that it hasn't sold out tests
Mister Football
Roar Guru
That doesn't make any sense Squirrel - Super Rugby is a fantastic comp - surely the equal of Euro rugby - at least?
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Ha, yes, all very true - just responded to Musto above on the same point - it's definitely an issue. Obviously the die hards will always turn up - but that ends up becoming a niche market - you want to broaden support.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
There's no doubt that the harsh Canberra Winter can make it difficult to get a crowd at night time. For this reason, I personally believe that if the NRL are going to start scheduling games for 6pm Fridays, that the Raiders should put their hand up to lock in that time and share it with the Warriors. I reckon that 6pm timeslot would work in Canberra for Fridays, and it means that the game is over by 8pm, just before the mercury drops below zero.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Musto there might be a small effect along the lines of what you are describing, it's hard to know with any precision. I can add these relevant points: 1. the success of first the Raiders, and then the Brumbies, certainly encouraged the growth fo wide spread support across the Canberra community, i.e. not just from die hard league and union people, but much broader support. 2. a large chunk of the Canberra population has very old links back to Australian Football, predominantly from the old VFL, i.e. they'll know that one of their parents or grandparents was once a supporter of a VFL club, even if they themselves no longer have an interest - are these sorts of Canberrans likely to spread their interest across the rugby codes and Australian Football? Yes, possibly. They might be just the sort of person who might choose between watching the Raiders, Brumbies and Giants (although the latter only play 3 games per year). 3. Where there have previously been timing clashes between the Giants and Raiders or Brumbies, local commentators have questioned whether it's possible to avoid them in the future, because of the possibility that there might be Canberrans wanting to watch both (but not really sure if that constitutes a big number).
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Cornchips That's a really good point about the new stadium and the Mr Fluffy fiasco (a problem not of the ACT Government's making, but ACT ratepayers have been left with the bill). On top of that, the ACT Government is still pursuing it's light rail project which will end up sucking another billion dollars out of local government coffers by the time it's finished. All of this means that the new stadium will not happen any time soon.
allblackfan
Guest
I spent quite a few years growing up in Canberra. I was part of the opening ceremonies for Bruce Stadium when it opened (yikes!!). When it comes to watching games at night in winter in the ACT, you better have a damn good reason for turning up. I watched the Wallabies vs Fiji game (2004?) at then-Bruce at night in winter and swore off ever going back. The stadium may make for fine viewing but damn that cold!! You hold onto a piping hot coffee in the hope your fingers rediscover their feeling!
Squirrel
Guest
I will just follow euro rug by till the World Cup plus the internationals. Rugby RIP in the Southern Hemisphere
Musto
Guest
Except the rugby crowd has aged (in my view) and half the season is in winter and staying at home in the warmth with Foxtel is a splendid alternative...
Musto
Guest
Agree on ACTAFL but my point was that AFL people were starved of games and some became Raiders/Brumbies fans more devotedly. Now GWS means the market has more choices and the 2 incumbent footy codes have reduced crowds. People only have so much money and time.
Cornchips
Guest
It also doesn't help that of the 5 cities with Super Rugby franchises Canberra is the only city that doesn't get any international games. I read on here about ARU not supporting the Rebels and the Force enough and basing that on the amount of Wallabies in those squads. I say that isn't a good measure, the other three clubs all have much more settled programs and systems and it's no surprise they have more Wallabies. Additionally if a young player enters a club with mentors who are playing in the Wallabies, no doubt that is going to rub off on them, it's a sad case of entropy. None of this has anything to do with the ARU however. What does is the lack of international games being played in Canberra. There is no reason they shouldn't be, especially now with the complete failure of the Gold Coast. The problem I see for the future is the delay in the planned build of the roofed stadium due to Mr Fluffy.
Riggers
Guest
Canberra Royals 2015 1st Grade, Women's and Colts premiers FYI
Johnno
Guest
Musto I wouldn't say GWS has split the Canberra market. AFL in Canberra has long been established. The ACTAFL football league in the 80's/90's was almost, if not as strong as the SANFL/WAFL/VFA back then. Teams like Ainslie were very strong, and a lot of ex AFL players would play in Canberra, plus a good junior base. Heck James Hird is from Canberra, and a few others.
Bakkies
Guest
People stopped going after Nucifora's contract wasn't renewed and haven't gone back. The bloke is poison and doing damage here in Ireland. Team did get detached from the community but that has been addressed. Time to move on. 2011 didn't help but the crowds were poor before then. Home finals after that in front of empty stands. The weather and not being close to the city is a cop out. It's a free 10 minute bus journey from the city and drivers can park there. People think there's a bottomless pit to fund a new stadium in the city that will cause parking and traffic problems as Canberra is a car city. Bruce was only renovated 15 years ago cover the stands and offer a better deal. It's one of the best viewing grounds in Australia
Bakkies
Guest
Canberra is probably a shorter drive to the beach then a lot of places in Sydney where people can afford to live.
Musto
Guest
The level in interest in all codes has declined in Canberra and GWS turning up has split the market yet again. Canberra people have seen the best and so only come out for big games eg Big bash final and SA vrs Australia one day game last year. So they are less starved than they used to be - the interest s of 300K people only go so far. I note the Scorchers was a sell out last night for the same sorts of reasons..
Musto
Guest
Bakkies Good point. Also the Raiders problem is the quality players from regional NSW who went to Canberra early because of the country town feel now want to go to the bright lights of Sin City or are scooped up by Melbourne. So the niche they had has evaporated. The Brumbies only have to compete against 4 other franchises and perth is a long way and Sydney is a short drive up the highway.