OT The Global Game

[webShark]

City/ Country gone
indigineous v all stars gone
Auckland 9s under threat
World club challenge no commitment from Aussie teams. Look at our effort in Wigan. I was there. Thanks.

Seems due to the World Cup, we will be left with trial games. Clubs don't want them either.

Soon if a team can't make the 8 or the top 4 they will forfeit to prepare for the following year.

World Cup is funny. 3 team comp. And a surprise if 2 of them would win.

Let's abandon the NRL and just play origin.

Even Origin is only a big deal in 2 states.

I once said some Under 20s teams aren't much better than A Grade teams. Well West Tigers would not win the Local A Grade.

Jon Grant and the clowns running the game plod on. Even he can't get punted. Pathetic crowds in big stadiums. Who would have thought. So instead of moving games to the Bush, let's go to Darwin. I can see League growing there. Or play the Dragons at 6:00pm on a Friday.

Meanwhile AFL whatever it's flaws, continues to grow. Taking players from Us, union and cricket.

Meanwhile we are 4 years behind the AFL launching a women's comp. With pandering to PC mob , what next equal pay for women league players.

So abandon the 9s etc and focus on Girls Footy. That should double the gate. First woman NRL ref is months away. She will be a huge success as will be beyond criticism and demotion to NSW Cup.

The mystery of NRL Crowds is way beyond me. 20k v Dogs. 7k v Storm.
1500 dancers. Most parents don't even pay us the respect and watch the game. Flooding to the exits as soon as their boring routine is over.

For all its flaws the media keeps League going. We have to pray the media doesn't lose interest.

Do gooders and PC types will have a field day replying I am sure.

 

[ghoti]

Weird that you're focusing on do-gooders and PC types in this post? No need to respond to those comments cos they're just odd and irrelevant! Thought the other points had soooome merit.

I think the NRL needs to be smarter in ensuring their efforts are going towards markets that are additive to what club footy provides. City/Country is just diluted NRL, so they were right to drop it. 9's was a good concept for a while, but it fatigued very quickly...a year off is a good idea.

Women's League is.a great.idea because it's played like a different game, brings in different viewers and expands the reach of the game. They'd be mad not to put some effort into that.

I've always been a fan of the international game too, though it's been difficult to sell. Funny when I hear people talk about the RL world cuo being a three team tournament, since most international events that aren't soccer are dominated by the same few nations.. Union (NZ, England, Australia, SA), Hockey (US, Canada, Russia), Baseball (US, Japan) etc.. they have the advantage of a few Smokies here and there, but they have committed to an established regular international season. League needs.to do the same.

It's an exciting brand of footy when nations like PNG play Fiji etc, it's not the wrestle/possession focused brand of footy and adds a new facet to the game. That's why I'd rather see the NRL focus on.pushing minnow.nations in the regular season over other alternatives.

I reckon if the NRL calendar was essentially the club game, semi-regular internationals (pre-season minnow tournament, test matches, four nations and world cuo post-that), origin and incorporation of a women's game (maybe a featured game once a week live before or after the Sunday game) we'd see a very strong version of the game. Throw in features matches in Darwin, Perth and regional centres and we're using our country well.

 

[Madsharkie]

The sky is falling. Couldn't give a f**k, we won.

 

[tom of poland]

League is a small niche, but very captive market, has been and always will be. No powers that be in league have never been interested in expanding the game as an international, let alone a national sport in Australia.

Crowds of 7-8k on a Thursday night are to be expected, its a pain in the arse for many to get to Thursday or Friday 6pm games, we know the scheduling of games is purely for benefit of tv networks and online betting companies and not us, the fans who want to attend games.

 

[taipan]

Fair idea crowds would drop as a result of Thursday night 8pm and Friday 6pm,no surprises.Plus the crap weather in March.

The NRL is supposedly controlling the scheduling from 2018,hopefully they can at least schedule matches appropriate to time slots.
And have poor drawing games involving out of Sydney clubs. moved to areas such as Wagga,Dubbo,Tamworth,Port Macquarie etc.

No problem with City/Country being removed.
Nines losing some of their sting in Auckland .No point continuing on that basis.
World Club challenge? is that really needed?
All Stars?

RLWC may well have 3 teams with any chance, but Lebanon will have a few from their local comp,Ireland ditto.Should PNG be discarded mostly locals?
The others like France with locals , and the likes Fiji/Tonga/Samoa will all be more than competitive.
Fiji got more publicity for rl in that country ,when the Fijians made the semis at Gosford a few years back.
You got to start somewhere.

A code needs a strong local comp and yes SOO in the case of rl and strong national team ,and the game needs to get off its a*se and grow the game in other countries.The monies made in the RLWC help the code to do this ,albeit on a small scale.
The day we have to have an all Australian rugby league team, who plays no-one but looks good for a photo shoot, is when I go Bear hunting in Alaska with a pea rifle.

