It was a truly eye-opening read this week, with an ex-NRC and Super Rugby player under the moniker ‘Johnny Football’ highlighting the reasons why a further consolidation of NRC sides based in NSW hadn’t necessarily produced two significantly stronger sides over the opening rounds of 2018.
I don’t know for sure and certain who Johnny Football is, though I’ve got a pretty fair idea, and I’m even pretty sure we’ve spoken in previous seasons. If he is who I’m pretty sure he is, then he has indeed played the first four seasons of the NRC – and for two different sides, in fact.
That he chose not to play the NRC this season is hugely concerning, but also representative of where the NRC has got to, operating as a semi-professional competition on practically amateur budgets.
The confirmation of something plenty of observers have suspected in recent years – that the Waratahs’ Super Rugby squad for 2019 is all but confirmed – is as damning as it is dumbfounding. If the other state outfits have cottoned on years ago that keeping a few spots open to fill during the NRC makes sense – even if they fill them with guys previously contracted – why would the Waratahs not utilise that opportunity?
The whole point of creating the NRC in 2014 was to bridge the gap between club and Super Rugby. The NRC is that necessary bridge because as the professional game goes further ahead, the club game lags further behind simply by staying still. Johnny Football even argues, “the standard of the Shute Shield has dropped dramatically over the last eight years”.
But the NRC as a development competition can’t bridge this widening gap if it’s shut at the professional end.
Adam Korczyk of Brisbane City takes on the Sydney Rays defence. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
And it might not just be the developmental aims of the NRC that’s becoming an issue.
I’ve been coming to the conclusion in recent years that the NRC might be about to reach its ceiling on how good the competition can become while still run on the smell-of-an-oily-rag.
Simply put, the NRC was only going to be able to grow and improve so much while ever it was paying the non-contracted players little more than a pie and can of coke each week. Johnny’s revelations suggest that we might be at that ceiling now.
“I can confirm that last season it was not uncommon for a player to receive $2000 for the entire ten-week period over which the NRC ran. The ‘contract’ could not be legally classified as an employment agreement because technically it worked out to be far below minimum wage,” Johnny wrote.
“The NRC has become a sort of inside joke for us non-Super contracted senior players who have been a part of it over the last few years. Plenty of training, no money and very little opportunity. A third division European gig looks like heaven in comparison, and players who should be in the NRC are taking these types of options.”
You only have to look at the Mitre 10 Cup in New Zealand and count the sudden influx on uncontracted or recently-delisted Australians dotted around the sides. I counted upwards of a dozen when the comp started, and I think that number might have even grown since then.
And why wouldn’t they? As much as they might want to stay in Australia and play what we know is an excellent level of rugby, the choice between a couple of a thousand dollars all told or heading over the ditch for three or four months as a full-time professional is a financial no-brainer.
For the guys wanting another crack at the professional game somewhere, there’s no better way of staying ‘in the shop window’ than by remaining in a professional system.
For uncontracted players, or the players being plucked out of club rugby around the country, the money needs to be good enough that taking time off work isn’t going to hurt them. If we genuinely want guys to take the next step, it can’t be a step that doesn’t pay the bills. The money needs to be found for the guys that genuinely deserve it.
Matt Lucas playing for the Sydney Rays back in 2016. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
This has to be where the NRC gets too. The competition needs to elevate to the level where the sides are properly professional in everything they do: remuneration, training and recovery, and obviously playing.
This current situation where contracted players keep training during the week and then join their NRC squad mates two nights a week will only hold the competition back in the future.
NRC Round 1 catch-up game
Last night: Sydney Rays 19 lost to NSW Country Eagles 33, at Leichhardt Oval, Sydney
NRC Round 4
SATURDAY
Melbourne Rising v Brisbane City – Bailey Reserve, Adelaide; 12.30pm ACST/ 1.00pm AEST, streamed LIVE on www.foxsports.com.au
Queensland Country v Western Force – Bond University, Gold Coast; 3.00pm, LIVE on FOX SPORTS
SUNDAY
NSW Country Eagles v Canberra Vikings – UNE Bellevue Oval, Armidale; 1.00pm, streamed LIVE on www.foxsports.com.au
Sydney v Fiji Drua – Concord Oval, Sydney; 3.00pm, LIVE on FOX SPORTS
NRC Table
Queensland Country 13, Fiji 10, Canberra 9, Western Force 9; Melbourne 6, Brisbane City 5, NSW Country 4, Sydney Rays 0.
TIPS
Another bunch of cracking contests this weekend, and maybe a touch easier to pick than last week’s head-scratcher of a round. (2 from 4, thanks for asking)
On Saturday, I think Melbourne have found their groove and should have too much for Brisbane City in Adelaide, while I think Queensland Country will keep their unbeaten start to the season intact, but not by many.
Come Sunday, I’m happy enough that both NSW Country and Sydney are playing better now, but a third game in eight days might be a bit much for both sides. Canberra and Fiji, for mine.
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
Both put up far better performances over the weekend. Settle down. They need to address some major issues but let's wait to see if the improvement continues.
