There is something indescribably great about country rugby. The passion of the players in a local derby, the commitment from the volunteers that keep things running smoothly, the true sense of community after the game.
Whatever it is, it separates our beloved sport from others and is a model for how the game should be played.
Despite the game’s recent perils, country rugby has been a shining light.
I’m from a small country town near-ish Yass – or just a bit of a trundle down the Hume and you’ll get there eventually.
I played from under 10s, debuting for the mighty Emus, then playing with the Yabbies until seniors. Unfortunately, I’ve had to make a coastal change in recent years, but I’ll continue to make the effort to get back for a game with my beloved Yabbies.
Why?
Well firstly, it’s the basis for why we all play and watch sport – enjoyment. Gearing up for your club on a Saturday morning, sussing out the opposition and, if you’re lucky, recording a hard-fought win are fantastic feelings.
Secondly, the pride I have when donning the green and white of the Yabbies is unparalleled. This sense of tribalism and pride is something that the Shute Shield has expertly tapped into, resulting in a bumper season with large crowds.
15,000 people witnessed Warringah break their premiership drought in the culmination of the 2017 competition and there was that tribalism feeling from both players and spectators which has been lacking in Super Rugby and Wallabies fixtures.
The great thing about loyalty is, once you’ve got it, it’s really hard to lose. Unfortunately, our national and Super Rugby sides have lost that loyalty and pride of their fans.
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The secret to the successes of the Shute Shield is hard to attribute to one thing, but when the ARU cut funding to the clubs a few years ago, only the most passionate, dedicated fans and volunteers stood up – just like in the country.
Country rugby can only survive with the commitment of volunteers, as well as a mutual appreciation from the players, and this is where the Shute Shield really succeeded.
Actively engaging with the community, letting the fans rush the field after a game to be with their team ensure a passionate, enthusiastic fanbase. It’s a relationship based on mutual benefits – the players are encouraged and perform, and the spectators get to watch the game played at an expert level.
The Perth Spirit in the NRC has the right idea. The defending premiers have the ‘fill the hill’ initiative, trying to encourage large crowds with free entry. I daresay, especially on the back of the ARU’s infamous decision last month, that this essential sense of tribalism is building out west.
The Wallabies have some outstanding initiatives with young players as well as the broader community, but there is a sense of connection with club rugby players, a more personal thing, which the Aussie squad can’t replicate.
The success of the Shute Shield season is proof the game has a future in Australia and that grassroots is the starting point to ensure successes on the international stage.
I have witnessed, firsthand, the passion and commitment to the game at a local level. Imagine swapping Mad Monday antics for a club working bee to renovate the club house? The Yabbies did it. Imagine driving six hours home after playing three grades of rugby due to player numbers? The Yabbies did it. Imagine the entire town get behind the under 16s, the only team to reach the grand final?
Country rugby has the essential ingredients the national game needs. Luckily, the Shute Shield clubs took notice. Will the others?
Train Without A Station
Guest
They artificially created a fan base for new teams with no history on a Pay TV product. It seems to have appealed a a broader audience than their original audience. That's hardly different to the NRC in that regard. Competition is more yes, but engaging existing rugby fans would get good numbers to build from. Nobody is saying the NRC can steal fans from the NRL and AFL. Just engage fans who were watching from Feb to August.
Rt
Guest
And who exactly is crickey competing against? Moreover 20/20 was a new game being promoted worldwide. Not a comparison worth making.
Train Without A Station
Guest
Why would you get good TV ratings? Any match only engages the small fan groups that represent each suburban club.
Train Without A Station
Guest
George Smith is 37 years old. He is hardly a current example. Even still he came through all the rep programs and was signed to the Brumbies as a 19 year old and made his debut as a 19 or 20 year old. Michael Hooper was signed to a Super Rugby team and made his debut as an 18 year old. He was in the national merit team as a 16 year old. He would have played Aus Schoolboys if not for injury. Reece Hodge absolutely he spent quite a bit of time in the Manly senior set up. Was it because he missed so much time in his year 12 to 20th year? Who cares really. His development can really only be attributed to the Shute Shield. I'm not dismissing anything. The facts are it's an anomaly now. With the development of the Super 20s, even more so.
Johnno
Guest
I'd like some other stuff to happen 1) An Australia cup knockout tournament, FFA soccer cup style. Have 32-clubs from around OZ compete in it. eg 7 Sydney/7 Brisbane/ 3 NSW Country/3 QLD Country/4 ACT/ 2 Perth/2 Adelaide/2 Vic/1 Tassie/1 Northern Territory etc.. 32 teams played over 4 weekends during the season. Not 4 consecutive weekends just weekends during the year. You'd get some good crowds and TV ratings, and tournament footy springs upsets. Imagine a Tassie side beating Sydney Uni in Hobart etc.. It would connect community rugby more around the country.. 2)Shute is now aiming by 2019 for all women to have a 15's side and 7's sides. I think this is good initiative and maybe in like 2020 or 2021 have the women's shute GF as the curtain raiser to the mens.. 3)I'd like the colts to get more promotion e.g. have the colts 1st grade played on GF day like the men, and have 3rds and 4th grade on another day e.g. on sunday with other colts GF.. But this year the shute has done well and now the shute is being televised in Asia and in NZ. It's certainly commercialised more this year and more slick than the past. Watching the grand final on TV, channel 7 was having endless plugs to the shute sponsors by the commentators. But they need the money so it's fine. I say keep it as it is not increase back to like 22 games. Negatives: 1)Penrith Emus still a worry 2)Semi's format needs a review. Southern districts won 9 straight entreating final and came 2nd on ladder and bundled out of final in 1st week..