 

[Eion]

Solid rant webby!!

I can absolutely agree on 1 thing. The NRLs leadership under Grant and Greenberg is appalling. Lyall has shown them the amateurs they are with examples of a sellout during origin, contracting women players, drug testing. They must hate it when Lyall opens his mouth.

What's the latest from the NRL? No salary cap for next year and a weird 'integrity fund'. Deadset incompetents

 

[Dragon Slayer]

City/ Country gone
indigineous v all stars gone
Auckland 9s under threat
World club challenge no commitment from Aussie teams. Look at our effort in Wigan. I was there. Thanks.

Seems due to the World Cup, we will be left with trial games. Clubs don't want them either.

Soon if a team can't make the 8 or the top 4 they will forfeit to prepare for the following year.

World Cup is funny. 3 team comp. And a surprise if 2 of them would win.

Let's abandon the NRL and just play origin.

Even Origin is only a big deal in 2 states.

I once said some Under 20s teams aren't much better than A Grade teams. Well West Tigers would not win the Local A Grade.

Jon Grant and the clowns running the game plod on. Even he can't get punted. Pathetic crowds in big stadiums. Who would have thought. So instead of moving games to the Bush, let's go to Darwin. I can see League growing there. Or play the Dragons at 6:00pm on a Friday.

Meanwhile AFL whatever it's flaws, continues to grow. Taking players from Us, union and cricket.

Meanwhile we are 4 years behind the AFL launching a women's comp. With pandering to PC mob , what next equal pay for women league players.

So abandon the 9s etc and focus on Girls Footy. That should double the gate. First woman NRL ref is months away. She will be a huge success as will be beyond criticism and demotion to NSW Cup.

The mystery of NRL Crowds is way beyond me. 20k v Dogs. 7k v Storm.
1500 dancers. Most parents don't even pay us the respect and watch the game. Flooding to the exits as soon as their boring routine is over.

For all its flaws the media keeps League going. We have to pray the media doesn't lose interest.

Do gooders and PC types will have a field day replying I am sure.

The worst thing about these failures Web Shark is that people at the top have been getting paid quite handsomely and they've never had so much money to fix things.

John Grant has seen his appointment as a luxury junket.

He also has no feel for the game or deep knowledge and that disconnect stands out to all the games stake holders like a nappy rash it's that obvious.

Then there is the Classic Spin Dr. in Greenberg. Everything is going great guns apparently!!

International game could be soooo much better if we didn't continue to rape the pacific island teams of their players.The NRL should top up International match payments for these players to play for their own countries.They would most likely not be swayed in playing for Australia if they are getting similar money for playing for Fiji. trust me it's all about the money.

As for lower crowds it was always going to happen when people can watch all 8 games from the comfort of their couch. As well many boutique grounds are not up to standard to take a family on a regular basis. Whether it's seating options, toilet facilties, food prices, game prices and parking. Let alone all the new shyte time slots!! You reap what you so. The product's entertainment value has gone down as well because of the f**king wrestle at the play the ball and weak refs policing basic rules like the 10 metres. I don't know how Archer keeps his job!!

f**k the pre season stuff seriously, trials, All stars, nines. It's just bullshyte and no one talks about it or cares about it. Start the season earlier with night games and 20minute water breaks until conditions get cooler. That way we can have a fairer competition where everyone plays each other home and away like it should be. f**k off Clubs that are not financial like the Gold Coast who are draining the league. To be honest I'd be happy to have 15 teams in the comp and have two byes and play 28 rounds. Would strengthen the player talent for a lot of teams. Junior teams are waaay down well maybe it's time to reflect that at the very top. Definitely f**k expansion off just look at the diluted Super Rugby which is on it's knees down to because the product being put out their is sooo shyte.

I could go on but it will just do my head in.

 

[Foz]

I agree with just about all Web Shark.
I'm not home from work at 6.00 on Fridays so that's rubbed me up the wrong way for a start.I record it and watch from when I get home.Not the working class sport anymore.
Never cared about trials though I did go to a Souths/Canterbury Pre Season Finals game at Henson Park back when Bob McCarthy made his return to Souths.At least I think that's why I ended up there.Didnt stop raining and about 3 men and a dog there.
On origin I watch it and will support NSW but really aren't passionate about it.
The other rep games I couldn't care less about which includes the Test matches.
I think the country towns should host the tests but is there a stadium that can host them?

Women's league.Great for them and good on them but would only go if my daughter wanted to watch it.Personally not interested.

On the admin.
I get it's a tough job and they can't please everyone.
Finding the right person to do it would be a tough process in itself.
End result whoever does the job will be the wrong choice.
It's a no win.