By kiwiinoz -
March 11th 2010 @ 3:34am
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Media should embrace world rugby league
Well, the season is about to start and all us NRL nuts cannot wait. We also have the “pleasure” of looking forward to the “champion” of our great game, Channel 9, running their Footy Show.
I, for one, cannot wait for the new Channel 7 show and hope they show us some news from the English Super League. Let’s also hope Channel 9 shows some, too.
There are a plethora of Kiwi and Australian players in the ESL, not to mention other places around the world. Why do we never hear how well the game is going on that circus act they call a footy-based show?
Why do we never hear such news as the Celtic Crusaders and their signing of the Welsh rugby union captain?
Surely this is great news for our game and the game in Wales, but, oh yes, it doesn’t involve NSW or to a lesser extent Queensland.
I challenge us all to email Channel 7 and 9 and ask them to include news from outside Australia.
You only need to look at how great our game is going in the Gulf States and the Islands via these web sites. If only the television and media would pick up on this and promote the game!
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Col the Bear said | March 11th 2010 @ 5:08am | Report comment
I buy Rugby league review each month it is by the far the better rugby league magazine going around, and I recomend this read to everyone.. it has all the countries who play RL in it and good in depth on how the country rugby leagu divisions are going.. this is the mag that you do find out with whats going on with rugby league around the world..
M1tch said | March 11th 2010 @ 5:24am | Report comment
Agree 100% kiwi, havent been fox sports have 1 story on gareth thomas signing, but no doubt any league player crossing over and its first item every bulletin
oikee said | March 11th 2010 @ 7:12am | Report comment
I seen a super league game sunday nite. You have to tape them, but 9 is at least putting them on air still. It would be good if Matty Johns show has a bit about super league. I am not suprised that nobody has done this.? What would you expect, we are the most backward run code in the world.
We are run by dills , Col, Mitch, you 2 could do a better job for rugby league. From the top to the media to everyone involved in running rugby league, the only good ideas are coming from the new blood in the sport, think about that, And then you can sleep easy because it can never get any worse.
Dave said | March 11th 2010 @ 7:34am | Report comment
Thomas switching codes made news in Wales and in Northern England. Don’t tell me your going to blame others when it is the job of the rugby league journalists and rugby league employers to get this news to the media.
There has been many rugby league players who switch to rugby in the north hemisphere that never made the news here in Australia or NZ.
Rod said | March 11th 2010 @ 8:32am | Report comment
Name them Dave.
Siva Samoa said | March 11th 2010 @ 9:28am | Report comment
what about this lot ? Gareth Raynor, Chris Ashton, Henry Paul, Pryce, Connoly, Fred Tuilagi, Sullivan, Shontayne Hape, Motu Tony, Semi Tadulala, Tevita Vaikona, Clinton Toopi, Henry Faafili and many others.
Rod said | March 11th 2010 @ 9:41am | Report comment
Yep, heard of the all siva.
And if you go to a few Aussie newspapers and have a search, no doubt most of those names will come up in regards to switching, so stop the BS mate.
Shodan said | March 11th 2010 @ 10:45am | Report comment
Samoa spouting BS? next thing you will be saying that is that he uses alts.
Dave said | March 11th 2010 @ 9:33am | Report comment
There has been many switch from superleague to rugby that never made the news Rod. Im sure you know most of them.,
Rod said | March 11th 2010 @ 9:44am | Report comment
Look dave/siva haha, how ironic you two clowns posting together huh?
It makes news out here simply because the newspapers always jump on it because they seem to like making the impression that RL is dying.
Dave said | March 11th 2010 @ 9:56am | Report comment
Like the impression now that RU is dying every time the ARU are in trouble ?
Rod said | March 11th 2010 @ 10:22am | Report comment
No, RL fans say it to get to the likes of you, that’s all.
Steffy said | March 12th 2010 @ 1:56am | Report comment
Super League is a rugby competition.
Rod said | March 11th 2010 @ 7:36am | Report comment
Agree with all of this.
I have watched games from England, Wales and France already this season so the games are out there if people dig deep enough and look.
It wouldn’t take much to get a half hour show on 1 day a week, maybe a Sunday after the footy show/Boots n all.
Something similar to Total Rugby or one of the World game shows they have on SBS every week.
Funny thing is, NZ gets more international RL on TV than we do, yet we get all the International RU, daft isn’t it, they have got it backwards.
We had to watch the RLWC qualifiers on Telstras big pond site while NZ and England had them on Sky sports, I know it’s hard for FTA TV to put them on, so what is Foxsports excuse?
I use to have Pay TV just for the RL, yet they’ve never offered to put anything on from outside Australia besides a week old SL game on a thursday night that went head to head with the footy show at times and they use to change the times when it was on.
They treat the game like garbage out here.
Rodney McDonell said | March 11th 2010 @ 8:14am | Report comment
This is pretty simple. There isn’t a large enough market for information on what is happening in the ESL. Its the same reason that local media don’t talk up the Top14 or the professional water polo leagues in europe. Neither do we get extensive coverage of the NFL or Major League baseball. It’s simple. Not enough people care. Just because you do doesn’t mean everyone else will.
Channel 9 showed an ESL game last weekend. So there is enough coverage there to show a game in the early morning hours. Maybe the footy shows will mention the odd Australian plying his trade over seas, but i doubt it’ll be regular. NRL on FOX did an expose on Matt Orford last night and i think that’ll probably continue in the weeks to come.
Rod said | March 11th 2010 @ 8:31am | Report comment
Ummm, we get games from the T14, Curry Cup and NZ’s ANZ on Pay TV out here, no ones watches our local Union games, but they still put on these overseas games for some reason.
