Melbourne the place for NRL to grow
Roar Rookie By maticj, 23 Apr 2012 maticj is a Roar Rookie
- Tagged:
- Melbourne Storm, NRL, Rugby League, State Of Origin
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The decision by the NRL to again take the opening game of a State of Origin series to Melbourne is one that shows the game is very serious about growing.
With doubts as to whether the NRL can compete with an ever-growing AFL that has already made its statement in rugby league heartlands, they simply must promote themselves in the southern capital to stay in the race for popularity.
Officially, it will be the sixth time in the series’ history that the cockroaches will face the cane toads in neutral territory, and the third time in six years.
Melbourne has always been known for its passion for sport, and this is greatly evident by the crowds that turn up to events of any sport, and membership numbers held by AFL clubs.
This is in drastic contrast to Sydney.
Sydney’s largest regular season NRL match in 2011 at the Sydney Football Stadium attracted 34,976 people. Melbourne’s AFL equivalent at the MCG attracted 89,626 – a difference of 54,650.
While the MCG is much larger than the Sydney Football Stadium, the 80,000-capacity Stadium Australia had a largest crowd of just 34,322.
Last season the NRL endured 19 games attracting less than 10,000 people. The AFL had just one.
This is why the NRL is making a great move in taking another Origin match to Melbourne. It is a city where it can truly gain more popularity, where a sports-mad population will turn out in droves to games.
It is from here expansion will best take place.
The other states primarily follow AFL and turn their eyes to Melbourne regularly. If they see significant rugby league games happening there, the game’s range of influence spreads.
It would be hard to get the same affect going elsewhere, as no other city has a greater influence in the sporting world.
The last two Origin matches played in Melbourne have been at Docklands stadium, a stadium with 53,339 seats, and saw crowds of 54,833 and 50,967 respectively.
Let’s not forget that Melbourne has nine AFL clubs and one NRL club, but still, they have filled the stadium twice watching a sport some wouldn’t have known a thing about. So what’s to say the same success won’t occur?
In 1998, the Melbourne Storm entered the national rugby league competition. Historically, they average home crowd numbers of only 11,814, but when it comes to finals in Melbourne, that number jumps to 21,541.
The first figure is still larger than five other current NRL clubs.
Although the Storm’s membership has not come close to that of AFL club numbers, in 2008 the Storm had the highest membership of any NRL club. They were voted the most popular Melbourne sporting team in 2009.
Melbournians love supporting the big games, and are showing a healthy faith in Victoria’s only premier rugby league team.
As the AFL continue their attack on Sydney by targeting the country’s most populated suburban area, the NRL must do the same in our greatest sporting zone.
It may not be permissible yet to launch a second Melbourne club, but the NRL must continue taking big games there for the purpose of growth.
- Explore:
- Melbourne Storm, NRL, Rugby League, State Of Origin
April 23rd 2012 @ 8:32am
Rodney McDonell said | April 23rd 2012 @ 8:32am | Report comment
I don’t think thats correct.
You said,
“in 2008 the Storm had the highest membership of any NRL club. They were voted the most popular Melbourne sporting team in 2009.”
That sounds ridiculous. I believe what you meant to say is that the Storm had more “Supporters” not memberships. There is no way in hell they’ve ever had more memberships than the Broncos or Souths.
Check your facts.
April 23rd 2012 @ 10:26am
Matt F said | April 23rd 2012 @ 10:26am | Report comment
I would imagine that the Storm being the “most popular club in Melbourne” would have been done by the same company who works out that the Swans are the most supported team in the AFL. They basically ring up a number of people in each city and say “who is your favourite AFL/NRL team?” Naturally people in Melbourne will say the Storm even if they don’t actually care about the NRL simply because they have to pick one.
As for the Storm having more members then any other NRL club in 2008, that probably has a lot to do with NRL clubs never really prioritising memberships until a few years ago whilst Melbourne, through the AFL, has always had a strong membership focus. I’d guess that alot of NRl clubs would have at least caught up to the Storm’s membership numbers over the last year or so.
April 23rd 2012 @ 2:29pm
J-Mat said | April 23rd 2012 @ 2:29pm | Report comment
Thats true, they have, but the Storm are still in the top 3 or 4 (off the top of my head), and last season (despite the salary cap rort the year before) had a record number of members. Again off the top of my head, Souths currently have the most, with around 19,000.
