yobbo84
First Grade
- Messages
- 9,885
"Never let the truth get in the way of a good yarn". I'm sure this must be the motto above the desk of every Rugby League "journalist" in Sydney. In what should be a celebration of our hundredth year, they would rather drag the game down to it's lowest ebb.
It's a year where the average crowd per game is up on 2007, with every club averaging more than 12,000 per game. It's a year where (as much as it pains me to say it) a foundation club the Roosters, a rabble for the past 3 years, are being turned around by the smart coaching of one of the game's all-time great players. It's a year where the game's newest franchise, the Gold Coast Titans, are starting to flourish and build up a great supporter base in the South East of Queensland. Young players keep lifting their game to new levels - guys like Peter Wallace, Issac Luke, Mitchell Pearce, etc. We've just seen one of the hightest rating Origin matches of all time. The new NYC is going great guns, showcasing the game's exciting young talent.
But what do they want to report about? Sonny Bill Williams leaving the 'Dogs, Mark Gasnier leaving the Dragons, Canberra re-locating, the annual "Souths in crisis" special, Anthony Laffranchi's court case, Sydney clubs going broke, NSW taxes.. it's a joke. The negative focus on Rugby League does nothing but lower people's enjoyment of the sport. It's a year where we should be growing the game, taking it to new places, celebrating it's 101st year of existence; but no, we'd rather kick people while they're down. Even the game's national broadcaster would rather publicise AFL.
The most prevalent display of this is the recent agenda-driven push for Souths to the Central Coast. It has never been more evident than now; anyone who thinks it is anything else lives in fairyland. It's amazing how the media can report outright lies as fact. From stating Russell Crowe "sacked" Peter Holmes a Court (even though PHaC said he would do so 2 and a half years ago), to reporting that "sources" (i.e. two blokes in a cafe) told them that JT looked cranky, to the repeated bullsh*t line of "Russell promised Souths a Premiership in 2008". What a load of crap. The usual cronies come out at this time too, George Piggins, John Sattler, etc. It's like clockwork. Even well respected long-time journalists like Roy Masters have jumped on the Souths-bashing bandwagon.
Never mind the fact that the NSW government's poker machine tax will have no affect on the South Sydney Rugby League Football Club Pty Ltd. Ignore the fact that South Sydney have signed a 10-year deal with ANZ Stadium. Forget the fact that South Sydney are about to sign a 20-year deal with the Sydney council to base themselves at the new, $20m start-of-the-art training facility at the new Redfern Park. Forget the fact that the club in a joint venture with Trivest are developing $40m worth of property in the Redfern area. No, the push is on.
I'll never understand how people who must be passionate enough about Rugby League to work in the industry can display such contempt for the same sport that effectively pays their wages. I'm just glad that Rugby League fans show more loyalty to the greatest game of all.
It's a year where the average crowd per game is up on 2007, with every club averaging more than 12,000 per game. It's a year where (as much as it pains me to say it) a foundation club the Roosters, a rabble for the past 3 years, are being turned around by the smart coaching of one of the game's all-time great players. It's a year where the game's newest franchise, the Gold Coast Titans, are starting to flourish and build up a great supporter base in the South East of Queensland. Young players keep lifting their game to new levels - guys like Peter Wallace, Issac Luke, Mitchell Pearce, etc. We've just seen one of the hightest rating Origin matches of all time. The new NYC is going great guns, showcasing the game's exciting young talent.
But what do they want to report about? Sonny Bill Williams leaving the 'Dogs, Mark Gasnier leaving the Dragons, Canberra re-locating, the annual "Souths in crisis" special, Anthony Laffranchi's court case, Sydney clubs going broke, NSW taxes.. it's a joke. The negative focus on Rugby League does nothing but lower people's enjoyment of the sport. It's a year where we should be growing the game, taking it to new places, celebrating it's 101st year of existence; but no, we'd rather kick people while they're down. Even the game's national broadcaster would rather publicise AFL.
The most prevalent display of this is the recent agenda-driven push for Souths to the Central Coast. It has never been more evident than now; anyone who thinks it is anything else lives in fairyland. It's amazing how the media can report outright lies as fact. From stating Russell Crowe "sacked" Peter Holmes a Court (even though PHaC said he would do so 2 and a half years ago), to reporting that "sources" (i.e. two blokes in a cafe) told them that JT looked cranky, to the repeated bullsh*t line of "Russell promised Souths a Premiership in 2008". What a load of crap. The usual cronies come out at this time too, George Piggins, John Sattler, etc. It's like clockwork. Even well respected long-time journalists like Roy Masters have jumped on the Souths-bashing bandwagon.
Never mind the fact that the NSW government's poker machine tax will have no affect on the South Sydney Rugby League Football Club Pty Ltd. Ignore the fact that South Sydney have signed a 10-year deal with ANZ Stadium. Forget the fact that South Sydney are about to sign a 20-year deal with the Sydney council to base themselves at the new, $20m start-of-the-art training facility at the new Redfern Park. Forget the fact that the club in a joint venture with Trivest are developing $40m worth of property in the Redfern area. No, the push is on.
I'll never understand how people who must be passionate enough about Rugby League to work in the industry can display such contempt for the same sport that effectively pays their wages. I'm just glad that Rugby League fans show more loyalty to the greatest game of all.