Plenty of club union is mentioned on Fox sports, or it was last year when I had Pay TV and that includes the Top 14 from France.
I seen Les Catalans mentioned twice, but they said the English SL with no reference to France.
Springs said | March 11th 2010 @ 10:36am | Report comment
Rod the only time I heard of Catalans on Fox Sports is when they reported on five players being arrested for fighting. In fact that is the only thing (apart from the World Club Challnege) that I have heard on Fox Sports about the ESL this year. Even last year they only thing we saw was the Grand Final score, no highlights, and yet they show highlights of every EPL game.
Rod said | March 11th 2010 @ 10:40am | Report comment
Yes springs, it’s pathetic isn’t it.
I don’t get it, there’d be around 100 Aussies/Kiwis playing in the ESL, yet we hear nothing.
The only sport with more overseas Aussies would be Soccer.
Dave said | March 12th 2010 @ 7:22am | Report comment
There’s more Aussie/Kiwi playing rugby in Europe than league.
Rod said | March 12th 2010 @ 10:52am | Report comment
Prove it, go on Dave.
For a start, Union hasn’t got no where near the amount of players from Australia to send over there in the first place, and NZ is much smaller in regards to a player base compared to RL out here as well.
So Dave, I look forward to you getting around 100 names from Australia and NZ playing in the GP, yes dave, I said GP.
Remember I said the ESL in regards to RL?
So you prove that 1 union comp has more players from Australia and NZ playing R Union in Europe.
When you do that, then you can come back and bundle the T14 and GP together and whatever other comp over there.
Look forward to your reply (if I even get one).
Sam said | March 11th 2010 @ 8:31am | Report comment
I dunno, I think the Australian sports media is pretty insular, and don’t think rugby league should be singled out. Doesn’t help that many people in the media (rightly or wrongly) trumpet the State of Origin as the top level of the sport – hardly helps promote an interest in the game outside of Australia. Maybe the 7 show will discuss the ESL more, who knows.
Crosscoder said | March 11th 2010 @ 9:09am | Report comment
Got to agree with Col the Bear.Rugby League Review(well worth my annual subs) and add in Rugby League World are the “bibles’ if you are into what is happening abroad.
March issue of RLR had further news on the AMNRL(now 12 teams in 2 conferences for 2010) and the new pro tournament.With a 4th July 2010 the pro tournament( as the first pre taster),involving 4 regions Nth East v Sth East, and Nth West v Sth West at the one venue in Philadelphia.The actual 8 team tournament is set down for March 2011.
We await the stampede of knockers,or has become fashionable the charge of the cavalry cynics.
Andrew Voss ch9 and Steve Mascord were the ones in the media ,who mentioned anything about what is happening overseas.
Until such time as the game has a much bigger and more competitive presence internationally,I guess we can’t blame the media for the current situation.
Dave said | March 11th 2010 @ 9:41am | Report comment
Wasn’t the NRLUS suppose to kick off this year . So its now down to four pub teams. Seem to me they try to get there first before the college 7’s and proposed 7’s professional tournament.
cookie said | March 11th 2010 @ 9:24am | Report comment
Are you serious?
Who are they going to report on? I’d bet that you’d be lucky to find anyone who could nominate a handful of teams overseas… Besides there is hardly an international competition… Australians are interested in the NRL, State of Origin and that’s about it…
How would they report on overseas games when much of the media time for league is taken up by pathetic never ending off field dramas rather than NRL games?
Rod said | March 11th 2010 @ 9:36am | Report comment
Wake up cookie, that’s the whole Idea about a half hour show on a sunday so people like you get it into your head that the game is actually played outside of NSW and wigan FFS.
That’s all.
Nothing more nothing less.
The coverage is out there as I watch RL for all over the place, I’m sure if a show was put on after boots n all and had scores and high lights from PNG, France, the Islands, SL and America, RL fans would watch and I’d dare say they’d watch every week.
The footy doesn’t have to be of NRL standard, all the show would be for is to show the fans what is happening around the world, it would open plenty of eyes.
Buy as usual we have the knockers and the flatcappers putting it in the too hard basket or running it down.
Dave said | March 11th 2010 @ 9:44am | Report comment
Well they might as well show club results in soccer and AFL in the Islands, PNG, Japan, Kenya and Morocco.
Rod said | March 11th 2010 @ 10:01am | Report comment
Haha, i’ve seen on Ch9 the results from the AFL in London for gods sake, sports tonight is always pumping the expansion of AFL around the world.
And Soccer has plenty of shows on SBS that show the smaller nations and what’s happening.
Then you have Total Rugby which is a good union program, that’s what RL should get, one like the Union show that goes for half an hour.
If you don’t like that Dave, don’t watch those types of shows and you won’t get upset.
Dogz R Barkn said | March 11th 2010 @ 12:23pm | Report comment
AFL results from London? Never seen it.
You can’t possibly be suggesting that the commercial stations do that as a matter of course??
Dave said | March 12th 2010 @ 7:25am | Report comment
I have never seen any AFL results from London and i’ve watch channel nini news all the time.
Rod said | March 12th 2010 @ 8:11am | Report comment
It happened last year or the year before Dave.
Around the time they had that 60mins puff piece about AFL taking over Sydney and NSW.
You remember that Dave, you participated in a thread about it at a certain Rugby League forum
Dogz R Barkn said | March 11th 2010 @ 9:24am | Report comment
I hate to be a party pooper, but I would suggest that the average Australian League fan is mainly interested in the NRL – the interest in any other League played eslewhere (with no Australian connection) would drop by about 90% – that’s the reality.