April 23rd 2012 @ 2:51pm
J-Mat said | April 23rd 2012 @ 2:51pm | Report comment
It may well seem ridiculous, in fact it caught me very much by surprise, but it is true. But in the last four years Souths have taken off as the leading membership holder, and Brisbane take second place at the current time. Lets not forget though that in 2008 Melbourne were at their prime.
April 23rd 2012 @ 9:22am
Sam said | April 23rd 2012 @ 9:22am | Report comment
I just don’t know, has taking origin games to Melbourne really achieved anything.
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April 23rd 2012 @ 10:23am
me, I like football said | April 23rd 2012 @ 10:23am | Report comment
It’s good for the Victorian economy
April 28th 2012 @ 7:20am
ManInBlack said | April 28th 2012 @ 7:20am | Report comment
The NRL learned early that running an SoO in consecutive years was not a winner with the MCG matches in the mid 90s.
These matches at Docklands are actually boutique in the Melbourne market. i.e. the AFL no longer has SoO – so it’s not really up against any competition.
Is it growing RL in Victoria? I really wouldn’t think so. Were there to be an SoO game every 2nd week attracting 40,000 then perhaps?
April 23rd 2012 @ 9:23am
warren said | April 23rd 2012 @ 9:23am | Report comment
RL has a long way to go in Melbourne. Most of the population does not know the difference between RL and RU to start with and after all these years in Melbourne with winning side and with arguably the 3 best players in the country they have not grown their crowd numbers to any great extent. In the end the code will have a niche market to draw on. Apart from that AFL is so well entrenched in Melbourne no one else will get a look in.
April 23rd 2012 @ 10:50pm
The Link said | April 23rd 2012 @ 10:50pm | Report comment
agree that RL in Melbourne is a nieche, but ave Storm crowds are up 50-60% since the mid 00′s.
the Storm are going OK, on par with the Rebels this year which aint bad given the bandwagoners are still around for them
April 23rd 2012 @ 9:25am
JD said | April 23rd 2012 @ 9:25am | Report comment
The NRL have finally (belatedly) now have channell 9 televising Storm games that are on Free to air (on GEM). In previous years I hated when Storm were playing on free to air as it wasnt worth while at all in staying up to watch post midnight.
I prefer AFL, but watch most of storms games on foxtel. I follow both major codes. The NRL have treated Melbourne with contempt (from down hear) for years.
Where I sit I see the Storm as the most valuable team for the NRL. The reason is there are 3 teams in Queenlsand. There are numerous teams throughout NSW/ACT. The Storm gives access to the 2nd largest numbers of viewers. It gives a premise for sponsors to go – we get noticed across the Eastern Sea board.
The advantage the AFL has its a National competetion. Sponsors see national exposure – the NRL to grow needs to look at the same. Where by Melbourne/Vic is the most im portant cog outside the NRL heartland in this respect. Where are the NRLs equivalant to Auskick, where is there strategy to grow the game? It seems its now only a belated effort. The moving of a SOO game every couple of years is a great start. But until recent years you always heard from someone in Sydney putting it down as why should it be moved, why have we got a Mlebourne team etc. Its only now that has been muted. (Does finally someone have told those people that there sponsorship dollars would be diminished if there was no Melb presence, there will be less TV dollatrs)
April 23rd 2012 @ 9:26am
Australian Rules said | April 23rd 2012 @ 9:26am | Report comment
The NRL takes it biggest game (Origin I) down to Melbourne every couple of years. The crowds are good and it increases exposure…but other than that I’m not sure what more the NRL can do.
It’s too late to put another team in Melbourne anytime soon. Since the Storm landed, the A-League have put 2 teams in and now there’s the Rebels (along with the 10 AFL teams). Whilst Melburnians love the Storm, I think a 2nd team would flop. The NRL missed their window for a second team a few years ago…and the lack of tv coverage down there has really stymied potential growth.
April 23rd 2012 @ 12:39pm
Meesta Cool said | April 23rd 2012 @ 12:39pm | Report comment
It makes a lot of sense to play one, Home, One away and one Neutral game for this fascinating competition. unfortunately it is a long way for rank and file NRL fans to travel for a mid week game.
Do we want SOO for the fans of each team or as a showcase for Australian Rugby League. It gives ME and many Storm and Sports freaks the opportunity to see the game live without costing an arm and leg for travel and accommodation, but by the same token it deprives NSW & Queensland fans. Is it THEIR competition this is the question?.
