To all of you on here. For reasons wide and varied, would it be fair to say that RL is more than just a game to you?
Mateship, kinship, family or working class pride, or if you’re indigenous, it’s a platform to express yourself where you’re otherwise invisible. There’s reasons other than the game itself that you love about it. Don’t you feel a little bit of pride knowing the game deals with indigenous issues better than that other game? Or the women’s game hasn’t had to deal with the misogynistic garbage that’s going on in that other game? Don’t you like to remind the naysayers about these things at any given opportunity?
And to the Kents that think politics should stay out of the game, I’d argue we’ve always been political. The media brings class into it whenever they trot out ‘the working mans’ game’ line. ‘Women in League’ or Indigenous Round is not just a celebration but reminders of issues that need to be addressed. That’s all politics.
The NRL ad is expressing all of the above. It’s a worthy story to tell. The Foxtel ad is ‘kick your shoes off’ and settle in (your living room) for some light entertainment. It’s just fluff.
Good post.
Ive followed this game for 30 years and original Tina Turner ad wouldve got me excited then, adding also I lived in a house full of mad Eels fans.
As the years went by things have changed, not just the game on the field but how things changed off it. We've embraced different cultures, accepted people for who they are, supported women in the game, what matters most is the behavior of the players and officials
This ad has certainly cause controversy because of the 'political' message and I get what Greenburg's message was. What he said he wanted to show what we've achieved in the past 30 years and target new fans.
There a lot who would agree and disagree but I'm guessing if there was a poll more than 50% say they like that ad.
Look I'm not a huge fan of the ad, I wouldve preferred a little bit of on field footage of Tedesco, Addo-Carr, Tuivasa Sheck, Moses, Taumalalo, Ponga etc, but I'd still give the ad a thumbs up.
I have nothing against the 'political stuff' Lattrell bit, a proud indigenous player and good on him, and the two women kissing, I like how we've still carried on the traditional Origin "mate against mate" now its "lover against lover".
My only real bother was the inaccuracies of things like the El Masri bit which they have since fixed up and the Trbojevic brothers playing when they really wouldve been nappies or yet to be. Only the NRL couldve missed that. Also lets never mentioned Super League.
Also a young a Cam Smith has a much better quality TV than the Turbo brothers and the people of Newcastle. Typical lol.
I just hope next year they stick with the Tina Turner song, but nothing surprises with the NRL if they chop it.
I saw something on Youtube the other day and how Tina Turner first came into the game in 1989 and then 1990 when Simply the Best first started.
I heard there were so many jurnos and league officials that hated the idea at first and also knowing how much was spent on the ads.
Simply the Best I think cost so much money that there was fear of how much was left to go around to other clubs.
Well that was certainly money well spent. A huge gamble paid off.
We should thank John Quayle.
