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It may be a case of having to hold their cards close in order to present Rat's Arse with a fait acompli. The banking commission has graphically shown how amoral and ruthless these (w)bankers running the game can be. Andrew Forrest has dealt with corporate bullying from some of the biggest corporations in the mining world. And outmaneuvered them.
“Don't mistake my kindness for weakness. I am kind to everyone, but when someone is unkind to me, weak is not what you are going to remember about me.” - Alfredo Capone.
Not saying AF is like a gangster but he is obviously very resilient in the face of adversity.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Japan and the Pacific Islands for Aussie Super 9's!
Let's have one of these in WA! Click this link: Saitama Super Arena - New Perth Stadium?
All good things come to those who wait!
They announced next years competition would be 8 teams. Also are the Panasonic wild knights confirmed? I'm pretty sure they are but maybe it isn't quite official?
Did they ever confirm Hong Kong? They have been a favourite since the first WSR announcement and also the only team who are rumored to be chasing Dan Carters signature according to media reports.
Latest update
Castle approves Twiggy's $4m plan for western Sydney, with a catch
Georgina Robinson
By Georgina Robinson
13 September 2018 — 6:38pm
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A $4 million funding boost for rugby in western Sydney is a step closer to reality after Rugby Australia gave a conditional green light to Andrew ''Twiggy'' Forrest's bid to put a World Series Rugby team in the city's west.
High-level talks: Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene Castle.
High-level talks: Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene Castle.
Photo: AAP
A high-level meeting between Rugby Australia chief Raelene Castle and her counterparts at NSW Rugby and the Sydney Rugby Union on Monday agreed to move to the next step of discussions with Forrest and his World Series team, who are proposing to fund a team in the region as part of their eight-team vision for the international rebel league.
It is understood correspondence has been sent from RA offices making the development official, but that one of many conditions of further engagement is that Shute Shield players be off limits.
With the NSWRU in the middle of finalising an action plan for the talent-packed but under-represented region, RA is mindful of protecting the state's player pathways.
"World Series Rugby have come to us to discuss some expanded plans for World Series Rugby in 2019 and beyond and Rugby Australia continues to see the benefit of this competition and its value to the game of rugby in the Asia Pacific region," Castle said.
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"We are in a deep dialogue with Minderoo [Forrest's company] into how we can work together to support the competition, with respect to the importance of protecting the Shute Shield, Queensland Premier Rugby and the player development pathways on the eastern seaboard."
It is a significant development in the World Series saga. Forrest's vision for the western Sydney team, which will join teams in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Western Force, is understood to have a heavy Pacific Islands influence. Fairfax Media understands his representatives have already approached Tonga, Fiji and Samoa to gauge their interest.
The model proposed will see Minderoo run the competition, fund 16 marquee players in each team, contribute $1 million in prizemoney for the winner but not own the teams themselves. That raises the question of who will underwrite the teams and provide medium-term security to players and staff.
In many ways Forrest's intentions dovetail neatly with NSW Rugby's, a body that has struggled to tap into an area of Sydney that is dripping with rugby talent but has battled to field competitive teams in the top club competition, the Shute Shield.
Forrest's investment could solve a problem in that way, but there remains deep suspicion among the traditional stakeholders about Forrest's long-term commitment to the sport.
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"The key thing is what’s in the best interests of NSW Rugby and the eastern seaboard rugby community as a whole," NSWRU boss Andrew Hore said.
"It’s the heartland, it’s where the majority of players who play Super Rugby come from. No matter what we do, it’s important that whatever is done is done for the right reasons for rugby.
"I don’t know what the level of investment is [from World Series Rugby], that’s one of the questions, or how long the investment is going to last for. There’s too many unknowns at this stage to be certain about anything."
Hore is in the final stages of an action plan to revive rugby in the south-west and north-west, both of which are experiencing booming growth. This year Penrith was kicked out of the Shute Shield, leaving only Parramatta representing the region. Penrith continues to field junior and colts teams, and Hore says the region needs more teams to match the latent demand.
"In the meantime, there are other options that could be positve for the game in NSW – do you put two more Shute Shield teams in there, for example – and we are working alongside the Sydney Rugby Union and Rugby Australia to identify what we should do
Forrest's investment could solve a problem in that way, but there remains deep suspicion among the traditional stakeholders about Forrest's long-term commitment to the sport.
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"The key thing is what’s in the best interests of NSW Rugby and the eastern seaboard rugby community as a whole," NSWRU boss Andrew Hore said.
"It’s the heartland, it’s where the majority of players who play Super Rugby come from. No matter what we do, it’s important that whatever is done is done for the right reasons for rugby.”
Are these tossers for real?! They’ve been shafting their own state for years, the biggest hypocrites of the century! Sounds more like they were told to agree to Forrest’s deal by World Rugby.
