declining interest in matches involving neutral teams

[undertaker]

I'm not sure if a thread has been done on this topic, but thought I would post my opinion on this issue.

When I first started watching league in the mid '90s until 2001 (when my parents got Foxtel), I used to watch nearly every Ch9 match and tape the Ch9 matches on VCR that I couldn't see at the time (to watch it later), regardless of whether my team - Newcastle - were playing or not. Living in the Hunter region at the time, Ch9 affiliate NBN televised nearly every non-Ch9 Knights match until early 2003. So, Knights supporters in the Hunter who didn't have cable TV were spoiled on occasions with an extra match on tv per round when Fox/Optus broadcasted the Knights match.

Then from 2001 (when my parents got Foxtel) until I moved to Sydney in early 2006, I watched nearly every NRL game in the round....yes, including the replayed Fox matches at Saturday 9:30pm and Sunday 6pm, which I much preferred over the Ch9 Sunday game that was always saturated with ads as those replayed Fox matches were only 1 1/2hrs with ads only at half-time. I was in high school during this time, and I remember Super Saturday (5:30-11pm) was something I looked forward to, especially on cold winter nights. Likewise, Sundays' were great: sleeping in late until the Sunday Footy Show started at 11am, followed by the Sunday Roast at 12pm (when the show had the best lineup of Voss/MG/Gus/Matty Johns...such as shame very little footage of this era exists online or on YouTube), a delicious Asian lunch cooked by mum afterwards, then RL time during 2:30-7:30pm (Live 2:30pm Sunday Fox match, delayed 4pm Ch9 match and another Sunday game replayed at 6pm on Fox). Followed the next day discussing the NRL round with friends at school. When I didn't have any major school assignments or exams coming up, Saturday nights/Sundays during NRL Season were rugby league time, whether it was watching it on tv, or going to the match with my parents when Newcastle were playing at home or on the rare occasion in Gosford. Have many wonderful memories from this time.

When I moved to Sydney in early 2006 for university, although I didn't have Foxtel at the place where I moved and options available today such as online streaming (the websites I won't mention as it's against forum rules) and NRL Pass weren't available back then, I still had a keen interest in neutral matches and would regularly follow them either on the NRL website or listening to ABC radio/2GB. The NRL website had full match replays and would try to watch some of them when university wasn't hectic (distinctly remember the Tigers/Sea Eagles match infront of 20k at Leichhardt on a Sunday afternoon. There were 4 Sunday matches that particular round. Those were the days)

However, for the last few years (hard to pinpoint exactly, but I would say starting around 2010-11ish or so), I've noticed my interest in neutral matches has dramatically declined over that time. I don't know why, but when I watch NRL match highlights during 2001-06 compared to today....there's just something missing about the game today that I can't put my finger on. It's not because of removing the shoulder charge or the biff and I definitely don't expect either to come back, I don't know whether it's the 2-referee system/inept administration during the Gallop years/constant rule changes/constant holding down on the tackled player/inconsistent on-field refereeing interpretations/inconsistent judiciary rulings, but it's just not the same. Outside of Origin/Test matches/finals, I definitely don't have the same level of passion and enthusiasm for matches involving neutral teams compared to pre-2010/11.

Finally, on a bit of a side note on that 2001-06 issue, I remember during the early days of YouTube/Google Videos when I moved to Sydney, there were numerous uploaded videos of matches from years gone by. Then from the start of the new tv rights deal in 2007 with the introduction of MNF, I noticed that nearly all of those videos were taken down/removed over time. When someone on YouTube tried to re-upload it, it was immediately taken down. Was this because of Gallop? Also, I don't think the 2001-06 match archive on the NRL website exists now. Both circumstances are a shame, as AFL has heaps of highlights from past matches on YouTube and the NRL is essentially giving them a free kick in trying to shut down access to footage of past NRL matches.

I hope when the NRL channel starts on Fox next year, that they do broadcast highlights/replays of classic matches over the years. I remember vaguely the old NRL channel on Optus (which a friend used to have) broadcasted past matches before it stopped following the demise of C7 Sport (remember watching a replay of the 1998 Broncos/Roosters game at QE II Stadium with TK calling)

I'd be interested to hear other peoples' thoughts on the issue raised in this post.

 

[Chook Norris]

The game is played in a predictable and mechanical sort of way nowadays. There is much less reason to watch 'neutral games' when the teams basically play the same as your own team (and every other team)

 

[undertaker]

The game is played in a predictable and mechanical sort of way nowadays. There is much less reason to watch 'neutral games' when the teams basically play the same as your own team (and every other team)

Forgot to mention specifically the point about this (although I mentioned the constant holding down of the tackled player): team's general style of play.

