Talking Footy

With the Western Reds having failed and the ARU to set up shop in Perth. What does this mean for the WARL?

Rugby seems to have a bright future in WA. Can the same be said for rugby league?

Rugby League missed it's opportunity with Perth. And it was a dam good opporuntiy at that.

Rugby League needs to expand in the opposite direction now. A (unfortunately) revision of the amount and/or structure of Sydney clubs, which will in turn create better opportunites to exand into heartlands that are deprived of enough or any NRL clubs to represent them. Many many years down the track, the NRL should look to have teams from Australia's east coast, north and south island NZ teams, PNG (this is already being looked at with the help of the QRL, excellent initiative. It's all part of helping improve the way of life in PNG also), and possibly a combined Pacific Islands side or just a singular national team e.g Fiji, Tonga.

League has the opportunity to create an 'Oceania' premiership, with a team established in NZ and the fact that Rugby League is the national sport of PNG and is reasonably well supported throughout the islands (thanks to its similarities with the already popular Rugby Union in those parts). So stuff a 'truly national competition', we need to look at the bigger picture.

But of course the $64,000 is: Will the League authorities have the vision and brains to plan for this?

Answer? No

Dizzys_on_fire wrote:

But of course the $64,000 is: Will the League authorities have the vision and brains to plan for this?

Answer? No

I agree. Oceania is a market waiting to be tapped. But the ARL make every other codes' administrators look like geniuses.

I remember years ago, Kids in PNG used to idolise men like Mal Meninga, yet nothing substantive has been done to exploit this cult worship.

Very sad.

i worked with a png national about 5 years ago and he was a huge league fan and loved the broncos. he told me that the kids all played the game but they lacked coaching expertise.