NRL in decline?

[getsmarty]

The Price and Mc Gregor "Dragons footy" they've dished up since 2012 deserves a crowd of 8k.

That's Generous...I'd say less than 5 K. Also Refs and bunker are ruining the game. Teams like Storm always get the rub of the green....Its a Joke.

 

[merahputih]

Like it or not, AFL has valued it's grass roots & traditions much more than NRL. It does not stuff people around with weird starting times like 5.30pm on Fri. The AFL also has a mostly well organised recruitment draft, unlike the NRL's year long circus where contracts are only valid until the next offer comes along. And the refereeing, the bunker.......

 

[FlameThrower]

Schedule/ cost of the 'game day' experience- ludicrous Bunker decisions that baffle even a the most casual to experienced league fan.
Rugby League 101 rules no longer apply with the Refs 'interpretation' meaning every game has different ref standards.
Two refs = confusion.
No attempt by NRL to address the fundamental reasons for these poor crowds..

 

[Slackboy72]

46,000 at the SCG last night.
When did South Melbourne v Essendon become a bigger draw in Sydney than Manly, Penrith, Easts and Broncos combined?

 

[Slackboy72]

And while I'm up here on my soapbox, look at the jumpers at the Swans v Bombers game. Look at the jumpers in the Richmond v Geelong game.
They're not plastered with your latest favourite flavoured milk or bank or waste disposal solution.
They look pretty much like they did 10, 20, 50, 100 years ago. They look like their "tribal" colours.
No red rags here.
No licorice allsort.
No alternative strip.
No I think-they're-maroon-and-gold-but-who-f**king-knows-nowadays.
No fashioned by some poncy fashion designer in News Ltd's Surrey Hills HQ bullshit.
f**k off with your marvel movie tie ins.
f**k off with your alternative strip when your main strip doesn't clash.
f**k off with your blue and white turning into black and blue.
f**k off with your polyester "heritage" bullshit that no team ever wore.

f**k off NRL. I wan't my rugby league back.

 

[hermidale1]

High admission prices, high food prices, and fans who apparently know more about the rules and team selections than blokes who do that for a living. The game is made for tv and is easier to watch on tv. Why pay $25-30 to watch the game at Alliance Stadium and fight your way through traffic and listen to part time experts at the ground, when you can sit at home, eat a home cooked meal and drink cheaper beers and even sneak a bourbon or scotch and the only expert you hear is the commentators who you can turn down at any time once they become annoying.

 

[jeffdragon]

People say its high ticket prices,nrl has value for money memberships.
I dont agree would go almost any game saints play.
Nrl does $40 and $50 dollar family tickets.
I think people just use ticket prices as an excuse.
Food prices are a bit high but not as much as a rip off like the cinemas.

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

All jokes aside, the NRL really is in decline and I think the blame lies in 4 areas.

1 - The game is now being run by people with no NRL backbone. They are losing their DNA.

The passion of rugby league is slowly being drained.
They are losing ground to aerial ping pong in many areas.
The game is headed in the wrong direction.
The Central Coast has been screaming out for a team, yet the powers that be, snub the area.

2 - Rule changes to cater to the Bleeding Heart Society, have watered down our once great game.

Real decent solid tackles get penalised straight away, nowadays. It's becoming a game of 'touch & tag'.
Scrum seemly are ok in Rugby but doctors rant & rave about league scrums, funny that. Rugby players have their heads trampled on but that is ok ........... yep, I can see that.

3 - Referees

The whole adjudication of the rules, which were once pretty much black & white, are now a constant grey area. You are allowed things one week and not the next.
Referees will hand out penalties to one side for most the game and then look to even it up towards the end of the game.

The bunker look for every reason NOT to give a try when it should be.
The bunker look to give a try, even if the ball is thrown over the line by the attacking player.
If the attacking player loses the ball over the line, as long as a pubic hair retouches the ball, it is a fair dink-um try ........... bullsh!t.

Try using common sense.
Let the refs adjudicate on the field and stuff the bunker ( just another level is mismanagement )
Do not let the tv cameras show replay after replay of a try scoring play. Move on.

4 - Upcoming Players

The players pool is dwindling because the NRL haven't reinvested in the nurseries of the game.
Before we had, big forwards, little halfbacks and skinny wingers and backs.
Now?
One size fits all.
Players can't tackle anymore.
Some type of players are good when attacking - useless when defending.
Every team is getting more of these type of players.
Its all heading in one direction.

