When do clubs need to develop?

It's not a funding issue, although I am sure more money would always be wanted. The Storm just tipped in a million to pay for the new Victorian League facility- Andrew's Government was about 14 million.

The Storm's/Victoria NRL program have visited over 600 schools and have seven DO in Melbourne doing God's work and they now have 24 clubs across Victoria and as I have already said 4000 juniors now up 300% in the last 10 years.

Storm have five schools they fund their rugby league program- their PBC of sorts.

There is something else missing, four juniors- one every six years isn't enough but I am not too sure what else you do.

Do you have any idea of the quality of their competition down there at all mate?
 
It's not a funding issue, although I am sure more money would always be wanted. The Storm just tipped in a million to pay for the new Victorian League facility- Andrew's Government was about 14 million.

The Storm's/Victoria NRL program have visited over 600 schools and have seven DO in Melbourne doing God's work and they now have 24 clubs across Victoria and as I have already said 4000 juniors now up 300% in the last 10 years.

Storm have five schools they fund their rugby league program- their PBC of sorts.

There is something else missing, four juniors- one every six years isn't enough but I am not too sure what else you do.
Victorians just simply don't like the game enough to wanna play.....?
 
$$$$$

The television rights is far more lucrative with a Melbourne team.

I'm sure we added that 17th team...to...add...umm...well I don't know what just one more team adds.
 
Then why do we continue to try? **** Melbourne off to a state that wants them

They're the side the NRL use to "prove" they are a national comp, lol
 
Then why do we continue to try? **** Melbourne off to a state that wants them

The same could be said for other talk of expansion...like WA.
I agree....if they just simply aren't a RL state....why bother to push the point at all?
 
I probably wouldnt put all the blame on Melbourne... they are working within a system that the NRL have developed.

If I were to put the blame somewhere I would put it on the NRL and Vic RL (or whatever they are called)

Vic RL are the ones who need to generate the juniors down there that then feed into the storm system.

Now if you tell me that the storm refuse to offer up any of their resources to assist Vic RL (players, coaches, etc.) then I would put a fair chunk of blame on them as well... but I doubt that is the case.

On the Auskick equivalent the NRL have touch football... it's definitely a sport that folks outside league circles get into and has less physicality. I think there is now a league variation that includes kicking, but I'm not sure of the rules. They should be promoting that to the hilt and I think NRL have an affiliation with touch football... but they dont promote it anywhere near enough.

You get them playing that in school and you improve rules for junior competitions to reduce the physicality and parents will come.

Have the tackling, etc. included in recognised competitions (rep or school qualification comps) at certain age groups, but teach them the fundamentals of playing the game with ball in hand at the younger levels to lock in their interest.
 
On the Auskick equivalent the NRL have touch football... it's definitely a sport that folks outside league circles get into and has less physicality.

Oztag....I think. Yeh....its a big thing....bigger than I thought. They have international and interstate competitions. ie you can play for Australia.

Pretty serious.....
 
I probably wouldnt put all the blame on Melbourne... they are working within a system that the NRL have developed.

If I were to put the blame somewhere I would put it on the NRL and Vic RL (or whatever they are called)

Vic RL are the ones who need to generate the juniors down there that then feed into the storm system.

Now if you tell me that the storm refuse to offer up any of their resources to assist Vic RL (players, coaches, etc.) then I would put a fair chunk of blame on them as well... but I doubt that is the case.

On the Auskick equivalent the NRL have touch football... it's definitely a sport that folks outside league circles get into and has less physicality. I think there is now a league variation that includes kicking, but I'm not sure of the rules. They should be promoting that to the hilt and I think NRL have an affiliation with touch football... but they dont promote it anywhere near enough.

You get them playing that in school and you improve rules for junior competitions to reduce the physicality and parents will come.

Have the tackling, etc. included in recognised competitions (rep or school qualification comps) at certain age groups, but teach them the fundamentals of playing the game with ball in hand at the younger levels to lock in their interest.

Storm have a relationship with touch Victoria, teams play in Storm logo and they fund touch NRL too in Melbourne.
 
“Less physicality’ depends on who you’re playing. I started touch at about 20 and went up against the Clydesdales touch team. I accidentally called a ‘phantom’ touch, or at least that’s what they called it and as a whippet, the Clydesdales weren’t too happy with me…
LOL....accidentally

Bruce Lee Smirk GIF
 
Storm have a relationship with touch Victoria, teams play in Storm logo and they fund touch NRL too in Melbourne.
Want to know something funny? If you go on the Touch Victoria website and search around you'll find the Sunshine Coast council logo numerous times before even seeing a Storm logo. In fact if you look at their major, official and government partners you'll see every other state promoted and absolutely zero to do with the Melbourne Storm. I suspect they don't fund Touch Victoria, seems more like a partnership in name only.