Rod said | March 11th 2010 @ 9:37am | Report comment
Stick to afl mate.
Dave said | March 11th 2010 @ 9:45am | Report comment
Stick to reality . Earth to Rod.
Rod said | March 11th 2010 @ 9:50am | Report comment
Reality, pot kettle dave?
Go away and post about Union taking over asia or the 150,000 juniors in America.
How do you find time to post here and everywhere else when you coach all over the world when not working or playing Union and looking after your 5 houss in 5 different countries?
Don’t speak to me about reality.
Dave said | March 11th 2010 @ 9:58am | Report comment
I got to go somewhere to have a laugh and your supplying plenty for me.
Cracker said | March 11th 2010 @ 9:59am | Report comment
You might be right Dogz but if they included lower level Aussie competitions such as JimBeam cup, the SE QLD comp and country competitions they would still get a bit of interest. Some of the international news could be filler but people would still watch if it was mixed in with local items.
Rod said | March 11th 2010 @ 10:03am | Report comment
Yes agree 100%.
Dogz R Barkn said | March 11th 2010 @ 12:04pm | Report comment
Fair enough – as I said: “the interest in any other League played eslewhere (with no Australian connection) would drop by about 90%”
Crosscoder said | March 11th 2010 @ 9:44am | Report comment
Exactly the point,.Until such time as rl has a big intnl presence ,most supporters are only interested in what happens here.
That being said there are in fact a number of fans,who are actually interested in what is happening overseas,otherwise rl magazines would not include such stories,in their issues.ie there is a demand,small though it may be.eg former NRL players are playing in the ESL.
Rod said | March 11th 2010 @ 9:47am | Report comment
shhhhh, it’s a dirty little secret mate, we don’t want the masses to know RL is being played in outer Mongolia or the city that never sleeps.
Dogz R Barkn said | March 11th 2010 @ 12:08pm | Report comment
Crosscoder
I disagree.
Australian fans are more interested in what Australians are doing full stop.
Let us take the ACL (afterall, you can’t get more international than soccer).
Melbourne Victory, who average 20k+ to home games and have a membership of about 20k only got 7k to a home game in the ACL involving a top Korean club, and I suspect the Fox ratings would be pretty ordinary as well.
Super 14s involve international clubs in a sport that has a healthy international footprint – but interest in it is much, much less than the interest in League.
So I repeat for the third time: “the interest in any other League played eslewhere (with no Australian connection) would drop by about 90%”
oikee said | March 11th 2010 @ 12:47pm | Report comment
Very true. But super league has a large Aussie Kiwi connection, player wise. I think aussies would love to see them play, the Kiwis get these games. ?
Crosscoder said | March 11th 2010 @ 9:55am | Report comment
Dave or Siva?
Do you actually read what was stated .The 4 teams are regionals(repeat REGIONALS) not clubs,not pub teams(which is what you delight in calling any rl team that isn’t NRL).It is basically an intro tournament for the regions,from which 8 teams from 8 cities will be drawn in 2011.So buddy it is not a reduction in the planned number of teams in the pro tournament,much
as you hope it would be.
This has been arranged before the union 7s ,the intergalactic union 7s whatever you are trying to push was officially announced or whatever agendas you semm to be seeking.
It is a 13 man tournament,in other words a full rl complement,compared to a reduced 7.s complement in ru in that country.
It is not hard mate,it really isn’t .
Rod said | March 11th 2010 @ 10:08am | Report comment
I’ve never come across someone so hateful towards another sport as dave/siva.
Good luck to the NRLUS, they’ll need all the luck they can get.
Dave said | March 11th 2010 @ 11:29am | Report comment
Or you lots towards rugby union.
Rod said | March 11th 2010 @ 11:42am | Report comment
Yep
Dave said | March 11th 2010 @ 11:45am | Report comment
Crosscoder. Goodluck but it won’t get off the ground. It would like most things rugby league that died in the past. World 7’s, Asia/Pacifics cup, War of the Roses, Russian premiership, Kenya, New Caledonia, Georgia, American Samoa, Hawaii, Argentina, World 9’s, under 16 world cup, Paris and so on.
Springs said | March 11th 2010 @ 11:59am | Report comment
Because those things are obviously most of the things Rugby League has ever undertaken…
Luke W said | March 11th 2010 @ 10:19am | Report comment
The media is a business. They have no obligation whatsoever to show international rugby league. Like the intelligent people in this thread have already pointed out, the media haven’t embraced international rugby league because there isn’t a market for it. Why should the media go out of its way to create a market for it? If international rugby league was up to a decent standard, maybe, but it is still an amateur sport in 99% of the world.
Rod said | March 11th 2010 @ 10:25am | Report comment
And so is Union, but they manage to get a show on TV.
I know what you are saying is right Luke, it is not up to the media, it’s up to the RLIF to make a show and give it to the various channels for nothing for a bit of filler.
I was not talking about ch9 or whomever wasting millions on a show, let the RL make it and give it away.
Crosscoder said | March 11th 2010 @ 10:31am | Report comment
So the Oz Tv ratings for RL tests Roos v Kiwis,that outrate union tests suggest there is no market for it.The advertisers and the TV stations ,must be numbnuts.That is why the code will try to sell SOO and tests as a separate parcel.
The media is indeed a business and Tv stations like ratings as do advertisers.No one is asking the media to create any market.
i agree it is not up to the media to create a market.However, tell the media to refrain from showing shots of people playing AFL in China,or in Sth Africa,or ru in China.There is hardly a stampede for people in this country to want to switch on to the newscast.Where is the demand for such snippets?
