Why does Sydney media hate rugby league?

[taipan]

Classic example in today's smh

The AFL hierarchy in Melbourne must be laughing out loud as their long-term plan to challenge rugby league's dominance across Sydney starts to deliver results.

True, not many TV viewers tuned in to see the five-years-young GWS Giants beat the Swans at Homebush on Saturday afternoon.
But 60,000 fans did turn up as NRL supporters had to wait till Sunday for a local match.

Australian football will have yet another opportunity to be the main sporting focus in Sydney this weekend given the two rugby league finals are in Townsville and Canberra respectively.

As such, the Swans will be the main attraction once more when they tackle the Adelaide Crows at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday night.

To make matters worse for the NRL, rugby league is struggling with match-fixing allegations raised by the Herald in June, as well as player links to criminals and poor behaviour such as egging of cars.

As if that weren't enough to deter parents and young would-be players, on the weekend we saw on-field referees both ignore a player's kick to an opponent's body and do nothing about a head butt in a scrum.

There have been claims of bribes in a junior match in Wollongong, too.

And so it goes on..

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/smh-e...e-battle-for-credibility-20160911-gre0w4.html

Read Webster's comments in the Herald.A realistic approach.
SMH editorial !!! who would have thought.The same argument was thrown up when the Lions won 3 premierships and look at them now.
The sporting focus was in Melbourne last Saturday with the Storm,in semi finals it happens.The editor in the SMH is an AFL flog ,bit like yourself .
No mention of Albert Proud and his jailing.No mention of the alleged drug taking by a GWS player and officials hiding it.The real world exists outside mate,get into it.

 

[LESStar58]

"mental health". if the strong rumours surrounding that bloke surrounded a Rugby League player they would be at the very least alluded to heavily in print, more likely splashed across the front page.

Nailed it.

Anyone with half a working brain knows that "mental health" has nothing to do with his hiatus.

 

[Desert Qlder]

Classic example in today's smh

The AFL hierarchy in Melbourne must be laughing out loud as their long-term plan to challenge rugby league's dominance across Sydney starts to deliver results.

True, not many TV viewers tuned in to see the five-years-young GWS Giants beat the Swans at Homebush on Saturday afternoon.
But 60,000 fans did turn up as NRL supporters had to wait till Sunday for a local match.

Australian football will have yet another opportunity to be the main sporting focus in Sydney this weekend given the two rugby league finals are in Townsville and Canberra respectively.

As such, the Swans will be the main attraction once more when they tackle the Adelaide Crows at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday night.

To make matters worse for the NRL, rugby league is struggling with match-fixing allegations raised by the Herald in June, as well as player links to criminals and poor behaviour such as egging of cars.

As if that weren't enough to deter parents and young would-be players, on the weekend we saw on-field referees both ignore a player's kick to an opponent's body and do nothing about a head butt in a scrum.

There have been claims of bribes in a junior match in Wollongong, too.

And so it goes on..

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/smh-e...e-battle-for-credibility-20160911-gre0w4.html

Fairfax is dying a very public death. This is widely accepted across the Australian media landscape.

Articles like this are just one of the reasons why.

 

[Heritage XIII]

Just read comments on Fitzsimmons Hayne article on SMH facebook page & so pleasing to read from the 60 plus comments, 90% are slamming the pasty pirate. I think as a keen observer of social media the last year or two people are starting to see thru the media's charade & starting to call them out. The media I would say are the ones with the image problems.

 

[Cumberland Throw]

More that there is not e negativity about afl in afl cities Li,e there is about NRL in Sydney. Even in Brisbane NRL doesn't get hammered like Sydney. There must be plenty of Sydney media people in powerful positions that just do t like the sport, or NRL is so inept at media management they feel they have free reign.

I honestly think there are a lot of people in serious positions in media and business in Sydney who seriously dont like RL...