Even when I remember the grapple tackle started to appear shortly after Bellamy appeared at the Storm (to the point where the Storm had a full-time wrestling coach in 2007), most teams still tried different tactics back then. Then I guess that as the Storms wrestling tactics worked (in addition to the salary cap situation), other teams started to adopt the wrestling tactics/employing wrestling coaches, with the difference being some teams being able to perform them better than others. Knights were renown for their razzle-dazzle style of football when Andrew Johns was halfback and even after he retired early on in Brian Smith's tenure in 2007, although the Knights didn't make the finals when Smith was coach (scrapped in in 2009 a few weeks after he was sacked), I much preferred the way we played as a team during 2007-09 compared to the Bennett years of 2012-14, which with the exception of a purple patch towards the end of 2013 with three strong 80 minute performances against Eels (Rd 26)/Bulldogs (QF)/Storm (SF), was mostly dominated with very uninspiring one pass off the ruck stuff.

The question is if it is a matter of all 16 teams playing the exact same way, what is the solution to this? Do we change on-field rules again, should incentives be offered to encourage the Walker brothers style of play at Ipswich....I honestly don't know

 

[WireMan]

It is called getting old.

You will have more things to do and more responsibility now so games take on less importance.


Plus it was better when you were younger.
Said every old man about his chosen sport.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

RL was at its greatest 1989-94. Which was when I was 13-18. I used to study the RLW and Big League. I could commentate games, knew every player, even that guy in no 20. The State Bank Big Game was the ants pants and FNF was still in its infancy. I think that was about the only night game.

Then you get a girlfriend...wife; kids. A job. Etc. Commitments change. You don't have time.

I still watch most NRL games but if I miss one it's no big deal. I lament the changes but that said, when I was a small kid, people did the same thing about the bomb, or defensive era eighties or how Simply The Best was 'too glitz and glamour'.

I've also found that, being a Souths fan, there was plenty of wishing, dreaming and hoping. Once we won it, my passion dipped because the holy grail had been won. Conversely, I'm now enjoying footy more because I'm not wound up. I 'hated' teams out of jealousy I think and now I'm totally fine about them.

These days I still love the game but I'm more relaxed. I'm also back doing more reading about the past and watching my son pore over the Nrl app studying players etc.

I also think there's some good footy out there. I also think the general malaise and negativity - not just in nrl but sport, politics - is down to negative muck racking media. Bombarded with it wears you down. Once I stopped watching TV and reading sport in the paper, I felt a lot better.

 

[Burwood]

Being a New South Welshman, country origin and a Newcastle fan, I'm find myself watching more neutral games this year.

Sometimes I sit there and imagine that I am a supporter of all the other neutral teams. Sure, I feel dirty, but it's also given me the opportunity to taste victory on more than 2 occasions this season.

 

[T-Boon]

This is exactly where I am at.
In fact I almost get glum when I have a neutral game on now.
Whilst I know it is sadly the most important part of the game now I just cannot get interested in wrestling (I mean everybody should be interested in wrestling statistics or "who is the best wrestler in the game?" but nobody is because it is not Rugby League).
In my opinion decoy running basically ruins the 'aesthetics' of backline passing. Mid 90s the long passing between for example the Johns brothers was beautiful. The amount of decoy running is a scourge on the game.
Basically I think 5 up and kick football is too easy to pass up on. Why would you take any risks?
If a club was courageous enough to take up the Walker Brothers style 'contract football' I would buy a jersey and sign on.
The most appealing sight in the game is nice passing between players and long distance tries (or line breaks) but I estimate that there is about 7 passes thrown per set of six tackles and passes thrown in own half per set would be about 4.

 

[mozza91]

I've found that I'm enjoying watching neutral games more than ever. Mostly because the team I follow sucks ass.

 

[mongoose]

In my opinion decoy running basically ruins the 'aesthetics' of backline passing. Mid 90s the long passing between for example the Johns brothers was beautiful. The amount of decoy running is a scourge on the game.

WHy? i mean every team does it but I don't get whats so bad about decoy running?

Also the 5 tackles then kick style has been greatly reduced this season because of the 7 tackle rule. I think the game has been a lot more interesting this year than previous years (maybe cause im a raiders fan). There is far too many penalties though and the bunker isn't working like it should.

 

[T-Boon]

WHy? i mean every team does it but I don't get whats so bad about decoy running?

Also the 5 tackles then kick style has been greatly reduced this season because of the 7 tackle rule. I think the game has been a lot more interesting this year than previous years (maybe cause im a raiders fan). There is far too many penalties though and the bunker isn't working like it should.

If this thread slows down Ill get into why I hate decoys so much but I don't want to hijack the thread.

 

[Walt Flanigan]

I don't relate to this at all. Still love watching every game of footy that I can.

