How To Fix the NRL 101

[oikee]

Its not about us guys, we are League tragics, we will watch City v Country FFS.

Its about attracting interest from TV Channels and "casual" fans.

Creating an all-star game in the middle of the season won't create as much interest as playing a "dead rubber" Origin match will.

You can't manufacture passion for sports.

PS Run me through the great gamut of players from Perth and Victoria.

There is not many, (players from Perth and Melbourne) , but the interest in having a player can not be under-estimated in this enviroment.
The afl live for that sort of press, something rugby league needs to learn from and create themselves.
I love the city country game, even up here in Queensland, wish we had the same thing for ourselves.
The point is that you can gain some traction if you have players from those states in a team.
How many times do you hear fans from other codes sinking the boot into league because we dont even have teams in other states. We need to be giving our own fans and players some ammo, instead of getting our heads kicked in every year.
The real point that needs to be made, and plenty know this, we need to start putting exile players into a tougher Origin type enviroment. The only way to do this is to introduce them somehow into the Origin concept without losing any traditions of the Origin concept.

The exiles concept is perfect for a introduction into the origin type arena.

It is not about diluting anything, it is about building it bigger.
Look as for the soccer, there europeon comps have grown massively, that is all i am saying.
The point is they keep building on these concepts, rugby league seems to stagnate like a old farmers duckpond.
It is why the international game has suffered.

 

[VictoryFC]

The exiles idea is not terrible, but will it wont achieve what youre looking for. It is a start, but a tiny cog of a million other things that need to be done. Every initiative costs money, and its one dollar less to give to something else.

 

[TheVelourFog]

Who, pray tell, are all these "casual fans" that decide to watch rugby league on a whim, every week presumably. They dont exist. And if they do, why would they care who is playing, since being "casual fans" they are not invested in any particular team? Wasting time trying to cater for a market that doesn't exist.

 

[lockyno1]

Rubbish. Over that 3 week period you can have tests played between Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, PNG and cook islands. You could have Auckland vs counties in New Zealand. It could be a huge 3 weeks with a big game on every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. Hardly a dearth of games to watch.

Snooze! Not interested in any of these games whatsoever. This is a 95% AUSTRALIAN competition, it is a club competition for crying out loud...yes a huge 3 weeks...I'd be bored out of my mind and I wouldn't be the only one.

 

[lockyno1]

So you guys would not watch NSW playing a exiles team stacked with poms islanders and kiwis, even a Victorian here or there and a Guy from Perth. ?
.

Heck no! Goes against the fabric of State of Origin. There is no dead rubber in Origin, even if it is to find out which players can play Origin for the following year. Don't make these games a laughing stock please...Exiles are just an All Stars concept and it is terrible:lol:

 

[oikee]

The exiles idea is not terrible, but will it wont achieve what youre looking for. It is a start, but a tiny cog of a million other things that need to be done. Every initiative costs money, and its one dollar less to give to something else.

That i can agree on. Dave Smith really had his work cut out. To his credit, he can see the huge potential.
2 million spent in the bush is a start.
Joining with touch, another good thing.
What annoys me is why the code was ever dismembered from touch.
How that happen. More infighting.

 

[Rodney]

Snooze! Not interested in any of these games whatsoever. This is a 95% AUSTRALIAN competition, it is a club competition for crying out loud...yes a huge 3 weeks...I'd be bored out of my mind and I wouldn't be the only one.

people support one team usually in the NRL anyway.
That usually gives them one game they're interested in per week.
The fanatics would watch them all, but the average joe would watch their team's game and probably switch off.

The 3 week break would have competition, just not club competition. The majority of the followers of the NRL would switch focus to the SOO.
And the fanatics will be able to amuse themselves with internationals.
The only loser out of this might be storm fans.

 

[oikee]

Who, pray tell, are all these "casual fans" that decide to watch rugby league on a whim, every week presumably. They dont exist. And if they do, why would they care who is playing, since being "casual fans" they are not invested in any particular team? Wasting time trying to cater for a market that doesn't exist.

No need to get misty Fog.
Everyone has heard of Origin, if you haven';t your either dead or some sort of demented zombie who needs a stake through his heart. hehe

The commentator, ? he tells you were the players are from, lets dress the sucker up in lights and make a big deal where the exile players are from. You know, a American type razzamattaz intro, Boom daddy baby big show type intro.
Gee whiz, i am not into marketing, but i think even i could pull this sucker off. i would just hire me a yank.

