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NRL boss Todd Greenberg need look no further than Steve Crawley as the sole reason why the NRL crowds are down this year.
Whoever at Fox had the masterstroke to pinch Crawley from Channel Nine deserves a promotion.
Crawley did a great job at Nine, but he’s done an even better job at Fox.
Why would league fans want do battle with traffic, pay an entrance fee, see just one first grade game and have to put up with sub-standard facilities at most grounds when they could stay in the comfort of their own home and watch every game on Fox without any commercial interruption.
But that’s only the start. Thanks to Crawley’s vision with a dedicated channel of rugby league 24/7, 13 different shows each week with 168 hours of live television, and with the leftover hours replaying great games of the past with the ‘Moose’ Rex Mossop calling, there’s plenty of rugby league action on Fox.
It’s been rugby league heaven with a galaxy of household names giving viewers the value of their vast experience.
In all there’s been 23 past players on duty over the season who have chalked up a whopping 5179 NRL games between them, 340 Origins, and 319 internationals to blow the one-time league leaders Channel Nine out of the picture.
The cast was like a league ‘Who’s Who’: Matty Johns, Mal Meninga, Peter Sterling, Justin Hodges, Mark Gasnier, Danny Buderus, Gorden Tallis, Corey Parker, Blocker Roach, Nathan ‘I wish I’d won a premiership’ Hindmarsh, Bryan Fletcher, Benny Elias, Billy Moore, Laurie Daley, Kevin Walters, Brandy Alexander, Aaron Woods, James Graham, Spud Carroll, Ben Ikin, Brett Finch, Michael Ennis, and Braith Anasta.
Crawley struck, and struck hard, but he wasn’t done.
He came up with the biggest rugby league vision of all time, League Life hosted by Yvonne Sampson, with Lara Pitt, Jessica Yates, and Hannah Hollis – four ladies talking rugby league?
Brilliant.
Their weekly show has been hugely successful. Had that been suggested say 20 years ago, the instigator would have been put in a straight-jacket and the key thrown away.
Tomorrow, with Sampson at the helm, the four femmes will host rugby league’s night of nights – the Dally Ms – and they will shine.
The salutes keep coming for Crawley, salting Sampson away from Nine to become the leading light in Fox panel discussions.
She’s always lively, passionate, knowledgeable, and in complete control of the many panels she hosts, so both Fox and rugby league are better off for her outstanding and increasing contribution.
Again Crawley wasn’t done.
A former sports-writer himself, he’s turned written word sports journos into small screen stars with Buzz Rothfield, Paul Kent, Paul Crawley, James Hooper, Crash Craddock, and Andrew Webster
And he singled out dyed-in-the-wool Queenslander Craddock to host Queenslanders Only with the regular panel of Meninga, Hodges, and Walters.
A brilliantly brave decision that has worked a treat.
The only “failure” has been On the Couch with Sterlo, obviously hosted by league legend Peter Sterling.
Why that show has been axed beggars belief. He had a crack panel of Tallis, Parker, and the Blocker, great to see the big bloke back on television, but the highlight of each week were the one-on-ones with Sterlo and a special guest.
Sterling is an old-fashioned interviewer, he never shows disrespect for his guest by butting in, working on the rightful premise the next question will invariably come out of the answer he’s listening to, not the clip board.
So all Sterling’s interviews flow, and are very easy to listen to.
I’ll miss Sterlo’s On the Couch next winter, it’s Fox’s loss, but a needy gain for for the beleaguered Nine with Sterling signing on full time.
Among all those quality Fox panelists, I give my podium awards for 2017 as follows.
Gold to Yvonne Sampson for a superb first-up performance all season. She is a breath of fresh air controlling some pretty heavy hitters, and the respect every one of them have for this very talented lady is obvious for all to see.
(Image via Channel Nine Style)
Silver to Mark Gasnier for his very professional driven analysis that is both concise and clearly understood.
And bronze to Matty Johns who cleverly mixes the serious side of rugby league with his own very active sense of humour. I can’t pick who owns the most infectious laugh on television – Matty, Johnathan Thurston, or Kerry O’Keeffe?
Let’s settle for a triple dead-heat.
My award for the best rookie has to be shared by Michael Ennis, and Corey Parker, two totally different personalities – Ennis very much to the point as he played on the field, Parker softly spoken in getting his message across.
Both have made a spectacular transition from player to television panelist.
And that only leaves what will Stave Crawley have up his sleeve for 2018.
If he raises the bar again, expect crowds to fall further.