ARU bid to lure Koroibete from NRL: report

Stating facts about grassroots is just that.Facts.YOu can call my comments whatever you wish.It doesn't change the fact the ARU has little money,and chases grassroots clubs to help them at times. I'm still awaiting the ARU's statements about Beale's junior background. There must be a law that prevents anyone from criticising the ARU,as if they are sacrosanct.Above reproach. The Roar viewed by many, is ru Central.Balance in sport is in the eyes of the beholder. The good look is the NRL ,can get a park footballer and develop his natural God given gifts into a professional rugby league player,in one of the toughest contact sports on this earth. The bad look is rugby union in this country with 5 franchises,lacked the scouting ability to nab him.

Sam .Nope.I try most of the time to get the facts right,before firing the mortar. Just underpinned the club.Compeletely different animal. For the record as I have previously stated ,anyone on this planet has the right to choose where they work. My sole bone of contention,is a not so cashed up ARU,who is already putting money into the Rebels to keep them afloat,may want to help by spending more to grab the Storm player. Ask grassroots ru people about shortage of money.Having to chip in for head office. For the record the NRLputs money into a couple of clubs to keep them afloat.

Firstly, I find your concern about grass roots rugby union completely disingenuous. Secondly, at least the ARU is honest about the background of rugby league players. There must be a secret contract that makes it a capital punishment for any journalist or commentator to ever admit to the rugby union background of successful league players. By way of example, there were several Roar articles on Semi Radradra and hundreds of posts which alluded to him having played 'another sport'. But like Voldemort, no one dared mention the name rugby union (until I asked the obvious question). I guess it's not a good look if a park rugby player is blitzing first grade NRL..

I inferred from your post that you thought the Rebels were owned by the ARU and shot from the hip. Genuinely sorry about that. It does belie belief that the ARU incentivised the sale of the Rebels. That said I'm glad they're still operating. For the record, they don't really need to chase Koroibete as they have plenty of good players... (see my previous posts).

Sorry but it is my duty to correct you Sam, Wayne Smith (rugby writer)Australian 1st April 2016AD. " ARU funds Rebel's private owner to keep expansion club afloat.$6m for 5 years to Andrew Cox to stop the bleeding from the club that has cost the game $15m-$20m since its inception." If that is not underpinning,then the Rebels must be a Vic charity. As the saying goes" the hand who help feedeth." or "I want more". There is more if you google.

@Crosscoder Incorrect. Rebels aren't "underpinned by the ARU", they were privately owned by Harold Mitchell in 2010, gifted to the VRU in 2013. In 2015 Imperium Management headed by Peter Sidwell and Andrew Cox. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/rugby/melbourne-rebels/imperium-group-takes-charge-of-melbourne-rebels-after-buying-super-rugby-franchise-from-aru/news-story/578470c9e60ad8f92fbb463137cd914a

surething.You missed my point unsurprisingly .It is the ARU who supposedly are tight on cash,and grassroots have felt it.Yet a club they underpin apparently want top get involved with Koroibete.You appear to care little about grassroots here ,when many within the code have a differing view. 7s is not 15s ,he made his name playing 13s league which attracted the Rebel's attention not when he played 7s.. Yet you leave out Rpgers,Tuqiri,Sailor et al,who went the way,and of course Folau one of the most devastating players in world union or Kurtley Beale from Penrith juniors.They were established players also,but you go on and live in another world,where there is only one side to a coin. No one is arguing anyones right to choose our play whatever code.Complaining LOL,I find the whole thing worth a response,when the ARU gets involved.

Crosscoder... 'yet seems to find money for NRL players'. Who 'poached' him from RU in the first place ? Pretty sure Koroibete was playing for the Fijian sevens team and had never played league before. Actually, that was the same for Semi Radradra too, the most devastating wing in the NRL at the moment. keep complaining crosscoder...

Facts are not drawing a long bow. I think there is a hell of a difference,especially comparing him to a NZ schoolboy union player..If the Rebels and additionally the ARU being pushed by Cheika are becoming involved. When does the NRL admin get involved in assisting a club to secure a S15 player.The Roosters got SBW (a former Dogs player) off their own bat. Also NRL clubs that are underpinned by the NRL admin,such as Titans/Tiger and Knights certainly wouldn't get involved.They leave it up to the club. If he wants to go to the Rebels,good on him.I just find it ironic the ARU has little money for grassroots. BTW "poaching players whether union or league is a code war".Thems the hard facts.

If he plays rugby he is eligible for the national side, well of course he is just as he is in league. If the Knights or Gold Coast sign a NZ rugby schoolboy player is that the NRL? No it's not, unless you want to draw a long bow with out any evidence in a bid to score points in a perceived code war.

The ARU underpins the Rebels financially.The ARU are are of his potential in their national backline.

Milan, the NRL gets many RU players both in Aus and NZ but they're usually at the teenage/development stage. I dare say there would be many many more players go from RU to RL than the other way it's just that the likes of Sam Burgess get all the headlines. As for why top level RU players aren't pursued by NRL clubs its pretty simple. The likes of Beale and Cooper have stated their interest in RL but would only go for top dollar. The problem is there is no guarantee they would make the grade. It is easier to grab a dozen young RU players, develop them and see who cuts the mustard. The ones that don't usually end up back in RU.

Guys, I live in the UK (born and bred here) but love my league and try to follow the NRL as much as possible. Just wondered why you think the pathway between the codes seems to be very much one way where you are (league to union) once players are at the proffessional level? Is there anything the nrl can do to stem this tide? (after all it is supposed to be cash rich compared to the aru), are there any wallabies who would be interested in coming over to the nrl or fringe wallabies who could be attracted and help raise the standard and profile of the NRL. Obviously this is not happening at the moment from what I can see and would be interested to understand why?

The ARU like every other code has an agreement in place with the player's union that determines the portion of revenue to be spent on player salaries.

The Rebels are not the ARU

The Rebels have plenty of good outside backs; Crawford, English, Placid, Naivalu, Shipperley, Harris and then there's Reece Hodge who can play anywhere from flyhalf ( 5/8) to Fullback. Koroibete would be a nice to have but not sure this is anything more than a passing interest.

You could not blame Marika if he were tempted. At the moment he is doing the work of two players and being paid the price of one.

Good move. Talented rugby union player in Fiji, good pace, been in a professional environment. Why not? -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.

This is the same mob,that has little money available to assist grassroots,yet seems to find money for NRL players for a saloon passage to the Walls..Is it any wonder there is disillusionment at junior level,with their admin. Talk about desperate acts for desperate times.