Otherwise why would they bother?
Remember the player collective bargaining pay agreement they negotiated? They promised that if they got the pay rise they were seeking as partners of the NRL that they would do much more promoting of the game. But the clowns at head office at the time took their word for it and didn't put it in writing in the contract with any KPI's to keep them honest and to their word.
Hmmm...funny how it has been so quickly ignored and forgotten altogether. Even funnier still is how the NRL had to pay Gallen $20K so as he could incite the QLDers with his 2 heads comment at SOO time a few seasons ago to promote the game.
I mean now that the NRL isn't paying anyone look how lame the players and coaches are not just in general but in promoting the supposedly biggest rivalry in the code, SOO ffs! It may as well be a mutual admiration club and lovefest. Where the hell has the hate and passion gone? Coaches are ruining the game and players are just happy to do nothing to promote the game.
It is the biggest turn off in the game. That New Castle vs Souths game at the very end there when Klemmer lost it against
Koloamatangi was awesome and started to get the players showing some real hate and passion, but all to late being right at the end of the game like that.
The game is just getting to bland and chummy. We need more hate. More resentment, not robotic sportsmanship crap. After a while watching mates on opposing sides playing like mates on opposing sides, it becomes way to sanitized and dull from a sports rivalry point of view. And when you lose that heated passion, you lose what most people look for most in a sport.
Note: I am not talking about foul play. There is a line and the best rivalries and games sit right on it.