The A-League deserves plenty of credit for what's been achieved under the circumstances. To overcome the WC bid debacle, no FTA for eight years, constant player drain & clubs consistently struggling off the field with finances etc... it's done remarkably well.
Using a supposedly lacklustre weekend of NRL attendances to gain a one-upmanship on other codes is a really shit look though tbh, especially when the A-League has plenty of ground to make up in many other departments.
And that's not burying one's head in the sand about the NRL either, it's got its own set of issues.