 

[lockyno1]

people support one team usually in the NRL anyway.
That usually gives them one game they're interested in per week.
The fanatics would watch them all, but the average joe would watch their team's game and probably switch off.

The 3 week break would have competition, just not club competition. The majority of the followers of the NRL would switch focus to the SOO.
And the fanatics will be able to amuse themselves with internationals.
The only loser out of this might be storm fans.

Or we can stop changing something that doesn't need to be changed. 1-3 Internationals is fine at the end of the year, but honestly it is only really a passing interest of mine, and if I had to watch 3 weeks of it I'd go coo coo. I'd rather see young players get an opportunity while SOO is on, actually shows what depth teams have coming through!

 

[lockyno1]

No need to get misty Fog.
Everyone has heard of Origin, if you haven';t your either dead or some sort of demented zombie who needs a stake through his heart. hehe

The commentator, ? he tells you were the players are from, lets dress the sucker up in lights and make a big deal where the exile players are from. You know, a American type razzamattaz intro, Boom daddy baby big show type intro.
Gee whiz, i am not into marketing, but i think even i could pull this sucker off. i would just hire me a yank.

You want to WRECK SOO with a gimmick match FFS! Seriously of all ideas and I have heard a few, this takes the cake! For the last time, THERE ARE NO DEAD RUBBERS IN STATE OF ORIGIN!

Leave your gimmick rubbish to the All Stars match, you can dress them up, make them wear mini skirts, leotards, whatever...but you do not ever touch State of Origin!

 

[LineBall]

Or we can stop changing something that doesn't need to be changed. 1-3 Internationals is fine at the end of the year, but honestly it is only really a passing interest of mine, and if I had to watch 3 weeks of it I'd go coo coo. I'd rather see young players get an opportunity while SOO is on, actually shows what depth teams have coming through!

The decrease in crowds and TV viewers during Origin time would suggest otherwise.

 

[lockyno1]

The decrease in crowds and TV viewers during Origin time would suggest otherwise.

Yet you want to force others to watch some rubbish like Samoa against some neville nobodies...oh yeah that will bring in the viewers and crowds...:crazy:

Fact is, Origin is our pinnacle in terms of finances, it won't be changed for a silly mid season Amco style International Cup:lol:

 

[LineBall]

Yet you want to force others to watch some rubbish like Samoa against some neville nobodies...oh yeah that will bring in the viewers and crowds...:crazy:

Fact is, Origin is our pinnacle in terms of finances, it won't be changed for a silly mid season Amco style International Cup:lol:

Yes, I'm sure Tonga, Fiji, Cook Islands, PNG are all Neville Nobodies in your mind. Fact is that these players are starting to make up more and more of the NRL. Why shouldn't they be given the opportunity to play at the highest level on a more regular basis.

And I agree Origin at the moment is the pinnacle of our game. That is the very reason why it can be moved to 3 consecutive weekends. It will attract viewers no matter when it is on. But that isn't the problem. The problem is having NRL teams playing matches, with their best players unavailable due to rep commitments, which is something that damages the integrity of the competition and turns off viewers and crowds alike, something that you fail to acknowledge or can't understand.

 

[lockyno1]

Yes, I'm sure Tonga, Fiji, Cook Islands, PNG are all Neville Nobodies in your mind. Fact is that these players are starting to make up more and more of the NRL. Why shouldn't they be given the opportunity to play at the highest level on a more regular basis.

And I agree Origin at the moment is the pinnacle of our game. That is the very reason why it can be moved to 3 consecutive weekends. It will attract viewers no matter when it is on. But that isn't the problem. The problem is having NRL teams playing matches, with their best players unavailable due to rep commitments, which is something that damages the integrity of the competition and turns off viewers and crowds alike, something that you fail to acknowledge or can't understand.

Those countries can play at the END of the season, I don't want to watch 3 weeks of them, half of them were dreadful last World Cup anyway! This will not bring in ratings, all people will do is switch over to the soccer/AFL/Union, etc...anything apart from watching Internationals between nations that are not Australia.

The format is fine right now, we don't need to change it. We tried stand alone weekends before...guess what FANS HATED IT! I agree, honestly I can deal with 1 weekend without league, I'd go on a holiday or something, but 3 weeks is ridiculous, and it creates a massive hole in our season...at a time where other sports have massive games. Just no thanks.