Rant over.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

The Nrl are pathetic! Why would they play all week 1 semi finals at Alliance stadium..

Just have home semis the first week. Then play week 2 in the bigger stadiums.

At least this way you avoid the disastrous situation the Nrl found themselves in. Sharks,Manly and Penrith fans refuse to travel for games.Cowboys bring no supporters with them..


Go back to home semis week 1 problem solved.. Greenberg has no idea how to run the game!

I don't know if you're old enough to remember the previous 'final five' semi final series at a time when rugby league was thriving, but more importantly, all the big games were staged at the SCG.


So, the 'let's revert back to playing semi finals at suburban grounds' has little credence with me. You also need to factor in that most of the teams (Melbourne, Roosters, Cronulla, Penrith) don't have large support bases anyway.

However, rugby league has been on "life support" for many years now, not only for just the reasons listed above, but because of one main cause.

Super League: it killed the sport in '97, and it hasn't recovered since.

 

[Spudd]

I hate the game but AFL is the best administered sport in the country.
Sadly NRL sits at the opposite end of the spectum.

 

[Alec's-saints]

on a positive note, sharks lost hahahahaha

 

[Slackboy72]

on a positive note, sharks lost hahahahaha

It's the greatest game of all...

 

[Saint or sinner]

The bunker is a flop and a big turn off on the game. Players diving and milking penalties consistent referring mistakes.. Greedy players always complaining about money..refs scared of clubs like storm..blatant salary cap rooting and the list goes on and on ..I believe it is slowing dying and eating it's self up

 

[giboz71]

Its strange as the footy dished up by the teams is as best as its ever been. Both games at Allianz deserved crowds in excess of 30k. The game as a spectacle is still fantastic.

For whatever reason, the tribalism just doesn't exist any more, like it does in the AFL. The last time anything resembling the AFL happened in Sydney was when the Dogs and Parra played in front of 70k in 2009, and when we played the Tigers the year after.

As good as the games were this week, nothing really captured the interest enough for fans to turn up (other than in Melb for Cam Smith).

 

[2010]

on a positive note, sharks lost hahahahaha

Happy says are here again. This had made by day

 

[SEAT 1A]

I just accept the need for the bunker to be used 1000 times is because it needs to be paid for.

If the NRL stopped the wrestling and the holding down in the 20 I would enjoy watching the game again.

 

[blacksafake]

I've found myself watching more AFL this season than ever. The difference in the 2 codes when it comes to officials makings decisions is so extreme it's not funny. There's no arguing with umpires they just move on unlike the NRL where at times momentum is halted because the refs stand there talking to the captain.When decisions are made even if controversial, no dozens of replays pointing out their mistakes. When penalties are given the opposition just hand over the ball no questions asked where as in the NRL they have a tug a war in between arguing with the refs.
Still love my league but it sure ain't as good as it used to be. IMO technology has has been poorly used & is ruining the game

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

Have to say In regards to the bunker in todays game imo the Cowboys got the rub of the green against Sharks when they were awarded the penalty in front of the post to level it ......the Cowboys player lost the ball cold and it wasnt stripped but a poor carry......now whether your a Sharks fan or not like Barrett they have a right to be disappointed......at least this may shut Thurston and the North Qldrs up regarding theres a NSW conspiracy against them playing in the finals

 

[Old Timer]

All the problems were on show again today.
Piss poor crowd
Piss poor refereeing
Piss poor bunker decsions
Blatant cheating and milking
The highlight to me was the players walking off at half time and Graham is talking to and arguing with the ref going up the tunnel.
FFS the ref should take hold of the game, refer to the players by their number not name, if approached by anyone other than the captain blow a penalty and just blow the whistle for time on instead of all this explaining that slows the game down.
No conversations with any players unless it is absolutely necessary when administering penalties for foul play or professional fouls.
Far too much familiarity and it is all time wasting tactics.
If I didn't know better the whole bunker thing is somewhat orchestrated to create things for the commentators to go on about.

 

[Saintsified]

BRING BACK THE BIFF, SHOULDER CHARGE, REAL SCRUMS, TINA TURNER, NEWTOWN, NORTHS, KICK OUT THE SHARKS AND COUNT THE DRAGONS PREMIERSHIPS IN TOTAL, THE CROWDS WILL FLOCK.