Stuart McLennan

Women’s rugby league coach, media manager, RL commentator. journalist, podcaster, actor, Board member. Love a food tour.

[Stuart McLennan @Discomclennan]

'For the people in the front row.' Cross, Walton, Nuffy and Dunn. Some solid national, state and Clive Churchill medallist energy. #AustralianUniversitiesRL

[Stuart McLennan @Discomclennan]

@SteveMascord May want to chat to a few bush clubs about the Origin funding too.

[Stuart McLennan @Discomclennan]

@SteveMascord "World Cup funds Greece." Does it really?

[Stuart McLennan @Discomclennan]

@dwatsonhayes There are many critics of the new eligibility criteria from our sport (RL). Some, like me, have been at the frontline when it comes to domestic development in international nations.

[Stuart McLennan @Discomclennan]

"I don't really care" is an interesting reply from a leader representing multiple member nations when asked about the adverse reaction to the great grandparent rule. #internationalrugbyleague

[Stuart McLennan @Discomclennan]

@dwatsonhayes Sorry ? Where did he hit back and how was he defending the sport?

[Stuart McLennan @Discomclennan]

@CraigNorenbergs Arthur Beetson

[Stuart McLennan @Discomclennan]

@SteveMascord Will be interesting to see how and where that development is funded or if it actually happens at all for the smaller nations who are familiar with receiving little or nothing from the peak body.

[Stuart McLennan @Discomclennan]

@HeCanPlayFor IRL Chair Troy Grant

[Stuart McLennan @Discomclennan]

Good move

[Wests Tigers @WestsTigers]

Sandy locked in for the long haul 🔏 https://t.co/RwpyVAPocA

🐅 #OneJungle

[Stuart McLennan @Discomclennan]

@chasingroospod @SteveMascord When I moved to Athens a decade ago and got involved with RL in Greece it was felt that despite limited resources the IRL/ERL had a genuine desire to grow the game and develop RL in as many countries as possible. Today the ERL person driving that has gone and so has the feeling.

[Stuart McLennan @Discomclennan]

@chasingroospod @SteveMascord Yes an ex politician in charge who is well aware of where the money lies.

[Trima @JovanVujosevic]

For almost 18 years, I served as Regional Director of European Rugby League, helping introduce and develop the sport in numerous countries across Europe, often with virtually no financial resources.

One of the most important lessons I learned is that rugby league cannot achieve sustainable growth without first securing official recognition as a sport by national governments.

At one point, rugby league was being played in approximately 27 European countries, yet only around nine had official recognition, and just five or six had access to government funding.

Look at where the funding for Papua New Guinea's entry into the NRL has come from, as well as the financial support provided to other Pacific nations. Much of this investment comes directly from the Australian Government's budget, supplemented in some cases by contributions from the governments of those nations.

Government recognition creates access to public funding, infrastructure, institutional support and long-term development opportunities.

The fundamental problem is that rugby league is still not officially recognised as a sport in many countries where it is played, let alone globally.

We can talk about international expansion, stronger national teams and World Cups, but without government recognition and sustainable domestic funding, genuine global development will remain extremely difficult.

If we truly want rugby league to become a global sport, securing official recognition and access to public funding must be among our highest strategic priorities.

[Stuart McLennan @Discomclennan]

@BradWalterSport @SteveMascord Donny Sutherland and John Swan amongst the regular patrons. Talked Swanee, the South Australian amateur boxing champion, out of destroying a mate one night there.

[Stuart McLennan @Discomclennan]

@BradWalterSport @SteveMascord Could play guitar

[Stuart McLennan @Discomclennan]

@BradWalterSport @SteveMascord Better known as the 'Mongrel Room' by me and my crowd who spent way too many late nights there while Kevin Borich and others provided the musical accompaniment.

[Stuart McLennan @Discomclennan]

@BornAgainBantam @johnnyddavidson I said exactly the same thing to someone this morning.

[Stuart McLennan @Discomclennan]

@bendeeble @johnnyddavidson Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and PNG are all part of a $250 million Australian Government funding program administered by the NRL to develop rugby league in those countries.

[Stuart McLennan @Discomclennan]

I interviewed Fiji Captain Sereana Naitokatoka earlier this year for @rlworld and she said this "I reckon we actually have a good crack Anything is possible with God. That’s the point that I stand in. Nothing stands in our way." Their belief was there today despite the loss.

[Stuart McLennan @Discomclennan]

@chasingroospod Poor decision that will only stifle domestic development as nations take the easier option.