Loges,

Good points. It is one of the mysteries of Australian Rugby now how RG retains any senior positions given his track record. The usual excuse of QRU not having enough money to cancel his contract can’t continue to be used surely….

When you see coaches/ managers in other professional sports getting the axe quickly (sometimes not even that long after winning silverware) it is bemusing to say the least…

EG thanks for correcting the typo – the first comment had me bemused !!! 🙂

Kasey

You’ve given me the opportunity to throw in that old chestnut – Gold Coast, The Bermuda Triangle of Australian sport…. go through the failed sporting franchises there and tell me it’s not true…. The Titans (small) and Suns are proving something of an exception [to date] but when Ablett goes I wonder how the latter will fare….

The irony about NFJs call for a limit on scholarships is that (and I was told this “by a good authority” so am happy to hear real facts in response) Newingtons premiership 1st XV last year had ONE player whose parents were paying fees??

As another post mentioned, the Crusaders put 96 on the Waratahs in a year the Tahs made the finals so big scores can happen to any team when one teams planets are in alignment and the others aren’t…..

If you check the Youtube video, the NC pack don’t seem to be getting pushed around too much… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVKDL-nLl3k&list=WL&index=4

Good point. As proven by Todd he just pops up at another club….

Interesting when you look at NFL, possibly (??) the worlds most commercial sport, yet there is no advertising on the outfits other than the NFL licensing logo…. Mind you I reckon most of their shirts are boring as batsh#t!!!…

Hear Hear peeko!!!

And thanks Tim for a good piece with which I concur 100%. Thanks also for explaining why the Knights looked like one of the Tigers plethora of designs (I think the Tiges probably compete with Parra or the Warriors for the most versions in recent years but I realise as a merger team they have extra considerations (colours) to reflect…..

And on the subject – what are Penriths official colours now? I can never work out what they are any more. Bring back the chocolate soldiers :)…

reality – check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_international_rugby_union_players_killed_in_World_War_I

I accept there were league people who participated in WW1 (I haven’t seen a similar page yet) I am just critical that an sport / organization that showed NO support for the popular effort at the time now cashes in on it….

…

ciudadmarron

I’m not sure how the SMH has become part of the discussion – also I can’t categorically address whether RU was primarily a private school based sport back then – I would “assume” (given it’s then bigger footprint) it would have held a wider demographic appeal than it now has (or at least 20 years ago)..

You’re also correct about the (understandable) catholic (irish) hesitancy to rally behind the Union Jack (chaps) especially given the parallel events carrying on in the homeland circa 1916……. As you mention we had NO CONSCRIPTION despite Billy Hughes attempt….. so those hundreds of thousands of young blokes all volunteered (albeit peer group pressure would have had an impact as some didn’t want to get their white feather….). They thought they were doing the right thing…

I’m being a bit Libran now – taking both perspectives as I see merit in both – but Australia 100 years ago was a different place to what it is now (profound statement alert) – I wonder if the circumstances were recreated today we would have the same response??? Who knows given the sycophancy we’ve seen surrounding the current royal tourists…. 🙂

70s Mo – I see your point…. pre WW1 RU was probably discussed a higher proportion of the time and as is still our vernacular use (at least NSW / QLD), all the 4 codes are called ” footy” so it was probably just more noticeable…. Given I discuss all 4 codes I try to be “specific” (and let’s not forget Gaelic Footy also!!!)

70s Mo as someone who currently plays both football (soccer) and rugby union (at >45s / golden oldies “levels” ) I’m not sure if that is correct about most people in NSW using football to refer to RU….. There are the four codes that all get “football” . More amusing to pedants like me is the Victoria use of “rugby” referring to both union and league as whilst there are many similarities there are a plethora of differences – but that’s another topic that has been debated on the Roar before…. 🙂

Interesting a much earlier post by “Me Too” was interesting to me (given I don’t consider to know much of Australian Football History) but I didn’t know how most VFL clubs stopped playing in 1916 except four who kept playing (including Collingwood winning their “Easy Flag”…

By the way I’m not ignoring the VFL and League players and supporters who did their bit (especially those who paid the ultimate price) my beef is to do with the game of RL not supporting the effort then but cynically
using it as a marketing stunt now….

Debbie,

I am in complete agreement with your sentiments (which is a statement in itself!! 🙂 ).
Personally I’m against these sports (and in fact any sports or commercial enterprises – ie pubs putting on “events”) using guerrilla marketing to cash in on the commemoration (NOT celebration) of ANZAC.

I’m surprised Spiros himself hasn’t reprised his formerly regular criticism of the hijacking by rugby league of the event. Don’t forget rugby union and rugby league were on a par in public support pre WW1 (given league was only 6 years old here) yet rugby decided to postpone competition to support the war effort whilst league carried on regardless. It is open to argument if this hiatus led to the eventual loss of “market share” by rugby but it can’t be ignored. Neither can the comparison in the number of significant (ie international) rugby players from Australia, Britain and New Zealand who served and died from Gallipolli onwards compared to rugby league players.

Everyone should have the right, opportunity (and desire) to acknowledge ANZAC Day but in the case of rugby league I find it hypocritical.

