A Tumut rugby league stalwart and the Blues’ former coach have an urgent message for the NRL: channel more of the game’s TV dollars to country clubs before it’s too late.
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After trialling a radical approach last year to rejuvenate rugby league in the town – employing a fulltime development officer and coach – the club says it’s already done the NRL’s homework.
“Our crowds were up 54 percent,” well-known league identity Ray ‘Dossie’ Carr said.
“Being in the schools we got the kids thinking about playing seniors for Tumut. Whether they won or lost was indifferent, the kids wanted to come down and watch.
“But the thing is, clubs shouldn’t have to do it.
“And how do you keep it going? How do you continue the funding?”
Carr wants the league to subsidise players in development and coaching roles at country clubs.
He said it’s disheartening to hear NRL clubs pushing for an additional $100 million a year from the TV deal.
And while the NRL has promised a 65 percent increase in grassroots funding, many worry about where it will go.
“The senior clubs are the ones that nurture the under 16s and 18s and look after them,” Carr said.
“The 18s are next year’s first graders and without those kids coming through, it’s only a matter of years and we’ll be back to pub football.
“We need to spend the money on the 12s and up, giving them the coaching and the development expertise to keep them in the game.”
Luke Srama’s stint in Tumut was brought to a premature end after one year due to family reasons but he said the experience opened his eyes to southern NSW.
“I’m from Queensland and I thought NSW was all rugby league,” Srama said.
“The first time I went to Wagga I got a haircut and the lady hardly knew rugby league existed – she thought it was all just AFL through and through.
“That was a big shock.
“Rugby league is the greatest game but we’re shooting ourselves in the foot with development and how they’re spending the money.”
Srama, who had previously played in England, France, the USA and Queensland, was rapt with the town’s support, and pointed to increased sponsorship and engagement with kids.
“I was just so proud to see how passionate the town was for rugby league and how much the community got behind the work that I was doing,” he said.