Rod said | March 11th 2010 @ 10:37am | Report comment
Yep, it doesn’t take much in a sports report to flash up the scores of an international between France and Wales does it?
The Kangaroos have played France about 6 times in the last decade, yet I’ve only seen them give the results 3 times at most.
oikee said | March 11th 2010 @ 10:49am | Report comment
This is why i keep saying the NRL has to sell its product around the world. The EPL is watched by nearly every nation. If NRL gets it’s product on t/v to as many countries as possible, it builds interest already in these countries. Its a no brainer, but we had the dinosaurs running our game, so as yet, it has not happened.
Put 2 and 2 together, people are only interested in the NRL because its the best comp. AFL fans are only interested in there game, because they think its the best comp. Hard to dispute,
cookie said | March 11th 2010 @ 11:18am | Report comment
Rod mate,
Don’t you think we get enough media reports of players defecating in or trashing hotels, physical or sexual assualts, drugies and their mules yakka yakka yakka
Why would anyone want to hear more from overseas?
One reason we hear about other sports from overseas is because their competition in par or superior to what we have here…
Springs said | March 11th 2010 @ 12:38pm | Report comment
We hear of all the player misbehaviour in England and France and New Zealand, but we never even hear any scores.
hutch said | March 11th 2010 @ 11:28am | Report comment
hopefully the new channel 7 rugby league show does have a look at international results and comps played around the world. is there an email out yet where we can make suggestions? we shouldnt have to though, ths information should be made available to all by the governing body, and unfortunately for rugby league, the rlif has to be the worst, most visionless, selfish international board on earth! how can the same man who runs the nswrl, arl and have their own law firm be allowed to meet twice a year and be called the world leader of a sport?
international rugby league is growing every year, and now more countries have taken up the game. lets get the world out there and let people know!
Crosscoder said | March 11th 2010 @ 12:18pm | Report comment
Cookie
Yes and we get numerous reports of DUI/alleged sexual assaults/instant photography by AFL players in the media.That doesn’t stop snippets of happenings in that code at times overseas.Is that code on a par with the big one here? Not likely.
Or is it just a case of turning a blind eye ,when it suits? Or is it a case of ch10 doing a case of sucking up to its contracted code/
oikee said | March 11th 2010 @ 12:31pm | Report comment
Crosscoder, just be happy it happens in Rugby league, now sports where this does not happen, i would be very dubious about.
I follow rugby league and love the game because this stuff happens in my o0wn backyard, so to speak. It happens in all sports overseas, we just dont hear about it often. Only if there is a murder, will it make the front page here, i read 2 reports about rugby court trails just this last week from overseas, i dont make issue because its not juicy enough for me.
Mate, a radio station in Sydney has a program just for rugby league mayham. I expect this to happen, if it does not happen, someone is lying.
oikee said | March 11th 2010 @ 12:25pm | Report comment
The 1st thing we need to do is clean up our own backyard, your point Hutch about the dinosaur running the rlif is just a mere fraction of whats wrong with rugby league. Look, these blokes have vision, but the world has already pasted them by, when they finally implement a idea, how often do we say, its about time. Take a look at the NRL finally having a party atmoshere for thew final week this year. ? Mate 10 years to late. Not that it wont be a good concept, it will, but this is what happens.
Us fans scream out ideas at these drongos, give it to them on a platter, yet we still see nothing about anything until 5 years down the track.
We need someone who is a thinker, a listener, someone who moves 1st and thinks later. Just do it, take Nikey’s example, and go with it.
There is a guy called Druzik, who runs the interantional rugby league forum page, now hire this guy, Give him free rein and pay and support everything he has to do or say, ? Why, ? Because he has international rugby league at heart, and he knows everything about everything about the game, Why? Because he follows the international games from country to country all around the world. Now, please, could someone running international rugby league give this guy a job, he is young, around 30-35, he is smart, and he knows whats going on. Its a No-Brainer.
And this is why rugby league is a dinosaur run comp. These people in charge would see this guy as a threat. ? Of couse he is a threat. He is a ideas man, this game needs this guy, and guys like him,. Until we have someone who is willing to get rid of these dinosaurs, nothing will change, and we will continue to be left frustrated, year in, year out.
Enjoy your footy. I am about to hybinate into 8 months of rugby league heaven. cheers.
cookie said | March 11th 2010 @ 12:26pm | Report comment
CrossCoder,
sorry i forgot DIY photography!
Vested interests as you say….
Sometimes i do wonder if C7 sacrifices rugby in favor of AFL? It definitely appears that way on sunrise and the news.
C9 counts league as part of it’s identity and would be very reluctant to lose it as they did many years ago to C10.
Crosscoder said | March 11th 2010 @ 12:37pm | Report comment
Dogs R Barkin
No way Jose.
You have just argued my point unknowingly.The simple fact is there are many Australians ex NRL that are playing in the ESL.
QED then as Australians are involved,there must be some interest,otherwise your argument is flawed.
I am not arguing the point that the majority of rl supporters in this country,are more concerned with what happens locally.I am simply stating nothing more,that there is a number of people interested in the growth of rl intnly and what is currently happening.
And a reasonable number who like to hear of what Australians are doing in the ESL.After all unless you are living in a cave,the Storm played against Leeds in a world club challenge,and the Leeds team had a couple of NRL players.In fact there are Australian players in the Welsh Crusader’s team and Les Catalans team.There are in fact Australian coaches involved in the ESL eg Nathan Brown.