It does seem a little unfair and quick though it has been said he didn’t seem to grasp it at all well….

No doubt a hard act to follow. But worth remembering that Fergy took over in late 86 and didn’t win anything till the 1990 FA Cup and was on the chopping block himself for a while. But he didn’t take over a top notch side as did Moyes.

Ironic that two sides who visited our shores in the off season have had such contrasting years….

One wonders where Moyes will finish up now, and whether Giggs will be more than a caretaker….

A great stat F.I.U.L. which puts things perfectly into perspective…… From his goals against Iran as a kid in 97 to the Croatian effort he always put in (especially when fit!) for the Socceroos and his various clubs. Oz Football has been lucky to have him in our midst!!!

it might be adding the “replies” to the main comments….. my google chrome is a bit hard to follow with these discussions as well…..

don’t generalize Rohan – I play both rugby and football and attend both SFC and Waratahs games in equal number!!! 🙂

Striker – interesting observation – I’m an SFC member who was at the game and I would have thought the split was the reverse of that – certainly in terms of team shirts being worn. However that may be a tribute to how well the RBB are organised. As a fan and attendee of all codes for over 40 years the two derbies I’ve seen this year at the SFS are the most outstanding atmospheres I’ve experienced in Oz – a couple of league GFs in the 70s and world cup games like Argentina in 93 probably went close….

While not wanting to get too much into a code debate (as I said I follow them all) I just think the AFL should take a lesson from how well the WSW have been introduced to Sydney compared to how the GWS was launched…. the former has hit the ground running and “won” the battle of the west so far….

Tom. Absolutely right – maybe we need to start taking the approach Premier League sides like Arsenal do in the “League” cup and not run their normal side – it would be controversial but maybe the Asian Cup qualifiers are the time to do that? At least blend in more young guys…

I certainly accept that Simmo and I’m not trying to crucify Bozza who I generally find an interesting media person – but it basically ended a playing career the wrong way and just needs to be remembered in the current debate….

I certainly agree with everyones right to an opinion – however I think it was a bit rich of Bozza to criticize Neills committment to the national team and the team generally after the two 0-6 results.

I admire the dedication to the national cause of guys like Schwarzer and Neill who are usually available for the team – I checked and Bozza had the grand total of 17 appearances, despite being a member of stellar clubs like Villa, Man United and Chelsea. I will accept the fact that “back then” clubs didn’t have to support national teams as much as they do today but I can’t comment on how many of those non appearances were club enforced…..

Ironically one of those 17 appearances was a 0-6 to Brazil in the Confed Cup of 1997 – I guess the then experts were less critical….

I also find it amusing that a player whose career was basically ended by off field indiscipline (a well documented drug problem) has the temerity to offer advice on doing the right thing….

Stevo,

For what it’s worth I was at the game and despite the vast majority of the crowd being Man U fans I thought the respect to both sides was great. The only booing was for Berart Berisha which is probably not surprising given his history against Sydney. But there was still a good cheer when he scored. I even noticed when the ALeague subs went for a jog in front of the United fans at one end they still got a round of applause and good reception. I also noticed plenty of generous acknowledgement when the ALeague guys did something handy. Maybe the author of that comment was in an atypical part of the crowd…

Somebody else said 80% of the crowd probably had never been to an ALeague game – I think that doesn’t have legs – there were plenty of Wanderers and Sydney jerseys floating around (though obviously not as many as Utd).

I repeat my earlier comment – for guys at the start of preseason with no game under their belts I thought they did ok…. they are not EPL standard – otherwise they may be over there!!

well said FIUL. I took my 9 year old son to the game for his first big event and I think he was impressed (though his highlight was probably the mexican wave… 🙂 ). UTD were very sharp, quicker and well oiled, to refer to the A League All Stars (or, ironically, ALAS) as a Div 14 is very unfair. It wasn’t even the best A League side thanks to a number of players not being released… given the lack of preparation I thought they did pretty well, apart from Berishas goal there were a few other good chances…If they played again next week I think it may be even more competitive….

Jack,

I agree with your sentiment but your statement (“never”) is not correct

2010
Final Score: Wallabies 49 – Fiji 3
Qantas Wallabies 49 (Digby Ioane 2, Kurtley Beale 2, Richard Brown, Quade Cooper, Drew Mitchell tries; Matt Giteau 7 conversions) defeated Fiji 3 (Taniela Rawaqa penalty) at Canberra Stadium. (Half time: Wallabies 14-3)

Ok, you can argue Fiji is not a ‘biggie’ but Sydney Brisbane & maybe Melbourne have the stadiums that’ll hold the big numbers for the major games (although the way things are going that may be in doubt! in future anyway.!! I think the non quad nations games probably could be shared around a bit – I thought the Newcastle game with Scotland was a great initiative , great local support by rugby (mates I know in the area had a great time), just cruelled by horrendous weather on the night…

Loges agree entirely – it is basically a simple game (albeit stuffed by a confusing array of laws AND interpretations) – my biggest beef with Wobblies and Tahs in recent years has been how poor their basic skills have become – the big moments are a lot simpler if the basics are executed well…

is there still some salary cap dispensation for players brought in from other codes (albeit normally rugby)?? Might help Parras bean counters….