April 23rd 2012 @ 12:59pm
Australian Rules said | April 23rd 2012 @ 12:59pm | Report comment
I think your last sentence sums up the Origin conundurm:
“it deprives NSW & Queensland fans. Is it THEIR competition this is the question?.”
By it’s own design, Origin belongs exclusively to NSW and QLD fans…they are the only stakeholders in the game. And by having Origin as the centrepiece of the game in Australia, that’s the problem the NATIONAL Rugby League faces.
April 23rd 2012 @ 4:36pm
bjt said | April 23rd 2012 @ 4:36pm | Report comment
Yes, exclusively to NSW and QLD. The Stage of Origin may have become the centrepiece, but it has nothing to do with a national rugby league competition. The NRL to what you’re referring to is the National Rugby League, and while unfortunately it is national by name only, is has nothing to do with Queensland vs. New South Wales. That is representative rugby league.
The flaw in your logic here is to assume that origin has always existed and always been immensely popular, and due to its name believe that it should be open to all states. But the reality of the matter is that it started as an experiment, and over the years has become the amazing spectacle that it is today. It has become that spectacle because of its very nature of Queensland vs. New South Wales and solely for this reason. Therefore to change this would be to take away the very thing that made it popular, and hence retracting its popularity and ceasing to become the centrepiece as you referred it.
As for its name, “State of Origin”, this confuses you because you do not look at it as an idiom, but as individual words, which creates two different interpretations. The way you interpret it is to look singularly at the word “state” and assume that the state refers to all the states of Australia. This is an easy mistake to make, however you must treat the idiom “State of Origin” like all other idioms, and that is to treat is as a single meaning. I will give you an example, the idiom, he/she “fell off the face of the earth” means to completely disappear suddenly, and not that someone fell off something. In our case “State of Origin”, simply means Queensland vs. New South Wales in a Rugby league match where players either represent Queensland or New South Wales via a set of eligibility rules. While the term has been used it the past, natural English usage usually dictates its meaning, hence when someone around Australia, and some places in the world uses the idiom “state of origin” they are referring to Queensland vs. New South Wales, not Queensland vs. Tasmania.
I hope this clears it up for you
April 23rd 2012 @ 5:00pm
Australian Rules said | April 23rd 2012 @ 5:00pm | Report comment
Origin and the NRL are inextricably linked. No-one can deny that.
It’s a great spectacle and has been good for the game but as the premium League product in Australia, the relevance of Origin is contained within 2 states only, and that’s a potential problem for the ARLC going forward.
Can the old colonial hatred between NSW and Qld really be enough to nourish the game’s greatest feature event?
April 23rd 2012 @ 7:15pm
bjt said | April 23rd 2012 @ 7:15pm | Report comment
Yes, can’t argue that fact that both Origin and the NRL are linked due to the fact they both involve the playing of the sport called rugby league. No doubt about that.
However…
Do the players all come from the NRL? – Yeah of course, because the NRL is the highest level rugby league competition in the world. Although not always the case, most players who play in Origin play for a team in the NRL.
Can all the players playing in the NRL play origin? – No, they cannot. Example Sam Burgess., Benji Marshall and so forth.
Does this mean these players have no ambition? No reason to play? No trophy at the end of the rainbow? – Well like all players in the NRL, they are playing to win the NRL competition. Just like every other sporting competition across the world.
Do they have a representative opportunity? – Yes, of course. They might be able to play for their country, the greatest honour of any sport (of course excluding sports that are limited to a single country).
Can some bloke one day from WA play for QLD or NSW? – God knows, but if there’s a Fijian playing for NSW, I’d say there’s a good chance it will happen, if he’s good enough.
Will it kick a stink up about eligibility? – Of course it will! It does every time and we don’t seem to be able to get enough of it!
Does rugby league have a tournament involving the Australian states and territories? – Yes, it’s called the Affiliated States Championship, although with the sad exception of Tasmania (but one day!).
When the NRL finally wakes up to itself and has teams established across Australia, and solid state based comps in each state, look at creating a new State Based Rugby League competition? – Why not. An end of the year knock out comp, the “Australia Rugby League Cup”. Throw in NZ and PNG, the “Australia and Friends Rugby League Cup”, and everyone will be happy! (and that’s a No to the NRL ever waking up to itself)
Should or will this effect or change the midyear State of Origin? – No.