Of course,as we well know AFL players are not playing in a pro AFL tournament on the other side of the world.Yet we get on TV a kicker who was a former AFL player involved in the Super bowl or playing for an NFL team,thrust before us in the media by ch10 or the print media.Why would the vast majority of NSW and Qlders care about that?
ricardo said | March 11th 2010 @ 12:43pm | Report comment
world of what?..hhmm..there’s a rugby league world?
oikee said | March 11th 2010 @ 12:54pm | Report comment
Yes Ricardo, it’s a small world after all.
But being realistic, we wont ever be watching a comp from lets say, Mosambic, or Malta.
?
The NRL needs to thrust itself on the World open Market , and ply itself as the most dynamic and exciting rugby comp in the world. ? Which it is.
Shock and awe them. I picked up this little line from the yanks.
ricardo said | March 11th 2010 @ 1:10pm | Report comment
i watch a little r.league..realistically, it’s not a sport that has high marketability..i think it had it’s big chance in the mid-1990s but shot itself in the foot with the advent of the superleague wars..when union went professional, it’s global thrust was left dead in the tracks..it will go nowhere..
Mick from Giralang said | March 11th 2010 @ 1:52pm | Report comment
There was no global thrust by rugby league in the 1990s…what are you talking about?
And you’ve gotta laugh at a rugger type talking about high marketability…union is hardly setting things alight here.
JF said | March 11th 2010 @ 2:33pm | Report comment
The might of the NFL could not crack an international market, yet RL can?
Although RL is supported passionately in Australia, England, France, PNG – you must accept the fact that its not just a matter of showing it to people and they will jump on board. Just like NFL, European Football, Nth American Icehockey – all passionately supported in their own countries, yet we could not care less about those sports. RL has a good product, but its not something that is totally new that no one has ever seen before – its not the UFC. You have to wonder why such an interest in international expansion – what can it really offer NRL supporters other than ammunition in the infantile code wars on The Roar?
M1tch said | March 11th 2010 @ 2:36pm | Report comment
watch a game of american football and then rugby league and you will see which could expand into new markets worldwide.
Money doesnt buy you love, the game itself does.
JF said | March 11th 2010 @ 2:47pm | Report comment
You watch the game with an emotional connection – you see the game you love, the game you regard the greatest of all. How can you impartially judge its marketability to the world? RL supporters are like zealous parents watching their child perform – their child is perfect and is better than any other child – if only they were given the right opportunities, their child will conquer the world!
M1tch said | March 11th 2010 @ 2:57pm | Report comment
actually I love american football, rugby league was the game for me but I enjoy it too, but american football is too stop start and 1 match for 3 hours! it was never going to take off
the euro nfl worked for a bit but is now a dying organisation
btw I dont think League could take over, but i think it could be bigger
Luke W said | March 11th 2010 @ 2:54pm | Report comment
Have you ever watched a game of American football?
DB said | March 11th 2010 @ 12:49pm | Report comment
The reporting of Aussie Rules in far flung places is due to the novelty factor of the game being played overseas. No Aussie Rules fan In Australia cares if Osaka Bulldogs defeated the Tokyo Bombers. But us fans and even non fans are interested to hear that the game is indeed played internationally, even if at a level that would struggle in the Loddon Valley Reserves. even 2nd tier comps like the VFL get little coverage here in Victoria and the only time we hear about the SANFL or WAFL is who won the Grand Final. Thats because as DRB said WRT to international club RL theres little to no interest in it.
Crosscoder said | March 11th 2010 @ 12:53pm | Report comment
Dave
Bit like your great predictionsthat there is no Rl in Jamaica,the game in Wales is dying,the numbers of players provided by the RFL are bs,the Cronulla Sharks are dead,there is no rl in Ireland,the 2008 RLWC wouldn’t go on,then it wouldn’t make a profit
then when it did,you stated not much.the AMNRL wouldn’t grow,it is now 12 teams.Then
you waffled on about no rugby league in Sth Africa,and were then given results,teams and references.You denied some ru officials being involved in the banning in France,yet you were given reference to a French govt report,which stated exactly that.You bagged rl IN NZ,and now Sparc is contributing $1m pa over 3 years to the game,the silence is deafening.You have stated rl in France is dying in the past,when it is in fact growing at grassroots.
Not exactly the Nostrodamus of the sports’ forums.
You ducked for cover when the ARC championship failed.Not every project gets off the ground.Maybe if you were in business you would understand.Have you commenced the 4.5billion count as yet,I
haven’t got all day mate.
BTW we were told not that long ago by J O’Neill ,that ru would surpass rl in Australia and be the no2 code in the Nthn States ,and not long after be the no1 winter code in Australia. Care to discuss? Don’t let your dislike for rl,hold you back.
Crosscoder said | March 11th 2010 @ 1:10pm | Report comment
So its the novelty factor thingy! Brilliant!. Then that comes out of someone who supports AFL,surprise surprise.
Yet the NThn states ,would be even less interested ,if at all.
Funny I have seen more than a fair share of these novelty ones on TV.When does a novelty thing cease to become a novelty thing,after the 3rd or 4th showing.
Reality check,there are no first grade AFL players involved in playing these novelty games.Yet there are ex NRL players involved in the ESL.
So it appears there is more interest in a novelty comp(even though it has been repeated),than one involving first grade NRL players. in a fully pro comp (ESL).
Yep that figures,geez I have read it all now.
