Why the Canterbury Bulldogs are giving NRL memberships to refugee families

[Ahecee]

An initiative by the Canterbury Bulldogs NRL club to promote social inclusion through the distribution of memberships for refugee families and others from disadvantaged backgrounds is set to be the subject of a groundbreaking study by Western Sydney University.

Omar and Hanadi Sabouni and their children Reanna, 4, and Mohamed, 2, are among the first recipients of 500 family memberships for the 2016 NRL season, which are being provided by the club's membership sponsor Brydens Lawyers, after research by the Bulldogs identified social inclusion as one of the most critical issues in the area.

These are the first 2 sentences in the story, so having a hard time understanding some of the arguments being thrown up.

The club gets some PR, Brydens get some PR, and Western Sydney Uni gets a study..... and some families get season passes.... what could be the problem with that?

 

[no1bulldog]

For the life of me I'm sick of these P.R Stunts aimed at glorifying Raelene Castle. If they spent half the time they do on P.R stunts on the football department Bulldogs would be world champs.

I'm worried.............we're on the same page on this

 

[immortalbulldog]

For the life of me I'm sick of these P.R Stunts aimed at glorifying Raelene Castle. If they spent half the time they do on P.R stunts on the football department Bulldogs would be world champs.

Wow. I have to say the level of ignorance in this forum, especially when it comes to Castle and her role in the club is increasing by the day. Please enlighten us as to what aspects of football department realene castle is personally neglecting while she's out doing her actual job which is to manage the overall running of the club and ensuring that it is marketable and financially viable? Are we meant to believe that by doing stuff like this it is actually stopping Des and his staff from doing their jobs?

Please, with your vast knowledge of the ins and outs of the club, tell us what we aren't doing in the football department? Don't give us vague statements like 'we haven't won a comp in ages' or 'our recruitment is shit' because that's just crap that's spewed on here all the time because people are frustrated that we haven't won a comp since 2004.
So tell us, does Castle promoting the club off the field somehow stop Des from running preseason sessions? Does it mean we have to do without training equipment? Should castle be spending the time she spends on stuff like this filling up water bottles and pumping up footballs instead? Tell us wtf you want her and the club to do?

At the end of the day this doesn't affect a single one of us. They are doing something nice for these families and getting a bit of exposure at the same time. That's how the world works. Get over it. The sponsor has covered the cost of this enterprise so we've effectively sold 500 memberships in one go, which goes back to the club. How is that a bad thing?
If you're upset that you can't afford a membership and these families get it for free, tough shit. You still couldn't afford it and what makes you so special to think you deserve it anyway? We've all been there, it's life. Get over it.
People on here have become so negative, bitter and miserable that they will complain about absolutely anything, even when it makes no difference to the team or themselves and actually benefits the club.
It's astounding.

 

[Nate DAWG]

These are the first 2 sentences in the story, so having a hard time understanding some of the arguments being thrown up.

The club gets some PR, Brydens get some PR, and Western Sydney Uni gets a study..... and some families get season passes.... what could be the problem with that?

Agree. I don't get the anger. The PR from the announcement and the pending story on the journey of the refugee family attending bulldogs fixtures, after the UWS study is complete will generate more positive PR. I think it is awesome that some refugees from Syria are able to become part of the family. I cannot see the negative?

 

[ArnieD]

Wow. I have to say the level of ignorance in this forum, especially when it comes to Castle and her role in the club is increasing by the day. Please enlighten us as to what aspects of football department realene castle is personally neglecting while she's out doing her actual job which is to manage the overall running of the club and ensuring that it is marketable and financially viable? Are we meant to believe that by doing stuff like this it is actually stopping Des and his staff from doing their jobs?

Please, with your vast knowledge of the ins and outs of the club, tell us what we aren't doing in the football department? Don't give us vague statements like 'we haven't won a comp in ages' or 'our recruitment is shit' because that's just crap that's spewed on here all the time because people are frustrated that we haven't won a comp since 2004.
So tell us, does Castle promoting the club off the field somehow stop Des from running preseason sessions? Does it mean we have to do without training equipment? Should castle be spending the time she spends on stuff like this filling up water bottles and pumping up footballs instead? Tell us wtf you want her and the club to do?

