ARU follow St Kilda and go back to future

[Sanctorum]

Hamish McLennan, chairman of Australian Rugby, has taken a leaf out of Andrew Bassat's book and decided to sack incumbent coach Dave Rennie, and replace him with highly respected former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones.

Former ARU boss John O'Neill, who later went on to reorganise Australian Soccer, was quoted in the papers today, hailing this decision as an "inspired choice".

He went on to say that 'the Wallabies were going nowhere with Dave Rennie in charge but believes Jones can lead the Wallabies to success at the World Cup in September.'

"We needed a circuit breaker, (the team) at best was treading water, the rankings don't lie."

A couple of mates who are rugby diehards have told me they were delighted with Jones being put back in charge, much like I am with Ross Lyon back as head coach at Moorabbin.

On the subject of senior coaches in elite team sport, I really enjoyed the mini-series about the Australian Test Cricket team post the ball tampering scandal in South Africa in 2018, after which Justin Langer was appointed as head coach.

The first episode features Justin Langer taking charge of the team and has some really good behind the scenes footage of what occurred in the change rooms between Langer, the players and assistant coaches. It provides some great insights into what goes on in the inner sanctum of professional sport and has parallels with what goes on behind the scenes in the AFL.

"The Test" is screened on Amazon Prime Video, if you can't afford the $6.99 per month subscription you can have a free 30 day trial.

And if anyone is wondering, this topic is not intended to generate a debate about the pros and cons of Justin Langer's coaching stint that was controversially terminated last year.....I watch cricket but without any strong feelings either way, following AFL generally and especially St Kilda takes up all of my reserves of passion and nervous energy!

[Sanctorum]

I should have mentioned as well that Justin Langer not long after he was appointed coach brought in a number of experienced former test cricketers to help mentor the players, much like St Kilda has done in the past 4 months, a strategy that worked out really well for the test team!

[Vortex]

Hamish McLennan, chairman of Australian Rugby, has taken a leaf out of Andrew Bassat's book and decided to sack incumbent coach Dave Rennie, and replace him with highly respected former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones.

Former ARU boss John O'Neill, who later went on to reorganise Australian Soccer, was quoted in the papers today, hailing this decision as an "inspired choice".

He went on to say that 'the Wallabies were going nowhere with Dave Rennie in charge but believes Jones can lead the Wallabies to success at the World Cup in September.'

"We needed a circuit breaker, (the team) at best was treading water, the rankings don't lie."

A couple of mates who are rugby diehards have told me they were delighted with Jones being put back in charge, much like I am with Ross Lyon back as head coach at Moorabbin.

On the subject of senior coaches in elite team sport, I really enjoyed the mini-series about the Australian Test Cricket team post the ball tampering scandal in South Africa in 2018, after which Justin Langer was appointed as head coach.

The first episode features Justin Langer taking charge of the team and has some really good behind the scenes footage of what occurred in the change rooms between Langer, the players and assistant coaches. It provides some great insights into what goes on in the inner sanctum of professional sport and has parallels with what goes on behind the scenes in the AFL.

"The Test" is screened on Amazon Prime Video, if you can't afford the $6.99 per month subscription you can have a free 30 day trial.

And if anyone is wondering, this topic is not intended to generate a debate about the pros and cons of Justin Langer's coaching stint that was controversially terminated last year.....I watch cricket but without any strong feelings either way, following AFL generally and especially St Kilda takes up all of my reserves of passion and nervous energy!

Would you say Captains picks might be the emerging trend in sports administration?

[Impatient Sainter]

ARU are a very shoddily run organisation. They need to be focussing on developing a domestic competition to strenghten their player depth, instead of the next world cup. That sucess will come when they have their back yard sorted.

[Sanctorum]

If anyone is wondering, I have tagged a certain provocateur on this forum as "spam" and as declared recently have vowed to avoid any reaction or interaction with this individual as it is an exercise of futility.

In fact, maybe he/she/it should get a new nick: "SPAM" which appropriately translates as 'stupid pointless annoying malware'.

[Sanctorum]

ARU are a very shoddily run organisation. They need to be focussing on developing a domestic competition to strenghten their player depth, instead of the next world cup. That sucess will come when they have their back yard sorted.

That's right IS but given the many sporting codes in Australia vying for a major share in the marketplace and the big dollars required to stage a strong domestic competition, rugby union will find that really difficult to achieve.

AFL and ARL have a stranglehold on the domestic football market and even soccer, which despite claims to have sunstantially greater numbers of kids participating in local fixtures struggles to contend with the 2 dominant codes.

The only thing Rugby Union has over AFL and ARL is a strong international competition, which in reality is the only level that is worth watching.

[Vortex]

If anyone is wondering, I have tagged a certain provocateur on this forum as "spam" and as declared recently have vowed to avoid any reaction or interaction with this individual as it is an exercise of futility.

In fact, maybe he/she/it should get a new nick: "SPAM" which appropriately translates as 'stupid pointless annoying malware'.

