The game is bigger than it has ever been

[Gobsmacked]

There used to be unlimited posession in rugby league. It used to be if you caught the ball on the full you could claim it as a "mark" and kick for goal. It used to be you could kick for goal from a scrum penalty. There used to be a 1 yard ruck rule. Used to be you stayed on if you were injured, even when you had a broken limb as there were no replacements.,

Not everything from the past was always better.

Also go look up about what happend to Danny Shepperd when playing a for the Roosters in 1990 against the Gold Coast. He was in hospital for 4 weeks on life support due to it, and in an induced coma for 14 days. His friends and family thought he'd never recover. Prior to then there were no rules around"drink breaks" due to the heat (source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/n...s-grow-rugby-league-World-Club-Challenge.html).

Consequently, with that in mind, just because it suits certain "old time" fans who preferred an afternoon BBQ is just low on my threshold of concerns for timing of a GF.

What the bloody hell are you on about? That was in summer.
Sydney, Weather for October, Australia https://www.holiday-weather.com/sydney/averages/october/

 

[kurt faulk]

.

work out what time the grandstand shadow covers the whole field.

that should be the starting time of the gf.

i hate the freaking shadows covering half the field. so off-putting for the tv viewer.

.

 

[Vee]

Except for 1994 which was like a morgue with all the Bulldogs supporters at my mates house and watching Terry Lamb knocked out, and any chance of winning go with it.

Karma for Baa for 1988?

 

[Captain Apollo]

What the bloody hell are you on about? That was in summer.
Sydney, Weather for October, Australia https://www.holiday-weather.com/sydney/averages/october/

I mentioned Shepperd because its a proven case of heat stroke back in the "old days" when things like that hadn't happened before. Temperatures in Sydney on Grand Final day are often 30 degrees or hotter through the mid-afternoon for probably the last 10-20 years. As such people want to go backwards to a daytime GF and have NRL players, who these days play a faster paced game, in 30 or greater degree temperatures? Yeah, there'll be no health issues there eh

 

[T-Boon]

There used to be unlimited posession in rugby league.

They needed to change that.

It used to be if you caught the ball on the full you could claim it as a "mark" and kick for goal.

I like that.

 

[Dogs Of War]

There used to be unlimited posession in rugby league. It used to be if you caught the ball on the full you could claim it as a "mark" and kick for goal. It used to be you could kick for goal from a scrum penalty. There used to be a 1 yard ruck rule. Used to be you stayed on if you were injured, even when you had a broken limb as there were no replacements.,

Not everything from the past was always better.

Also go look up about what happend to Danny Shepperd when playing a for the Roosters in 1990 against the Gold Coast. He was in hospital for 4 weeks on life support due to it, and in an induced coma for 14 days. His friends and family thought he'd never recover. Prior to then there were no rules around"drink breaks" due to the heat (source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/n...s-grow-rugby-league-World-Club-Challenge.html).

Consequently, with that in mind, just because it suits certain "old time" fans who preferred an afternoon BBQ is just low on my threshold of concerns for timing of a GF.

Daytime footy is just better. Better handling and seems to be more free flowing. It's not about BBQ's, that's just a bonus. Even if your only BBQing alone.

The other thing it does is helps younger fans enjoy the Grand Final. Cause it's not up past there bed time.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Daytime footy is just better. Better handling and seems to be more free flowing. It's not about BBQ's, that's just a bonus. Even if your only BBQing alone.

The other thing it does is helps younger fans enjoy the Grand Final. Cause it's not up past there bed time.

Yes, having a game which kicks off at 7.40 pm or later is not good for kids wanting to watch.

That said, by the time of year the GF rolls around, its tends to be warmer and drier in Sydney, so the "better handling, more free flowing daylight game" rhetoric is just that rhetoric. There is no dew on the surface, like there is during origin games as its too warm and dry.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

I was blown away by the negativity in the grand final game thread, about the quality of the game.

Yeah, Atkins didn't have his best game, there was some stuff that was looked over that wouldn't have been in a regular season game...but there was quality from kick-off to the last minute of the game.

We had a bunch of teams into the finals - Storm Panthers Bulldogs Roosters Sharks Raiders Broncos (basically all but the Warriors who you could mount a case for winning the thing.

The star quality on show is just off the charts. The ball is in play and played at high intensity for very long periods of time. The game markets itself well. There's headlines every week. We lose very few of our players to other codes/competitions (as union does to European, Japanese rugby etc).