Sydney is most Cosmopolitan city in AU, and a lot of the senior managers are imports from other capitals, such as Melbourne , Perth etc.. all of them come with a view not to assimilate to the local code, but to be a deciple of AFL, and try and promote the game as much as possible, the best way to do this is to run down RL.

Look at most of the Ch 7 media in Sydney, majority are imports, Kochie, SA, Mel, WA, Jim Wilson, Melb / Qld

And the ones who are not imports, are most likely from privellidged up bringing and have a love of RU, which means they give RL no favours,

 

[The Mad Hatter]

If 7 had nrl rights, I bet half of the shit would go away.

They would totally defend and protect their interests.

 

[LESStar58]

If 7 had nrl rights, I bet half of the shit would go away.

They would totally defend and protect their interests.

Did you see the look of disgust on kochies face when they gave him his personalised world cup jersey?

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Did you see the look of disgust on kochies face when they gave him his personalised world cup jersey?

Yeah...but he'd have to suck it up.

 

[mongoose]

I don't remember the media trying so hard to run down NRL than it has this year. The anti-RL agenda has really gone into overdrive. There has been plenty of off field issues this year but I wonder how much influence the AFL has over this with their desperate push into the Sydney market and favoritism with Murdoch. Also wouldn't surprise me if Greenberg is very close to News Ltd.

Whats interesting is the contrast in the treatment the Broncos get in Brisbane. The media up here just kisses their ass, like AFL in Melbourne.

League at the top level seems to thrive on negativity and the bad boy image though, its the grassroots where the bad image may hurt it.

 

[Cumberland Throw]

Did you see the look of disgust on kochies face when they gave him his personalised world cup jersey?

Channel 9 has the NRL rights, but the likes of Cameron Williams tweets about hawthorn relentlessly, they give AFL more time on their national Sunday shows,

The only Ch 9 people who talk up RL are genuine fans, like Scott Cam and Karl S... the rest I dont think give too hoots.. and just swing whatever way suits ..

Look at Peter Overton or Ken Sutcliffe, do you ever think you would see them at an NRL game without getting paid ?

 

[Brutus]

Channel 9 has the NRL rights, but the likes of Cameron Williams tweets about hawthorn relentlessly, they give AFL more time on their national Sunday shows,

The only Ch 9 people who talk up RL are genuine fans, like Scott Cam and Karl S... the rest I dont think give too hoots.. and just swing whatever way suits ..

Look at Peter Overton or Ken Sutcliffe, do you ever think you would see them at an NRL game without getting paid ?

Or even Ray Warren

 

[DIOGENES]

Part of it is class based. Many journalists, particularly Fairfax and ABC, come from an upper middle/GPS background and resent the long slow death of Rugby Union. It was only a few years ago that the SMH used to give comprehensive coverage of the Shute Shield and GPS final series. I think ABC still has the rights for Shute shield. Certainly Fitzsimmons and that Greek dickhead spend more time bagging RL than talking about union.

BTW thanks Fratteli Fresh for making this blog unusable on a tablet

 

[DIOGENES]

I also think this is a big advantage for AFL which claims to encompass all social strata

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

Yeah, but that's just spin and lies that people believe without question.

The vfl is a massive bogan magnet. People just turn a blind eye.

 

[madunit]

Class was something that was never an issue for the VFL. It was the only game played in Victoria and so everyone would go and watch it.

Rugby Union's stingy approach to player welfare is what really started the class welfare push in the Rugby codes. The well educated, upper and middle class players could afford to play the game as hobby and get injured.

The Labourers loved to play but the risk of injury left some destitute and unable to work to feed their families.

The MRU (Metropolitan Rugby Union) actually had insurance for all players, but withdrew it and told the clubs that insuring players was now their responsibility instead.

This was one of a number of incidents that lead to the split in Rugby Union ranks and to the birth of Rugby League. Because League insured every player and compensated them for time lost due to injury, as well as offering some small payments, it was ironically, one of the most successful, swift and well executed Union movements in this country, although it has never really been considered as such. It provided equality for all irrespective of class and rewards based on performance, not on class.