 

[veggiepatch1959]

In not having Foxtel anymore, I watch every game possible on FTA. Fair enough, I do have to endure the ramblings of Rabs, Hadley, Gould and Co. but the quality of commentary has declined over the years. Rex Mossop was a classic - never the one to hide his bias.

To be honest, Thursday night matches are the pits. I might be a bit of a loner here but I preferred two Friday night games. It meant that I could stay at the sports club longer!

Any game of footy is better than no game, regardless of who's playing. For those who have a disinterest in neutral games, join a tipping competition where there's money up for grabs. Watch your attention level rise and your blood pressure rise even more as your chosen team get done by a solitary point in f**king golden point.

 

[Flapper]

I watch every single game I am available to watch. Because Rugby League is f**king great.

 

[adamkungl]

I think there is a bit of an enthusiasm rut - too many people are saying this for it to be imaginary, and crowds simply don't increase year on year. Dead stagnant since the early 2000s.

Personally I think there's a lot of frustration about the way the NRL runs the game. And I don't mean the sport, I mean the actual on field game.
The unpopular and failed rule changes, the poor refereeing, the wildly inconsistent suspensions, the baffling scheduling. It's a week to week conversation that drowns out great games or stories like Hayne's return or Cronulla and Canberra shooting up the table.

The conversation around NRL is too often negative, and it's because the NRL opens themselves up to it. Yes people like to complain but the NRL seems to actively antagonise its own fans on a daily basis. When the conversation around something is more negative than positive, shouldn't be surprised that as many people seem over the game as drawn into it.

For what it's worth, I like the style of play at the moment, and love watching neutral games. There's a few teams still in the mix that play a really attack focused game - Cronulla, Canberra, Penrith, Cowboys - and Storm can really turn it on even if its a bit more methodical. (Obviously any game involving Dogs or Broncos is total dross) I think it's gonna be an excellent end to the season and finals series. Hopefully the NRL doesn't shoot itself in the foot (again) while it happens.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

I thought i would love watching football 5 days a week. But i don't.

Each round just blends in to each other, there is no build up to big games

I hate watching the broncos every f**king friday night. And before broncos fans start I would hate watching any team play every friday night.

Scrap Thursday and Monday night football.

 

[T-Boon]

I think there is a bit of an enthusiasm rut - too many people are saying this for it to be imaginary, and crowds simply don't increase year on year. Dead stagnant since the early 2000s.

Personally I think there's a lot of frustration about the way the NRL runs the game. And I don't mean the sport, I mean the actual on field game.
The unpopular and failed rule changes, the poor refereeing, the wildly inconsistent suspensions, the baffling scheduling. It's a week to week conversation that drowns out great games or stories like Hayne's return or Cronulla and Canberra shooting up the table.

The conversation around NRL is too often negative, and it's because the NRL opens themselves up to it. Yes people like to complain but the NRL seems to actively antagonise its own fans on a daily basis. When the conversation around something is more negative than positive, shouldn't be surprised that as many people seem over the game as drawn into it.

For what it's worth, I like the style of play at the moment, and love watching neutral games. There's a few teams still in the mix that play a really attack focused game - Cronulla, Canberra, Penrith, Cowboys - and Storm can really turn it on even if its a bit more methodical. (Obviously any game involving Dogs or Broncos is total dross) I think it's gonna be an excellent end to the season and finals series. Hopefully the NRL doesn't shoot itself in the foot (again) while it happens.

I think if your club has thrived through this modern structured, wrestle crazed, disciplined style of game you are less likely to have been repelled by it. I am an Eels fan so enough said there.

Personally I am fine with the actual refereeing and think it has never been better. I suspect that the real source of peoples frustration with the refereeing is that refs have never had a bigger influence on the game than they have now because players are coached to take fewer risks and therefore make less momentum swinging plays themselves. This means penalties have a greater influence. (there is generally at least about twice as many penalties as line breaks per game for example).

 

[perverse]

Seems to me like you're burnt out from too much of a good thing. If the champagne football the Knights are putting forward won't bring you in, then what will???

 

[Brutus]

Betting on games makes them fun, but league is great and not just the NRL. Really looking to the RL channel on Fox Sports.

 

[umina panther]

10/10. Up there with the level of dribble we saw in Bunniesman's fake leaving LU post

 

[muzby]

It's a combination if a number of the things mentioned in this thread..

The vanilla style of play being used now (I actually enjoy watch nsw cup more lately because its a bit more unpredictable)..

The changing priorities.. (when you are a kid there is a lot more time to dedicate to watching and following the players.. Not to mention the hope and dream of every little boy that 'one day that's gonna be me out there')..

And its the case we're now spoiled for choice.. I used to watch the neutral games because it was a novelty... Back there were only a handful of games on tv..

Friday night footy was special, because it was the only night game screened, and signified the start of the weekend.. A true reason to relax, enjoy and watch a unique program on tv..