Wozza
Guest
I do have to admit that the nature of recruiting players earlier is taking more prominence and diminishing the role of clubs somewhat but off the the top of my head, George Smith, Michael Hooper and Reece Hodge came trough the pathway I said and they're just the Manly guys. I said in another post, I really respect how you have stats and quotes to back your arguments, but the way you dismiss the club side, anything that doesn't suit you, of the equation doesn't do you any credit, quite the contrary
Kashmir Pete
Roar Guru
hard not to agree Cheers KP
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Isn't that exactly what the BBL did on Foxtel?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Yeah there is room for them But it's generally through the NRC system now. But again. These are the rarity. Late bloomers do occur and that's what a system like the NRC is for. But very few players who were not Australian Schoolboys, or at least State Schoolboys (obviously excluding cases of injuries) actually make it professionally in any way. Again, these are the anomaly, not the norm.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
No they don't Rt. I assure you I've investigated this. As the game becomes more professional player development comes through completely different systems. We are slowly aligning with the NZ model. Once upon a time this was the case, but the majority of Super Rugby players in 2017 spend 1 year purely at a club at best which tends to fall between Aus/State Schoolboys and Aus/State 20s. But this will be a State 19s program in 2018 (this is what NZ does) so it will replace that year.
Rt
Guest
And it's not FTA and you can't just artificially create a fan base.
Rt
Guest
Sure some of that may happen but how good is the talent identification? SR teams sign some kid out of school and suddenly there roster is full. No room for players who develop at 24-26. Just dumb. And if you choose wrong you're throwing money at some early developed schoolboy prop who has never had to pack a real scrum.
Rt
Guest
village clubs?? C'mon shute shield and qld premier rugby account for the overwhelming majority of SR players. And what do they get in return? Club rugby may have its faults but your dismissive attitude towards it is endemic of the supporters of the current ARU regime
PJ
Guest
Paul you hit the nail on the head with regards tribalism in club rugby in country Qld. The local Gold Coast comp is a cracker you can start in the under 6 and play your whole career with the one club. It is one "community" v another. I attended a recent semi final between Helensvale Hogs & Bond Pirates, there would have been 1500 people there, the local Helensvale ground was packed. It was a tight game of rugby and the "community passion" was palpable. It was fantastic rugby, beers were $10 for 3 and $2 for a bucket of hot chips. There were also some former professional players on display as well as some ex internationals, Pierre Hola (ex Tonga) Isiah Pine (ex West Harbour 1st Grade Captain) Dion Taumata (ex Reds & Qld Country NRC). There are a number of ex internationals and NRL players running around in the local Gold Coast comp. This to me is why there is no greater way to spend a Saturday.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Except very few players do development in these teams now. For example Ned Hanigan was an Australian Schoolbody in 2013. He played for Randwick in 2014 but by 2015 was in a Waratahs Wider Training Squad and NRC team and Aus Under 20s. Did he come from Randwick where he likely played a handful of Shute Shield games before he was in the Waratahs system in 2015? Or was he developed by school rugby, the state and aus Schoolboy programs, state and Aus 20s programs and NRC and Waratahs program? There are cases that truly are Shute Shield developed. Like Caydern Neville and Jordy Reid, who weren't in rep programs and went from club rugby to Super Rugby programs in their 20s. But they are anomalies now. Recruit state and Australian Schoolboys is not developing talent.
Wozza
Guest
Gee TWAS Some convenient omitting on your part. How uncharacteristic. Allow me to outline how Shute Shield teams, clubs if I'm to be more precise, fit into this pathway. Schools, Shute Shield club Junior teams, Shute shield club junior rep teams, Shute Shield club Colts/grade teams, NRC After all, the NSW NRC teams are drawn SS clubs i.e. Rays - Manly, Warringah, Gordon, Northern Suburbs Rams - Eastwood, West Harbour, Parramatta Penrth Country Eagles - Uni, Easts, Randwick, Souths, players who originate from the country. Nitpick
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
You're right. The future is a bunch of clubs in Sydney that have all gone broke competing in an amateur competition...
Michaelj
Guest
I have been saying all along that super rugby is garbage designed for the corporate sludge of pay TV and its money grubbing executives.
Jock Cornet
Guest
10s of millions wasted on the rebels and the only thing you achieved is the spoon. Spending 800k on Genia for another spoon. Surely this TWAS model is unsustainable. It will surely die by 2020. TWAS suck it up the rebels are gone it is only matter of how quickly.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
No they aren't. Not even remotely true.