2022 NRL ratings

[Menaiduck]

The story I heard - and it was a long long time ago, but I remember it because I can`t stand o`neill as well - that was told by Roy Masters was that o`neill who played once in some comp or other, it obviously wasn`t NSWRL, came up against an international League centre and was treated like a `turnstile` I`m pretty sure that was the word Masters used, all afternoon during one match, absolutely humiliating him. If I remember correctly, this is where o`neills hatred for League stemmed from according to Masters.
Now Roy maybe have been taking a bit of artistic licence there, although I have no doubt the story was true, but more likely o`neill`s hatred of league probably stems from League having pinched union players for all those years. The turnstile incident most likely just added a bit of venom to his dislike, it would have tough for a big-head like him to get publicly humiliated.
BTW, I`ve always had it in my head that it was the Commonwealth Bank Cup, is that the old schoolboy comp? so the centre he came up against may have been a future League international, but I wouldn`t quote me on that.

Peter fitzsimons is another league hater with a massive chip on his shoulder. I can’t recall why. You have to feel a bit sorry for him though. Imagine waking up each day knowing you are Peter fitzsimons.

 

[The Penguin #6.]

I think the likes of Underwood, Kennet and Wilson view RL as their main competitor, hence the reason they are so vitriolic about it

Absolutely without a doubt, and if League can get its` act together with a proper national competition and international calendar it could challenge it again.
How I see it is that afl could end becoming a bit like soccer in this country and the same as soccer is in America, a safe alternative for parents to let their kids play and but the gravitas with its` serious physical contact will lie with League or as in the USA, gridiron.
It`s like where I grew up, loads more kids played soccer than League, yet far more people followed League, including those that played soccer. Afl like soccer will be the safe and soft option, it will be the kids at schools who are in the League team who will be the jocks, just at like my kids school, any other sport will be just wannabees.
There is also a class element to those off-siders characters you mention as well, they love to dwell on some of the cultural problems in League and try to paint the whole code as one full of women bashing drunken neanderthals, which as we all know League doesn`t have a mortgage on and isn`t true anyway. But it suits their agenda of trying to cast League in a bad light. They hate what they fear.

 

[The Penguin #6.]

Peter fitzsimons is another league hater with a massive chip on his shoulder. I can’t recall why. You have to feel a bit sorry for him though. Imagine waking up each day knowing you are Peter fitzsimons.

This story I know is definitely accurate because ftzsmmns tells it. In the 80`s when Roy Masters was coaching St. George he heard that ftzsmmns was interested in possibly making a code switch so Roy organised to go and watch him at a union game. According to ftzsmmns Roy got here after the game had started and left before half-time and didn`t even speak to ftzsmmns, the inference being one look was enough, Roy knew he`d never make it.
Ftzsmmns is a funny one, died in the wool rugger, but even he has admitted several times in recent years in moments of weakness, that often he prefers to watch the League these days.

 

[Wb1234]

AFL is averaging more than 5 million viewers a round too, and generally rates better in finals, but in recent times not enough to make up for Origin. That has not always been the case. However the AFL generally catches the NRLs first week leadin within the early rounds, and that wont happen this year either, so its probably a win to the NRL that can be called already this year.

I wasnt upset that someone called me a fumbler. I just wont respond to idiots who insult me in one thread and then expect answers for stuff in another.

No offence dude, but I was way out in front on the numbers last year as soon as they were available. I called the NRL in front at seasons end without any struggle or reluctance whatsoever.

I never mention nz because the data hasnt been released since 2015 and after 6 years that should be well and truly known by people who follow my feed, not least because i show the source of my data as being Oztam who dont rate in NZ, or Australian tv channels.

The story I heard - and it was a long long time ago, but I remember it because I can`t stand o`neill as well - that was told by Roy Masters was that o`neill who played once in some comp or other, it obviously wasn`t NSWRL, came up against an international League centre and was treated like a `turnstile` I`m pretty sure that was the word Masters used, all afternoon during one match, absolutely humiliating him. If I remember correctly, this is where o`neills hatred for League stemmed from according to Masters.
Now Roy maybe have been taking a bit of artistic licence there, although I have no doubt the story was true, but more likely o`neill`s hatred of league probably stems from League having pinched union players for all those years. The turnstile incident most likely just added a bit of venom to his dislike, it would have tough for a big-head like him to get publicly humiliated.
BTW, I`ve always had it in my head that it was the Commonwealth Bank Cup, is that the old schoolboy comp? so the centre he came up against may have been a future League international, but I wouldn`t quote me on that.