I just don't know how you can look at our game and say it's anything but in the most incredible health.

I live in Melbourne at the moment, yes I know the Storm were in the GF but I was amazed by how everything I heard on Monday morning from Victorian teens - who think rugby is both union and league - was about Reece Walsh. Back in NZ, my Year 9 students all had an SOO team and wanted to know what I thought of it, even though there is zero league played in my region.

I just don't know another code where fans like me would happily sit down for all 8 games across a weekend, because they know (by and large) they're going to be high quality.

 

[Pjf04b]

80% of NRL games are played 6pm or later. Only a few clubs Get to play more than one day game a season. Why change to a day grand final? Surely a 6-7pm kickoff would be equitable for all clubs.

 

[Wb1234]

Pre match looked heaps better at night

Day light saving coming in that day is also a factor

630 would be perfect they can move a current affair

I was blown away by the negativity in the grand final game thread, about the quality of the game.

Yeah, Atkins didn't have his best game, there was some stuff that was looked over that wouldn't have been in a regular season game...but there was quality from kick-off to the last minute of the game.

We had a bunch of teams into the finals - Storm Panthers Bulldogs Roosters Sharks Raiders Broncos (basically all but the Warriors who you could mount a case for winning the thing.

The star quality on show is just off the charts. The ball is in play and played at high intensity for very long periods of time. The game markets itself well. There's headlines every week. We lose very few of our players to other codes/competitions (as union does to European, Japanese rugby etc).

I just don't know how you can look at our game and say it's anything but in the most incredible health.

I live in Melbourne at the moment, yes I know the Storm were in the GF but I was amazed by how everything I heard on Monday morning from Victorian teens - who think rugby is both union and league - was about Reece Walsh. Back in NZ, my Year 9 students all had an SOO team and wanted to know what I thought of it, even though there is zero league played in my region.

I just don't know another code where fans like me would happily sit down for all 8 games across a weekend, because they know (by and large) they're going to be high quality.

Still got half the nrl clubs are useless on the field

And in attack most teams refuse to play eyes up football even on the opposition try line

Either bomb to the corner on last or run that same play where they shift wide with decoy inside runners for the winger to score

Refs ruin games but nitpicking then playing get square in the second half

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Daytime footy is just better. Better handling and seems to be more free flowing. It's not about BBQ's, that's just a bonus. Even if your only BBQing alone.

The other thing it does is helps younger fans enjoy the Grand Final. Cause it's not up past there bed time.

Yep, I hope it goes to 5pm twilight at some stage.

Am I right in saying the second highest rating game of the year in the NRL this year was the Broncos Raiders Sunday 4pm game three weeks ago? So clearly it'll rate its arse off, no matter when it is.

I had my kids up until 940pm and later, with first day of Term 4 the next day. It's not the end of the world but not ideal with kids their age, who I want to be able to watch something like that with.

I know the NZ market isn't massive for the NRL but surely it's a consideration, too. 930pm on a Sunday night is no good, same with Origin. I don't expect Origin would care about changing given that's Australian state-centric, but asking the NZ market to be up at midnight watching a GF is a tough ask. Wouldn't local hospitality venues be keen for an earlier finish, to get punters in afterwards, as well?

 

[Manurewa_Marlins]

Yep, I hope it goes to 5pm twilight at some stage.

Am I right in saying the second highest rating game of the year in the NRL this year was the Broncos Raiders Sunday 4pm game three weeks ago? So clearly it'll rate its arse off, no matter when it is.

I had my kids up until 940pm and later, with first day of Term 4 the next day. It's not the end of the world but not ideal with kids their age, who I want to be able to watch something like that with.

I know the NZ market isn't massive for the NRL but surely it's a consideration, too. 930pm on a Sunday night is no good, same with Origin. I don't expect Origin would care about changing given that's Australian state-centric, but asking the NZ market to be up at midnight watching a GF is a tough ask. Wouldn't local hospitality venues be keen for an earlier finish, to get punters in afterwards, as well?

I think I had a sick day first day of term 4 right through high school haha!

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Pre match looked heaps better at night

Day light saving coming in that day is also a factor

630 would be perfect they can move a current affair



Still got half the nrl clubs are useless on the field

And in attack most teams refuse to play eyes up football even on the opposition try line

Either bomb to the corner on last or run that same play where they shift wide with decoy inside runners for the winger to score

Refs ruin games but nitpicking then playing get square in the second half

Yep, the referees are a significant issue. They're convoluting what is a pretty simple product, by having poor communication skills, being overly officious at times, swinging penalty counts to suit game flow, and so on.

