Izmir Zaferi

Game today for two teams that will act as feeder teams for Izmir Zaferi in time. I was high scoring but great to get the guys out there with numerous new players. Follow us at @izmirrugby

Are you with Boston 13s?

The Asia Pacific Rugby League needs to shut this down as well as fast as possible. The CRL guys seem to think they have some inside running with the APRL. To be fair, the USARL needs to come out with the 30 changes suggested for the USA and start some movement toward it. There are actually quite a few Rugby League clubs, programs and start ups going on. Clarity would be helpful.

Atlanta, Copperheads, Jax, DC Cavalry, Tampa have come out (through their coaches or owners) saying they have no idea what this is. Just superficially, it seems to be a public power grab by the CRL.

Looking through some threads on twitter. Tampa, Jax, Atlanta, Cavalry, Copperheads (their coaches and 'owners') are all saying they have no idea about this. It seems like some very unusual play at a coup, there seems to be a 'race' card element being pulled as well with accusations that California players were not selected in some way due to heritage or elements to that effect. This could get ugly er

Certainly weird. What are they thinking?

It would seem someone is weirdly deceived or lying. The USARL and the IRL have come out saying they have no contact with the so called Commission for Rugby League and there is no change in the governance of the USA. Usarl is still the governing body. Super weird. A new club ironically launched today in the Pacific Coast Rugby League (different from the CRL), the Los Angeles Bandidos.

If they want to gaurantee entry into the NRL they will. I am far from convinced Perth can sustain it's own team long term without some broader plan. This would also kill two birds with one stone and shore up the NRL's place of prominence as top dog not only in PNG but the top Rugby code in the Pacific in general. Right now the NRL actively and openly wants another NZ team. NZ brings in a significant portion and potentially growing amount of TV revenue and player base. The NRL also knows it can undermine Union by doing so. It is going to take a bit to shift them from such a view.

Ps. THE NRL should follow this up with a Multi - City plan to cover some cities that really can't do full time clubs but would support 3 - 4 games of a club permanently linked to them. Some tweaks in branding may be needed. Southern Sharks - Cronulla - Adelaide (4 games) Sea Eagles - Many - Wellington (4 games) CB Bulldogs / Tigers? - Sydney - Christchurch (4 games) Easts Roosters - Sydney - Central Coast (4 games) Here is the clincher to make it work. There should be an agreement between clubs in Sydney that a 'Sydney Season ticket' be sold that covers ALL Sydney based games. That means each Sydney based fan would have access to approximately 16 games in Sydney with their season ticket.

If Perth want to blow the opposition out of the water, and ensure a place they should create an agreement (long term) with the PNG government, PNGRL and Corporate environment and play up to four games in Port Moresby. The colours match perfectly. Pirates has a ring for both West Coast and PNG (Png could easily create PNG Pirates merch) PNG should be prominent on the Jersey. The mining industry is present in both. If PNG were to create incentive it would also encourage investment. The casual fan base would be mammoth (much larger than any present NRL team) 10 Mill - PNG / WA - 2.6 million. The PNG and WA player pathways could complement to create a formidable player line The Hunters in the QLD Cup and another in the NSW Cup They should also create a player pathway with the South African Rugby League (there are THOUSANDS of 'Rugby' loving South Africans in Perth.

I think the game will increasingly embrace multi-city / region teams. Adelaide may get a team but I suspect it will be something like a rebranded Sharks continuing to play the majority of their games out of Sydney but playing an allotment in Adelaide. This approach could also work for a number of other areas which are probably too outside a chance to play in the NRL fulltime but have enough interest to embrace a team part time. For instance. Pirates - West Coast (majority) PNG - 4 games CB Bulldogs - Sydney (majority) 4 games - ChristChurch Sea Eagles - Sydney (Majority) 4 games Wellington Southern Sharks - Sydney (majority) 4 games Adelaide. Due to stadium agreements fans in Sydney could easily ADD to their accessible games within Sydney with their season ticket AND the club could expand their supporter base. Even if, for instance, Adelaide only got an average of ten thousand at games in Adelaide (recent games have had 15 - 17 thousand) that would be ten thousand NEW fans, new corporate access for a a limited team and over a million people who will respond to the Sharks being their NRL team (even if they don't watch) All these things equal corporate and government support and thus long term viability.