Just imagine being John O’Neill today and having to see rugby union as it is now and the nrl as it is now.

back then I would love to point out how league surpassed union now I don’t even bother. Union in Australia is in a position where it can never recover from. Even afl are stealing their good juniors together with rugby league

the nrls job now is to basically wipe union off the map as much as it can in the pacific and New Zealand.

 

[The_Wookie]

 

[The Penguin #6.]

Just imagine being John O’Neill today and having to see rugby union as it is now and the nrl as it is now.

back then I would love to point out how league surpassed union now I don’t even bother. Union in Australia is in a position where it can never recover from. Even afl are stealing their good juniors together with rugby league

the nrls job now is to basically wipe union off the map as much as it can in the pacific and New Zealand.

There used to be a bloke in the Herald (SMH) Spiro Zavos who was way worse than ftzsmmns, I can remember him gloating how League would one day become a " parish-pump sport " and a " feeder-system " for rugby union. He did this column once called 10 great moments in Australian sport, number 1,3,5 and 8 being rugby union moments, something like " the Kefu try " and "the Eales goal " and other supposed magnificent union moments in Oz sport, even then I was iffy so I cut it out and kept it, I think the silly old bastard is still alive somewhere, how I`d love to dig it up and mail it to him, all those ` legendary ` union moments, now completely forgotten.

 

[Menaiduck]

There used to be a bloke in the Herald (SMH) Spiro Zavos who was way worse than ftzsmmns, I can remember him gloating how League would one day become a " parish-pump sport " and a " feeder-system " for rugby union. He did this column once called 10 great moments in Australian sport, number 1,3,5 and 8 being rugby union moments, something like " the Kefu try " and "the Eales goal " and other supposed magnificent union moments in Oz sport, even then I was iffy so I cut it out and kept it, I think the silly old bastard is still alive somewhere, how I`d love to dig it up and mail it to him, all those ` legendary ` union moments, now completely forgotten.

I think he started ‘The Roar’ which is the ultimate rah rah delusion site. League discussions there are regularly sabotaged by trolls who have licence to post insults directed at the game and fellow posters. Avoid at all costs.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

O’Neill hates league so much he became a swans member after getting tossed off the ARU. The hate is real.

I've noticed a trend amongst onionball fans to get on the fumbleball bandwagon. I guess they view the enemy of their enemy as their friend.

The story I heard - and it was a long long time ago, but I remember it because I can`t stand o`neill as well - that was told by Roy Masters was that o`neill who played once in some comp or other, it obviously wasn`t NSWRL, came up against an international League centre and was treated like a `turnstile` I`m pretty sure that was the word Masters used, all afternoon during one match, absolutely humiliating him. If I remember correctly, this is where o`neills hatred for League stemmed from according to Masters.
Now Roy maybe have been taking a bit of artistic licence there, although I have no doubt the story was true, but more likely o`neill`s hatred of league probably stems from League having pinched union players for all those years. The turnstile incident most likely just added a bit of venom to his dislike, it would have tough for a big-head like him to get publicly humiliated.
BTW, I`ve always had it in my head that it was the Commonwealth Bank Cup, is that the old schoolboy comp? so the centre he came up against may have been a future League international, but I wouldn`t quote me on that.

Doesn't surprise me. Onionballers are egotistical. Peter Fitzsimpleton is a glaring example.

 

[The Penguin #6.]

I think he started ‘The Roar’ which is the ultimate rah rah delusion site. League discussions there are regularly sabotaged by trolls who have licence to post insults directed at the game and fellow posters. Avoid at all costs.

One of his great lines for me, and even though we`re talking thirty years ago I`ll never forget it because it revealed the whole pretentiousness of so many union types, was his expression " the ensemble try " obviously a comparison between classical music and a try where both backs and forwards are involved. What a wanker.

