Streamlining is the key to Australian rugby's salvation

Apologies I have been away - what are the plans to replace penrith in the Shute Shield. I know they tinkered with Tonga NSW, Fiji NSW etc though they were rep teams and would denude parramatta, Wests etc. Anyone have any inside info

TWAS, Recall this Roy Masters Article? "The $20 million deal that punted the Western Force out of Super Rugby By Roy Masters16 August 2017 — A $20 million package from the Victorian government to the ARU, securing Bledisloe Cup and British and Irish Lions Test matches in Melbourne over an eight-to-10-year period, guaranteed the future of the Rebels in the SANZAAR competition. The protracted negotiations between the Victorian government and the ARU, where approximately one-quarter of the funding will pass to the Rebels, ensured the Melbourne team would always be chosen by the ARU, ahead of Perth's Western Force, as the Australian team to be retained in the SANZAAR competition. No top international team comes to an Australian capital city without some investment from a state government, meaning the withdrawal of funding from the Victorian government would have entrenched rugby union forever as the fourth football code in the country. The financial package was secured by Premier Daniel Andrews, Treasurer Tim Pallas and Sports Minister John Eren. Pallas, who was largely instrumental in building AAMI Park, Melbourne's rectangular facility used by the Storm, Rebels and A-League teams, Victory and City, was determined to retain the city's reputation as the sporting capital of Australia. The money stays in the state, with a development centre and rectangular fields for junior teams built in conjunction with La Trobe University. The Rebels survival is also a victory for a small group of Melbourne men who were attracted to the game via their sons playing rugby. The group, led by VRU president Tim North SC, approached long-term benefactors for funds to purchase the Rebels licence from holder, Melbourne businessman, Andrew Cox. When Cox, disappointed by the Rebels' on-field performance and stressed by some of his other investments, was satisfied with his exit package, he then sold the licence for a debt-free club to the VRU for $1. The timing, along with the ARU's need to invest in grassroots and its near bankruptcy, together with its commitment to SANZAAR to cull an Australian team, was therefore a perfect storm for the Melbourne group to get their game back. But not so perfect for the Storm who continue to have a professional rugby rival in the Victorian capital. The ARU's claim to have been blindsided by the news of the sale of the Rebels to the VRU is also at odds with the documentation around the licence. The ARU signed off on the option for the sale of the club to the VRU and had effectively already consented to the transaction. Furthermore, because the Rebels were never in breach of the licence, particularly in a financial sense, they could never be legally stripped of it. While the licence holder is Melbourne Rebels Rugby Union Limited, the company is owned by the VRU. This, therefore, guarantees two votes at ARU board meetings – one for the Rebels and another for the VRU. Previously, West Australian-based board member Geoff Stooke, represented the non-traditional rugby union states at meetings. Compared to the A-League, where clubs are demanding representation on the FFA board, North and his allies have further consolidated victory. Sadly, for the Western Force, it is the only team left in the cold from the SANZAAR restructure from 18 teams to 15. The two South African teams culled have joined a European competition of 12 other teams from Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Italy, now called Pro 14. The Victorian government was also aware the Melbourne Rebels were strategically named, the only SANZAAR team to insist a geographical place name be included in their title. While NSW fans know the Waratahs are based in Sydney, who can recite the homes of the Sharks, Blues, Chiefs, Highlanders? The massive uplift in broadcasting revenue that led SANZAAR to over expand to 18, bringing in teams from Japan and Argentina, was reflected in the big audiences in England and Europe watching southern hemisphere games. But viewers could only be certain of the home of one team, the Melbourne Rebels, a clear winner for Visit Victoria. It is now the VRU's responsibility to ensure their team, which won a single game in the 2017 season, remains financially viable and competitive. The club received an initial $6m investment from the ARU when they were invited to participate in the 2011 season, a further $8m from previous owner, Harold Mitchell, and Cox's contribution. It is the ARU's responsibility to honour its commitment to schedule top international matches in Melbourne and win back the capacity MCG crowds of the late 1990s.

