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I see this as an everyone problem. RA needs to make a decision- does it use a top down model or a bottom up model. The fact they have reduced funding to Shute Shield clubs over the past few years (in favour of paying big money out to Wallabies to either break contract and return home or paying big money for two for the same position- Pocock and Hooper) suggests top down. This approach is clearly failing based on the ~25k going to Suncorp to watch the Wallabies play the Boks. A few years back that would be a bad crowd to get in Perth. Brisbane is supposed to be a heartland. Any less than 35k is dreadful. RA provides the strategic direction for Rugby in Australia. That strategic direction appears to be a nose dive at this point in time. Now it is up to everyone else not to whinge about their lot and try to make the best of it, but ultimately things are *&&%*&( up the chain.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
I think the ARU/RA have clearly said it's top down. Many times. It's probably in the media saying if the Wallabies are successful then it will all trickle down eg. the money goes to the top.
As Alan Jones keeps saying in almost every article and talk back show that If the RA spend all their money on the roof and none of it on the floor then eventually it will all fall down. It's been a steep decline for years now, I think we can all assume everything has started collapsing.
The point is this.
I am all for blaming Cameron Clyne and his Minions when the opportunity presents itself.
However this time - the possible demize of West Harbour - has got fuck all to do with Rugby Australia, Cameron Clyne, Minions et all.
What it should be is a different discussion.
All I am asking for is that if we are going to blame someone - lets at least blame the right organisation and the right person and or persons.
Simple really.
Exile
Port Macquarie
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!" - Rocky Balboa
I am just saying that the $6 million which was meant to be spent for the very purpose of helping community and grass root rugby clubs never made it to the states which would have atleast afforded them the opportunity to help struggling clubs such as West Harbour and if the NSWRU and SRU had any sense you could include Penrith in that too. If the states chose to use this money for other purposes then fine but the point is the money never made it to them, instead it somehow made it's way to the Rebels to be swallowed up and wasted forever on a useless bankrupt franchise that never seems likely to get its house in order or even win over any supporters.
If the RA wanted to absolve themselves of any blame then they should have distributed the $6million they promised to the states so they could atleast attempt to fix some of their struggling clubs financial woes, the fact that Clyne, Raelene, Robinson and the rest of the hoarde at Moore park just couldnt stay true to their promise to grassroots and in my oppinion that now makes them culpable.
I agree with Spartan the RA promised more money to the grassroots from axing the Force.
As for the comment in relation to past and previous boards oh yes it is their problem as they actually did fund the clubs than the RA went out and cut the funding and levied the clubs which a significant amount of clubs are struggling to pay so they can field teams. I have a family member who has been a committee member and president of a NSW country club that is close enough to Sydney. The club which supplies a lot of players to the NSW Country Cockatoos, has a strong Junior base and produced Wallabies. He said that the RA and NSWRU levies are so high paying them would send their club broke. The club had to negotiate the levies so they could field teams this year.
The RA cut the funding to clubs hence the infamous pissing it up against the wall remark. In my opinion West Harbour is a bigger fall than Penrith. A much older club playing out of Concord a ground that nearly sent the NSWRU broke. The RA had to bail them out. They are much improved on the field finishing just outside of the finals. The SRU pulled the Final from Concord which left them without revenue and they haven't assisted the club with covering the shortfall.
The RA also came out in the past two days to put a condition on Twiggy not signing Shute Shield players for WSR's Western Sydney team. Very hard to do when you are in dialogue with the SRU and you don't have a district club.
I bet your bottom dollar the RA would do something if Gordon fell over. North shore, strong junior catchment which was the biggest in the country, no NRL team and an area that is losing players and support to the AFL.
It is an issue for the muppets at Moore Park.
Last edited by Bakkies; 15-09-18 at 04:01.