April 23rd 2012 @ 7:43pm
Australian Rules said | April 23rd 2012 @ 7:43pm | Report comment
You’ve veered off on a tangent here…
The article is about Melbourne being crucial to the development and growth of the NRL.
I agree with that…but:
1) It’s too early (or late) for a 2nd Melb team;
2) Nonetheless, big games should continue to be played in Melbourne;
3) However, as the biggest game of all is Origin, it will always have limited appeal to folks in Melb (or Adelaide, Perth etc)…even if Melburnians turn up in droves to see it live (as they always do).
4) Thus, if the best thing the ARLC can do is showcase a NSW-QLD event to the rest of Australia, the future of the sport will continue to be dulled in non NSW-QLD areas.
(and your ‘Australian Rugby League Cup’ is decades away)
April 24th 2012 @ 10:20pm
bjt said | April 24th 2012 @ 10:20pm | Report comment
State of Origin is the pinnacle of league, no doubt about that. There’s also no doubt that it is a very unique game of QLD vs NSW, which is the reason it is famous and people understand that. This is why it’s now a showcase (although to QLD and some NSW fans it’s no “showcase”) and it simply would not have become the showcase, if it involved any other states or other countries.
When people tune in, in england, png, wa, victoria and anywhere else, they know that’s what it’s going to be. A great battle between QLD and NSW. It is one of the top four sporting events on the Australia calendar, with league owning one of the others. Origin really has become an amazing sporting event, and the fact that it is limited to only two teams makes it unique around the world. Why would anyone want to tamper with that?
I’m not a fan of soccer, but I went to the A-League final on the weekend. I’m not a fan of rugby union (if anything the opposite), but I still watched France almost beat the kiwis in the rugby union world cup final. The only game of NFL I watch every year is the Superbowl (which is one more than afl!). More than a few Australians watch a single horse race every year and with it, a single bet. However, if this horse race was called the “Australian Cup” I think it would appeal to a lot more Australians.
The thing you have to understand is Origin was an accident. Almost no one saw its potential and no one thought it would be a success. It happened and it’s here to stay. The very thing that you say makes it dull is the very essence of its existence and popularity.
April 23rd 2012 @ 9:56am
Blazza said | April 23rd 2012 @ 9:56am | Report comment
First thing the NRL need to do is wake up to themselves and see that they have 3 of the games superstars waiting to be unleashed to the Australian public to promote our game and they do nothing. The NRL in part because of channel 9 have treated the Storm like rubbish ever since they entered the competition. Its no wonder why when most Melburnians are asked about something to do with rugby league they have no clue.
Most of the advertising of the NRL in Melbourne the Storm have done themselves. Their the only team in the NRL in which rugby league isn’t number 1 and their left to fight by themselves. Until the NRL realise that Melbourne currently is the best product of their game, nothing will change. They have questionably the best combination of 1,7 and 9 in the history of rugby league yet they get wasted on Foxtel, or when the 2012 NRL ad comes out they are no where to be seen.
April 23rd 2012 @ 10:34am
Crosscoder said | April 23rd 2012 @ 10:34am | Report comment
It would be a waste of time and space putting a 2nd NRl team in Melbourne.What they have to do is at least show one SOO live there,and at least have the game available at decent hours on the HD channel and continue this exposure for years to come.
Build up the base and following the Storm currently have,continue with the grassroots development work through schools and local clubs(using the NW Wolves as an example for the latter),then down the line look at a 2nd team( well down the line I might add).
It is never too late to place a 2nd team in a major city,except to say it must be done on the back of a large or growing grassroots base’,and decent FTA TV exposure.The current club must be attracting regularly near full houses, to even consider such a proposition.Timing the operative word.
There are too many other irons in the fire with Perth,Brisbane 2( which I consider the most important),CC,CQLD.
They would attract far more Tv ratings and Tv monies than a 2nd Melbourne side,but as GWS has shown never say never.
April 23rd 2012 @ 10:52am
Ian Whitchurch said | April 23rd 2012 @ 10:52am | Report comment
Crosscoder,
Just as important as GWS is the second-tier competition the AFL has set up in NSW, Queensland and the Northern Territory.
If rugby legue wants to encourage the game in Melbourne, then I’d be subsidising the travel bills of putting two Melbourne sides in the Metro Cup.
April 23rd 2012 @ 4:29pm
Crosscoder said | April 23rd 2012 @ 4:29pm | Report comment
Ian.
