When rugby league is mentioned in the media or generally in public, it is derided and covered in negativity like a straitjacket encompasses a madman.
Some sections of the press use every opportunity to downgrade the game. What is more, there are those that refuse to acknowledge any good qualities that rugby league presents and would like nothing more than the game to be removed from the Australian sporting landscape. For rugby league fans, it can be frustrating when wave after wave of negative criticism engulfs the game.
Naturally, people who follow rugby union, AFL or football and who have no interest in rugby league would wish to see its demise. Rugby league’s demise would see an increase in the following of their sport.
Therefore, they will use any opportunity to criticise the game. They are not alone with this viewpoint. Many in rugby league do not want to see these sports succeed either, so this feeling of contempt for other codes is a natural feeling for some – I stress – not all fans.
The different codes in Australia are in competition with each other, and this rivalry naturally filters down through to the fans. For some fans, the idea of following more than one sport is not on their agenda.
Though it would be remiss of me not to note to all the unadorned truth – it is perfectly okay to support more than one sport or football code.
Apart from opposing fans criticising rugby league, some sections of the media it seems will use any and every opportunity to tear it down.
The media will and do use the game with all means possible to make a profit for themselves. They are allowed to do this.
They’re in the business to make a profit, and they will do so by selling stories that are based on half-truths if they need to.
Yes, some media outlets are worse than others, yet until the scandalous stories stop selling, they will continue to publish them. It is the nature of society (disappointingly so) that people love gossip over fact.
However, there are times when rugby league is its own worst enemy. An excellent example of this occurred recently. The blast by the two coaches against the referees in week one of the NRL finals brought the game into disrepute.
This disrespect of match officials has been criticised by most media outlets and sports fans, especially, when the game was compared to the AFL who did not act in such a negative way.
NRL CEO Todd Greenberg was right when he said that some in the game need to grow up. We as fans must demand better from the participants within our game from acting in such disregard for the officials in our sport.
Fortunately, apologies have since been made, but the damage had already been done. Although we are not the only sport in the world where this disrespect occurs, we should still aim to be the best that we can be. On this occasion, we gave the naysayers a free kick.
NRL boss Todd Greenberg (AAP Image/Dan Peled)
Rugby league is considered by many to be the greatest game of all. Naturally, those who do not follow the game or refuse to acknowledge it will shake their head and scoff at such a suggestion.
They may note the off-field and some on-field scandals that have plagued the sport. It is true. As a sport we have scandals, but so do every other sport.
Despite this, in all honesty, some actions and scandals (I won’t reference them – we know them) cannot be defended.
We as fans should not try to defend these actions, but use our judgement to highlight the bias that is presented against the sport. To further explain this point, I’ll use the travelling Australian as an example.
When we hear of Australians misbehaving overseas, do we paint all Australians with the same brush? No, we don’t, and the reason is simple. The idiotic few do not reflect the vast majority of Australians as being good travellers.
I could use further examples of where this occurs in our society, but since this is a sports-related article the above example should suffice.
In this sense, it is important to explain that when countering negatives, it is best to indicate the positives of our game instead of falling into a slanging match of bringing down other codes by referencing their on-field and off-field indiscretions.
The majority of rugby league players are honest, hardworking, family-orientated individuals. They contribute to charities, promote healthy living and give way more back to the community than what they receive from the game.
This contribution is not only in the professional game but also in the lower levels. In fact, most of the people who play or are involved in the game are the salt of the earth and who come from all walks of life.
However, I understand that it is frustrating for fans when the media do not highlight this. Some fans continually pose the question – why doesn’t the media reveal the good news instead of the bad?
The answer is simple. It is not the media’s role to be the games mouthpiece. It is the NRL’s administrations role, it is the players’ role, the coaches’ roles and it’s the fans role. Therein lies our problem.
We don’t speak up enough in support of our great game. We don’t wear our colours enough, and we don’t actively support our teams enough. In our unity, we can show strength.
If we increase our memberships (currently we have a third of the memberships AFL clubs have) we can signify to our detractors the popularity of our sport.
If we increase our crowd attendances, we are arguing that our sport is not only great television product but a product of genuine cultural significance.
If we enhance our participation in the sport, then the game becomes a means in which connections and communities can be bound. The games unity is crucial to presenting a positive outlook on the game. Hopefully, this vision will showcase rugby league’s strengths.
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
The strengths of rugby league are many. Rugby league is a sport where fans weep or have a bad week after every loss and where fans are on cloud nine after every win.
It is a sport where passionate fans can sit side by side without brawling. A game that has built a reputation for resilience – it will never die! A game that will change to make it the best that it can be.
The game is intertwined with Australian values. It thrives on Indigenous inclusion. Rugby league is a game played by tough men and women.
It is a game where an individual is not judged on their wealth, station in life, religion or race. It is a sport where a player is always testing themselves; they test their ability on every run, every tackle and every play.
The ethos of mateship and respect are built into the very fabric of the game where all that matters is that you gave it your all and that you did not leave your mates hanging. It is a game where the bounce of the ball can change your fortunes. It is a game that can reflect life’s ebbs and flows. How can one not love such a game?
So come on people, let’s ignore all the negative waves and counter with the positives. If you have any stories of rugby league – individuals or the game – making a positive contribution to the community then please share them.
With more positivity in the air, in time, the disenfranchised and the naysayers will see the light.
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