The game is bigger than it has ever been

[kurt faulk]

I think all these explanations make sense it’s just crazy how suddenly it all happened. After 20 years of little to no growth suddenly crowds just exploded as have tv ratings and social media presence.

Personally I think the dolphins coming in changed the perception of the game and I think Covid supercharged things. Our game is really well suited to social media which has helped things blow up somewhat.

Still seems crazy how fast it’s happened and I do wonder if it’s likely to continue.

It was the introduction of the 6 again rule. Before that it had been 20 years of wrestle and cynical penalties inside the 20. I found it unwatchable. The only games I could watch were the saints games and they sucked for that decade. Wasn't fun

Then the 6 again rule came in and suddenly everything opened up. Sure we had plenty of floggings the first season but the finals were one of the best I've ever seen as the top sides were allowed to play football and were close enough in talent for the games to remain close.

Teams got acclimated to the rule after that season and great rugby league has followed since. Now I watch every single game even though the saints still suck.

.

 

[Gobsmacked]

I think that's when Bulldogs are going well. Ratings improve through the roof. Cause it's not like you guys haven't been winning for some time now. It's only now the Bulldogs have started winning that crowds and audience's are hitting peaks like they haven't before.

Shame it's time for another rebuild...

 

[Gobsmacked]

It was the introduction of the 6 again rule. Before that it had been 20 years of wrestle and cynical penalties inside the 20. I found it unwatchable. The only games I could watch were the saints games and they sucked for that decade. Wasn't fun

Then the 6 again rule came in and suddenly everything opened up. Sure we had plenty of floggings the first season but the finals were one of the best I've ever seen as the top sides were allowed to play football and were close enough in talent for the games to remain close.

Teams got acclimated to the rule after that season and great rugby league has followed since. Now I watch every single game even though the saints still suck.

.

I think we've been trending well since golden point also

 

[mozza91]

You ok? @Perth Red

 

[Saxon]

Come a long way since New Corp's inside man Gallop kept stifling the game by underselling the rights.

4 words too many.

 

[Wb1234]

The game was on the nose with women in particular for years. A lot of work has been done to change the image of the game.
I feel women and girls are way more engaged with the game now.

Arlc has done a lot of good work re off field incidents

So have the players I guess

Stuff now is funny like Reece Walsh drinking toilet water

Nrlw doesn’t hurt in that regard either

Seen loads of girls posting from going to league games and there’s a few female league content creators who know their stuff

 

[mongoose]

It was the introduction of the 6 again rule. Before that it had been 20 years of wrestle and cynical penalties inside the 20. I found it unwatchable. The only games I could watch were the saints games and they sucked for that decade. Wasn't fun

Then the 6 again rule came in and suddenly everything opened up. Sure we had plenty of floggings the first season but the finals were one of the best I've ever seen as the top sides were allowed to play football and were close enough in talent for the games to remain close.

Teams got acclimated to the rule after that season and great rugby league has followed since. Now I watch every single game even though the saints still suck.

.

not sure I agree with this, the 6 again rule is almost as frustrating as the cynical penalties and wrestling...

I think there is just a lot more positive sentiment around the game, probably generated by PVL. The game seems to have some direction since he came in. Lots of buzz around RL in NZ and pacific islands, something the rival code down south can't emulate.

The NRLW has probably been more successful than most people expected too.

 

[Fangs]

It was the introduction of the 6 again rule. Before that it had been 20 years of wrestle and cynical penalties inside the 20. I found it unwatchable. The only games I could watch were the saints games and they sucked for that decade. Wasn't fun

Then the 6 again rule came in and suddenly everything opened up. Sure we had plenty of floggings the first season but the finals were one of the best I've ever seen as the top sides were allowed to play football and were close enough in talent for the games to remain close.

Teams got acclimated to the rule after that season and great rugby league has followed since. Now I watch every single game even though the saints still suck.

.

Not everyone will agree but for me its the most important rule change we've made in years. Maybe ever.

I know I started watching far more football as a result. The game became far more exciting. And plenty of 'neutral' fans I know started doing the same.

not sure I agree with this, the 6 again rule is almost as frustrating as the cynical penalties and wrestling...

The difference is you can still watch the game. Under the old rules the game literally stopped. Good for piss breaks or for many others switching the channel.

