Rugby League 2019

Growler wrote:I keep reading that the current state of Union in Australia is mainly down to the strength (and money) of Aus Rules. Is League also attracting some of the best prospective RU talent, or is it beginning to suffer the way the 15-man game is?

Not really, G. There have been one or two come across in the past decades but there's no mass exodus from Union to League here.

The four Rules Teams in NSW and Qld each run Academies targeting talented kids. Many of these kids would otherwise be playing Union or League.

Growls

We all whinge about how bad a job Cricket Australia does at Board and CEO level

The ARU is worse

and then the FFA exists to make the ARU seem competent

AFL gets a lot of potential cricketers

skully wrote:

Growler wrote:I keep reading that the current state of Union in Australia is mainly down to the strength (and money) of Aus Rules. Is League also attracting some of the best prospective RU talent, or is it beginning to suffer the way the 15-man game is?

Not really, G. There have been one or two come across in the past decades but there's no mass exodus from Union to League here.

In fact it has been more common over the last 25 years for players to go from League to Union.

So what's the differential in salary between sports ? I don't mean the superstars on telephone numbers - but honest journeymen at mid-table clubs, way off international recognition.?

Over here, the huge money is football, of course. Average in the Premier League is about 50K/week. Next level down (Championship) - about 325K/year, going down to about 40K at semi-pro 4th tier (League 2).

County cricketers average 50K/year - ranging from 25K for youngsters to 100K or more for the oversea big names  and established, solid performers.

Rugby players (both codes) are probably on similar money, with the same caveats - and also dependant on position ... stand-off and full-back obviously earns much more than front row lads.

Will an average AFL player earn significantly more than the very best cricketers and rugby players?

Good questions Growls.

The median wage for AFL players is around $300+K (Oz). The best paid players earn $1.0M pa. This is a pittance compared to the best paid cricketers.

Storm currently $600K over the cap and face a round one ban OR having their last player signed for 2019 stood down. That's Cameron Smith!!!

skully wrote:Storm currently $600K over the cap and face a round one ban OR having their last player signed for 2019 stood down. That's Cameron Smith!!!

Surely they could've hid it in another set of Books , they are getting sloppy in their accounting practices down South.

skully wrote:Storm currently $600K over the cap and face a round one ban OR having their last player signed for 2019 stood down. That's Cameron Smith!!!

wouldn't the Round 1 ban be against the terms of the media rights agreement signed by Ch9/Fox?

After all his brinkmanship, I'd love to see Smith stood down!!!

No points deduction?

That's what my mob were spanked with for a minor breach - six separate payments totalling £14,700 meant they started the season on -2.

Probably administrative errors - but heaven only knows how many they'd be docked for £600K. Probably so many that they could win 8/10 games for two seasons and be relegated to 3rd tier ...

D-Day for the "bad apples" today isn't it? I doubt there's a Solomon on the ALRC so will be a confused mess one way or another,

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-proposed-new-finals-format-to-extend-to-top-10-from-top-eight/news-story/f67e817f997d5660c61f6b8ea2ad6de8

wildcard weekend for finals (7 vs 10, 8 vs 9) on the table. Yuck!!!

I dunno Nath, it might makes those usually meaningless last few rounds mean something.

The play-off between positions 3 to 6 in the English Championship added huge spice to the 2nd tier football comp in Blighty.

Last year going into the final couple of rounds every team down to 14th still had a mathematical possibility of finishing 10th.

To me the only negative is that teams 1-6 get a week off while 7 to 10 bash the shit out of each other. This could mean that the final 7th and 8th a farked anyway.

Lots of chat on the wireless that the release of the wild card round news is just an attempt by the NRL to take some of the recent bad news off the front and back pages of the rags.

The wildcard round would be great if it was comp to determine which of the Broncos, Coastal Filth, Canterbury or Cronulla was to be abolished.

Hehehe, can't disagree, h.

The Sharks will be based in Woz within 5 seasons

Someone's got to go there sooner or later. Not sure who would be a good fit. Plus there's a northern coast side and a third QLD team that has to be sorted sooner or later.

Just listened to Cam Smith on SEN. He loves the game but is clearly disgusted about the behaviour of some players. Awful predicament for people like him.

I don't think Melbourne's ever been touched by an off season/off field sex controversy.

Maybe all team captains should show more responsibility and club boards could institute a no dickheads policy, which would probably decimate club boards.

Bradman wrote:I don't think Melbourne's ever been touched by an off season/off field sex controversy.

Maybe all team captains should show more responsibility and club boards could institute a no dickheads policy, which would probably decimate club boards.

That is the policy the Swans have long adopted.

Bradman wrote:I don't think Melbourne's ever been touched by an off season/off field sex controversy.

Maybe all team captains should show more responsibility and club boards could institute a no dickheads policy, which would probably decimate club boards.

Nick Reiwolt
Ricky Nixon
Brendan Favola/ Lara Bingle
Sam Newman

To be fair though, the AFL's controversy's tend to be around racism.

I meant the Storm. Who needs chicks in the AFL when you can blow yourself away on coke and meth and get it brushed under the carpet come the season start.

Bradman wrote:I meant the Storm.  Who needs chicks in the AFL when you can blow yourself away on coke and meth and get it brushed under the carpet come the season start.

Ah, my bad.