Crosscoder said | March 11th 2010 @ 1:14pm | Report comment
Yes Ricardo,the game is played outside the land “girt by sea”.Lets keep it a secret,and note that the players going around busting their backside playing the 13 man game elsewhere,are actually a figment of someone’s vivid imagination.
frank said | March 11th 2010 @ 1:33pm | Report comment
Lets get a little reality into the converstion league is played in the eastern part of australia and the most popular in the northern bit of england, most people in the southern half have never heard of it and couldnt tell you the difference. it pops up now and then in europe and nz. But most of those players are ex rugby players who have reached the top of thier rugby and looking to earn the $$$.
ESL has nothing on the NRL and origin, why would I want to watch a level of league lower than what is being shown here. I spose being an English game they should be the top but I prefer the league here any day.
Why does it matter any way? league is never going to compete with rugby or soccer on an international level. Dont worry abotu international worry more about local level, the fight is on against the AFL creeping north and into Sydney.
Springs said | March 11th 2010 @ 1:47pm | Report comment
And Rugby is never going to compete with soccer on an international level. How about Rugby worries about local levels, Union will be overtaken in popularity in Sydney by AFL much faster than League will.
And not many French or NZ League players are ex union players. I guess with Thomas switching at the end of his career means that all european League players are the same…
And I never realised you knew most of the people in South England.
frank said | March 12th 2010 @ 10:07am | Report comment
as a league fan living in London, various places around sussex and essex for 10 years I have a fairly good idea, Im no expert but it not easy to find or get on the tele / main stream media.
Look im pretty sure that AFL will get smashed in the Goldie and Western Sydney, that pretty much is the heart land of league. While the league is fending off challenges in the heart lands I wonder if they should focus more Australia wide?
As far as PNG they will be playing in the 4 nations but it looked for a little while there that the Cook Islands were going to qualify ( David Fairleigh did a great job) but it was im sure a huge sigh of relief on the part of the organisers when they failed.
Crosscoder said | March 11th 2010 @ 1:49pm | Report comment
frank
No one is asking you to watch ESL.Just like no one is asking me to watch English darts.But there are people out there whether you me like it or not want to get some news ,even brief.
Did anyone suggest it was going to compete with soccer or union internationally?FYI Will Carling (fromer ru captn)stated once, the best rugby he has witnessed was SOO.No one is suggesting that rl is a big intnl sport,just that it is growing in some of the most unexpected places.
Got to love it,when PNG is omitted all the time by the hackneyed played in” Nthn England and East Coast Oz”.That is also a reality.
If you think the NRL is sitting on their haunches doing nothing about any perceived threat from AFL,you are kidding. 175,000 freebies for kids playing the game(value $28m) suggests they care.
And I much prefer the standard of rugby here in the NRL,that in no small way should prevent me from taking an interest in what is happening overseas. Maybe me watching a challenge cup final,involving Australian players made me this way.So what.
.
M1tch said | March 11th 2010 @ 2:11pm | Report comment
Read the daily tele today with the lead up to grand final..
how good is it for Rugby League that the AFL is coming into West sydney
Crosscoder said | March 11th 2010 @ 1:56pm | Report comment
As I predicted the usual stampede of knockers(AFL and ru cheerleaders) would come on board,and therefore live up to my expectations.
Made my day LOL.Good days fishing, one might say.
oikee said | March 11th 2010 @ 1:58pm | Report comment
Sorry, Frank, that is where rugby league went wrong. Not worrying about the international game will quickly kill your sport.
The money being made around the world by codes with international presense is astonishing. If rugby league gave up this fight, rugby union would just move in and buy up all our players, not 1 or 2 like they tried to do, but offer most a million dollars and dry the comp up.
Their is nothing wrong with rugby leagues expansion. We have enough countries playing to hold a world cup, even a slightly shonky one.
We are plodding along nicely, we have a level playing feild now, no bans left to stop the game growing. Except at private school level, union still wont let rugby league be played in there schools.
I am confident enough to see the game plod along as we are doing, after all, our international push is only a few years old.
If you love union, you have nothing to fear from rugby league. I am on the road to nowhere apparently, which suits my underdog nature.
Ian Noble said | March 12th 2010 @ 6:04am | Report comment
Oikee
The real problem for RL is impact of international sporting tournaments on TV audiences. At the moment all RL can offer is a pretty wonky RLWC with the enlarged tournament made up of some sides cobbled together for the tournament itself, the four nations and very little else that is worth televising. RU offers the RWC, U20’s RWC, Womens RWC, IRB 7s World Series and from 2016 the Olympics 7s, no wonder in the UK Sky and ESPN are keen to increase their coverage of RU. It is a problem for RL and what annoys me more than anything that as an older professional sport it should light years ahead of RU. It is the case of opportunities missed and trying to catch up after the horse has bolted.
Of course it will not lose it TV revenues from Sky (News International) but the gap in TV revenues generated between RL and RU over the next few years will increase as there is no doubt in spite of protestations from the RL lobby that it’s international offering is poor. It will impact on it’s profile wotldwide as the RU game becomes richer and is able to demand higher TV income through attracting higher TV audiences. Both codes are minority sports well behind the monolith that is football (Association), but the danger for RL in a worldwide context that it may be seen as part of the rugby family not as a sport in it’s own right. It will be increasingly marginalised.
