Unfortunately yesterday was a case of another day, another adverse headline for the greatest game of all.
With in fighting at board level, the on going ASADA investigation, speculation about coaches futures, player upheaval, player misbehaviour, refereeing errors, increasing ticket prices, later kick-off times, and delayed coverage, what hope do fans have?
Yesterday’s sporting headlines were dominated by speculation that Tigers coach Mick Potter may be sacked, despite his side sitting just outside a congested top eight.
The competition’s bottom side, the Sharks, pulled out a thrilling upset over the high flying Panthers, however the win cannot gloss over the horror season the Shire team have endured.
Even fans of the competition leading Sea Eagles are not immune as reports continue to indicate that the side’s biggest stars are at odds with the club’s board.
Although I one day hope to make a living out of writing about the game I love, I will always be first and foremost a fan.
Over the last few days on social media, fans have expressed great frustration about the overall quality of the game, focusing mainly on the off field problems that continue to plague clubs.
Tigers fans, who have spent the season watching what is possibly the greatest crop of youngsters in recent times, develop nicely, only to be met by news they may lose the coach who has been largely responsible for the development.
Reports of their captain Robbie Farah wanting out of the club is further taking the gloss of the performances of earlier this season.
It was around this time last season Sharks fans kicked backed and foresaw future success after the club announced the long-term re-signing of superstar Todd Carney.
Fast forward 12 months and the club and its fans are still searching for a replacement after the Daly M medalist’s contract was torn up.
Channel Nine are understandably looking to maximise the game’s value after spending big money to purchase the rights. Unfortunately fans have been left frustrated as kick off times have creeped later and later, with the game’s show piece event, State Of Origin, now kicking off closer to 8:30pm than the traditional 8pm timeslot.
The station continues to show delayed, standard definition games on Sunday afternoon as lead in to the high rating news bulletin, which heavily disadvantages fans who are forced to avoid social media during games.
The NRL has increased its presence on the back of the much flaunted billion dollar television deal, but if fans stop watching, the game’s value plummets.
Fans, who are expected to dig deep into their pockets for memberships, game day tickets, merchandise etc have been, currently are, and will forever always be the lifeblood of the competition.
Unfortunate fans are increasingly pushed to the back of list of priorities for players and club management.
Declining referee standards have to be addressed. Players need to want to behave in a way that properly represents their clubs. Broadcasters need to take fans into consideration when scheduling kick of times. Board members need to consider fans when making decisions.
I will continue to support rugby league until the day I die, however with all the problems the game is currently suffering on and off-field, less rusted-on fans may simply find it all too much, and walk away.
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
Amid Dale Finucane's forced retirement call, NRL 360 co-host Paul Kent said teams should be forced to alter their tackle technique through significant suspensions,…
The younger brother of NRL star Nathan Cleary, Jett, has inked a three-year deal with the New Zealand Warriors to start in 2025. Cleary,…
Dale Finucane will go down as one of the most honest, hard-working and inspirational players of his time. He’s what we want out of…
New coach Michael Maguire is considering as many as 50 players for the State of Origin series opener with not even captain James Tedesco…
All the team list information for Round 8.
The paradox of parity is that even though we’re told we should want a wide open competition, the NRL seems to be more interesting…