Ofcourse there is always conditions with RugbyAustralia. Nothing can just go smoothly and be done for the best interests of the game and the region, Western Sydney. I love the way they claim they are trying to protect the "Heartland" , yeah some heartland which gets about 12k average to each Super Rugby game, and it was probably lower than that when you count the games they didnt announce the attendance for. Eg. The Wartahs vs Highlanders & Lions games.
It's also ridiculous to suggest they should try and protect the shute shield by making the players ineligable for world series rugby. Yeah good one SRU and NSWRU, what a way to stop your amateur players from turning pro earlier in their careers or infact turning some players pro who would never have been given the opportunity under the current System in NSW and Sydney. They want to keep their players playing in a comp no one gave two shits about until recently when they realised how destructive Rugby Australi, NSWRU and the Waratahs brand was to rugby in the state, and now a small crowd of about 20k in a city densely populated with 3 times Perths population per square inch turn out for a one off grand final every year. Meanwhile the Force manage that against a bunch of representative teams from the pacific and a bunch of random exhibition matches and the Force arent even playing in any meaningful competition yet. This all in the Rugby " Heartland", all whilst their pro side the Waratahs struggles to get half that in the gates ever weekend and the Wallabies can barely get that for any game outside of a Bledisloe and even that game is now a laughing stock.
Way to go SRU, NSW, Raelene, Robinson and ofcourse our man pulling their string Cameron Clyne.
Last edited by SPaRTAN; 13-09-18 at 20:12.
Oh and I love the way Georgina is still calling it a rebel league!who are proposing to fund a team in the region as part of their eight-team vision for the international rebel league
As I've said, I struggle to see how a Western Sydney WSR team will work. But it seems even more weird that the Shute Shield wouldn't take advantage of it to have professional players in their competition. Personally, if I was WSR and committed to a WS team, I'd steer into it...point blank refuse to consider any Shute Shield player, just point at SRU/NSWRU/RA, and only give professional contracts to players from elsewhere. Bet they'd make it stick about ten minutes, or the players will vote with their feet.
Do Shute Shield players have contracts? It's an amateur competition, after all. So any Shute Shield player who wants to sign for the WSR just resigns from their SS club, signs with a club in Newcastle, or Adelaide, or Dubbo, or Sydney subs, and then signs with WSR the next day, surely?
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon
Remember when we were done for trying to sign Al Kanaar & then the ARU changed the signing rules soon afterwards so that it would have been fine if done under the new rules?
I think RA are trying to lock it up again and then claim breach of contract if the WSR signs a Shute Shield player which will give them a 'ohhh we tried to help but they couldn't play ball' bs excuse. If I were the WSR rugby team I would have the players complain restraint of trade instantly to nullify that part of the contract. Or play int he shadows like the RA like to do and get a QLD comp side to sign em up then get em in
Twiggy has stated before that he wants to bring home some of the many Aussies playing professionally overseas. That is what Hodgo did when they rebuildt the Force squad. Plenty of already professional players out there already to fill the Western Sydney squad. If NSW want to lock up their Shute amateurs some how, that is fine.
A straight up no. This just shows how moronic the SRU, NSWRU and the RA really are. You can't put in a blatant restraint of trade in as a condition that will prevent players from earning an actual living in the game. They won't win a court battle against Twiggy this is the case the parasites will be scared of (Twiggy did threaten to put them out of business in court months ago), the court challenge over wording of the assassination agreement was just chicken feed.Do Shute Shield players have contracts?
A blatant restraint of trade will just drive players away from the game or to go overseas where they are away from the bs. Knowing Twiggy he already has that much interest in WSR from players he will load the side up with actual professionals and the money that he will be paying will scare the morons in the ivory tower who have their heads up their own arses.
'I may be a Senator but I am not stupid'
https://omny.fm/shows/the-alan-jones-breakfast-show/cameron-clyne
Link to Senate Report http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_ca
https://www.change.org/p/rugby-australia-petition-for-cameron-clyne-to-resign-as-chairman-of-the-rugby-australia-board
I think he would have to interpret the restriction in the strictest possible sense to protect themselves. If he brings players back from overseas, they should not be allowed to play SS if not in the squad. Newcastle is just up the road, Canberra would probably welcome them, they could probably have a blast doing cameos in various places, etc...
He could just tie them to a Subbies club and they play their premier Rugby elsewhere.
'I may be a Senator but I am not stupid'
https://omny.fm/shows/the-alan-jones-breakfast-show/cameron-clyne
Link to Senate Report http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_ca
https://www.change.org/p/rugby-australia-petition-for-cameron-clyne-to-resign-as-chairman-of-the-rugby-australia-board