Naturally it appealed to the lower classes and downtrodden, who flocked to the game. Union stubbornly hung onto it's 'Amateur' status until it's demise had begun to take effect, Professionalism was made official which slowed the games death immeasurably.

It's still dying, just much more slowly than it was previously.

 

[TheRam]

It seems a uniquely Sydney media thing to bag the most popular sport in the city. Ive never seen it anywhere else in Australia so why does the Sydney media like to run down the NRL so much?

Just flicked onto the SMH main sports page and the headline boxes are:
1. Neil Henry left flabbergasted - negative NRL story on refs performance
2. More than 20 players test positive after mad Monday - negative NRL story on druggie players
3. Swans and Giants cap cal afl invasion - positive story on afl expansion in Sydney

Daily telegraph
1. Swans giants biggest show in town- comparison story being positive to afl and critical of NRL
2. Positive story on Panther
3. Negative Wilson story on Greenberg
4. Positive story on Bellamy
5. Positive afl story

At least DT is a bit more balanced but still leads with a story promoting afl over NRL

The NRL need some serious media strategy to get Sydney media turned around. No wonder Sydney people dont go to games if this is the public perception being created.

You asked this question and I gave what I think is the main reason for the bias, but nobody has anything to say or add.

Very odd.

 

[mongoose]

Yeah, but that's just spin and lies that people believe without question.

The vfl is a massive bogan magnet. People just turn a blind eye.

exactly. I am white collar, university educated and have plenty of friends who are the same who follow RL and can't stand AFL or Union. However if we are talking about participation demographic then it could be true that less middle and upper class people play League...

 

[Hawkins]

The DT is the awful paper.

It is very soft and absorbent in a pinch.

 

[taipan]

exactly. I am white collar, university educated and have plenty of friends who are the same who follow RL and can't stand AFL or Union. However if we are talking about participation demographic then it could be true that less middle and upper class people play League...

It wasn't that long ago ,the Macquarie Bank had a tipping competition ,and the NRL was the most popular.
Mongoose is spot on.
I attended a private union playing Assoc. school so call me white collar whatever,the topic of conversation at times was rugby league.Kids from the bush and those from the city who have their favourite rugby league teams.I cannot enjoy a game of ru now ,even if you offered me a free cheeseburger.
Youth is far better educated in the 21st century,many of whom are university educated.That translates to fans,and indeed sponsors.
The point mongoose makes,is the AFL have made inroads into both the GPS and Assoc schools,where rugby league is either considered competition for ru or too hard for the students.

I rang 2UE when Moffatt ran ((I use the word laughingly) the NRL ,asking him why rugby league wasn't being introduced to the schools' curriculum.His response"it's too hard."

The NRL needs too broaden their playing demographic ,by at least getting 9s into these schools.

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

It wasn't that long ago ,the Macquarie Bank had a tipping competition ,and the NRL was the most popular.
Mongoose is spot on.
I attended a private union playing Assoc. school so call me white collar whatever,the topic of conversation at times was rugby league.Kids from the bush and those from the city who have their favourite rugby league teams.I cannot enjoy a game of ru now ,even if you offered me a free cheeseburger.
Youth is far better educated in the 21st century,many of whom are university educated.That translates to fans,and indeed sponsors.
The point mongoose makes,is the AFL have made inroads into both the GPS and Assoc schools,where rugby league is either considered competition for ru or too hard for the students.

I rang 2UE when Moffatt ran ((I use the word laughingly) the NRL ,asking his why rugby league wasn't being introduced to the schools' curriculum.His response"it's too hard."

The NRL needs too broaden their playing demographic ,by at least getting 9s into these schools.

Oztag is the real solution to that problem, with many teams in the bush now starting to have womens sides train along with the men and play other teams in a double header on game days. It's great for bush communities as well, with more and more people becoming involved.