At the end of the day this doesn't affect a single one of us. They are doing something nice for these families and getting a bit of exposure at the same time. That's how the world works. Get over it. The sponsor has covered the cost of this enterprise so we've effectively sold 500 memberships in one go, which goes back to the club. How is that a bad thing?
If you're upset that you can't afford a membership and these families get it for free, tough shit. You still couldn't afford it and what makes you so special to think you deserve it anyway? We've all been there, it's life. Get over it.
People on here have become so negative, bitter and miserable that they will complain about absolutely anything, even when it makes no difference to the team or themselves and actually benefits the club.
It's astounding.

Brilliant.

 

[Wolfmother]

Wow. I have to say the level of ignorance in this forum, especially when it comes to Castle and her role in the club is increasing by the day. Please enlighten us as to what aspects of football department realene castle is personally neglecting while she's out doing her actual job which is to manage the overall running of the club and ensuring that it is marketable and financially viable? Are we meant to believe that by doing stuff like this it is actually stopping Des and his staff from doing their jobs?

Please, with your vast knowledge of the ins and outs of the club, tell us what we aren't doing in the football department? Don't give us vague statements like 'we haven't won a comp in ages' or 'our recruitment is shit' because that's just crap that's spewed on here all the time because people are frustrated that we haven't won a comp since 2004.
So tell us, does Castle promoting the club off the field somehow stop Des from running preseason sessions? Does it mean we have to do without training equipment? Should castle be spending the time she spends on stuff like this filling up water bottles and pumping up footballs instead? Tell us wtf you want her and the club to do?

At the end of the day this doesn't affect a single one of us. They are doing something nice for these families and getting a bit of exposure at the same time. That's how the world works. Get over it. The sponsor has covered the cost of this enterprise so we've effectively sold 500 memberships in one go, which goes back to the club. How is that a bad thing?
If you're upset that you can't afford a membership and these families get it for free, tough shit. You still couldn't afford it and what makes you so special to think you deserve it anyway? We've all been there, it's life. Get over it.
People on here have become so negative, bitter and miserable that they will complain about absolutely anything, even when it makes no difference to the team or themselves and actually benefits the club.
It's astounding.

oh the irony

 

[Indiandog]

I dont care club can give away free memberships to the monkeys in toragna zoo, as long as we win one premiership ffs.

 

[immortalbulldog]

oh the irony

Lol touché

 

[Mr Invisible]

These are the first 2 sentences in the story, so having a hard time understanding some of the arguments being thrown up.

The club gets some PR, Brydens get some PR, and Western Sydney Uni gets a study..... and some families get season passes.... what could be the problem with that?

When a problem occurs (note I said when not if), then the actual loyal supporters will be the ones copping the flack.

What's to say they are interested in watching the game as compared to causing trouble.

It only takes one person in those 500 gifted to give the entire supporter base a bad name again.

 

[Wolfmother]

When a problem occurs (note I said when not if), then the actual loyal supporters will be the ones copping the flack.

What's to say they are interested in watching the game as compared to causing trouble.

It only takes one person in those 500 gifted to give the entire supporter base a bad name again.

I agree especially considering the fans have become entwined in the clubs reputation.

 

[doggies15]

I dont care club can give away free memberships to the monkeys in toragna zoo, as long as we win one premiership ffs.

exactly, the premiership is all that we should be worried about, some people in this forum are getting worse and worse

 

[no1bulldog]

We cant even sign Mbye who hasn't even nailed down a spot in the top 17......lets get our own shit in order first before we go playing good Samaritan to the refugees who have no interest in our team

 

[chris_e_fresh]

biggest problem from this whole thing is

on the bulldogs facebook page they used a guys family for the picture and told him they need a multiculture family for the picture

He commented on it saying wtf im from australia and was born and raised here you didnt say it was this. And hey presto the comments have been deleted

https://www.facebook.com/NRL.Bulldogs/?fref=ts

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...hips-to-refugee-families-20151212-glm8en.html


i went back on my phone and cant view his comments either lol

 

[Izzy Forreal]

These are the first 2 sentences in the story, so having a hard time understanding some of the arguments being thrown up.

