So many people want to go to NRL games...but....

[proto]

So many people want to go to NRL games....but after they have thought about it they change their mind. Why would they when you get a better view at home, can sit with the people you want to, and don't have to worry about weather or traffic. The only drunks are going to be invited by you, food is cheaper and hot and better, and if you have kids you can put the kids to bed as soon as the whistle blows.

They'd have to be some pretty damn good fireworks and cheerleaders to get me there more than a couple of times a year. So much of the "atmosphere" is clearly designed to attract and entertain kids. Most people that aren't kids find it annoying. Then they have to deal with all the other crap.

Your attitude here, to me anyway, is quite hilarious and sorta disgusts me. Life isn't about sitting in your little area at home it's about getting out there and being a part of it and knowing you were there.

I don't have kids though so of course there's that, but myself and mates always see the footy as a big start to the night and such

I guess the typical afl fan doesn't really have this 'couldn't be arsed' attitude. Hence their crowds (oh and the transport)

 

[newman]

8. Go and follow a different sport. You're clearly not happy with the rules nor the teams involved so I would suggest the NRL is not for you.

Sadly true.

 

[docbrown]

Sadly true.

If the people who feared change always got their way we'd be jumping up for lineouts and cheering on a good one metre roving maul to nowhere.

 

[newman]

If the people who feared change always got their way we'd be jumping up for lineouts and cheering on a good one metre roving maul to nowhere.

I dont fear change at all. I am all in favour of measured improvements.

You wont be happy until all the rules of the code are changed and everyone is playing out of New Zealand.

 

[docbrown]

I dont fear change at all. I am all in favour of measured improvements.

You wont be happy until all the rules of the code are changed and everyone is playing out of New Zealand.

Happy? I love this game. I take my kids to every home game.

I've probably just made some comment about scheduling matches, marketing, television rights or team locations that you were personally offended by and now you're trying to intimate that means I am unhappy with the game.

You're so far off the mark it's kind of sad but keep fishing.

 

[PaddyBoy]

For such passionate fans and generally loud people I find Australians at RL games suddenly become the quitest most reserved people! Apart from the odd shout or bit of good humour banter thrown around there is little atmosphere created generally. Growing up watching games in Hull I have to say I find it very weird to be sat in a crowd of 15k+ and being able to hear the ref calling out!

Maybe the English are just so reserved normally that they let it all out at sports events?

I do think pre and post game could be better and would like to seep layers going to the stand fences and signing autographs, getting photos etc with the kids. Big raps to Sam Thaiday on Friday night for running the entire length of all the stands high fiving the kids and getting pics with the Perth fans.

It doesn't help when you get people telling you to be quiet when you start calling out or chanting. Or my all time favourite Australian crowd moment, Bulldogs score a massive try to win a game against the Roosters on the buzzer, I'm a teenager going mental, and the bloke behind me tells me to sit down so he can see the replay. :crazy::crazy::crazy:

The amount of times that you hear people being told to shut up for yelling "Go [insert team name here]" is laughable.

 

[Perth Red]

Just on crowds why don;t ANZ and SFS give out more free tickets to games? I see they do it at AFL teams a lot. Surely for the stadiums it is better to get more people in buying food and drink. Or even 50% off tickets, my understanding of the stadium deals for ANZ is that they pay teams to play there and then keep all gate takings and food outlet sales. Surely getting 30k in where 10k are freebies is better than 20k?

Or alternatively maybe the NRL in conjunction with the clubs could do a deal with the stadium for free tickets for all jnr players in that teams region if accompanied by an adult or offer family tickets for $30 etc? You don;t want to impact on people buying memberships too much but would be good to see stadiums fuller, even if it is give aways to get people initially into the habit of going.

 

[PaddyBoy]

Juniors do get free tickets, or they did when I was playing in the Penrith region, so did coaches and trainers.

 

[woodley_11]

The atmosphere needs to come from the fans. Supporters from each individual club need to get together, mobilise, liase with their club and start building culture and traditions for themselves. The Dragon Army is decent at this in terms of songs, the giant jersey etc. but there is still a lot of room for improvement. If anyone has been to a soccer game in Europe it is amazing how good a big group of people all singing together sounds.

 

[clarency]

It happens in union too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOlpiDYRTDE

 

[CC_Roosters]

It doesn't help when you get people telling you to be quiet when you start calling out or chanting. Or my all time favourite Australian crowd moment, Bulldogs score a massive try to win a game against the Roosters on the buzzer, I'm a teenager going mental, and the bloke behind me tells me to sit down so he can see the replay. :crazy::crazy::crazy:

The amount of times that you hear people being told to shut up for yelling "Go [insert team name here]" is laughable.

Have never heard this yet oddly. Have heard a lot of people on these boards make the same complaint though.

 

[nohope]

The attendence culture just isn't there. A few posts back people were talking up the atmosphere at a baseball game. It's baseball. Since when is baseball exciting???