While we are at it we are trying to start a new team in Kütahya. You can follow them at @kutahyaragbi

Introducing Bakircay Saints. They are a new side based out of a University in our region. Our present hope is that this year we can run a regional League with three local full numbers teams (13 aside) then play a final before one challenges other conferences. We would then bring the best from the three full side teams together to play for our 'Elite' team Izmir Zaferi. Time will ttell whether it will work but given the economy we have to think more locally for our development.

The AMNRL was always weak with clubs hardly playing and then dying. İt was never strong. The USARL probably had one good season before COVID, arguably two with the smaller structure and the Southern second tier (all of whom moved up). However neither of these competitions had the playing strength of the CRL as it already has. They have not just played 9's. Unfortunate evidence you have not actually looked very hard. This is not difficult to tell if one watches their games online, every single team in the CRL at present already has MLR players active in it. There is no doubt that the USARL took a beating from COVID and the faulted rise of the NARL has done damage. That said, I don't think that using the problems in the USARL is sufficient grounds to say the game is weaker over all when there are more teams active then ever, at least 8 active women's teams and the first Youth Rugby League development program in Utah (bar a short stint in Rhode İsland). As someone in a developing context I also think those in more heartland areas think of development in a one dimensional mindset. İt must be Full clubs - full national competition. I even think this is a problem with the Euro Rugby League framework. For instance, here in Turkey we have about 10 - 12 clubs involved in Rugby League in some way. However we flex between 6 - 9 clubs in full competition. This year we need those 6 minimum full competition clubs for full membership of the ERL and İRL. İf my club were to pull out of the TRL and establish a local competition with a four week schedule, three local clubs and then a united team for friendlies the IRL would consider our game to have gone backwards, despite more players playing. İt would not matter that we play five teams in seven aside, touch tag and tackle. İt only.matters that 13aside is played in a national competition. We can play in the national competition but it costs us two months local wage for every away game, just in fuel. İf we play five games away I could employ a local development officer but the game is focused on club teams rather than players participating. I believe this is also the problem with viewing the USA through the sole lens of the USARL competition. Right now, more players are playing then ever, male, female, youth and wheelchair. More teams are active on some level (atleast 24) There have been multiple 9's events (Naples, Philadelphia, Nevada) The CRL in particular is expanding on the back of a strong competition. The USARL and USA in general need to work out alignment but allow diversity in approach but I have no doubt in 12 months the eastern clubs will be more stable again and the CRL will have stably grown. I suspect, we will also see the PCRL turn into a small lower level competition as well. At the end of the day, time will tell but I don't see any need for doom and gloom so long as the USARL takes a role as national oversight facilitating coordination and national team selection, not act as control freaks. Ps. İmage is from the upcoming CRL 9's event in Nevada.

I think that the USARL is looking bad. I however think there is a stronger overall playing basis with far more teams then ten years ago. Sure, some are not active in long comos as we would hope but look at this list. Championship RL - 10 Active sides (all established teams / some dual league / union) North Bay RAZORBACKSI // M & W Sincity İSLANDERS // RHINOS Provo STEELERS IMMORTALS// M & W SAVAGE LA ALPHAS Utah SEAGULLS DEAD PELICANS - M & W WARRIORS Pacific Coast Rugby League - 2 teams. Two removed from the CRL. Los Angeles Mongrels San Diego Barracudas NARL - 2 genuinely active teams - Washington DC Atlanta Independent Cleveland RL - whilst only playing one formal game, they will play in the CRL 9s and have constant local development. Carolina Storm / Thunder - men and women - similar to above they have even had development combine just in the last week. Roots Rugby - whilst this group is less of a team and more a cultural collective they have played in multiple events this year under Rugby League rules. Laie Warriors - Hawaii - just 9s in the CRL USARL Clearly a shadow of itself but I suspect given history will rebound, although the international review may have ironically slowed development here. The CRL sees themselves as the future of US Rugby League atleast from a club perspective. Connected clubs Boston 13s Brooklyn New York Freedom (White plains) Jacksonville Axemen (men and women) Tampa Mayhem / Mischief Delaware Black Foxes Lakeland Renegades South West Copperheads South Florida Speed All these clubs I believe have played at least some games (9s / 13s) I think the international Review may well have slowed a clear vision as there is jostling in the background. İ also suspect that the left over NARL sides may well join the CRL. This is not just potential, it is the widest spread and in the CRL atleast the highest standard of Rugby League the USA has ever seen.