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why dont nrl crowds sing/chant?

Dogs Of War

Coach
Messages
12,718
Every time this question is brought up, the usual excuse of "because our fans are too engrossed and enthralled in the action on the field" is brought up. It's not that; check up the ESL. It's a mix of Australian culture, NRL culture, and how the sport is played.

* There isn't too much to cheer and chant about when most teams play conservatively like robots
* NRL clubs don't have a strong culture and connection to their fans: There aren't any really solid songs and chants that NRL fans, of their respective clubs, widely identify with. In contrast, once again, see the ESL.

Personally I think it's just that there is a large crossover in the UK of Soccer fans and League fans, so those fans are used to singing at games, and do so at League matches as well.

Who knows, we can get more of this crossover as time goes on, and things will change.
 

Chook Norris

First Grade
Messages
8,317
the bolded bit is rubbish because there are some absolute dogshite periods in english football where fans will start singing just to find some entertainment.

I take your point, but I don't believe it's rubbish at all. Ask yourself the question, what gets fans on their feet more and makes the atmosphere more lively (cheering): a team who does the same thing over and over again? or a team who does something different every now and then by playing with flare and style, and bashing the opposition

I believe style of play does have some relevance

Personally I think it's just that there is a large crossover in the UK of Soccer fans and League fans, so those fans are used to singing at games, and do so at League matches as well.

Who knows, we can get more of this crossover as time goes on, and things will change.

You are probably right, but from what i've seen ESL club culture is still a lot stronger
 

Craig Johnston

First Grade
Messages
5,396
I take your point, but I don't believe it's rubbish at all. Ask yourself the question, what gets fans on their feet more and makes the atmosphere more lively (cheering): a team who does the same thing over and over again? or a team who does something different every now and then by playing with flare and style, and bashing the opposition

I believe style of play does have some relevance

well chelski is the most boring football in all of europe and their fans don't make any noise at all....but then again most of them only came aboard after 2004 :p
 
Messages
14,479
Having sat next to an English fella on the train heading to a WSW game, he told me the truth as to why they chant.

They live in on a muddy, cold, damp island surrounded by miles and miles of squat housing commission on top of one another, where all they have - as many don't have an education or employment - is their football team. They barely get blue sky in the middle of summer and are severely Vitamin D deficient. They live vicariously by the fortunes of their team or X-Factor contestants. Individual football players make more money than some whole towns. But the team means everything to the town because if Town A beats Town B, with everything else being so even and so miserable, the only have the satisfaction of the one-upmanship of winning on a cold, dreary, damp Saturday afternoon. Everything is shit in England - the poor quality food (a diet of Tizer, hot chips, crisps and boiled sweets), the poor quality water (no fluoride - I mean, really?), the poor quality of their other sports in cricket and national football team. In fact, it won't be long before you're being asked to sponsor poor waifs in England and UNICEF to 'adopt an English kid'.

So be kind to the poor chanting English folk.

The poor fella then looks at me and notes that here in Australia we have endless blue sky, temperate weather, heaps of hot chicks and miles of beaches. We don't need to chant because we're comfortable in our own skins basking in the greatness that is Australia. Truly, it is awesome. Even if your footy team is running stone motherless last...f**k it's great to be Australian.
 

carcharias

Immortal
Messages
43,120
watching nrl on premier over here in uk a big difference seems to be the way the supporters get behind the team- over here theres a lot of mass singing and chanting etc where huge parts of the crowd join in, is it just a culture thing? nrl crowds seem very subdued

whats this ...a ham sandwhich?

B_jvzB6U8AAFqC6.jpg
 

bottle

Coach
Messages
14,126
Having sat next to an English fella on the train heading to a WSW game, he told me the truth as to why they chant.

They live in on a muddy, cold, damp island surrounded by miles and miles of squat housing commission on top of one another, where all they have - as many don't have an education or employment - is their football team. They barely get blue sky in the middle of summer and are severely Vitamin D deficient. They live vicariously by the fortunes of their team or X-Factor contestants. Individual football players make more money than some whole towns. But the team means everything to the town because if Town A beats Town B, with everything else being so even and so miserable, the only have the satisfaction of the one-upmanship of winning on a cold, dreary, damp Saturday afternoon. Everything is shit in England - the poor quality food (a diet of Tizer, hot chips, crisps and boiled sweets), the poor quality water (no fluoride - I mean, really?), the poor quality of their other sports in cricket and national football team. In fact, it won't be long before you're being asked to sponsor poor waifs in England and UNICEF to 'adopt an English kid'.

So be kind to the poor chanting English folk.

