I was reading The Roar tonight and I couldn’t help thinking that the content is a lot richer this year, than in previous years.
Then the penny dropped – the NRC has provided us with a rich vein of content that we have not had in previous years. Whether you are for it or against it, there is now more content than we have been used to and, I for one, am very happy about that.
Yes, maybe the top four were predicted ages ago, and yes, maybe only one Sydney team is a good thing or a bad thing, but whatever, we are at least talking about it.
In recent years, in the hiatus period before “we were so rudely interrupted by Mr J. O’Neill” we were in Rugby downtime, speculating about the November tour, months before it happened. Not much to read, and the same old stuff being trotted out.
We are now into the semi’s of the NRC – whether you love it or hate it, it is, hopefully here to stay and yes, of course, the powers that be will tinker with it – that’s what powers that be do – but this time there is at least some hope that the tinkering will improve it.
If you read my posts you will see that there are a few constant threads, and one of them is that I see Australian Rugby people as impatient and always wanting instant results.
If you try to interpose a new competition in between a club comp that is over a hundred years old and a Super Rugby comp that is a quarter of a century old, of course there are going to be naysayers, critics, lovers, supporters, fence sitters and the full gamut, but Rome was not built in a Rugby season, nor was anything else.
Mistakes may have been made, contracting might be skewwhiff, and some players might be missing out and some clubs may feel that their sense of entitlement has been trodden on, but overall, I am certain in my own mind that we are heading in the right direction and that there are kids out there who now feel that they have a pathway.
Go you good thing, and let’s all encourage Rugby Australia to keep making it better.
On another note, can I please give a huge shoutout to one of Rugby’s greatest gentlemen – Geoff Stokes. Well known in the military and Canberra Rugby communities – if Super Rugby had started 10 years earlier, ‘Stokesy’ would have been in the mix.
Geoff has been appointed team coach of the Invictus Games squad and I can do no better than refer to the article of Tim Gavel, Canberra’s great sporting journo.
Fantastic, Geoff, and we Navy brethren are very proud of you.
gatesy
Roar Guru
Sheek, The Tuggeranong Vikings play in the John I Dent Cup - the club comp. The Canberra Vikings are, in reality, the Brumbies team that ACT Rugby can't afford to put on the paddock. The players come from all clubs. The Vikings club pays the way and we Canberrans are grateful
Adsa
Roar Rookie
I was impressed that they tried something like this Gatesy, it meant local Unions could build a carnival around the NRC game. It is rare that the QRU actually have this level of cooperation with the regions. Just another NRC tick for me.
sheek
Guest
Thanks gates, In a one-horse town, it doesn't make sense that one club is so omni-prescient, even if they do have all the money. Canberra rugby rep teams belong to ALL Canberrans, not the one club that might have all the money. There are so many dumb decisions in rugby these days - a Wallaby captain who isn't the best player in his position, or even the best captain; the culling of WA Force for little perceivable gain; the promotion of NRC with teams that don't align with their supporter base; the list goes on. But obviously I come from a different era. Today money is God, it's all that matters.
gatesy
Roar Guru
They just are. The other clubs - Royals. Whites, Wests, UniNorths, Gungahlin, Easts simply do not have the horsepower to fund what the Vikings can - if you know Canberra Rugby you would know that Vikings is THE financial powerhouse because of the clever way that they have managed their licensed clubs (yes, plural) over the years, while every other club in Canberra is your basically amateur Rugby Club that can just keep it together. Absolutely no criticism of any of the clubs - it is just a demographic fact of the way that Canberra developed and when the Tuggeranong Valley was opened up and the Town Centre developed, the Vikings were there, front and centre and bloody good luck to them. Many of us have had boys who have benefitted from their strength and largess and may they prosper for may years to come. There are a lot of people with very short memories who saw the Vikings play in the Sydney Shute Sheild, only to be ejected because they were too strong and and then move to the Brisbane Premier comp, and same same!! I don't think that there are too many Canberrans who begrudge the fact that the Vikings have been able to do things that no other club could do and I would think that most Canberrans are right behind them. By the way, I don't live in Canberra, any more. I now live in Brisbane, but as they say, you can take the boy out of Canberra but you can never take Canberra out of the boy. That's just the way it is. Period.
gatesy
Roar Guru
Yes, you are right - my bad!
Adsa
Roar Rookie
The NRC had a bit of an awkward start with me Gatesy, but I have come to enjoy it and am an avid follower of Country and City and loved the derby they played at the Kennel. Qld Country played games against Melbourne and Drua on successive weekends in Townsville and Mackay. The Mackay District final was held after the NRC game with City beating Whitsunday Raiders 11 - 7.
sheek
Guest
I find it sad that some rugby folk continue to dream that the NRC is going to be the saviour of Australian rugby. Certainly not in its current configuration. Anyway, best of British luck in your endeavours. Gatesy, you live in Canberra. Tell me how the Vikings are representative & supported by all Canberrans, or even most of them???
gatesy
Roar Guru
Dave, surely that's a local problem for your state union to sort out. ACT are very clearly controlled by the Vikings so there is no question where there games are being played, Brisbane picked three club grounds that are all within easy distance, Qld Countryl only play at Bond, so I guess it is up to your guys to decide. Does sound though that they stretched it a bit thin this season. Sounds to me like a logical response to that is that you need to push for a Vic Country side to be included.
DaveR
Guest
Yes, a good article Gatesy. I am sure NRC is offering a lot more this year somewhere, but not in Melbourne. After 6 games (were there 6?) Melbourne Rising had 3 games away, and 3 games at home - except none were in Melbourne. The home games were in Adelaide, Geelong and Ballarat. And those crowds were pitiful. So for most Rebels fans and club supporters who wanted to watch local club players it was disappointing. In fact, most supporters down here this year just stopped going at the end of the SR games. And to think the local club comp was again commenced a month early this year to take account of the NRC, and then ........there are no NRC games in Melbourne. It gives a free hand to AFL and NRL during the last rounds and finals.
gatesy
Roar Guru
Thanks, mate. Doubt Sydney will do much to change - they haven't stopped banging their heads against the wall, just yet.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
Great article Gatesy. The NRC continues to grow while Super Rugby continues to decline. Hoped the humiliation Sydney has received will serve to get some proverbial fingers pulled out. It would have been good if the Roar had used a photo from the current season to headline your article though. Property Powerhouse were Perth Spirit sponsors last year.