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Don’t forget grassroots funding Mr Smith
Tony Currie, co-founder Murri Rugby League, an annual four day rugby league carnival for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queensland rugby league teams, working at the grassroots level with patron Lionel Morgan, Australia’s First NRL International organising behind the scene another successful Murri carnival. Image: Rhonda Hagan
by Tony Currie ow that the Australian Rugby League Commission CEO, David Smith, has announced his management team to take the game to the next level, his next move is to instruct them to concentrate on where the important issues are and manoeuvre resources to these areas of concern as quickly as possible. I have been a staunch advocate on a whole of game philosophy and I hope our new leaders adopt the same. From my experience and time
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at the junior levels of our game it is clear that the past regimes have been guilty of neglect. The building block of the NRL is grassroots rugby league and this should be the first port of call for assistance and improvement. Unfortunately, there are a myriad of problems in junior rugby league but double the solutions put forward from the multitude of supporters who have the game at heart. To make it more complicated, an identical issue in one club needs a different solution at another club. Here’s an example of what the
new hierarchy need to consider in the new world which is common to all junior clubs. Let me say from the outset that I am speaking from a Brisbane junior rugby league perspective. Every Friday night there are junior games played. Invariably the first game of the evening starts around 7.15pm. The junior catchment area of Brisbane is huge and the distance between clubs is imposing especially at peak hour on a Friday night. It is almost a traumatic experience for Mum and Dad to get Page 1
Tony Currie, left, with the late Arthur Beetson, Lionel Morgan and Sam Backo at the presentation of awards to the winning team at the inaugural Murri Carnival on the Gold Coast in 2011. Image: Rhonda Hagan
their young player to the field an hour before the game starts. I believe that in Brisbane, junior football should be played totally on Sunday. The issue is the amount of referees available to get through all games on the one day. There is a definite stagnation in the referee recruitment process. It must be stated that yet again the pathway for referee development begins in the junior arena. Yes, we have a billion dollar television deal but what worth is the contribution from our grassroots clubs? Here are the points in regard to junior referees: • Most junior clubs struggle to get their 14 year old players (minimum age) interested in becoming referees - This is where the pathway begins for an NRL referee. The ones they recruit are generally paid about $20 a game. A junior referee can get 3-4 games each weekend which means they can earn $60-$80 for the week. • These junior referees most definitely cop a bit of flak from the sidelines and can make a decision that the return is not lucrative enough compared to the off-field
pressure and subsequently give it away. • If the ARLC subsidised the junior clubs say to the tune of $10 per game, then a referee could earn $30/game taking their earn for the weekend to $90-$120. This is now substantial and will allow the junior clubs to rank their referees and reward the better ones with an extra game or two. The quality and quantity of our junior referees will go through the roof! • More referees at junior level means total Sunday football can be a reality. • Mums and Dads know for certain every game is on a Sunday and can organise their hectic schedules to suit. • Certainty in scheduling will attract more Parents to the game. This is one small example of the improved benefits for the game by providing increased funding at the junior level. If the NRL Clubs believe they are the be all and end all of rugby league and need most of the money from the pie then they need a kick up the backside. The Broncos played the Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium
last Friday night and drew 39,000 patrons. Brisbane play most of their games on Friday nights in their home city. The junior numbers in Brisbane total approximately 14,000 with around a quarter playing on Friday nights. This equates to 3,500 players not getting the opportunity to attend the Bronco matches on Friday nights. Factor in 3-4 relatives or friends and there is the potential that the Broncos could attract another 12,000 plus fans to their Friday night games. For their big matches, the Broncos could have sell-out crowds of 52,000. The increased attendances would surely make up for the support of junior referees. All the NRL clubs are seriously pushing their membership drives attempting to increase their season ticket holders. I have shown in one example how the Broncos can add another 10,000-12,000 supporters to the cause and it all begins with supporting junior clubs and referees. I wonder if they get it!!!