The Union Thread

Nick · Post by **Nick** » February 11, 2006, 3:46 pm

agree
i call it onion becacause like onions, union can be alright under the right circumstances but for the most part it just makes me cry

valiant_raider · Post by **valiant_raider** » February 11, 2006, 3:57 pm

call it yawnion, onion or whatever is doesn't matter what you call it a piece of crap by any other name is still a piece of crap

Inactive · Post by **Inactive** » February 11, 2006, 6:13 pm

cant wait till the NRL starts cause for the next 4 weeks it's live yawnion or NBL, both sports I just cant get into

Dolph · Post by **Dolph** » February 11, 2006, 9:36 pm

Wonder what Ivan thinks of the do young Matt trotted out for the Western Farce last night

Watched the Reds v the other Qld team wearing blue, it had everything -

1. A favorite son turned enemy
2. Close all night
3. A couple of stinks
4. Near full house at the Cauldron

But it was still union and it sucked ass

Thank **** the Charity Shield is on next week

Sasha · Post by **Sasha** » February 11, 2006, 9:38 pm

Just looking at the scores now, 16-12 with 1 try scored

Dolph · Post by **Dolph** » February 11, 2006, 9:43 pm

Schifty wrote:Just looking at the scores now, 16-12 with 1 try scored

3 line breaks in 80 minutes

Thats entertainment

Sasha · Post by **Sasha** » February 11, 2006, 9:47 pm

3 line breaks for a union match

Your havin a laugh..

Dolph · Post by **Dolph** » February 11, 2006, 9:50 pm

Serious

Inactive · Post by **Inactive** » February 26, 2006, 9:54 pm

Scotland defeaed England in Tri Nations 18-12 ..

not a single try to be seen ... 10 penalties decided the issue

Post by **greeneyed** » February 26, 2006, 10:05 pm

Brumbies score two tries to nil, or something like that, and still only draw...

thickos · Post by **thickos** » February 27, 2006, 9:08 am

The media called it a 'moral victory'

Inactive · Post by **Inactive** » March 3, 2006, 8:44 pm

I'm afraid the bumbies won again boys ... decent crowd.

Humphrey B Flaubert · Post by **Humphrey B Flaubert** » March 4, 2006, 7:24 am

Bay56 wrote:I'm afraid the bumbies won again boys ... decent crowd.

I wouldn't say it was a decent brumbies crowd, they normally get 22,000+, last night was 19,000. Considering they haven't lost all year and all...though from what the paper says the ticket prices aren't all that cheap anymore.

Inactive · Post by **Inactive** » March 4, 2006, 8:00 am

ticket prices a definitely not cheap .. I think it is something like $300 for a season bowl seat .... ha I get my whole family in for $350 and twice as much entertainment

until management acts on ALL the things that will make this club a smart and winning organisation they will never compete with the bumbies regarding crowd numbers

Danny · Post by **Danny** » March 14, 2006, 5:38 pm

The mighty Reds were on fire against the Force last week. We are back on track.

valiant_raider · Post by **valiant_raider** » March 14, 2006, 5:51 pm

yeah whatever danny

Inactive · Post by **Inactive** » March 18, 2006, 3:26 pm

The bumbies are currently being hammered by the Blues ... losing 27-7 about 60mins into the game

Nick · Post by **Nick** » March 18, 2006, 3:30 pm

Sasha · Post by **Sasha** » March 18, 2006, 3:55 pm

Only 18,000 at the brumbies last week, and thats when they are undefeated

Can't wait to see what the crowd is next week.

The tide is turning lads 8)

Inactive · Post by **Inactive** » March 18, 2006, 4:05 pm

they lost

Mick · Post by **Mick** » April 7, 2006, 3:11 pm

GO THE BRUMBIES!!!!!!!!

Inactive · Post by **Inactive** » April 16, 2006, 7:38 pm

well I'm going to sit down and watch the Brumbies v Waratahs ..

GO THE TAHS !!!!

Inactive · Post by **Inactive** » April 16, 2006, 7:47 pm

the bumbies score the 1st try ... an absolute blatant forward pass that you've never seen and the commentators dont mention anything ... the guy that received the pass was over-ran him

Post by **greeneyed** » April 16, 2006, 7:52 pm

Who cares?

Inactive · Post by **Inactive** » April 16, 2006, 7:55 pm

yep, who cares

I tell you something though the Bumbies throw the ball about two widths of the field more than we do ... can you imagine how boring yawnion would be if Elliott was coaching

Post by **greeneyed** » April 16, 2006, 7:59 pm

It is more boring than Elliott already.

Inactive · Post by **Inactive** » April 16, 2006, 8:30 pm

14 all at half time with the TAHS coming back late in the half.

Inactive · Post by **Inactive** » April 16, 2006, 8:51 pm

Tahs in front for the first time in the match 17-14

pacman · Post by **pacman** » April 16, 2006, 8:52 pm

go brumbies :oops

Inactive · Post by **Inactive** » April 16, 2006, 8:54 pm

Loti in for a T R Y .. kick to come .... converted ... 24-14 with 23 mins left

Dolph · Post by **Dolph** » April 16, 2006, 9:37 pm

Good to see the Bumbies getting done.

Crusaders are morals for the title.

