for all those leaguies who hate union

[littleduck]

Originally posted by jeka
Well thats not quite the case there are Australian Rules Football leagues in Britain, Denmark, Sweden, Germany and the USA.

the leagues would be amateur at best, certainly not professional.

RL has 2 high profile professional football competions --> ESL and NRL, and Bartercard Cup in NZ on a lesser level. All of that means RL claims 3 competitive national RL football teams - Oz, Poms, Kiwis.

AR has 1 professional competition --> AFL.

As well as those countries closer to Australia like NZ but I do conceed the point that these league are embryonic but they do compare to some of the nations who put out sides in the last Rugby league world cup.

some probably do compare to the nations RL has included in its world cups.

is there an AFL equivalent in NZ of the Bartercard Cup competition? i doubt it.

International competitions raise the profile of the game. As my original post alluded to, League is getting more people through the gates for matches on the back of the Rugby Union world cup. Imagine the boost to the sport a decent League world cup would create. Thats the relevance to domestic competition of internationals.

good point.

As for the Super 12s I don't actually know anything about the depth of Union in Australia below this level so I won't comment.

there is nothing worth mentioning below S12 level apart from brisbane and sydney club rugby, which attracts crowds of family and friends only.

 

[Crooked Rain]

Originally posted by noodnuts
good point duckie, most ppl use these forums as a type of therapy group where they can stroke each others egos and say nice things about each other and exist in a cocoon of fantasy.

these sporting fantasists refuse to ask the tough questions about their own sport and prefer to believe that it's the perfect sport without any flaws......they cant accept the notion that it could be improved in any way. this is the main problem with rugby league desperados and why they attribute the preposterous 'the greatest game of all' to league.

The game they play in heaven???

 

[jeka]

Littleduck your right about AFL being the only professional competetion in Aussie Rules Football. I was just pointing out that these leagues do exist... its just the AFl are quite backwards when it comes to development which means its even behind League on a global scale.

 

[Leagueworld]

"If Union was the game they played in heaven Jesus would have had 14 disciples not 12"

 

[jeka]

lol

 

[Brian]

Just because there are some big games at international level doesn't mean it compares to the major winter sports .And when I talk about passion I mean the passion of supporters ,not just a general liking or following of the game .I dont see the England vs Australia at cricket as stirring anywhere near the perrenial RU vs RL controversey .

 

[littleduck]

Originally posted by jeka
Well thats not quite the case there are Australian Rules Football leagues in Britain, Denmark, Sweden, Germany and the USA. As well as those countries closer to Australia like NZ but I do conceed the point that these league are embryonic but they do compare to some of the nations who put out sides in the last Rugby league world cup.

the reality is RL has 3 competitive nations which compete internationally - Australia, England, NewZealand. AR has no international scene bcoz there is no other country who might be competitive against an Australian Aussie Rules team. there is nothing wrong with that. the AFL is a hugely succesful domestic comp, without having the opportunity to compete internationally against other coutnries. apart from IR, which is not AR but a complete different sport.

International competitions raise the profile of the game. As my original post alluded to, League is getting more people through the gates for matches on the back of the Rugby Union world cup. Imagine the boost to the sport a decent League world cup would create. Thats the relevance to domestic competition of internationals.

sure, international competitions raise the profile of the game. international fixtures are always a valuable part of any sports fixtures. however, the AFL is a hugely succesful domestic comp without any meaningful international competition (apart from a hybrid game).

as for RL getting more through the gates for matches on the back of the RUWC, that might be possible but i doubt whether it will make that much of a difference. one article i read showed that RL teams were getting additional sponsorships as a result of the RUWC. i can understand that argument, but not bigger crwods.

the value of a world cup is mostly in the area of international development. obviously RU do this far better than RL and AFL.

As for the Super 12s I don't actually know anything about the depth of Union in Australia below this level so I won't comment.

the depth is very very small. any1 arguing the union cause in oz stears well clear of this issue. RU in oz below the S12 level is an embarrasment to the code.

 

[littleduck]

Originally posted by Brian
Just because there are some big games at international level doesn't mean it compares to the major winter sports .And when I talk about passion I mean the passion of supporters ,not just a general liking or following of the game .

exactly right.

I dont see the England vs Australia at cricket as stirring anywhere near the perrenial RU vs RL controversey .

that doesnt make sense.

 

[Tamazoid]

A League World Cup in Australia wouldn't be anymore of a joke than the recent Yawnyawn shenanigans. The idea of a 100th year anniversary of Australian RL to be commemorated by a World Cup is gathering momentum at RLIF level. There'd be two separate tournaments as well so all of Australia gets a match - the Emerging Nations World Cup would be used to gather the momentum before the main event.