I'll still read all of your posts with immense interest.

Hopefully somewhere down the track you'll miss our chats and want to engage again on the the big issues. In the mean time practice your persuasive argument skills.

[Impatient Sainter]

ARU are a very shoddily run organisation. They need to be focussing on developing a domestic competition to strenghten their player depth, instead of the next world cup. That sucess will come when they have their back yard sorted.

That's right IS but given the many sporting codes in Australia vying for a major share in the marketplace and the big dollars required to stage a strong domestic competition, rugby union will find that really difficult to achieve.

AFL and ARL have a stranglehold on the domestic football market and even soccer, which despite claims to have sunstantially greater numbers of kids participating in local fixtures struggles to contend with the 2 dominant codes.

The only thing Rugby Union has over AFL and ARL is a strong international competition, which in reality is the only level that is worth watching.

There is a place for all 3 codes, it just the ARU got sold a terrible deal when they entered the Super Rugby competition. The NZ teams were paid 60% more than their Aus counterparts - not unlike the Docklands stadium deal the Saints were tied to. As a result union has become a QLD, NSW private school only competition and hasnt expanded.

I live in Canberra and although Im a mad Saints supporter/member, I am a member of the ACT Brumbies and in past years the Canberra Raiders. So I follow all 3 codes and love them, thats not unusual for people living outside the AFL states. I also go to local rugby games and their A grade is a very good level.

Rugby Union is the biggest sport in Canberra a city of 450k people, yet they only have 6 club sides. One, the Tuggeranong Vikings are richest non professional sporting organisation in Australia, they own half of southern Canberra. The ARU just havent grown their game at grass roots well enough as they are a very Sydney centric old boys organisation. There is room and the resources for them all, they just need better management.

Each to their own as to what codes they enjoy, but I have to say a lot of NSW/QLD people are as ignorant about AFL, as AFL states are about the other codes which is a shame.

[saynta]

They say that union is a thugs game played by gentlemen while league is a thugs game played by, you guessed it..thugs. Waste of time and space.

Hate both of them.

Anyway more kids are playing junior soccer in Canberra than the other three codes combined.

Although there is a resurgence of girls playing league, including one of my granddaughters,

[Impatient Sainter]

The say that union is a thugs game played by gentlemen while league is a thugs game played by, you guessed it..thugs. Waste of time and space.

Hate both of them.

Anyway more kids are playing junior soccer in Canberra than the other three codes combined.

Although there is a resurgence of girls playing league, including one of my granddaughters,

As I said above everyone is entitled to their opinion and some are just ignorant.

[saynta]

The say that union is a thugs game played by gentlemen while league is a thugs game played by, you guessed it..thugs. Waste of time and space.

Hate both of them.

Anyway more kids are playing junior soccer in Canberra than the other three codes combined.

Although there is a resurgence of girls playing league, including one of my granddaughters,

As I said above everyone is entitled to their opinion and some are just ignorant.

I have played all four codes. Have you?

[Impatient Sainter]

The say that union is a thugs game played by gentlemen while league is a thugs game played by, you guessed it..thugs. Waste of time and space.

Hate both of them.

Anyway more kids are playing junior soccer in Canberra than the other three codes combined.

Although there is a resurgence of girls playing league, including one of my granddaughters,

As I said above everyone is entitled to their opinion and some are just ignorant.

I have played all four codes. Have you?

I doubt you would be suggesting you hate the other codes if you had .... And no I never played Soccer.

[saynta]

The say that union is a thugs game played by gentlemen while league is a thugs game played by, you guessed it..thugs. Waste of time and space.

Hate both of them.

Anyway more kids are playing junior soccer in Canberra than the other three codes combined.

Although there is a resurgence of girls playing league, including one of my granddaughters,

As I said above everyone is entitled to their opinion and some are just ignorant.

I have played all four codes. Have you?

I doubt you would be suggesting you hate the other codes if you had .... And no I never played Soccer.

You suggesting I made that up? Well I didn't, some were scratch matches, others social matches between police and legal staff but I played them all the same. Rugby is a s*** boring game and league ain't much better.They are not ideal spectator sports.Soccer is an imported foreign game and a threat to the real footy.

I played footy before it was called AFL in Melbourne, Launceston and Canberra.

[Yorkeys]

I played footy before it was called AFL in Melbourne, Launceston and Canberra.

Melbourne : Cold and wet and tough? Skillful though.
Launceston : Very cold, wet, windy and violent? Not so skillful?
Canberra: Freezing cold, wet, foggy and violent? Nice grounds though, good for skills.
Legal services scratch matches: most yelling - you get the ball and give it to me wide on the wing, no serious tackling, a few open hands slaps? Lot of arguing with the umpire.
Police/Services games: no mercy, quite painful. No relaxing behind the play, need to stay aware. No serious umpiring.

And don't mention the gravel ovals in Queenstown: hard men up there?