Cowboys in Bathurst ahead of Penrith clash — but NRL does nothing to involve the grassroots
#NRLtalkthegameup? In a wonderful opportunity to connect with the game’s grassroots, North Queensland are in Bathurst ahead of their clash with Penrith on Friday - but the NRL have done nothing about it.
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THIS is another one of those stories that shows why we can’t always abide by Todd Greenberg’s #NRLtalkthegameup campaign.
The North Queensland Cowboys play the Penrith Panthers in Bathurst on Friday.
It should be a wonderful opportunity for the locals to have champions Johnathan Thurston, Jason Taumalolo, Michael Morgan and Matt Scott in town, albeit only for a couple of days.
Trouble is, no one has organised anything.
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No open training session, no meet and greet for autographs, no school visits, no coaching clinics. Nothing. The Cowboys claim they tried to have a training session in Bathurst but couldn’t get use of the venue.
So on Wednesday they flew from Townsville to Brisbane then onto Sydney where they will train this morning (Thursday) before catching a flight to Orange and a bus to Bathurst. They arrive at 5pm.
“We ran into dead-ends trying to get use of the ground in Bathurst,” said Cowboys general manager Peter Parr said.
“We do more community work that any NRL club but this time the schedule just didn’t allow us.”
We have received emails from disgruntled Bathurst locals all week. Regional fans love their rugby league and the heroes they only get to see on television.
Knowing the Cowboys stars, they will stay back after the game and sign autographs. But that’s not the point. This is not the Cowboys’ fault.
What a welcome for the Panthers as they arrive at the Peachey Richardson Gala Day in Bathurst! 🤗 #pantherpride 🾠pic.twitter.com/ZV5zCQfrjE
— Penrith Panthers (@PenrithPanthers) May 2, 2018
The NRL made a decision this year to take more games to the push.
And surely they should have included a promotional element featuring the biggest names in the game. To use the profile of the superstars of our game to, dare I say it, talk the game up.
The Panthers always do a tremendous job in the area.
Penrith’s operations manager Tiffany Serra has been on the ground with the entire Penrith side since Tuesday morning.
They had 300 local kids turn up to a super clinic. With local sponsors on board they gave away show bags and put on a sausage sizzle.
On Wednesday every player attended a school gala day. Brilliant stuff.
🖤â¤ï¸ðŸ’›ðŸ’š pic.twitter.com/1mhlwooJ3Q
— Penrith Panthers (@PenrithPanthers) May 2, 2018
A spokesman for the NRL said fans always enjoyed being able to meet players where games are taken to regional areas.
“The Cowboys travel as much as any club in the NRL and do an enormous amount of promotional work,” the spokesman said.
However, that no one at the NRL even thought about the bonuses and value of having Thurston, Taumalolo and co in town, is just appalling.
It should have been organised when the draw came out last October.
“It is unfortunate that could not happen on this occasion due to a range of travel and training issues,” an NRL spokesman said.
“But we are always happy to work with clubs to help them promote the game to regional fans.”
Coincidently the AFL are running Auskick programs in the region next week.
They’ll visit every school, every junior club.
And they’ll probably sign up some boys or girls from families who have traditionally played rugby league.
They are so much better at promoting their game than the NRL.