6 again-athon > Penalty-athon.

 

[Chins]

not sure I agree with this, the 6 again rule is almost as frustrating as the cynical penalties and wrestling...

I think there is just a lot more positive sentiment around the game, probably generated by PVL. The game seems to have some direction since he came in. Lots of buzz around RL in NZ and pacific islands, something the rival code down south can't emulate.

The NRLW has probably been more successful than most people expected too.

Remember the year the refs started calling all the penalties for almost all infringements and then the rugby league media had a tantrum and put a stop to it? I remember it well because Penrith were somehow in first place when it all stopped.

The 6 again era is a good compromise tbh

 

[BuffaloRules]

I’ve asked this elsewhere but why do people think this is? After a couple of decades of stagnation the game has just exploded. I’ve said my reasons elsewhere but I’m curious what others think.

My totally gut feel theory is that being locked down during Covid made us appreciate the game more ..

Also .. the game has been quickened up with the move back to one ref ( and dare I say the 6 again rule) …and the standard of the competition has lifted with the bottom feeders improving…

 

[Fangs]

My totally gut feel theory is that being locked down during Covid made us appreciate the game more ..

The Covid part is true. But I think you'll find that applied across the board especially the winter sports. Not necessarily a Rugby League thing.

 

[TheEroticGamer]

Post COVID appreciation
New stadiums
Rule changes
Growth with women predominantly through NRLW
Ozempic penguin PVL marketing smarts
Cultural revolution for youth led by the chin

 

[Gobsmacked]

One thing nobody talks about is how inclusive League is. We really don't care where you're from, big or small, white or black. There's a place for everyone and a position on the field .. just gray, NAS, Saab..all shapes and sizes.. if you can make it work for you, it works for us and it adds character to our game.

Everyone has really embraced the Womens game too with our former Stars weighing in.

If you look at AFL, you're really after tall guys with slim builds that can run long distance and the code is very Australian oriented and clearly doesn't convert to Women..

In a diverse, multi cultural society, Rugby league is the most multicultural and diverse.

 

[Brutus]

Radley and Cheese have ruined it all.

We are doomed.

 

[King hit]

Isn’t rugby league meant to be dying, I’ve been told that the entirety of my life.

 

[10$ Ferret]

The notion that refs should let the game flow is absolute BS. Penalise hard and from the start. Then you might find that the teams don't do things and the penalties will stop.
Let teams have free rein is worse for the game than penalising too much

 

[Nealo 12]

It’s building well because we are a full contact sport, so it’s doomed because

 

[Gobsmacked]

The notion that refs should let the game flow is absolute BS. Penalise hard and from the start. Then you might find that the teams don't do things and the penalties will stop.
Let teams have free rein is worse for the game than penalising too much

That bugs me too. " Let the game flow..."
It can't bloody flow if they are holding down in the ruck!!

 

[Senor M]

One thing nobody talks about is how inclusive League is. We really don't care where you're from, big or small, white or black. There's a place for everyone and a position on the field .. just gray, NAS, Saab..all shapes and sizes.. if you can make it work for you, it works for us and it adds character to our game.

Everyone has really embraced the Womens game too with our former Stars weighing in.

If you look at AFL, you're really after tall guys with slim builds that can run long distance and the code is very Australian oriented and clearly doesn't convert to Women..

In a diverse, multi cultural society, Rugby league is the most multicultural and diverse.

An interesting observation, but largely irrelevant to the main point of the OP.

The viewing audience in Melbourne doubling last weekend compared to last season has nothing to do with inclusivity—- especially as the Storm don’t even have a women’s team, and the Storm have had repeated issues with interacting respectively with the local Indigenous communities.

The Victorian audience is up for one reason and one reason only—- that the NRL semis didn’t start until after both AFL Prelims were done for the weekend. Fans didn’t have to choose—- it was just what was available to watch

 

[Wb1234]

The notion that refs should let the game flow is absolute BS. Penalise hard and from the start. Then you might find that the teams don't do things and the penalties will stop.
Let teams have free rein is worse for the game than penalising too much

Nah that’s rugby union

If it’s not clear cut let it flow. Refs shouldn’t look for penalties especially minor ones

Best rugby league is few stoppages and the players determine the result