They have to get the club comps in Victoria not only up to scratch overall,but increase the numbersat grassroots level.At least ATM the Storm have an under 20 side and an under 18 side.The state is involved in the Affiliated states championship and are involved in schoolby champs.That is a start.
Its all very well talking about subsidising travel,but you can’t do it unless you have money to spend in decent quantities.Cue next Tv deal
Sometimes slowly slowly works as well as putting dots on maps and spashing the cash..
April 26th 2012 @ 5:07pm
Nathan of Perth said | April 26th 2012 @ 5:07pm | Report comment
Just going to add a little parochial point here: Six out of the last seven ASC’s have gone to WA, only one to the Vics. Considering they’re the ones with the professional team, they really ought to pick their game up over there
April 23rd 2012 @ 12:42pm
Meesta Cool said | April 23rd 2012 @ 12:42pm | Report comment
Wow Crosscoder, you’re not allowed to use so much logic in these forums. LOL
April 23rd 2012 @ 4:31pm
Crosscoder said | April 23rd 2012 @ 4:31pm | Report comment
Meesta Cool.
Logic and rugby league at times are strange bedfellows.
April 23rd 2012 @ 10:56am
oikee said | April 23rd 2012 @ 10:56am | Report comment
Brisbane needs a second NRL team way before Melbourne.
Plus Brisbane has the best stadium in Australia for 3 codes, Suncorp, nothing comes close to this stadiuj or the area around the stadium. , there is no close second.
Caxton street and walking down the hill from the old police barracks into the drop-off at the 4xxxx end, no stadium in the world comes close. Plus it is built on a grave yard, skeletons attached and has its very own 100 year old church for the game day post mortems and defeated, the Perth Glory were their last night.
April 23rd 2012 @ 11:10am
JD said | April 23rd 2012 @ 11:10am | Report comment
I agree – Melbourne arent ready for a 2nd team for some time. But also Brisbane wouldnt be a priority either.
A second Brisbane team, would add only incremental to new viewers/particpants. As people already there would be watching games/going to games.
Although riskier, a long term platform of introducing a team firstly to perth (population close to 1.8million in the city) and Adelaide (population 1.2 million) would be higher on my agenda. But both at the same time may be far to risky. This has medium/long term potential to add extra viewers/supporters higher. Short term it wouldnt but with appropiate infrastructure in place it would be proviode better help/growth overall. Would give the competetion a true National coverage, rather than Eastern seaboard only.
Also a 2nd team in Brisbane, where would the support be generated from. My basic understanding is the Broncos would have most of the RL population already supporting them from there with very few unaligned people would move across. People are more likely to get divorced/change there wife/husband than they are of switching teams. Is there a geographical area of Brisbane where this team could be based and work???
April 23rd 2012 @ 4:26pm
Queensland's Game is Rugby League said | April 23rd 2012 @ 4:26pm | Report comment
“A second Brisbane team, would add only incremental to new viewers/particpants. As people already there would be watching games/going to games.”
You couldn’t be further from the truth. There are a lot of rugby league fans in Brisbane who hate the Broncos. They’re crying out for a second team.
April 23rd 2012 @ 4:33pm
Crosscoder said | April 23rd 2012 @ 4:33pm | Report comment
Agree QGIRL the Tv stations (ch9) have told the NRL(I am led to believe) that having a 2nd Brisbane side will add a further $100m over 5 years to the value of the next Tv deal.
April 23rd 2012 @ 4:41pm
Queensland's Game is Rugby League said | April 23rd 2012 @ 4:41pm | Report comment
Here’s the article.
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/expansion-connected-to-new-tv-rights-deal-20120418-1x7q4.html
April 23rd 2012 @ 1:45pm
Emric said | April 23rd 2012 @ 1:45pm | Report comment
Didn’t channel 9 offer 100 million more dollars over 5 years for a second NRL team in Brisbane? This would suggest that a second team in brisbane has the inside running
April 23rd 2012 @ 4:27pm
Queensland's Game is Rugby League said | April 23rd 2012 @ 4:27pm | Report comment
It is true. I remember reading it in an article the other day. Channel 9 want another team in Brisbane so that they can have two Brisbane games each weekend.
