Black Ferns 2023

Bovidae

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/black-ferns/131943333/shocked-kate-henwood-swaps-accounting-for-black-ferns-contract-after-unlikely-callup

Bovidae

I am sure there will be others making the move to earn some money.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/black-ferns/132066070/black-fern-cheyelle-robinsreti-switches-codes-signs-for-canberra-raiders-in-nrlw

Auckman

@Crucial - yeah I’ve changed my mind on this. After watching the SRW final and a few other matches, the kiwi teams would demolish them if they joined up next year. Might be better to do it the following year in 2025 when Australia aim to have full-time Wallaroos contracts in place.

Next year the SRA needs to be expanded to at least home & away rounds and I still think a fifth team is doable.

Crucial

@Auckman 5th team only doable if players are willing to re-base themselves. Considering the $ paid many still have to hold day jobs.

If you took this year's squads and joined up some Reserves and non-players you'd have an OK side but not one of similar quality to the others. Spread the talent around too much and you may as well stick to FPC. This year's sides were propped up by League players

If the money was better you would get some travelling players back eg those that go to Japan.

I think that better option would be to include a side from Japan that includes some kiwi and Fiji players and maybe a Baabaas team from OZ/US/Canadian players

Auckman

@Crucial - Need more league players in Aupiki. They’re good value and add starch in defence. They’d all dream of a Black Ferns contract as well because the money there blows anything NRLW has out of the water.

Crucial

What’s with the paywalled Ruby Tui stories in the Ferald?
Any substance or just a bit of stirring?
Headlines imply a falling out between her and NZR

mikedogz

She wanted a rainbow flag on her weetbix card. NZR said too hard. Sanitarium owners probably not keen either.

Machpants

I think sanitarium we're happy to go, but NZR rightly said we can't have players deciding what goes on our commercial contracts. It could become a mess

Auckman

Don’t see what the big deal is. She wanted a rainbow flag on her card. Not every card. She wasn’t forcing every card to have one.

Machpants

@Auckman What if Player B wanted a Christian Cross, and player C a pink ribbon etc etc. It is not what she wanted but the fact that once you let one player do it, then they'll all want their own little bit. It is a corporate contract, not a vehicle for individuals to spread their beliefs and views. That they can do in their own time

Crucial

@Machpants said in Black Ferns 2023:

@Auckman What if Player B wanted a Christian Cross, and player C a pink ribbon etc etc. It is not what she wanted but the fact that once you let one player do it, then they'll all want their own little bit. It is a corporate contract, not a vehicle for individuals to spread their beliefs and views. That they can do in their own time

Hardly comparing apples with apples.

Although with women’s rugby there would be a fair few 🌈 if they all had a choice.

Machpants

That's why she got turned down, is a corporate contact. NZR pay the players for their image rights, and they have the right to withdraw from anything they want to. But you can't have players pushing their portfolios into that stuff, TFD. You're either in our out, don't like it, then take the (significant) pay cut

booboo

@Machpants said in Black Ferns 2023:

TFD

TFD? Should that be TFB?

booboo

Not commenting on this issue specifically, but I've rather gone off Ruby.

Got a few too many tickets on herself.

Yes, she's marketable, but the game would go on without her.

Her ego is writing cheques her body can't cash ...

Edit: and yes, it may be tall poppy syndrome, but she walked away for (nearly) a year. Most of the other "super" stars stuck with it and delivered without grandstanding.