$1.2 Mil wasn't included in the salary cap, I Don't care who paid for it.

What BS and lies? People keep saying this but there was difficulties with executing a cut to teams other than the Force. It relied on factors out of their control. For the Rebels it relied on them going broke (I've heard from people close that the ARU tried to string out payments of grants to try and make this occur but don't know if that's true) or accepting an offer to purchase that was low enough to make cutting them viable. You just want to ignore the context of what occurred. They didn't agree to the $6M in additional grants because of some love for the Rebels. They agreed because contractually at the time, they had to maintain the Rebels. They didn't want the liability of the Rebels though. That $6M was a way to cap that liability, to try and prevent the situation which happened with the Mitchell consortium from occurring again. The board at the time never chose to expand to 5 teams. They merely had to deal with 5 teams. Sure it's not ideal but a good board minimizes their liability

"In fact in this situation that’s exactly what any competent board should be doing if it was deemed a cut was necessary" So why the arrant BS and outright lies associated with the entire process? Why the pretense at an open and accountable process when clearly millions upon millions of dollars was being siphoned into Melbourne. Do you seriously expect any sane and reasonable person to believe that there was ever going to be the chance of a Melbourne cut after RA had clearly made preferential payments into the Reble's coffers at the expense of rugby everywhere else in the country? Clearly your entire reason d'etre is do nothing more than defend your RA and VRU mates in what was unconscionable practice.

Yes. it's on public record exactly what I said. Neither of which were VRU/MRRU board members after the sale like you claim. Typical BS from you. In this situation it's hardly unique that the board would look at a preferred option, and then canvas other options. In fact in this situation that's exactly what any competent board should be doing if it was deemed a cut was necessary. If they had gone into the process without a preferred option and reasoning for that preferred option they would have been horrible managers. Also. Refuting your BS and stating exactly why it is, is not getting defensive.

Why would you want to transfer super rugby to a club system. The clubs are starting to get crowds again, what we need is billionaires to take charge and just pull out of ra system and privatise it and make the ra pay them if they want them in their super sides. 70% of the players are from the Shute shield

You get all defensive that's fine however it is all on public record and uncovered by journos who aren't bootlickers to the RA (namely Payto and Panda). The RA said this, the RA said that. It was all monkey crap and expensive to boot. The minutes are up on the Inquiry that state that in August 2016 that there will be another board meeting in October 2016 to decide which team to be axed. Face facts the Rabble and the Brumbies were never in the crosshairs. All they had to say is that it had decided by the board that the Force were to be axed. Wait that would require honesty. The grassroots are waiting for a response.

Sadly, I'm inclined to agree. Ironic when being forced back to their amateur roots has corresponded to such a resurgence. Seems all the same people would queue up to make exactly the same mistakes again given a sniff of a chance.

There's your problem right there .."Stuff the Shute Shield and stuff the rest of the premier club competitions across the five main cities...' Whilst I agree with everything you say, the alicadoos at the stronger Sydney clubs like Uni, Easts, Randwick are the equivalent of the Rugby mafia. Good luck trying to get it changed. I am thrilled that the tribalism and strength has come back into the Shute Shield, but we have to be careful that it doesn't mask the problem you identify. I have always advocated for a top down approach with all States represented in a National Competition, with a draft and national contracting. I doubt we'll see it in my lifetime

Standard Bakkies BS - emotional comment to try and generate support. Ad hominem attack - Oh I disagree with you. I must be Cameron Clyne if I'm not as balanced and objective as Bakkies... The ARU publicly said the Rebels were in the crosshairs. Cox was threatening to sue for the loss this may have caused the Rebels for 2017. He didn't need to win to cost the ARU more money. He just needed to take it far enough and they were worse off. Should they have just done nothing then spent twice as much in legal fees. Also no directors that were reappointed to the VRU board were paid. A settlement was made with Andrew Cox and Peter Sidwell in a Deed of Settlement Release. This agreement prevented Cox and Sidwell taking any legal action over the matter. Neither are part of the VRU or MRRU and neither have been since the put option was exercised. Just another BS and rubbish claim by you.