April 23rd 2012 @ 11:41am
Ads said | April 23rd 2012 @ 11:41am | Report comment
How many Victorians, South Australians, West Australians and Tasmanians play for an NRL club? I wouldn’t think it would be in double figures? This is a key factor in growing the game. You need players to come through at the grass roots level, i.e. be playing the sport in schools. In contrast what are the numbers of NSW and QLD born and bred players playing in the AFL? I would think there are at least 40 – 50. The AFL are growing the game at the grass roots level with Auskick, taking games to Canberra, establishing Gold Coast and GWS, the NEAFL competition, and other junior competitions. This is a key distinction. Fair enough you can promote the game by taking SOO to Melbourne once a year, but do they care who wins between QLD or NSW? Where is the Victorian SOO side? What happens once the Storm are at the bottom of the table? They have had a dream run in terms of success (not counting the fact they cheated the salray cap and were stripped of their 2 premierships), but they have been top 8 most of their 15 years. The NRL needs to develop with a longer term view they way the AFL does.
April 23rd 2012 @ 4:33pm
Queensland's Game is Rugby League said | April 23rd 2012 @ 4:33pm | Report comment
“In contrast what are the numbers of NSW and QLD born and bred players playing in the AFL? I would think there are at least 40 – 50. ”
Most of them are probably southern expats who migrated to Queensland and NSW.
Blokes like Michael Voss and Michael Riewoldt are from Victoria and Tasmania, respectively, but moved to Queensland when they were about 10 years old. So they’re not really Queenslanders.
Jason Akermanis is another Victorian who moved to Queensland during his youth.
Jason Dunstall is the only born-and-bred Queenslander that went on to become a huge star in the AFL.
April 23rd 2012 @ 5:14pm
Australian Rules said | April 23rd 2012 @ 5:14pm | Report comment
“Blokes like Michael Voss and Michael Riewoldt are from Victoria and Tasmania, respectively, but moved to Queensland when they were about 10 years old. So they’re not really Queenslanders.”
Um…it’s NICK Riewoldt.
And by your logic, I guess Israel Folau, Greg Inglis, Martin Kennedy et al are not REALLY Queenslanders…
April 23rd 2012 @ 9:33pm
Queensland's Game is Rugby League said | April 23rd 2012 @ 9:33pm | Report comment
They may not be born-and-bred Queenslanders, but they come from a rugby league heartland.
April 23rd 2012 @ 9:44pm
Australian Rules said | April 23rd 2012 @ 9:44pm | Report comment
I’m not sure what you’re point is. Far more AFL players come from NSW and Qld, than League players come from Vic, SA, WA and Tas.
More importantly, a Queenslander has just admitted to embracing New South Welshmen for Origin purposes! wow
April 24th 2012 @ 12:19am
Ian Whitchurch said | April 24th 2012 @ 12:19am | Report comment
Got it. If you play Origin for Queensland, you’re a Queenslander.
Otherwise, you just moved there.
Got it.
April 25th 2012 @ 9:22pm
Queensland's Game is Rugby League said | April 25th 2012 @ 9:22pm | Report comment
You don’t know much about Queenslanders, do you Ian?
No true Queenslander would be caught dead playing Aussie rules. Queenslanders hate the game. A Queenslander playing Aussie rules is like a Scotsman carrying the cross of Saint George.
April 26th 2012 @ 12:14am
Ian Whitchurch said | April 26th 2012 @ 12:14am | Report comment
“No true Queenslander”.
Sometimes, Qgirl, you are just a caricature of yourself.
April 26th 2012 @ 12:07pm
Australian Rules said | April 26th 2012 @ 12:07pm | Report comment
Qgirl
I think you’re right. But it’s not just Australian football.
All those Queensland imposters that supported the Roar, the Lions during their premierships, the Bullets when they were firing, and heck, even the Reds. They’re not the REAL Queenslanders at all…pffftt…they probably don’t even drink mid-strength beer!
April 28th 2012 @ 5:26pm
Queensland's Game is Rugby League said | April 28th 2012 @ 5:26pm | Report comment
Ian,
The majority of Queenslanders don’t refer to Aussie rules as “AFL”. They use a term that I’m not allowed to say on here. The only time Queenslanders ever watched the game was when the Lions were thrashing the Victorian teams. We liked to watch that because we thought it was funny.
April 23rd 2012 @ 11:42am
steve b said | April 23rd 2012 @ 11:42am | Report comment
I Worked in Adeliade late last year they are screaming for team, Iam sure it would work theyll bet on anything and they love their league lot of x pat N.S.W. live down their i would like to see a team down their before another Team in Melbourne or Q.L.D. . Start really making it National .