The club gets some PR, Brydens get some PR, and Western Sydney Uni gets a study..... and some families get season passes.... what could be the problem with that?

I can't see any problem here. It's a display of goodwill. The Bulldogs, a football club, is giving these refugees a leg up to be able to watch the great game of Rugby League. Some of those approached will use it for what it is worth and others wonyt be interested; that's just how people are. But who knows, we could get some future Bulldogs out of it.

And for those who aren't real keen on refugees lets not forget that George Peponis and Hazem El Masri were two of the Bulldogs greatest. And they didn't come from anywhere near Belmore did they?

 

[Bulldogjem]

biggest problem from this whole thing is

on the bulldogs facebook page they used a guys family for the picture and told him they need a multiculture family for the picture

He commented on it saying wtf im from australia and was born and raised here you didnt say it was this. And hey presto the comments have been deleted

https://www.facebook.com/NRL.Bulldogs/?fref=ts

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...hips-to-refugee-families-20151212-glm8en.html


i went back on my phone and cant view his comments either lol

I actually know this family and they were born here and are not disadvantaged . Don't understand why they would get a free membership for .

 

[Raikkonen]

I think this is a fantastic concept by the club and sponsors...it's likely part of the sponsorship deal; they got the publicity out of it. Come on guys, we're doing something for folks that are less fortunate.

Heckler, there is nothing stopping other clubs doing it...we may not be the only club.

~c.

You're always so positive luv_dog. I love it. Don't stop!

 

[Ahecee]

When a problem occurs (note I said when not if), then the actual loyal supporters will be the ones copping the flack.

What's to say they are interested in watching the game as compared to causing trouble.

It only takes one person in those 500 gifted to give the entire supporter base a bad name again.

Fans of the Bulldogs already have caused trouble at a few games (as have fans of every other club)..... and we already have fans more interested in causing trouble than watching the game right from the Bulldog neighbourhood. I assume that would be handled in the same way the home grow idiots are dealt with.

In the past, when other team fans and the media talk bad about our clubs fan behaviour, they often either directly or indirectly blame it on the ethnicity of the fan base, and we all get annoyed with that. You asserting that people newly migrated to Australia given memberships WILL, for sure cause trouble...... isn't that the same thing?

Reality is I suspect, given its pretty certain most of the 500 don't come from rugby league following countries, some given the memberships will never turn up to a game, some will come to one or two, and a very few will enjoy the game and turn up regularly, they will become die hard Bulldogs fans and be exactly like the rest of us in that respect.

Seems to me your fear is that something might happen, that might (and does) happen at pretty much every Bulldogs game, NRL game, or any event that draws a large crowd.

There is some PR, there is a study, there are some families with a nice gift, and there is a bump to our membership numbers...... who would want to be a member of a NRL team's management, its just impossible to please people.

 

[Ahecee]

I think this is a fantastic concept by the club and sponsors...it's likely part of the sponsorship deal; they got the publicity out of it. Come on guys, we're doing something for folks that are less fortunate.

Heckler, there is nothing stopping other clubs doing it...we may not be the only club.

~c.

That's exactly what it is, we just sold 500 memberships to Brydens Lawyers to be handed out, and got PR from it...... but apparently that's a bad thing based on this thread.

We could have a million members next season, win the premiership, and there would still be a thread "yeh, we won, but only by 4 points..... why not 100!"

 

[The DoggFather]

Hey !!!!! Im may be anglo , i may be racist , I may be inbreed but im certainly not a ............... nah I ticked that box too , carry on sir

Like I mentioned somewhere else, I love Anglo's that follow the Dogs. It proves they aren't racist lol

 

[The DoggFather]

What it comes down to is cash, since the nrl is a business now (a poorly run business). We sold the tickets, made our money and unless they are pro isis, who gives a fuk who uses the tickets.