I wouldn't say half the NRL clubs are useless, at all. Newcastle got the spoon, but have been making finals nigh-on every year for the last five years. They beat the four-time premiers this year, almost beat the minor premiers, they competed at times but just decided they wanted their coach gone, had injuries and lay down. The Titans have a star-studded roster but haven't figured a way. The Dragons beat the Storm AND the Broncos during the regular season. The Rabbits beat the Broncos, too. The Eels are on the rise. The Dolphins finished 9th but scored the most points in the comp this year.

I agree with teams and the eyes up footy stuff, certainly my team does it. I'd like to see more flair and off the cuff stuff in the game but being realistic, that doesn't always win comps. Some teams get bogged down in systems.

I dunno, you can see the negative in our game which exists, but to me it's the superior code with daylight second, and night time third.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

I think I had a sick day first day of term 4 right through high school haha!

Hahaha good man. I'll happily give my girls that if they get into league when they're older

 

[Penrose Warrior]

6.30pm is probably an ideal time. I'd love to see it moved an hour to give more people a chance to take it in properly

 

[newc18]

6.30pm is probably an ideal time. I'd love to see it moved an hour to give more people a chance to take it in properly

That's not a bad time. You could move the entertainment to half time so it's under lights.

 

[Dogs Of War]

Yes, having a game which kicks off at 7.40 pm or later is not good for kids wanting to watch.

That said, by the time of year the GF rolls around, its tends to be warmer and drier in Sydney, so the "better handling, more free flowing daylight game" rhetoric is just that rhetoric. There is no dew on the surface, like there is during origin games as its too warm and dry.

As others pointed out. We also have NZ to consider. For the biggest game of the year. They should have some consideration. Maybe 6pm AEDT. 5pm AEST, 8pm kickoff NZ.

 

[mongoose]

I was blown away by the negativity in the grand final game thread, about the quality of the game.

Yeah, Atkins didn't have his best game, there was some stuff that was looked over that wouldn't have been in a regular season game...but there was quality from kick-off to the last minute of the game.

We had a bunch of teams into the finals - Storm Panthers Bulldogs Roosters Sharks Raiders Broncos (basically all but the Warriors who you could mount a case for winning the thing.

The star quality on show is just off the charts. The ball is in play and played at high intensity for very long periods of time. The game markets itself well. There's headlines every week. We lose very few of our players to other codes/competitions (as union does to European, Japanese rugby etc).

I just don't know how you can look at our game and say it's anything but in the most incredible health.

I live in Melbourne at the moment, yes I know the Storm were in the GF but I was amazed by how everything I heard on Monday morning from Victorian teens - who think rugby is both union and league - was about Reece Walsh. Back in NZ, my Year 9 students all had an SOO team and wanted to know what I thought of it, even though there is zero league played in my region.

I just don't know another code where fans like me would happily sit down for all 8 games across a weekend, because they know (by and large) they're going to be high quality.

The game just needs to work on its presentation a bit better. For instance, what the f**k was with the music at the ground during every break? Amateurish mickey mouse shit, it's not the local High school Basketball game ffs. The dimwits from 9 with their cringe interviews seconds after the final siren is gone, no time to let the players celebrate and get out some emotion. Don't get me started on the park level caller Matt Thompson. Definitely a few tweaks the game could do there by working with its stakeholders.

 

[BuffaloRules]

80% of NRL games are played 6pm or later. Only a few clubs Get to play more than one day game a season. Why change to a day grand final? Surely a 6-7pm kickoff would be equitable for all clubs.

I’m not so sure about your maths … there are two games on Sundays at 2pm and 4pm and most Saturday’s have games at 3pm..

most weekends have a maximum of 8 games ..

Your statement that most clubs only play one day game a season is a lie ..

 

[Dogs Of War]

I’m not so sure about your maths … there are two games on Sundays at 2pm and 4pm and most Saturday’s have games at 3pm..

most weekends have a maximum of 8 games ..

Your statement that most clubs only play one day game a season is a lie ..

Bulldogs had 7 games on Sunday. I'm sure we had a few in that 3pm slot as well on Saturday.

I'd say most clubs other than what is considered premier clubs like the Storm and Broncos who want those night time games to maximise attendances had around the same number as the Bulldogs.