Pre-season trials: The NRL is losing money

[T-Boon]

I've been to a few and this is how most of them go
Play the first half with 5 of your best players missing, then in the second half substitute the entire team and have the reserve grade side play

Actual standard of play - somewhere between 30 and 50% of the effort you see in a normal game

If you think anyone is going to tune into that you're mad

The whole point of trial games is to have a bit of a run around and give the kids the chance to meet a few of the players. That works well for TV

You are right. There is enough interest in AFL in Australia to justify showing their pre season but not NRL. We should forget about it and just er accept that AFL is bigger and better.

 

[Captain Apollo]

You're kinda like those guys that say to climate scientists; "well it was hot when I was a kid so climate change isn't real" aren't you?

Mate, old t-boone thinks he knows better than anyone, including his neurosurgeon. That's why he did his brain surgery on himself

 

[T-Boon]

I've been to a few and this is how most of them go
Play the first half with 5 of your best players missing, then in the second half substitute the entire team and have the reserve grade side play

Actual standard of play - somewhere between 30 and 50% of the effort you see in a normal game

If you think anyone is going to tune into that you're mad

The whole point of trial games is to have a bit of a run around and give the kids the chance to meet a few of the players. That works well for TV

Thats why I say get rid of them. I am with Sterlo on this. Pointless. Just have open training sessions for the kids to meet the players.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

You are right. There is enough interest in AFL in Australia to justify showing their pre season but not NRL. We should forget about it and just er accept that AFL is bigger and better.

Nah. We've just accepted that you're an afl loving total moron with no idea.

 

[adamkungl]

Thats why I say get rid of them. I am with Sterlo on this. Pointless. Just have open training sessions for the kids to met the players.

If they were pointless, already conservative coaches wouldn't play them and risk injuries.

No one's forcing them to play. Why would you force them not to.

 

[adamkungl]

You are right. There is enough interest in AFL in Australia to justify showing their pre season but not NRL. We should forget about it and just er accept that AFL is bigger and better.

AFL has pre-season trials televised, woo hoo!
NRL has
-Nines
-World Club Challenge
-Indigenous All Stars
-State of Origin
-Test matches and 4 Nations
-World Cup

Yeah they've really got us covered in extra season content. Fmd...

 

[Captain Apollo]

AFL has pre-season trials televised, woo hoo!
NRL has
-Nines
-World Club Challenge
-Indigenous All Stars
-State of Origin
-Test matches and 4 Nations
-World Cup

Yeah they've really got us covered in extra season content. Fmd...

You can add in that the NRL regular season runs to 26 weeks whilst the AFL's is 23.

 

[Perth Red]

AFL has pre-season trials televised, woo hoo!
NRL has
-Nines
-World Club Challenge
-Indigenous All Stars
-State of Origin
-Test matches and 4 Nations
-World Cup

Yeah they've really got us covered in extra season content. Fmd...

You kind of missed his point. This would be a legit discussion in terms of content analysis.
-Nines
-World Club Challenge
-Indigenous All Stars

v AFL pre season coverage

 

[adamkungl]

You kind of missed his point. This would be a legit discussion in terms of content analysis.
-Nines
-World Club Challenge
-Indigenous All Stars

v AFL pre season coverage

His point seemed to be that AFL has some advantage, or proof of larger following, because people are for some reason interested in watching their plod pre-season comp.

How did I miss it?

 

[Perth Red]

seasonI think he was suggesting that if the TV execs and the AFL mngmt and clubs feel it is worthwhile screening a full pre season comp then why don't NRL feel the same. They be wrong, I don't know the stats of viewing or $ value but it is worth asking the question. If the womens game is successful and grows I can see that becoming Tv filler pre season for AFL

Rep game content have no relevance to pre season games, thats how you missed it, in same way that AFL season content and duration etc has any relevance.

 

[Headless Chook]

How many people advocating for trial games to be televised have actually been to one?

Do yourself a favour - go and watch a couple. Then it will be patently obvious as to why they're not televised

I went to a trial in Bega a few years ago to watch the raiders v atom. Enjoyable enough I suppose but the thin

How many people advocating for trial games to be televised have actually been to one?

Do yourself a favour - go and watch a couple. Then it will be patently obvious as to why they're not televised

Purely by chance I went to a trial about 3 or 4 years ago in Bega to watch the Storm v Raiders. A crowd of 4000 packed the joint. If nothing, at least it gives country fans a chance to see a few first graders run around. From memory the standard of play was predictably shite.

 

[Lambretta]

I'd rather see Origin depleted rounds which don't attract big crowds go to the bush each year

They're reduced rounds - so why not give something to the bush and give them competitive games which draw little interest against the behemoth of Origin.

Have them close enough to Sydney and a few people will travel
They might even make a holiday of it - say Bathurst, Lithgow or even Campbelltown

 

[franklin2323]

Mascord's on the right track. We don't need a pre-season comp but broadcasting blackouts are ridiculous.

I don't see how Nine can own the rights to an unscheduled, made up as it goes pre-season anyway. Let clubs show their games if they wish.

Charity Shield and 9's on Fox would suggest otherwise. Panthers v Parra trial last year was on Fox too. All trials should be shown streamed and at Leagues Clubs at the very least.

Teams record the games anyway for coaching staff to review

 

[franklin2323]

I'm fairly certain the panthers were allowed to livestream a trial last year as well.

Was on Fox. Gower commentated and was never seen again

 

[Perth Red]

Good quality coverage of the storm game in Hobart free on storm website

 

[imasharkie]

anyone know if there is a live stream for Roosters v Manly game today.

 

[I Bleed Maroon]

I'm not sure why Foxtel aren't getting on the NRL's case about this. I cancelled by Foxtel Play for the duration of the off season and only renewed it again recently for the 24 hour League channel. I'm sure I'm not alone. A lot of wasted money for them in that time (not that they need more, but I digress). f**k this livestreaming on club websites BS, get the Fox Sports cameras and commentators in there and do the coverage properly. People will watch.

 

[The_Shield]

With the new 24/7 channel, I can't see a reason not to broadcast the trials. Most teams are streaming the games anyway. I watched both Storm trials. Would have watched other teams aswell if I knew when they were on.

Warriors vs Titans was on fox today but had no clue until the last 10 minutes.

 

[Timbo]

Well, look at that Raiders/Knights game last night. For the final hour it was our 3rds vs their reserves.

Who in their right mind would actually want to watch that?

 

[Redback71]

Because they're bullshit games. People whinge about weakened teams at origin time and the generally poor standard of games across 25 or 26 weeks. Running half arsed pre season games on tv would hardly promote the main comp. It would put people off if anything. And if clubs started actually fielding full strength teams the elite players will be playing even more games, which is asking for trouble.

The pre-season offers at least some morsels of product that are different to NRL teams playing each other week in week out. The Nines, WCC and All Stars could be improved on but I'd rather see them than more NRL teams playing standard games, except worse because the best players don't play.

If the NRL wants to leverage more money or create more tv content, expand the f**king comp, not the season.

well they already do to extent look at thurstan and morgan as examples. just about all teams are full strength this weekend even if its only for half the game,