The suggestion that the NRL should buy out SL might sound a bit OTT but would mean that in effect they would take over the game as a whole. He plainly has his eyes on the USA etc eventually.
Quite where thae idea would take SL is anybody's guess. We'll just have to wait and see I suppose.
Sorry for the omission, the proposer is Gus Gould, NRL guru.
Bit of a cheek this one - take over SL "to create a second tier"!
I guess he thinks there is a chance for the game to grow in North America, with the potential of tv income.
It actually highlights how low the game has sunk in the UK, to be seen as a second tier competition to supplement the NRL.
I am sure there will be a suitable response to the suggestion and where the Aussies can shove this idea. Maybe the SL/RFL should be looking at how the game can be expanded in the UK.
If the game does take off in North America, do you really think that the NA owners will give a second thought to the game in the UK?
It would be good for the game to expand, but not at the expense of killing off the game in the UK, which is where the present plans are heading.
We might bridle a bit at being called 'second rate' but honestly the Aussie game is in a different organisational class. They had the wit and confidence to refuse SL and have reaped the rewards of being able to bargain with a variety of TV bidders. They have the advantage of several TV stations to play with. We just snapped Sky's hand off and now wait to see what crumbs we will be offered, knowing full well that we have no other options.
Gould is a bloke who likes the wind-up and no doubt sees the US/Canada as a fruitful expansion target. The Aussie game already ploughs funds into the South Sea Islands and they are becoming a force to be reckoned with. That sort of initiative is needed if we are to see genuine expansion.
The hard truth is that the SL/RFL have done very little to build the game on its home ground. They are happy to welcome Canadian and US teams particularly if they pay their own way and leave more for our 'senior' clubs. They seem intent on driving struggling clubs down rather than encouraging effort, as we know to our cost.
I agree with your comment regarding the US game, it will leave us as soon as it finds a better hole. Then we will have to re-organise again. The whole exercise in my view has been to the detriment of the Championship clubs, fighting massively financed interlopers who are just passing through.
The suggestion should achieve its objective of winding things up, both here are in Aus. You never know, it might shake some trees!!!!