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  1. R

    NRLW - 2023

    The call that rubbed out a Sharks try against the Knights proves conclusively that the bunker can't be trusted with the obstruction rule. At least Billy and Allana were clear in the commentary - "that's not obstruction". Normally you get waffle like "tough call" or "very harsh".
  2. R

    why dont nrl crowds sing/chant?

    TV commentators are the worst. Constantly on the ref's case to see and call things. Definitely affects how the game is played. Coaches get the message that expansive or intricate play risks turning the ball over. Razzle-dazzle is reserved for good field position. Most teams stick to one-out...
  3. R

    why dont nrl crowds sing/chant?

    That all rings true, but NRL media habits are not sui generis. These journo goons haven't arrived from outer space. They must represent something intrinsic to RL. I had an exchange with someone on a Dragons thread who was losing his marbles over a (perfectly correct) double-movement call in the...
  4. R

    why dont nrl crowds sing/chant?

    Laid back? On-field officials so frightened to miss anything that they call everything. Bunker painstakingly searching for knock-ons and obstructions from all available angles. With the possible exception of the French, refereeing in Oz is the most obsessive compulsive in the world. Coaches...
  5. R

    New Zealand 2 will deal a massive blow to NZ rugby

    "Up The Wahs" is the new "Random Souths Fan" on social media. Good promo for the club. Don't be a misery guts. Kotahitanga (I'm probably using that word incorrectly)
  6. R

    why dont nrl crowds sing/chant?

    It's grim up North. Except that chanting didn't emerge from within English RL. We just copied it from Soccer. Some of the more voluble Swinton fans on Sundays were regulars in the Stretford End on Saturdays. For them, a natural crossover, albeit with a much smaller choir. One of my earliest...
  7. R

    The Game 2023 Crowd Watch

    Exact opposite. I think seventeen sets of fans demanding the pursuit of Utopia as the basis for continued support is not the route to NRL prosperity. Particularly as measured in aggregate attendance figures. All clubs are demonstrably not equal, but they are components in collective endeavour...
  8. R

    The Game 2023 Crowd Watch

    I watched Tigers v Warriors and Tigers v Dolphins. Enjoyed both games. That's the bottom line for me. Fairly narrow loss followed by very narrow win. Competitive contests despite a media and fan culture telling them they have nothing to play for. Some of the overblown castigation implies 60...
  9. R

    2023 TV/Fox/Streaming Ratings

    Are you quite sure Fox Fumble ratings have bounced back? The figures look abysmal to me. If "Origin fatigue" is the culprit, more likely to be "NRL fans talking down NRL during Origin" fatigue. WC Soccer ratings were consistently higher in Sydney than Melbourne. Lot to unpack there. One factor...
  10. R

    The Game 2023 Crowd Watch

    Has there ever been an NRL club that didn't receive opprobrium after a wooden spoon? Even just missing the finals is deemed an affront to propriety. If Tigers and Dragons "turn it around", I assume that means they will climb the ladder. Whereupon other clubs fall to 16th and 17th. Who then...
  11. R

    The Game 2023 Crowd Watch

    I knew there was a fatal flaw in my argument. The NRL should have abolished 17th place when the Dolphins came in. Like some skyscrapers don't have a thirteenth floor.
  12. R

    The Game 2023 Crowd Watch

    Do you mean they're in 16th and 17th on the ladder? I'll make a prediction. There's a strong chance two teams will finish 16th and 17th in 2024. Seems to happen every year. Very depressing. Teams in 16th and 17th are offensive. They drag the comp down. Decent people keep away.
  13. R

    The Game 2023 Crowd Watch

    Why is it remarkable that the best football comp on the planet should attract good crowds?
  14. R

    2023 TV/Fox/Streaming Ratings

    Still holding to the claim that Origin disruption causes ratings to fall? Not long back, you were proudly boasting of losing interest between Origin and finals. Manifestly, you're not alone. Perhaps as the season wears on, the reasons to get angry and bitter accumulate. More players...
  15. R

    why dont nrl crowds sing/chant?

    Can't think why so many people in Sydney have been watching the Matildas when they could have been enjoying the company of angry miserable blokes at NRL games.
  16. R

    The Game 2023 Crowd Watch

    Missing the finals doesn't necessarily equate to "ordinary on the field". Cowboys have played some great attacking football this year. QCB stadium always looks terrific. Games like Cowboys v Dolphins or Cowboys v Broncos don't become "ordinary" simply because the home team loses.
  17. R

    The Game 2023 Crowd Watch

    The best seats in the house may only be the best seats in the house for occasional attendees who watch most games from their sofas. Regular fans are more likely to prioritize proximity and atmosphere over panoramic views. Would be a revealing experiment if some clubs took cost out of the...
  18. R

    The Game 2023 Crowd Watch

    Why ordinary?
  19. R

    NRL rule changes: The 22 tweaks that would improve rugby league

    6) Let the bunker rule on forward passes in try-scoring situations. 16) Bring back benefit of doubt for tries with advantage going to the attacking teams. We won't give benefit of the doubt to attacking teams if we let the bunker check passes. Wouldn't be restricted to "howlers" either. Before...
  20. R

    More proof that the NRL got it right

    Scarcely believable bit of audio on the Tigers v Cowboys game last Saturday. Ref had called a knock-on. Tigers had challenged. Bunker was studying all available angles. Gus - "Oh it's all got too pedantic for me, Peter. In the old days, you just play on". Bunker - "At this point her hands are...

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