Rugby League is in the greatest shape ever. (Discuss)

[Chins get the wins]

Probably got a lot to do with the timezone but I barely watch NRL these days and if I do it’s for the LU match threads and not the game itself - the product hasn’t been gripping me to be honest. Happy it’s healthy off the pitch though.

The Aaron Woods factor

 

[Diesel]

PR is generally over all threads, posting multiple times yet hasn’t left a comment here once

 

[Vlad59]

PR is generally over all threads, posting multiple times yet hasn’t left a comment here once

The Dane is here so that’s bad enough thanks

 

[This Year?]

The game is in a great place overall. Expansion through QLD will give the game a solid base to expand outside of QLD and NSW. Attendance and memberships are up. I still feel it can be better with improvements in the media at club and NRL level. Stadiums need improvement for game day fan experience.

 

[Bukowski]

The game is in a great place overall. Expansion through QLD will give the game a solid base to expand outside of QLD and NSW. Attendance and memberships are up. I still feel it can be better with improvements in the media at club and NRL level. Stadiums need improvement for game day fan experience.

A few clubs should do better. Wests to Commbank and saints to Allianz for a start.

 

[Chins get the wins]

A few clubs should do better. Wests to Commbank and saints to Allianz for a start.

St Merge to the Gong permanently*

 

[Bukowski]

St Merge to the Gong permanently*

Bit like Wests to Campbelltown. I'd wait till a better stadium gets built.

 

[soc123_au]

I'd say I've watched 90% of games since they all became televised in the 90's. I think this is the best it's been since 00 - 05 on field, and the best it's ever been off it.

Lord Peter and Dare I say it Gus have been the best things to happen to RL since the unlimited tackle era was relegated to history.

Lord Pete for the off field stuff & Gus for lighting the fire that awakened the sleeping giant. Not trying to make this another PENRITH thread, but as previously mentioned Dynastys are great thing in sport. This Dynasty has been built from within while the Vultures keep attacking yet it rolls on. Other clubs are starting to apply similar formulas and that is a huge positive for the game, it will take 5 to 10 years to bear fruit, but as long as a fair number of clubs stick to the formula RL will be in great shape.

Kevvie in last nights presser was great, you could see it was lightbulb moment and if the Broncos keep that mentality they will be hard to beat for a long time. Ciraldo is trying to push the Dogs inthe right direction, Warriors are on the up. What we need now is a strong Knights, Raiders and Cows to further push the built from within formula, I could even live with cap exemptions/incentives to encourage the players they develop to stay put.

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

Bit like Wests to Campbelltown. I'd wait till a better stadium gets built.

They’d build a better case for a rebuild if they play more than five games there

 

[Bukowski]

They’d build a better case for a rebuild if they play more than five games there

Yes, it's either all in or nothing.

 

[TheEroticGamer]

I'd say I've watched 90% of games since they all became televised in the 90's. I think this is the best it's been since 00 - 05 on field, and the best it's ever been off it.

Lord Peter and Dare I say it Gus have been the best things to happen to RL since the unlimited tackle era was relegated to history.

Lord Pete for the off field stuff & Gus for lighting the fire that awakened the sleeping giant. Not trying to make this another PENRITH thread, but as previously mentioned Dynastys are great thing in sport. This Dynasty has been built from within while the Vultures keep attacking yet it rolls on. Other clubs are starting to apply similar formulas and that is a huge positive for the game, it will take 5 to 10 years to bear fruit, but as long as a fair number of clubs stick to the formula RL will be in great shape.

Kevvie in last nights presser was great, you could see it was lightbulb moment and if the Broncos keep that mentality they will be hard to beat for a long time. Ciraldo is trying to push the Dogs inthe right direction, Warriors are on the up. What we need now is a strong Knights, Raiders and Cows to further push the built from within formula, I could even live with cap exemptions/incentives to encourage the players they develop to stay put.

Panthers saved rugby league from the terrorism of the Roosters/Storm era. Fans are buoyed by knowing that premierships can be meaningful and won entertainingly again.

 

[Apey]

yeah people are forgetting just 2 years ago we had one of the most unexciting, uncompetitive seasons ever... to argue that just 2 years later its the best its ever been on field? people are f**king delusional. I think the on field product could be a lot better.
Would like to see some better standards of commentators as well considering the broadcasters are an extremely important partner in selling the game. The Nine commentators are some of the worst in the world of professional sport. Fox are not much better, I like Warren Smith but Voss and Ginane are atrocious.

Boggles my mind when people talk about Fox commentators like they do. They really are not much better than 9. It's very clear the whole team is directed to talk up controversy and it's very tiresome. As much as both Warren Smith & Vossy annoy me, they are still better at calling the play by play than Matt Thompson though.

I feel like the problem with 9 is the colour commentators like Joey and Gus have their own platforms elsewhere for their opinions and constantly mix those platforms. Just call the game and cut the whining. People hate Slater for his playing days but he is the best by far on Nine and it's not half obvious why QLD kept winning when you compare to Freddy.

 

[Chins get the wins]

The type of football being played is the best since the early to mid 2000's.

The one problem I have is the illusion of trying to make this sport "safe". It's always been a game for tough merkins and meatheads. I understand why the NRL have to be perceived as making the game safer but the actual fans of the game enjoy violence.

 

[Bazal]

Probably got a lot to do with the timezone but I barely watch NRL these days and if I do it’s for the LU match threads and not the game itself - the product hasn’t been gripping me to be honest. Happy it’s healthy off the pitch though.

It's boring. So no surprise the OP is jizzing themselves

 

[kurt faulk]

yeah people are forgetting just 2 years ago we had one of the most unexciting, uncompetitive seasons ever

Yeah, that regular season was a disaster. The six again call led to blow outs every week. The product was uninspiring.

I was in hospital for a few weeks so the nrl had me captive and I would fall asleep within 20 minutes of every game. Watching the women play was more entertaining that season. That's how bad it got.

Funnily enough the playoffs that season were one of the most exciting I've ever seen. Go figure.

.

 

[Ruby Roundhouse]

2010 was the best year, it's been shit before and after it

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

Strange but interesting development this year. The Sydney Morning Herald for the last few years at the end of the news section for each of the individual Sports has had a scoreboard for the results and up-coming fixtures for each of the major sports, like the NRL`s example below:

NRL SCOREBOARD NRL Full fixtures​

This has been ditched now for the other sports and only the NRL`s scoreboard and fixture list remains.
An admission at the lack of interest in the other sports amongst its` readers ?

 

[Chins get the wins]

Strange but interesting development this year. The Sydney Morning Herald for the last few years at the end of the news section for each of the individual Sports has had a scoreboard for the results and up-coming fixtures for each of the major sports, like the NRL`s example below:

NRL SCOREBOARDNRL Full fixtures​

This has been ditched now and only the NRL`s scoreboard has been retained.


https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/live-scores?match=418097473
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/live-scores?match=418128707

People over 70 will be in all sorts

 

[Colk]

The type of football being played is the best since the early to mid 2000's.

The one problem I have is the illusion of trying to make this sport "safe". It's always been a game for tough merkins and meatheads. I understand why the NRL have to be perceived as making the game safer but the actual fans of the game enjoy violence.

Yeah nah.

 

[Chins get the wins]

Yeah nah.

Yeah hun