2014 NRL Draw

[slipperykinchela]

Buzz reckons in his column today Manly/Melbourne will open the season on Saturday night.

He also says FOX are interested in moving the 9:30 delayed Saturday game most weeks into a 6pm Sunday (hotter months) or 3pm Saturday (winter months) timeslot.

He didn't actually say that about manly vs Melbourne, he just said they will meet in round 1.

Souths vs chooks will kick off the season on a Thursday, Souths will play Manly at the SCG in rd 2.

 

[Canard]

I think this is a really fair point the NRL makes sure the Cowboys don't play at Townsville on a Sunday arvo which suits both the players and the fans you would have to imagine, so why not give the Raiders more Sunday and Saturday (when they have them if not 5.30) arvo games.

These games actually suit the Raiders in terms of football results, is it with throwing that away?

 

[Timmah]

New articles on NRL.com give us...

- only 1 daytime match in each of the first three rounds to alleviate heat concerns
- less marquee games around Origin
- Origin dates still 3 weeks apart (28 May QLD, 18 Jun NSW, 9 Jul QLD)
- Rep weekend same structure (2 May Test, 4 May CvC)

Summary here on LU: http://www.leagueunlimited.com/news/show/2014-nrl-draw/

 

[Timmah]

He didn't actually say that about manly vs Melbourne, he just said they will meet in round 1.

Souths vs chooks will kick off the season on a Thursday, Souths will play Manly at the SCG in rd 2.

Perhaps you misunderstood me, I didn't mean to imply it was the first game of the season. He certainly said it was to be Saturday night:

We're hearing Manly will play arch-rivals Melbourne Storm on the Saturday night.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...e-header-in-2014/story-fni2flhh-1226772205265

As for Souths v Manly @ SCG Round 2... haven't seen that said anywhere, now who's making stuff up?

 

[CC_Roosters]

New articles on NRL.com give us...

- only 1 daytime match in each of the first three rounds to alleviate heat concerns
- less marquee games around Origin
- Origin dates still 3 weeks apart (28 May QLD, 18 Jun NSW, 9 Jul QLD)
- Rep weekend same structure (2 May Test, 4 May CvC)

Summary here on LU: http://www.leagueunlimited.com/news/show/2014-nrl-draw/

Still no lesson learned then even after the disaster of a season attendance wise.

 

[Card Shark]

Still no lesson learned then even after the disaster of a season attendance wise.

The game is about TV now, not so much attendances, & this gives Ch 9 plenty of time to promote the games & build up interest & collect advertising revenue on a prime time weeknight.

It's never going to change, for that reason.

 

[CC_Roosters]

The game is about TV now, not so much attendances, & this gives Ch 9 plenty of time to promote the games & build up interest & collect advertising revenue on a prime time weeknight.

It's never going to change, for that reason.

But does what you have outlined balance out against flat lining the second half of the regular season? Imo the season didn't recover until the bunnies played us in Round 26 last year and the drop in tv ratings was there for all to see.

if I had my way origin would be one game a season

 

[slipperykinchela]

As for Souths v Manly @ SCG Round 2... haven't seen that said anywhere, now who's making stuff up? [/QUOTE]

was told by a member of Souths coaching staff on the weekend

 

[Raiderdave]

As for Souths v Manly @ SCG Round 2... haven't seen that said anywhere, now who's making stuff up?

was told by a member of Souths coaching staff on the weekend[/QUOTE]

not possible for a rnd 2 NRL game at the SCG as that would be the weekend of March 14 to 16

the ground is not available to anything except Cricket for another 2 weeks after this date ( end of March)
even the Swines can't use it


If Souths are playin Manly in rnd 2
it'll be Brookvale or Gosford.

 

[Joker's Wild]

if I had my way origin would be one game a season

Thank christ you dont then

 

[Card Shark]

But does what you have outlined balance out against flat lining the second half of the regular season? Imo the season didn't recover until the bunnies played us in Round 26 last year and the drop in tv ratings was there for all to see.

if I had my way origin would be one game a season

Origin, as the games showpiece, has been part of our mid-season for 34 years & it has impacted upon the comp in many ways along the way.