The poor fella then looks at me and notes that here in Australia we have endless blue sky, temperate weather, heaps of hot chicks and miles of beaches. We don't need to chant because we're comfortable in our own skins basking in the greatness that is Australia. Truly, it is awesome. Even if your footy team is running stone motherless last...f**k it's great to be Australian.

:clap::clap::clap:

Give this man a f**king cupie doll!
 
Messages
14,479
Australia once had a vibrant footy banner culture.

For no particular reason, always loved PUSH IT UP MANLY which you saw at all Sea-Eagles games. It just was always there. And that GST (Saints one).
 

veggiepatch1959

First Grade
Messages
9,841
Australia once had a vibrant footy banner culture.

For no particular reason, always loved PUSH IT UP MANLY which you saw at all Sea-Eagles games. It just was always there. And that GST (Saints one).

My all time favourite was:-

"WHO NEEDS A BIG WILLIE WHEN YOU'VE GOT A GREAT TONGUE".

Brilliant!!
 

Danish

Referee
Messages
31,835
Its a valid question.

I travelled over to the Knights vs Warriors game at Newy?

Their chant? New-Castle *clap clap clap New-Castle *clap clap clap?

The Warriors chant at home? Warr-iors * clap clap clap Warr-iors * clap clap clap

Are Australian and NZ supporters really that unimaginative ?


Yes its much more imaginative in europe. Why over there they have upwards of 6 chants that all clubs across the continent sing with their team's name substituted in.

You can hear these chants at most primary school sports carnivals as well.
 

Canard

Immortal
Messages
34,147
Yes its much more imaginative in europe. Why over there they have upwards of 6 chants that all clubs across the continent sing with their team's name substituted in.

You can hear these chants at most primary school sports carnivals as well.

You aren't inspired by the incredible moving chants of "Who are ya, Who are ya, Who are ya!"

Or "Give us a wave, Give us a wave!"

You have no soul.............
 

Raiderdave

First Grade
Messages
7,990
Australians dont sing at any sporting events

Except sooker fans cos its boring as bat shit
& theyre not Australian

Theyre wannabe Euro Wankers ;-)
 

Hello, I'm The Doctor

First Grade
Messages
9,124
Its a valid question.

I travelled over to the Knights vs Warriors game at Newy?

Their chant? New-Castle *clap clap clap New-Castle *clap clap clap?

The Warriors chant at home? Warr-iors * clap clap clap Warr-iors * clap clap clap

Are Australian and NZ supporters really that unimaginative ?

Theres just not the same level of organisation.....

Its just a cultural thing that has hung on in the US/Europe that never had the same origin in Australia.

There are a few thing the NRL could be doing:
- proper team songs (eg; Glory to South Sydney, Sweet Caroline, the Knights new one) instead of these shitty rock song trying to be cool (the new NQLD one is soooo bad)
- Leader-groups around the stadium (and drums to keep a rhythm)
- an anthem at the beginning of every game (Aussie anthem, Waltzing matilda, Simply the best, whatever) to get the fans in the mood to sing together.
 

Dogs Of War

Coach
Messages
12,718
There are a few thing the NRL could be doing:
- proper team songs (eg; Glory to South Sydney, Sweet Caroline, the Knights new one) instead of these shitty rock song trying to be cool (the new NQLD one is soooo bad)
- Leader-groups around the stadium (and drums to keep a rhythm)
- an anthem at the beginning of every game (Aussie anthem, Waltzing matilda, Simply the best, whatever) to get the fans in the mood to sing together.

In 1999 the ARU got John Williamson to sing Waltzing Matlida before the match, and the crowd responded by singing it unaided during the match when we knew we had won in 1999. It was a very good experience.

This is the sort of thing that we could do to educate fans, and get 4-5 songs for each club that they all know and can sing along to, to show pride etc. You would only need to get some entertainer in to play one song a week (who cares who it is, plenty of time before matches for some pre match entertainment, maybe a couple of there songs, and then one of the selected club songs).

Members of clubs could probably do voting etc to decide which of the songs they would like to learn first, and see if it catches on.
 
Messages
13,776
I go with 2 friends of mine to Brisbane Roar games and I asked them to come along to a Broncos match. Just before the game, one of them says to me "there's double the people here than at a Brisbane Roar game, It's going to be so noisy" I told him "it may seem that way but Roar crowds are way louder, just wait until a few minutes after kick off". 2 minutes into the game and theres absolute dead silence. In football, the singing doesn't stop.

It's called atmosphere, it's what makes going to games worth it. Rugby League has a massive problem with it and it doesn't help that you all think you're too cool to chant/sing/show any emotion for the team you support.
 

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