Sth Auckland 1st XV said | March 11th 2010 @ 2:04pm | Report comment
The reason why league doesn’t get attention in the media is because outside of NSW, QLD, and some small no-name towns in Yorkshire and Lancashire the sport is seen as a second rate version of rugby union. Rugby League is laughed at in France and the UK and Ireland, outside it’s heartlands in Yorkshire and Lancashire. If it wasn’t for Harlequins Rugby Union, there wouldn’t even be a RL team in London. Rugby League is unknown outisde of these areas except for PNG and NZ. Gareth Thomas’ defection is also nothing to write home about – the bloke is 36 odd years old and can’t even make the starting line-up of his Union club Cardiff Blues for the last two years. He is well past it and the signing of him is more a sign of desperation, rather than a ‘coup’. It’s more of an embarrasment for league really, making a big song and dance about an old man. As for the Gulf States – come on!! There is nothing going on there for rugby league – and if there is it is dwarfed by rugby union’s presence in that area with the Dubai 7s (40,000 spectators every year), the Dubai Exciles rugby union club and Arabian Gulf Rugby Union completely dwarfing the 15 registered league players in the region. Wake up and smell the coffee and stop pretending to be something you are not, or you’ll just get ridiculed for it. And you also mention the islands – where is league going there?? Nowhere, rugby union again completely dominating Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands etc, especially now with Olympic status. Just look at a newspaper from any of those islands and Union dominates completely. League hardly gets a mention. So, leaguies, please stop trying to make out your game is some awesome global sport, because it’s less popular globally than my Aunt Betty’s knitting.clubs for elderly widows.
Springs said | March 11th 2010 @ 3:16pm | Report comment
Amazing how Leeds is now a no-name town, it’s the second biggest city in England!
M1tch said | March 11th 2010 @ 3:33pm | Report comment
add Wigan and Hull to that list
Dave said | March 11th 2010 @ 4:11pm | Report comment
Everyone knows Wigan and Hull now they are in the English Premiership .
Ian Noble said | March 12th 2010 @ 5:19am | Report comment
You obviously don’t know much about the UK, Birmingham with a population of circa 1.5M is the 2nd city after London. Leeds will also come after the great metropolitan cities of Manchester and Liverpool, so well down the pecking order probably on a par with Bradford, Newcastle, Nottingham and Leicester.
Springs said | March 12th 2010 @ 11:31am | Report comment
Leeds is the second biggest metropolitan borough after Birmingham. I didn’t count London as a whole.
Birmingham – 1,016,800
Leeds – 770,800
Manchester – 464,200
Liverpool – 434,900
Bradford – 501,700
Newcastle, Leicester and Nottingham were all below 300,000.
If we count only cities Leeds is 4th behind London, Birmingham and Liverpool.
Ian Noble said | March 12th 2010 @ 7:53pm | Report comment
It is as “it says on the tin” your stats refer to metropolitan boroughs, not to the size of the cities. There is also the definition of a city, whether it should relate to the “Greater” prefix. Greater Manchester, for example, includes Rochdale, Oldham, Stockport, Salford etc in its spread and influence. Most people would consider that at least Salford, where Manchester United actually play, should definitely be included as an intregal part of Manchester. Similarly Newcastle/Gateshead on both banks of the Tyne are generally considered to be one metropolitan area. When does a City become a conurbation? Regrettably it is all in the definition. As a matter of interest I suggest you key in the Greater prefix and see what materialises, that probably will be a better reflection of a city and it is possible that Leeds might be paired with Bradford.
Ian Noble said | March 12th 2010 @ 5:38am | Report comment
Quins RL are tenants of the Stoop but do share ticketing and marketing with the Quins. There is a 5 year deal in place which ties in with the next round of franchise bids for ESL. Attendances for Quins RL have been poor but hopefully a double header on April 10th with Quins playing Leeds Carnegie followed by Quins RL v St Helens will boost the gate for Quins RL as STH s for Quins are being offered free tickets for the following Quins RL game. Judging from an on-line poll on a Quins fans blog it looks as though 20% of those polled may stay to watch RL increasing he RL gate by 75/100% on the normal gate.
As St Helens have a good following I would anticipate a gate of say 6/7K.
Regarding Gareth Thomas in spite of his age and the fact that he has been struggling to tie down a regular place with the Blues, he is a well known personality and for the Crusaders and Welsh RL and indeed for RL in the UK it has been good news with alot of media coverage. It perhaps indicates the lack of personalities of national significance in ESL, regrettably even the imports from OZ and NZ have failed to make an impact nationally.
hutch said | March 14th 2010 @ 4:49pm | Report comment
why does union even have to be mentioned poly? the article is to do with rugby leagues international presence, which is growing quite steadily. based on your argument, rugby union must be a small, dieing international sport as well. it is only popular in nz and a couple of pacific islands, as it is dwarfed by other sports in the uk, france, australia, south africa and every other country that plays it.
also, how many usernames do you want to post under?
M1tch said | March 11th 2010 @ 2:09pm | Report comment
What happening in Saudi is pretty exciting, once again we need NRL and ESL to join the growth of the international game and bring players out here.
Rod said | March 11th 2010 @ 2:20pm | Report comment
A third team is being prepared to try and join the English championship from France.
It will be a merger between Carcassonne, Limoux and Lezignan, they’ll keep the 3 separate to play in the LER though.
It was reported on the FFR13 site and they are hoping to get into the championship by 2012.
Dave said | March 11th 2010 @ 4:15pm | Report comment
Its also been reported that the reason for the merge is because the rugby union team US Carcassonne are heading towards the professional 2 in the French rugby championship and its getting bigger crowds than their rugby league side. This is suppose to be a rugby league town/village.
Rod said | March 12th 2010 @ 10:59am | Report comment
Dave, they do not get bigger crowds than any of those 3 RL sides.
You might think it’s all to fight off the Union side, yes partly, but this has been on the drawing board for a few seasons even before the Union code started to make their move in Carcassonne.