However I can't recall too many times that best 2 teams haven't contested the grand final, even though they are invariably 2 of the teams that origin hits pretty hard.

Everyone has to work around it & it brings the teams closer together, which is good for interest in the game.

Channel 9's selection of games for the last 6 weeks (& the previous 20, for that matter) had a lot to do with ratings stumbling before the finals, IMO.

 

[Bastard Squad]

Channel 9's selection of games for the last 6 weeks (& the previous 20, for that matter) had a lot to do with ratings stumbling before the finals, IMO.

On the money, why Channel 9 kept picking their favourite teams like Parra even though they were down the arse end of the table is anyone's guess.

Parra Friday night rounds 22 & 23, sunday arvo rounds 24 & 26. Who the f**k made that call ? They should be sacked.

 

[CC_Roosters]

Origin, as the games showpiece, has been part of our mid-season for 34 years & it has impacted upon the comp in many ways along the way.

However I can't recall too many times that best 2 teams haven't contested the grand final, even though they are invariably 2 of the teams that origin hits pretty hard.

Everyone has to work around it & it brings the teams closer together, which is good for interest in the game.

Channel 9's selection of games for the last 6 weeks (& the previous 20, for that matter) had a lot to do with ratings stumbling before the finals, IMO.

The tumble began long before the last six rounds.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Still no lesson learned then even after the disaster of a season attendance wise.

I imagine channel 9 just has too much interest in leaving it as is and has the power to back that.

I would wager that NRL HQ has heard and considered most of the alternative and decided it wasnt worth the change just yet. Im looking for a change going into the next TV contract, any time before that seems like wishful thinking.

 

[Canard]

Weren't ratings off 1%?

Given the slide in TV ratings across the board due to digital choice are we not over reacting?

Also why do we act like Origin is a different sport and is in competition with the NRL??

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Origin, as the games showpiece, has been part of our mid-season for 34 years & it has impacted upon the comp in many ways along the way.

However I can't recall too many times that best 2 teams haven't contested the grand final, even though they are invariably 2 of the teams that origin hits pretty hard.

Everyone has to work around it & it brings the teams closer together, which is good for interest in the game.

Channel 9's selection of games for the last 6 weeks (& the previous 20, for that matter) had a lot to do with ratings stumbling before the finals, IMO.

Its a professional sport though. Its not about the teams, its about the fans and the fans get turned off during this period. This has also been happening for 34 year, but never to this extent.

 

[Card Shark]

The game had some very bad press this year with the ASADA stuff. Perhaps it turned a lot of people off. News ltd tried their best to do that.

I know it turned me off for a while, expecting the worst for my team, yet it continues to be unresolved.

 

[Timmah]

Still no lesson learned then even after the disaster of a season attendance wise.

"no lesson learned" is a bit harsh. They're planning to restructure the matches around that period - the lesson learned is to not have games like CBY/MEL and CBY/SYD sans-Origin players, which is what they've mentioned in articles today.

I welcome the idea... should be good.

 

[franklin2323]

But does what you have outlined balance out against flat lining the second half of the regular season? Imo the season didn't recover until the bunnies played us in Round 26 last year and the drop in tv ratings was there for all to see.

if I had my way origin would be one game a season

Parra v Melb Ch 9 game.
Souths v Tigers x 2 Ch 9 game

Etc. Playing the wooden spooners 4/6 rounds when had form to choose with is what hurt the ratings not Origin. Top 4 teams pre-origin finished top 4 at the end of the season so no one really was hurt by it.

On the draw Penrith v Interstate team in Bathurst was reported in the local paper. So good to see the game moved around. Giving our crowds against interstate teams recently wont be any less people at the game

 

[franklin2323]

"no lesson learned" is a bit harsh. They're planning to restructure the matches around that period - the lesson learned is to not have games like CBY/MEL and CBY/SYD sans-Origin players, which is what they've mentioned in articles today.

I welcome the idea... should be good.

Exactly. Penrith, Parra, Tigers, Dragons, Warriors will have minimal origin players. Sure are weaker then others but 2 full strength teams playing each other is better then Melb without the big 3 etc