 

[Eels Dude]

Who, pray tell, are all these "casual fans" that decide to watch rugby league on a whim, every week presumably. They dont exist. And if they do, why would they care who is playing, since being "casual fans" they are not invested in any particular team? Wasting time trying to cater for a market that doesn't exist.

I would say the fans that watch games on the weekend, even go to the footy sometimes, but don't spend hours of a week posting on message boards about the game.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Those countries can play at the END of the season, I don't want to watch 3 weeks of them, half of them were dreadful last World Cup anyway! This will not bring in ratings, all people will do is switch over to the soccer/AFL/Union, etc...anything apart from watching Internationals between nations that are not Australia.

The format is fine right now, we don't need to change it. We tried stand alone weekends before...guess what FANS HATED IT! I agree, honestly I can deal with 1 weekend without league, I'd go on a holiday or something, but 3 weeks is ridiculous, and it creates a massive hole in our season...at a time where other sports have massive games. Just no thanks.

When was the last time did this happen??

Are we going back to the late 90's? Because i can think of one other reason fans were turning away then (do i actually have to say Super League here...)

Are we going back before that, when Parra Stadium was considered "top of the range" and the game was happy with a 5,000 crowd??

Fact is, this is a brand new enviroment where Origin will sell out and people will watch it no matter when or where it is played, and for the 9 weeks it is on there are nothing but Maroon and sky blue jerseys on the back of the paper. No one but a few hard core fans want to watch once the NRL becomes a reserve grade comp.

Sure you will be bored for the few weeks with nothing to do, but youll be excited when it comes back, as if it was an offseason, and crowds will go up dramatically. Maybe pleasing you isnt so much in the games interest as making you fanatically miss it...

 

[LineBall]

Those countries can play at the END of the season, I don't want to watch 3 weeks of them, half of them were dreadful last World Cup anyway! This will not bring in ratings, all people will do is switch over to the soccer/AFL/Union, etc...anything apart from watching Internationals between nations that are not Australia.

The format is fine right now, we don't need to change it. We tried stand alone weekends before...guess what FANS HATED IT! I agree, honestly I can deal with 1 weekend without league, I'd go on a holiday or something, but 3 weeks is ridiculous, and it creates a massive hole in our season...at a time where other sports have massive games. Just no thanks.

You mustn't have much faith in rugby league fans. Three weeks of state of origin and internationals, with the best playing the best, and you think we're all going to follow union/afl/soccer, because there's no club comp for three weeks.

 

[oikee]

You want to WRECK SOO with a gimmick match FFS! Seriously of all ideas and I have heard a few, this takes the cake! For the last time, THERE ARE NO DEAD RUBBERS IN STATE OF ORIGIN!

Leave your gimmick rubbish to the All Stars match, you can dress them up, make them wear mini skirts, leotards, whatever...but you do not ever touch State of Origin!

There is dead rubbers in origin, i went to one of them at Suncorp.

As for being a gimmack, what are you talking about.
South Africa are playing a union world 15, ? is that not a gimmack,
A barbarians union side, ? is that not a gimmack. ?
England wales Ireland and Scotland joined together and call them lions, is that not a gimmack. ?
These are all gimmack games that make millions and millions of dollars.

Your obviously refuse to let rugby league grow out of QLD and NSW.
The dinosaurs are dead.

Soccer friendlies, all gimmacks.

 

[TheVelourFog]

I would say the fans that watch games on the weekend, even go to the footy sometimes, but don't spend hours of a week posting on message boards about the game.

I sounded snarky, but honestly you just described 99% of fans. Even my mrs who hates league has been to games with me and watched it on tv....if we are talking low crowd figures I can think of 3 factors, none of which are related to the on-field product: Cost, access to grounds, scheduling.

 

[Perth Red]

Or we can stop changing something that doesn't need to be changed. 1-3 Internationals is fine at the end of the year, but honestly it is only really a passing interest of mine, and if I had to watch 3 weeks of it I'd go coo coo. I'd rather see young players get an opportunity while SOO is on, actually shows what depth teams have coming through!

You didn't enjoy the RLWC?

If we are to move to stand alone weekends you would need to shorten the number of rounds in NRL which wouldn't go down well.
Ideally if we did it would look something like to fill the TV schedule and boost rep RL:
Fri Samoa v Tonga,
Sat SOO, full day starting at 12 with u20's 2pm WA v Vic 4pm nsw cup v qland cup rep sides 6pm nsw v qland
Sun Eng v NZ (would take a big sweetener to SL) Fiji v png

Three match series of each of those would be fun to watch