Settlement my hole Cameron. They weren't going to cut the Rabble it was already decided that a board meeting in October 2016 that was the case. Collosal waste of time and money. As I said as you knew that you weren't going to cut the bottom feeding Rebels so why did you pay off Rebels directors that were then reapponted to the VRU/MRRU board? The grassroots are waiting for their money back and an explanation so next time you see your mates in Melbourne there is a bill waiting to be paid asap.

Hodgson would not have any access to any numbers so he wouldn’t know. He never said that was their 2017 amount. He was referring to information in an article related to 2016 top ups. I don’t have to prove to refute his numbers, as there is no proof for his. It’s a throwaway line in a game. Is every sledge in a game suddenly an established fact? Also is not $1.2M. If that was his total contract, the ARU only paid half.

So, What are your topup calculations for 2017? Hodgo says $2 Mil and I tend to think he is right Folau Alone was responsible for $1.2 Mil There is no point spinning around chasing your tail, if you don't like Hodgo's numbers, Show us yours to refute the claim.

Perhaps because they weren’t interested in presenting misinformation and half truths as fact? Since when?

Malo - define grassroots. For me grassroots is primary school!! Well it was and still is in many other countries!!!

Tipsy, Here's my view of your young 'everyman' from Coonabarabran. Yes, he gets selected for Western Plains to play in Country week. He then gets selected for NSW Country Cockatoos to play in Australian Rugby Shield (ARS), the development comp that was shut down by RA. While playing for NSWC he might get picked up either by Waratahs or a Shute Shield club, then later get picked for Waratahs. We don't need a NRC, at least not the current version. Only Wallabies & national comp should be professional. Everything else should amateur, or at best, if the game can afford it, modest win/loss fees per game. Our national comp, let's stick with provincial for the purpose of the exercise, would be, with capital city in brackets: NSW (Sydney), Queensland (Brisbane), ACT (Canberra), Victoria (Melbourne), WA (Perth), SA (Adelaide), EA (Newcastle) and North Queensland (Townsville). Let's call it Australian Provincial Cup (APC) for the purpose of the exercise. ARS would keep same initials but be rebranded Australian Regional Shield. The ARS would feature NSW Country, ACT Country, EA Country, Qld Country, Northern Territory & Tasmania. Possibly WA Country & Vic Country. NSW regional has already been split in to NSW & ACT (SNSW). Northen NSW could become EA Country. The breakdown of country regions might be as follows: NSW Country: Central Coast, Illawarra, Central West, Western Plains. ACT Country: South West, Riverina, Farrar (Albury), South Coast. EA Country: Mid-North Coast, Far North Coast, New England, Central North. Basically, each city province in APC is underpinned by a strong & vibrant premier rugby district comp. Each country region in ARS is similarly underpinned by a strong & vibrant zone comp. Keeping in mind only Wallabies & provincial teams should be professional. Country players seeking professional contracts can first seek publicity from their own regions via ARS. The Subbies in Sydney, Brisbane & elsewhere are for those players who realise they won't ever be good enough to be professionals, but want to enjoy the mateship of playing for fun every weekend. Schoolboy rugby also needs a complete overhaul but that's perhaps another article again.

Because that wasn't the case no matter how much you try and put a spin on it. It was nothing to do with the VRU, and it was a settlement with Imperium to prevent any potential legal action - the costs even if successful may have been greater.

The grassroots would also like to know why the RA was clearing debt that was the responsibility of the VRU/MRRU directors while their funding was slashed?

I didn't know that it was the NSWRU and QRU's respective interests for the RA to waste money on consultants, reviews and payouts.