USA

[arh21980]

Feb 2, 2009 4:51:24 GMT 10 Druzik said:

This from Toukley RLFC up near gosford

The first of our imports arrives tomorrow. Toukley Hawks RLFC welcomes Albert Mackoul from the Jacksonville Axemen to the club. Next to come is Michael Kelly from Philadelphia, then Kev Marson from Crigglestone RLFC, UK.

So great to see some americans getting contracts in Aus. Could be a stepping stone to bigger and better things for them

Should have gone to the mighty Entrance Tigers

[Druzik]

Feb 17, 2009 15:22:10 GMT 10 arh21980 said:

Feb 2, 2009 4:51:24 GMT 10 Druzik said:

This from Toukley RLFC up near gosford


So great to see some americans getting contracts in Aus. Could be a stepping stone to bigger and better things for them

Should have gone to the mighty Entrance Tigers

Did they make anz offers?

I am sure if there are offers then people would go.

[arh21980]

Mate The Entrance Tigers are one of the biggest clubs on the Central Coast (others are Wyong Kangaroos, Gosford Storm (formerly Townies) Erina Eagles) people could learn alot from these teams

[Druzik]

I am sure they are, but if they have not made offers or recruited players then they wont go there.

I sort of know one of the guys from Toukley and they actively went to the US to scout and also put out official "job" requests for players.

Not sure what they will be sitting on, but I think the deal is airfare paid, a jopb secures and match payments.... for any young american or brit or whoever who wants to come over to Oz and live nicely and earn a crust doing what they love its a sweet opportunity.

I know the other clubs are in the JBC or were so are big cashed up clubs, but the fact remains... if they dont make offers then these players wont go there.

[arh21980]

Anyway good luck to him as that division would have to be one of the toughest in Australia

[Druzik]

Feb 21, 2009 11:45:43 GMT 10 arh21980 said:

Anyway good luck to him as that division would have to be one of the toughest in Australia

True that I have seen several JBC games and they are tough games... I probably prefer them in some way to the NRL as they are still the old tough RL where you cant hide... that you need to give as good as you get.... bit like The LER really ;D

[England 3 Lions]

Feb 13, 2009 23:54:42 GMT 10 Druzik said:

Jacksonville Axemen to hold a chaity for the bushfire victims.

Story Here

Very nice gesture by Spinner Howland.

[Druzik]

Word on the street is that the NRLUS is completely Kaput! Just could not get any of the backers.

Shame really.

[ashulster]

Well at least full attention can be placed on the AMNRL and getting some international fixtures lined up.

[Druzik]

Aug 19, 2009 21:24:01 GMT 10 ashulster said:

Well at least full attention can be placed on the AMNRL and getting some international fixtures lined up.

One would hope, a Jamaica v USA series would be good, maybe a Home and away match. Maybe see if the Japanese can be brought in in some way?

Idealy an atlantic Nations cup should be help with Jamaica, USA, Japan and SA (should really be called something else actually).

[deludedpom]

Aug 19, 2009 22:14:41 GMT 10 Druzik said:

Aug 19, 2009 21:24:01 GMT 10 ashulster said:

Well at least full attention can be placed on the AMNRL and getting some international fixtures lined up.

One would hope, a Jamaica v USA series would be good, maybe a Home and away match. Maybe see if the Japanese can be brought in in some way?

Idealy an atlantic Nations cup should be help with Jamaica, USA, Japan and SA (should really be called something else actually).

The problem with a Jamaica v USA match/series is the perennial one of money. Both organisations don't have the proverbial penny to scratch their ar$e with.

[arh21980]

NRL on way to 100 million US homes


Source: The Daily Telegraph

THE NRL play-offs and grand final will be beamed into almost 100 million American homes after a broadcast deal was signed with US TV network, Spike TV.

Spike will air three NRL finals each week beginning on September 11 and the October 4 grand final.

"Given the entire population of Australia is only 21 million people, having our play-offs aired in almost 100 million homes on Spike TV is a very exciting opportunity for our game," NRL chief operating officer Graham Annesley said.

"I have no doubt that Spike viewers will love the physicality, speed, toughness and non-stop action of the NRL."

The addition of rugby league to Spike's TV line-up appears to be a perfect fit, with the network's core demographic young adult males.

Spike's programming is dominated by testosterone fuelled shows including mixed martial arts bouts and series titled "1000 Ways to Die", "Deadliest Warrior" "Surviving Disaster" and "Real Vice Cops Uncut".


Rugby league's profile has received a Hollywood-style boost in recent years with Russell Crowe regularly talking up the sport and his beloved South Sydney Rabbitohs during US media interviews, including appearances on high-rating TV talk shows hosted by Dave Letterman and Jay Leno.

[Druzik]

Yeah this is great news and could be the stepping stone for the NRLUS in 2011 I think.

This couple with the great news that Fijian RL is now broadcast live on Bula radio is also showing how much impact the world cup and regular international are making.

[yukawa]

Check out the NRLUS website, for the first time since April it's been "updated", though I get the feeling not by a fan of RL.

[sportsmad]

EXCLUSIVE

By Steve Mascord
Los Angeles

THE man behind the Jacksonville Axemen and successful pre-season games in Florida says the proposed American pro-rugby league competition does not need NRL or Super League stars and should not be played during the NFL season.

Daryl "Spinner" Howland has conceded to rugbyleague.com there will be no pre-season matches in Florida in January after successful games involving South Sydney and Leeds in 2008 and Leeds v Salford in 2009.

He says he's heard little in recent months about colleague David Nui's plan for a Major League Rugby national competition involving professional and semi-professional players staged over a short season with television exposure guaranteed.

But he said he had problems with the idea that the season would run from November to February, starting in 2001, allowing NRL and Super League players to guest with the franchises.

"We don't need NRL players - if they want to come, then fine," Howland told rugbyleague.com on Wednesday.

"The fact is that if Darren Lockyer came over here, 99.9999 per cent of the people you tell would not know who he was. Rugby league has no David Beckham, there is no rugby league superstar in America.

"We had (Steve) "Beaver" Menzies at the AMNRL grand final and when he was introduced to the crowd, all the non-Australian guys in my team said ‘who's that guy?'. I was embarrassed but it's a fact of life."

Howland said money would be better spent importing fringe first graders and youngsters from Australia and England.

"Maybe some guy who missed his window of opportunity and has a season to spare - the difference he would make to the local players would be almost the same as a big name," Howland said.

He also baulked at the idea of playing the games in the NRL and Super League off-seasons.

"Going up against the NFL is personally, from my point of view, not viable," he said. "The NFL is the greatest sporting organisation in the world. They are perfect. They do not make mistakes.

"And our demographic is exactly the same as theirs. There is no difference.

"I think we can have a professional presence in America as long as we don't take on the NFL and we are not over-expensive.

"But having said all that, whatever they come up with I am happy to put my support behind."

Howland added he understood why clubs did not want to visit Florida this year - and had staged the recent United States-Jamaica Test (pictured above) with that in mind.

"Most clubs around the world did not make any money this year," he said. "And those that might have, they don't want to be seen to be flaunting it by taking their players on a big expensive trip to America.

"It's a year to keep faith with fans and sponsors. I understand that. I probably would have made the same decision myself."