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
Tom Hill
piru
Roar Rookie
Time for the Sydney teams to be removed from the NRC and move on without them. Perhaps in a few years they'll want back in, but at the moment they are far more trouble than they are worth
AndyS
Guest
I would have said it was a progression, not a duplication. But I think you are verballing Johnny, as at no time did he call it a duplication. Quite the opposite, he was pretty clear that he thought a number of the Waratahs recent signings weren't ready and needed somewhere that could gather more skills and experience before they were ready for SR. Call it an academy or the NRC, he never called it a substitute for Super Rugby or vice versa. Frankly, it sounds to me like management think. By the same logic, Australia doesn't need all of the Schools Championship and Junior Gold Cups and Youth Rugby Championships...it is unnecessary duplication. They should just take the winning school from the ASC each year and send them off as Australia's U20 team.
sheek
Guest
How about that. I was founding member no.19 of The Roar back in 2007, but now I've been downgraded from guru to guest. The Roar doesn't even know or care about its own history.
sheek
Guest
How about that. I was member no.19 of The Roar back in 2007, but now I've been downgraded from guru to guest. The Roar doesn't even know it's own history.
sheek
Guest
Brett, As you well know, I have never been a fan of the NRC for many reasons. Not the concept, but the implementation. From the outset, this NRC has struggled to know what it really stands for. Surely, a recipe for failure. One of my enduring problems with the NRC was the duplication of resources. Johnny Football has probably articulated it well without realising it. The bottom signings of the super rugby provinces are the leading players of the NRC. It's a duplication of resources. We don't need both super rugby and NRC, we need one combined national comp. NZ might be able to have both super rugby regions & the NPC, not Australia. We don't have the player depth & quality or financial resources to duplicate a national comp. If RA wants to persist with super rugby, & that remains to be seen, then I would prefer the super rugby provinces operate an internal B competition, home & away, 8 matches. Although in suggesting this, I would demand the return of the WA Force, making it a total of 10 matches each for the B teams. However, my ultimate ambition, as I've consistently long stated, is to get rid of super rugby, except for a Champion's Cup element, & have a totally enclosed domestic national comp. Whether it is provincial (my first choice) or national club, is a discussion for another day. As for losing players to northern hemisphere, well, it's happening anyway. However, France & England are facing the problem of over-spending, which might come to bite them sooner rather than later. Which might then give the southern hemisphere nations some breathing space to realign & consolidate their domestic structures.
concerned supporter
Guest
The relevance is that RA should have more funds to spend on NRC and gtassroots.
Brett McKay
Expert
No, your statement, that "the simple conclusion is that RA would be better off FINANCIALLY if they pulled out of Super Rugby" is pure conjecture. Thats what I'm not responding to. As for the figures, Super Rugby figures don't really have any relevance in an NRC discussion..
Concerned Supporter
Guest
Brett I have produced figures from the audited RA 2017 Financial Statements do you dispute them? I think you probably don't fully understand them
Brett McKay
Expert
I haven't commented, CS, because what you're trying to state as fact is rooted firmly in your conjecture. At the end of the day, you're a rugby fan who chooses not to go to rugby. Having no affinity is a pretty easy out, if you're honest with yourself. I think it's ironic that you seem to like focussing on NRC crowds in Sydney, yet actively avoid being counted among them yourself...
concerned supporter
Guest
TWAS, Have you ever answered a question directly? Usually, you answer with another question, do you think you are in Parliament?
concerned supporter
Guest
TWAS, If you are talking Leichhardt Oval? Did RA announce the crowd? On the hill, you could count the spectators on 2 hands. Not too many also in the stand.
AndyS
Guest
Probably not, but if it makes you feel better they could easily review whether they need four whole teams of trainees. Your numbers show they could easily save over $6.5M by getting rid of a side...
AndyS
Guest
If you agree with all of that, then you are talking in circles. We can't make use of those clubs to prepare SR ready players, because they inherently can't while retaining any ties and responsibilities to the amateur game. It is either/or, as your examples from other codes demonstrate.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Could you organise a salary increase without offering any more than you do now, and working 2 days a week for somebody else?
concerned supporter
Guest
Brett, This is what you said last week, '' Rugby Australia don’t make editorial decisions for Fairfax or News Ltd. – I’ve explained to you how the NRC is marketed via social and online channels, given the small budgets the competition operates with. – My understanding is the NRC is largely cost-neutral: the clubs have they’re own operating budgets, and there is sponsors on board covering travel and accommodation.'' Thank you, Brett, I appreciate your reply and you seem to be right, but you made no comment on the FINANCIAL viability of Super Rugby for RA and the 4 Australian Franchises. 2/The reason I have not attended an NRC game is I have no affinity with SYDNEY RAYS, or Country Eagles.NRC are only really trial games for SR and maybe to a lesser extent the Wallabies. In previous times they were called Possibles v Probables. The teams need to attach to say suggested ''South Harbour, North Harbour, Western Sydney,''they should strive for a decent identity and most importantly Members, Brett, Members.
concerned supporter
Guest
AndyS, Fair enough, we have recently discussed this matter. I am a SR fan, I have Foxtel and enjoy it, but RA is losing too much money, and SR being only accessible by 30% of Aust. Rugby people and casual fans. Could RA & SANZAAR possibly negotiate an increase in Broadcasting Revenue together with games on FTA?
Ad-0
Guest
I agree with all of that. But if we are at the point where the NRC is a busted flush, we are going back to Shute and Qld Premier as our 3rd tier. Love em or hate em, these clubs have been harder to kill than cockroaches. Maybe we should make use of that, rather than try to push these franchises that seem to constantly fail.
Brett McKay
Expert
It was also explained to you fairly clearly only last week why that wouldn't necessarily be the case. So I'm going to ask you a straight question: you're a rugby fan, NRC games have been played in your vicinity this season and in previous seasons. Why haven't you been to an NRC game?