The RFL - Officially Stifling the Growth of the Game : Sat Nov 16, 2013 8:31 am  

As of 5pm on the 15th of November 2013, the RFL have decided to withdraw their funding from across the Celtic Nations. Therefore, from 5pm yesterday there are now no staff working on or behalf of Scotland, Wales or Ireland Rugby League until the Rugby League International Federation make a decision on any future funding for these nations.

This is a joke but not exactly a surprise. The proof is in the pudding now as the performance of certainly Scotland in the RLWC has raised interest in the game up here quite a lot. A chance to promote the game, strike when the iron is hot, so to speak, is being completely ignored by the clowns that run the game.

Time then, I reckon, to do away with the farce that is the RLWC. Let's just leave it to the M62 corridor so as not to upset anybody.

The game will never grow, because, as I have said for long enough, too many people within the game do not want it to grow. They stifle the game then bemoan the lack of interest. It is a game run by and watched by a high percentage of hypocrites.

Shame too, as it is a great game that deserves a wider audience.

[Pumpetypump]

Re: The RFL - Officially Stifling the Growth of the Game : Sat Nov 16, 2013 11:01 am  

mystic eddie wrote:

the performance of certainly Scotland in the RLWC has raised interest in the game up here quite a lot. A chance to promote the game, strike when the iron is hot, so to speak, is being completely ignored by the clowns that run the game.

You'd know better than us, but what do you mean by 'interest in the game'? The odd article?

I really can't see a team of plastic Scots is going to even vaguely assist in spreading the game in Scotland. Scotland if football. Sure a few posh scots in the border regions play Union but what sensible step would you have the RFL make north of the border?

Re: The RFL - Officially Stifling the Growth of the Game : Sat Nov 16, 2013 8:31 pm  

Pumpetypump wrote:

You'd know better than us, but what do you mean by 'interest in the game'? The odd article?

There are articles in all the national Scottish papers, even in the red tops that usually camp outside the grounds of the Old Firm.

I really can't see a team of plastic Scots

Every single player that has been picked to play for Scotland qualified by bloodline. How many other sides in the competition can say the same?

Scotland if football. Sure a few posh scots in the border regions play Union but what sensible step would you have the RFL make north of the border?

The point is that we have just had (or are having) a RLWC. Scotland, in particular, have overachieved in this event and the emerging nations have given us some great games. Surely this would be the time to try and grow the game rather than cut off any funding they have?

We can only start at the bottom and work up. Last month there was nothing about RL in any Scottish papers. Now there are articles. Small but better than nothing.

By supporting the emerging nations then you never know but the RLWC might be taken a bit more seriously rather than simply being a three team tournament with fillers.

It is merely confirming something I have been saying for years, that RL people do not want to share their game. They would rather look on, enviously, at their superior cousins in the inferior code with their massive competitions and quality international game, then bemoan the lack of coverage rather than expand the game.

Also, just an aside but maybe, just maybe, if RL had a viable few competitions out there then less of our talent would go over to the other code at the first opportunity, allowing the game to strengthen further.

Re: The RFL - Officially Stifling the Growth of the Game : Sat Nov 16, 2013 8:46 pm  

But there's more than just Scotland that's had their funding removed. Scotland have done well in the WC, but have the other nations?

The funding from the RFL needs to be carefully looked at and used where it can do the most good. We've repeatedly seen the wasted money from so called expansion clubs. Hopefully this readjustment of investment is actually the RFL learning their lessons from the failures of teams like Crusaders, Gateshead and even London and can actually come up with a better, stronger and healthier plan to grow the game beyond the heartlands

Re: The RFL - Officially Stifling the Growth of the Game : Sun Nov 17, 2013 1:01 am  

roofaldo2 wrote:

But there's more than just Scotland that's had their funding removed.

What does the first paragraph say?

Re: The RFL - Officially Stifling the Growth of the Game : Sun Nov 17, 2013 9:39 am  

mystic eddie wrote:

What does the first paragraph say?

Yes, but the majority of your argument is based on the performance of Scotland in the world cup.

Way to pick and chose what parts of an argument to bother with. No wonder you and Gutterfax get on so well.

The fact is, there's only so much money in the sport in this country. We're not the big money sport that Union is and there has to be serious thought about where that money is spent.

Yes, Scotland did well. But how many of their players are actually from Scotland and not just in the squad on the grandparent rule? Is there, therefore, a need to put funding into these squads as the majority of players are either NRL based or born and play within the heartlands of the game itself?

[Pumpetypump]

Re: The RFL - Officially Stifling the Growth of the Game : Sun Nov 17, 2013 11:04 am  

I'm still not sure exactly what it is you think we should be doing North of the border. To capitalise on a spike in interest you need new clubs to be born. But the rfl can only go so far in facilitating that.

Also how do we know that the rfl haven't retracted from work in the other home nations because the international Rugby league have concrete plans themselves?

[Bulliac]

Re: The RFL - Officially Stifling the Growth of the Game : Sun Nov 17, 2013 11:41 am  

If they have retreated on work in other countries, as well as from Scotland, it only compounds the mistake, imo.

I agree that the RFL can't actually set up clubs but they can help to create the conditions which allow the clubs to set up, like pointing them in the direction of coaches etc and maybe providing 'education officers' in the major metro areas. Then, what they should be about is fostering and sustaining the green shoots which spring up in the wake of the world cup. What they most certainly shouldn't be about is making it even harder for these people. I mean, do they want to spread the game? or sit like two bumps on a log and hope that things magically happen around them?