 

[Wb1234]

I

There used to be a bloke in the Herald (SMH) Spiro Zavos who was way worse than ftzsmmns, I can remember him gloating how League would one day become a " parish-pump sport " and a " feeder-system " for rugby union. He did this column once called 10 great moments in Australian sport, number 1,3,5 and 8 being rugby union moments, something like " the Kefu try " and "the Eales goal " and other supposed magnificent union moments in Oz sport, even then I was iffy so I cut it out and kept it, I think the silly old bastard is still alive somewhere, how I`d love to dig it up and mail it to him, all those ` legendary ` union moments, now completely forgotten.

I emailed old spiro once way back. He had this dumb article about union and was calling the game in England the northern league. He got a bit mad when I told him it was actually the northern union and that a good journo would know that

I can’t stand fitzstupid the only positive is how bad union is must really get to him. Rebecca Wilson was another.

League has so many crap journalists that write about it when they openly don’t like the sport. Compare that to afl where their press will never bag the sport either because they are scared to get blacklisted or just love the sport so much if blinds them

after covid there was an afl jouro, think it was graham cornes, openly praising vlandys leadership over afl. Eddie McGuire was quickly in the paper the next day telling him to zip it.

 

[The Penguin #6.]

I've noticed a trend amongst onionball fans to get on the fumbleball bandwagon. I guess they view the enemy of their enemy as their friend.

That`s an astute observation and one supported by the types that generally support afl, certainly at least in this state. An English friend of mine based in England who follows NRL, the code wars and associated media made the observation last year that the drop in afl ratings on Foxtel maybe associated with rugger fans tearing up their subscriptions when rugger stopped being broadcast on Foxtel, interesting I thought. They certainly are making a big push into the private schools up here though.
My daughter who goes to Uni of NSW told me that she`d been to an afl game, naturally I was horrified and demanded an explanation, she said to me that the swans hand out hundreds of free tickets at the uni. and she went with a crowd, she also told me the atmosphere was great but the game itself was rubbish, she had no idea what was going out there.

 

[Wb1234]

I've noticed a trend amongst onionball fans to get on the fumbleball bandwagon. I guess they view the enemy of their enemy as their friend.

Doesn't surprise me. Onionballers are egotistical. Peter Fitzsimpleton is a glaring example.

There’s this story from way back, probably 2000. Both the wallabies and kangaroos were touring England at the same time.

walllaby captain John eales was asked if he wanted to meet up with the kanrgaroos. His response was no they are a different tribe

the funny thing now is the last wallaby coach is a huge league fan and the current England coach is too.

 

[Wb1234]

One of his great lines for me, and even though we`re talking thirty years ago I`ll never forget it because it revealed the whole pretentiousness of so many union types, was his expression " the ensemble try " obviously a comparison between classical music and a try where both backs and forwards are involved. What a wanker.

The counter is Laurie daley

league is a simple game played by simple people

union is a complex game played by w&&kers

 

[The Penguin #6.]

I


I emailed old spiro once way back. He had this dumb article about union and was calling the game in England the northern league. He got a bit mad when I told him it was actually the northern union and that a good journo would know that

I can’t stand fitzstupid the only positive is how bad union is must really get to him. Rebecca Wilson was another.

League has so many crap journalists that write about it when they openly don’t like the sport. Compare that to afl where their press will never bag the sport either because they are scared to get blacklisted or just love the sport so much if blinds them

after covid there was an afl jouro, think it was graham cornes, openly praising vlandys leadership over afl. Eddie McGuire was quickly in the paper the next day telling him to zip it.

Good one mate, I think Webster falls into that category these days, even when he gives League a compliment it`s a back-handed one. I don`t read his articles any more but I give him a serve in his comments section - not that they post them, but I`m sure they read them though.
I gave him a serve deluxe the other day asking him what had happened and why he is so persistently negative about League, so-called ` Chief sports-writers ` are meant to be impartial, two days later he writes " Rugby League is very watchable at the moment ", could of knocked me over with a feather.
I`ll tell you some other time about a conversation I had with Roy Masters once when he was writing persistently negative articles about the League back in the early 2000`s.
BTW, ftzsmmns definitely reads the comments attached to his articles, I know because sometimes he responds there in the comments section, I mean how sad is that. Good to know though, because if you give him a serve you know he`ll be reading it.