I was at the parra game last friday, and it actually started well. Everyone enjoyed the fireworks and the fireshooty thingemajig at the start and it seemed very well done. As soon as the game actually started I found myself sitting in dead silence untill everyone starting booing. That's pretty much the only noise people made all game.

Contrast this with an A league match I went to a few weeks ago at the SFS. I could hear the loud chanting from outside the grounds. I legit thought the place was sold out. Once I got in there I released it wasn't (stupid me), but there was a couple of thousand Sydney fans packed behinds the goals singing in unison throughout the whole game. THAT is atmosphere. Soccer is boring as sh*t but I would go to an EPL game any day of the week.

I've been to an EPL Game, Fullham vs Bolton at Craven Cottage.

A++ would recommend, loved every minute of it! THAT was an atmosphere.

 

[nohope]

Just another note, English Premier League games aren't shown live in England and it's to encourage people showing up to games...I think it's the Sunday games that aren't shown live (or to that extent) but they do have a lot more games to show.

 

[CC_Roosters]

Just another note, English Premier League games aren't shown live in England and it's to encourage people showing up to games...I think it's the Sunday games that aren't shown live (or to that extent) but they do have a lot more games to show.

na bit off the mark. From memory the season i left the uk it was: midday saturday on sky sports (not every week), saturday evening game on espn, super sunday generally 3 games back to back and monday night football all on sky. dont think people would tolerate or watch delayed broadcasts in the UK.

Its not a rugby league problem though its an australian issue IMO. Most super league grounds have a great atmosphere and the GF's between leeds and saints was up their with the best i have experienced in all sports.

 

[nohope]

na bit off the mark. From memory the season i left the uk it was: midday saturday on sky sports (not every week), saturday evening game on espn, super sunday generally 3 games back to back and monday night football all on sky. dont think people would tolerate or watch delayed broadcasts in the UK.

Its not a rugby league problem though its an australian issue IMO. Most super league grounds have a great atmosphere and the GF's between leeds and saints was up their with the best i have experienced in all sports.

Ah, fair enough. I got told that information....always wondered but never looked it up.

 

[CC_Roosters]

Ah, fair enough. I got told that information....always wondered but never looked it up.

would still be interesting to see the reaction if we got only 5 nrl games a week in full on television. Might make some vote with their feet to the stadium when the convenience of every game being on is taken away

 

[IanG]

I think we need to admit there is something wrong with league itself as a game if we can't fill these small grounds every week. All the other stuff are just excuses.

How about more daytime footy. We miss that since only 2 games a week are played during day game. Plus as a spectator I hate Monday Night games. Difference between them and Friday Nighters is Friday Nighters I don't have to go to work the next day. Maybe if schedualing wasn't completly dictated to by TV it might help too.

With DLS still in in NSW, ACT and Victoria, you also get the odd day/night footy game too

 

[docbrown]

Back on the 40 metre advantage kick -

Because of this two defensive players are required to drop back when an attacking team is in their own half. This creates a 13 to 11 advantage to the attacking team in their own half and encourages attacking teams to throw the ball around more in their own half to exploit the advantage. Once the team crosses the 50, the distance between the defensive line and the covering defensive players is reduced and it becomes effectively 13 on 13 again.

Anybody who saw Cronk's kick early in tonight's game would have noted the dangers of having the entire Newcastle defensive line up front and nobody covering the 40-20.

Now i'm not saying that you'd see alot of kicks because what you would see for the entire first part of every set is two defensive players dropping back to cover the side line - hence the advantage to the attacking side in their own half.

If a team chooses to put additional numbers up front then they risk getting punished just like the Cronk kick. The difference being that it's not just one line on the field where it could happen - it could happen anywhere up to the half way line, hence why almost every team would drop players back to cover almost every time.

 

[Stewie]

How about more daytime footy. We miss that since only 2 games a week are played during day game. Plus as a spectator I hate Monday Night games. Difference between them and Friday Nighters is Friday Nighters I don't have to go to work the next day. Maybe if schedualing wasn't completly dictated to by TV it might help too.

With DLS still in in NSW, ACT and Victoria, you also get the odd day/night footy game too

Agreed, I reckon we need 3 games on Saturday. Kickoffs at 3.30, 5.30 and 7.30 (works well for broadcasts too) and 3 games on Sunday at around 3.30pm. Probably keep the 2 on Friday. I have young kids and they are in bed by 7 to 7-30 (which I'm sure alot of parents are in the same boat) Monday nights are also a definate no for us with school the next day.

As a few people have already mentioned, I think we really need reserve grade back as our 2nd tier competition and make NYC 3rd grade. Alot of people no longer live in the areas that they grew up in and often travel fair distances to get to games. Having the 3 grades like it use to be would make the trip alot more worthwhile.

 

[Perth Red]

Have to accept that Monday nights are a rating winner therefore here to stay if we want the big TV $'s.

Do agree though that 3 Saturday and Sunday day /early evening KO's are what we need more of. That and a fixed schedule so fans can plan their shifts, travel etc well in advance