Carcassonne is pure RL heartland and you had better believe it, they are called the cradle of RL there.
Do some more research, i’m sure you have all the info bookmarked.
Face the Facts said | March 12th 2010 @ 1:55pm | Report comment
“As in the rest of the south west of France, rugby union is popular in Carcassonne. The city is represented by Union Sportive Carcassonnaise, known locally simply as USC. The club have a proud history, having played in the French Championship Final in 1925, and currently compete in Federale 1, the third tier of French rugby.
Rugby league is also played, by the AS Carcassonne club. They are involved in the Elite One Championship. Puig Aubert is the most notable rugby league player to come from the Carcassonne club.”
From Wikipedia. Notice how it talks about RU first. even in RL heartland – RU is stronger!
Rod said | March 12th 2010 @ 8:57pm | Report comment
lol
Yeah wiki is a very reliable source.
Fair dinkum.
Can I ask you who’s statue is outside the stadium?
Rod said | March 12th 2010 @ 9:03pm | Report comment
Btw face the facts, do you want videos, pictures or any other proof?
I can show you.
You know what RL forum to go to if you want that proof, you can ask me for it, I’ll happily help you out
Republican said | March 11th 2010 @ 3:00pm | Report comment
Read the Australian and dare I say the NZ Herald today!
Australian Footy in the guise of the western bulldogs are forgoing loyal demos ie Canberra and Darwin to play two home and away games in Wellington NZ. Now what is this really all about, certainly naught to do with potential growth surely?
allblackfan said | March 11th 2010 @ 10:55pm | Report comment
nope; had to do with money. West Bulldogs paid $500,000 to play games over there; that’s money badly spent by Wellington. Heads should roll.
Dave said | March 12th 2010 @ 8:51am | Report comment
They had AFL games played in Wellington in the past as well.
oikee said | March 11th 2010 @ 4:27pm | Report comment
I will give you 2 of the most anticipated words in the English Dictionary,,,, Independent Commision. Finally,
Wellington, desparate times for desparate measures for AFL. The reason i say this is that a rugby union world cup played in NZ this year will dispell any push over there, not to mention the 4 nations rugby league over there at the end of the year.
Finally.
Rugby League is now on a level playing feild with all other codes,. No really, i am relieved, now Gallop does not have to do any t/v dealing. This will now be in the hands of a IC, plus we are well on our way to pay our lads what they are deserved.
I thought to many players were signing up for a long period, which all their contracts expire around 2013, smart cookies.
matty1974 said | March 11th 2010 @ 7:35pm | Report comment
Speaking from a football fan’s perspective, I think it is quite obvious that most Australian media outlets will promote those sporting competitions in which they have a vested interest, which from a business point of view makes sense. If international RL becomes a money maker for media, then i would think it will lead to more exposure.
The A League has an average crowd about 2/3rd’s of the NRL, but if you read the DT, watch Channel 9 or listen to some of the Sydney based radio ’sports’ shows, the A league would be lucky to receive a tenth of the RL coverage. Not a whinge, just the reality.
Thank god for Pay Tv and the internet, means i no longer have to buy the paper, or watch channel’s 7, 9 and 10 in the hope of a few snippets of football coverage.
For RL and aussie rules for that matter, to expand interstate or internationally, they will need to divert lots of cash from the domestic scene and that presents a risk that other codes will encroach domestically. I believe that it is the intention of the AFL to become the dominant national code, so that it can then focus on international development.
Springs said | March 11th 2010 @ 10:46pm | Report comment
And then NRL becomes a semi-pro comp and soccer averages 25,000 a game right matty?
A-League get 1/10th the coverage of NRL because in Sydney they have 1/9th amount of clubs, and probably 1/12th or so amount of crowds. In Brisbane they are lucky to get 1/8th crowds. Same with Gold Coast, Townsville and Newcastle.
Crosscoder said | March 11th 2010 @ 8:23pm | Report comment
.From what I listen to on sport’s shows,people who follow the A league don’t bother to ring up in any numbers.The media outlets take into account also the number of Tv viewers for a sport,and the fact that in Sydney during the winter months,papers such as the Terror sell a lot more papers.Why because rl has been the dominant code in that city.The Terror had more rl in it ,before SL and before they became a partner in the game.
There are 9 NRL teams in Sydney and one A league,what should the media coverage be ,on that basis? 2/3 of 9 ?
I believe the NRL has a larger number of viewers on the box FTA and pay ,than the A league.
I am sure the Melbourne media gives a lot more coverage to the A League than the NRL especially the Storm.
Anycase when the Socceroos are playing the game for WC qualification/participation ,it gets a huge amount of coverage.
I am a latent soccer follower,and watch world cups,as do a fair number of Aussies,but sorry the A league doesn’t get me going.The A League is a good concept don’t get me wrong.
With the announcement a short time ago that the ARL has agreed in principle to the IC,the game will be in a position to reach its full potential locally and to a lesser extent overseas.Why? A much bigger Tv contract ensuring star players stay in the agme,more money on development,expansion,and more money available for promoting RL tests. The NRL will not be diverting large sums of money for rl internationally.It is up to the RLIF and the monies made from tests and WCs.
It is the intention of the AFL/Rugby league/rugby union/soccer to be the dominant code in Australia.None want to be at a standstill ,but grow and be No1 .All codes should strive to do that.
jus de couchon said | March 12th 2010 @ 6:32am | Report comment
Here in England ESL continues to survive despite Skys hype.
Rod said | March 12th 2010 @ 8:15am | Report comment
j d c
Please explain?