 

[Wb1234]

Good one mate, I think Webster falls into that category these days, even when he gives League a compliment it`s a back-handed one. I don`t read his articles any more but I give him a serve in his comments section - not that they post them, but I`m sure they read them though.
I gave him a serve deluxe the other day asking him what had happened and why he is so persistently negative about League, so-called ` Chief sports-writers ` are meant to be impartial, two days later he writes " Rugby League is very watchable at the moment ", could of knocked me over with a feather.
I`ll tell you some other time about a conversation I had with Roy Masters once when he was writing persistently negative articles about the League back in the early 2000`s.
BTW, ftzsmmns definitely reads the comments attached to his articles, I know because sometimes he responds there in the comments section, I mean how sad is that. Good to know though, because if you give him a serve you know he`ll be reading it.

He’s a union man first but he used to be so good

then he turned and just was gagging vlandys in every article

I don’t mind his articles and Brad Walter used to be good

roy masters isn’t bad but he’s getting on

Michael chayannis the rest are a bit meh

 

[Wb1234]

That`s an astute observation and one supported by the types that generally support afl, certainly at least in this state. An English friend of mine based in England who follows NRL, the code wars and associated media made the observation last year that the drop in afl ratings on Foxtel maybe associated with rugger fans tearing up their subscriptions when rugger stopped being broadcast on Foxtel, interesting I thought. They certainly are making a big push into the private schools up here though.
My daughter who goes to Uni of NSW told me that she`d been to an afl game, naturally I was horrified and demanded an explanation, she said to me that the swans hand out hundreds of free tickets at the uni. and she went with a crowd, she also told me the atmosphere was great but the game itself was rubbish, she had no idea what was going out there.

Yeh but afl only targets the tall skinny guys. The ones who are good at line outs who are basically useless in league.

between league and afl their juniors are getting demolished

 

[The Penguin #6.]

He’s a union man first but he used to be so good

then he turned and just was gagging vlandys in every article

I don’t mind his articles and Brad Walter used to be good

roy masters isn’t bad but he’s getting on

Michael chayannis the rest are a bit meh

Yeah although Roy can be a bit up and down and sometimes become a bit negative overall he`s pretty good.
I think we`ll miss him when he`s gone because he obviously highly intelligent, widely read and has a great knowledge of the history of the game which he often infuses into his articles and TBH I just don`t see another Rugby League journalist any where on the horizon who comes remotely near that.
Ironically Gould has the knowledge, but he lacks Roy`s polish and plus Gould has way to many agendas and I think his ego is out of control sometimes. But I mean who else is there ?

 

[Wb1234]

Yeah although Roy can be a bit up and down and sometimes become a bit negative overall he`s pretty good.
I think we`ll miss him when he`s gone because he obviously highly intelligent, widely read and has a great knowledge of the history of the game which he often infuses into his articles and TBH I just don`t see another Rugby League journalist any where on the horizon who comes remotely near that.
Ironically Gould has the knowledge, but he lacks Roy`s polish and plus Gould has way to many agendas and I think his ego is out of control sometimes. But I mean who else is there ?

I was going to say gould. What you said about him is true. Gus is a genius when he wants to be

 

[Perth Red]

Don't the OzTam ratings deliberately omit the regional viewers because their inclusion would drive the NRL's total well past AwFuL?

The Australian media is full of AwFuL apologists and fumbleball ambassadors who make the CCP look fair and balanced.

Why would OzTAM give two shts about an afl v nrl cock measuring contest?they focus on the metro ratings because that is where 90% of media advertising is spent Id suggest,

 

[Perth Red]

Yeh but afl only targets the tall skinny guys. The ones who are good at line outs who are basically useless in league.

between league and afl their juniors are getting demolished

I thought that until I met the Dockers a few years ago. There was quite a few around the 6ft 2-4 and 95-105kg mark. i was looking at them thinking what great wingers And centres they’d make if they could tackle!