Yeah I know GE

Inactive · Post by **Inactive** » April 16, 2006, 10:41 pm

Huh, they got thrashed ... I went to the SC Club and the whole club was full of Bumbies supporters ... every screen was on the game

Post by **greeneyed** » April 22, 2006, 10:07 am

I thought it interesting that the Brumbies were on TV last night complaining that they couldn't match the reported $1.2 million offer from the Western Force for Matt Giteau... and asking for a salary cap... They were saying that the corporate dollars in Sydney and Perth (presumably mining and financial companies in Western Australia) are huge compared to that available to union in Brisbane and Canberra.

As far as I'm concerned, it couldn't have happened to a nicer mob.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Giteau signs up for $4.5m
By Rupert Guinness
April 22, 2006

AUSTRALIAN Rugby Union boss Gary Flowers yesterday flew to Perth to investigate alleged breaches by Western Force over its aggressive recruiting strategies.

His move comes in the aftermath of yesterday's signing by Brumbies superstar Matt Giteau on a three-year contract with Force worth an astounding $4.5 million.

Flowers confirmed last night that he will be calling on Force to prove that it has followed the ARU's protocol on player recruitment, and warned that any proven breach of it will have ramifications.

The Giteau case is fuelling most of the interest in the issue. But Flowers said it is upon a formal request from the New South Wales Rugby Union this week to look into the courting of Waratahs second rower Al Kanaar that he has decided to investigate.

"There has been a formal complaint from New South Wales in relation of an alleged breach by the Force of the ARU protocol which each (state) chief executive has signed off on," Flowers said last night.

"If there is evidence then there will be an ARU tribunal held, and if they are guilty then there will be ramifications."

Depending on the outcome of his talks with Force officials, those ramifications could range from a fine, suspension or simply to a warning.

Even before news of Giteau's signing, it was clear as Flowers was en route to Perth - on a trip that was welcomed by the NSW, ACT and Queensland rugby unions - that the Brumbies felt the inside back was already all but gone.

"Matt expressed to us his desire to stay, but that was challenged by a huge financial offer," Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan said during the day.

"If Matt Giteau is to go to the Western Force he is going purely for the third-party dollars."

When informed that a source said the annual figure on offer to Giteau in the deal was close to an unprecedented $1.5 million a year, Fagan said: "That wouldn't be too far from the truth."

Broken down, the offer to Giteau would be made up of $110,000 from Force, $500,000 as an ARU top-up, $140,000 in Test fees should he play them all, and a $750,000 in third party sponsorship.

Flowers's trip to Perth was scheduled. But he had with him as extra luggage a fresh brief from the Brumbies to follow up on their concerns over the poaching policy and aggressive tactics of the fledgling Force side.

Adding to Flowers's burden was that he also had to follow up on a formal request from the NSW Rugby Union this week to look into the Force's courting of top Waratahs second rower Kanaar.

The ARU was asked to investigate Force's courting after he was first seen in the background on a television sports bulletin in Perth.

"We found out about it this week. He was seen by a NSWRU official on (Channel 10's) Sports Tonight in Perth," NSWRU chief executive Fraser Neil said yesterday.

"Once we confirmed he was over there we wanted to find out what was going on. We had an understanding we had almost finalised a contract and were only needing to tie up loose ends.

"We want to find out what has happened."

Neil was shocked to learn about the $1.5 million offer to Giteau.

"If you are going to be true to your squad how can you justify figures like that," said Neil, adding that the sport could not sustain such massive offers being thrown about.

Putting more pressure on Flowers to take a stand on the Giteau case is that ARU board member Peter McGrath is also in Perth this weekend.

McGrath is also ACT Rugby chairman and travelled to Perth on the same plane as Flowers.

He is a representative of the collective and grave concerns are held by the Brumbies over Force and its attempt to poach Giteau and other players at blowout rates.

The Brumbies yesterday said they supported the call for an ARU inquiry by the NSWRU. "I am certainly supportive of Fraser in regards to Al Kanaar," Fagan said.

But Fagan said that he had also spoken to both the ARU's chief operations officer Rob Clarke and its contracts officer, Shaun Barry, about the ACT side's own misgivings.

"Similarly, we have expressed concern over the rumours circulating about some of the third-party money that goes beyond Matt Giteau.

"If that speculation is true it would have me quite worried about the contracting process and some of the protocols.

"The alarm bells are ringing. We are very watchful and have asked the ARU to be similarly watchful when investigating.

"We don't want to be jumping in shadows too much, but it might be a case of where there is smoke there is fire."

Queensland rugby union chief executive Theo Psaros yesterday concurred with the outcries of their rival NSW and ACT unions.

Psaros said he was anxiously awaiting the outcome of Flowers' findings from his Perth trip.

"It is timely that he has gone to Perth," he said. "What the last 48 hours has done has highlighted what a farce the whole process is. It can't be sustainable. It will turn around and bite the sport."

The Daily Telegraph

www.news.com.au

tonio · Post by **tonio** » April 22, 2006, 10:27 am

****...that's a lot of money. Good on him. Brumbies down hill without him.

Inactive · Post by **Inactive** » April 22, 2006, 7:36 pm

President Clinton wrote:****...that's a lot of money. Good on him. Brumbies down hill without him.

I think you are correct mate ... bumby supporters are soon going to get a taste of losing on a regular basis.

I'm recording the game for one of my directors who is away o/s so I'll prob watch a bit of the game ... unfortunately that means I cant watch any league until about 3 hours time .... these 80 min yawnion games last a long time