Regarding the Academy schools the Storm claim to have a relationship with, none of them have their logo or name on the websites. They refer to NRL VIC, but not the Storm in any way, shape or form.

I feel like I remember seeing you complain that the Broncos just whack their logo on jerseys at one point too.

Storm don't have a relationship with anyone
 
As an outsider that doesn't have a dog in the fight, the ones defending Melbourne are getting absolutely whipped. There's always an excuse or a reason why Melbourne can't produce more juniors.
 
As an outsider that doesn't have a dog in the fight, the ones defending Melbourne are getting absolutely whipped. There's always an excuse or a reason why Melbourne can't produce more juniors.
I fear for the Storm to be honest in the face of a) Dolphins' established base, HQ and programs and b) Bellamy is one year closer to the door. So, unless Robbo goes there as coach - they literally have nothing to stand on.

The Sharks realised this ages ago and sold a bunch of their land for development, built apartments etc. Similar to what Harbord Diggers did and a few other "by the coast" places. The Storm have nothing, at all. Not even a community centre of excellence - there was one announced in 2019 but nothing since. Do they even have a good relationship with the Government there?

Therefore, when do they need to develop to be self sustaining? The Storm made a $2M profit in 2020, $0 profit in 2019. They would have made a $2M loss (-v- Brisbane's 16M profit) if it wasnt for the $4M saving from the 'football department' (wonder if that was Cam leaving). 400k cash, no worthwhile assets ($4M of "right to use" assets -v- $20M of Brisbane's real assets).

I just honestly feel clubs in the 'top flight' should have core KPIs to adhere to for their continuing participation and if they cannot build infrastructure to sustain themselves over and above the NRL grant, you really could give that grant money to "any" club in that region and they'd be as useful.

I'm not sure Melbourne passes the sniff test for underpinning infrastructure/community development or feeder infrastructure. Gold Coast barely passes but gets up because of their pathways along with Canberra. Knights, Wests and St George have some wealthy helpers to push money where it needs to be.

To me, development is:

1. Clear pathways from Junior to NRL at that club
2. Clear community donations, assistance and integration with schools and other charities
3. Meaningful support to non-contact areas of the game. Those that like touch, still love watching their NRL club - why alienate them
4. Salary cap concession if that player was found through that clubs' listed pathway
5. Participation at all levels in local competition. Obviously you don't want Brisbane/Gold Coast/Dolphins having their own clubs in the QRL as thats unfair to the others, though
6. A home base, that isnt an oval you share with Collingwood
7. Central donation to a fund to help all other junior clubs that arent affiliated with your own or a competitors club

I suspect the Panthers and Rabbitohs pass most of those, with Brisbane/Bulldogs maybe 5-6 out of the 7. The rest of the clubs? Tough ride.
 
As an outsider that doesn't have a dog in the fight, the ones defending Melbourne are getting absolutely whipped. There's always an excuse or a reason why Melbourne can't produce more juniors.
They develop plenty of juniors, they just don't happen to be from Melbourne because there's hardly any talent to develop.

No one wants to touch this, but if you call them the Sunshine Coast Storm, there is no argument.
 
They develop plenty of juniors, they just don't happen to be from Melbourne because there's hardly any talent to develop.

No one wants to touch this, but if you call them the Sunshine Coast Storm, there is no argument.
I can understand the argument within the first 10 years of the Storm. It is logical to assume that there wasn't much in the way of infrastructure, pathways, administration, local partnerships etc etc, because we were expanding into new territory, not into an existing stronghold.

However, we are close to 25 years of them being in the competition. They have been wildly successful since their inception. They've had an ironclad immortal and legit claim to GOAT play his entire career there. They have, by metrics, the most winningest coach in the games history at the mantle and have had for 20 years. They attract reasonable crowds.

If we look at that 10 year period that was first mentioned from their inception 98 - 08. They won 2 grand finals and lost another 2 in that time. They had Smith, Cronk, Inglis, Folau, Slater all playing for them in that time. None of that inspires a young child to play the game? Why not?

So why can't they create juniors? And, if they can't create juniors now, through their absolute golden age, what hope is there in the future? Or do we simply keep them there, even though they are drain on everyone elses pathways, simply because well, you know, one day? WA makes a national comp too.
 
They develop plenty of juniors, they just don't happen to be from Melbourne because there's hardly any talent to develop.

No one wants to touch this, but if you call them the Sunshine Coast Storm, there is no argument.
That's exactly what we are arguing. Why are they even in Melbourne if they're not expanding the game in Melbourne?
 

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