Jarryd Hayne on the way to the tryline during the Week 1 Playoff NRL match between the Dragons and the Eels at Win Jubilee Stadium in Sydney, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009. The Eels beat the Dragons 25-12. (AAP Image/Action Photographics, Renee McKay)
First they played in Melbourne on Good Friday when the AFL was having the day off, now the NRL is targeting Anzac Day with its plans to telecast the traditional Sydney Roosters-St George Illawarra Anzac clash on free-to-air across Australia.
The move is a significant one, particularly with its national reach, as the Channel 9 NRL telecast will inevitably overlap with Channel 7’s coverage of the Essendon-Collingwood traditional AFL clash at the MCG.
With the NRL continuing to exploit any potential openings left by the AFL, its little wonder the tabloids are screaming “code wars”!
As I wrote on Sunday, the NRL’s decision to play at Etihad on Good Friday was an intelligent move, with the code rewarded with a record home and away crowd of 25,404 for the Melbourne Storm, and the free-to-air Anzac Day move is just as intelligent; giving the NRL a much wider audience, and profile, for its own Anzac clash.
The current free-to-air deal with Channel 9 may be increasingly frustrating fans and the league itself in relation to the network having such a large say in scheduling, but free-to-air coverage is essential for a code’s sustainability and the Anzac decision highlights the NRL’s growing profile.
Despite the endless scandals, the product itself is pretty damn good, and networks can no longer ignore the code’s popularity.
When you consider its limited footprint compared to the AFL, the fact that the media are able to build a case for their even being a code war between the two is a credit to the NRL (however, I’m increasingly becoming convinced the code war fascination is a Sydney thing, with Western Sydney as its justification).
It’s been a popular pastime in Australian sporting discourse to kick the NRL while it’s been down.
David Gallop has been, unfairly in my opinion, the favoured target for those looking to apportion blame for the code’s problems, and with every moronic player indiscretion, Gallop’s position was inevitably called into question (what could he do? He isn’t their father!).
Even ARU chief executive John O’Neill didn’t miss an opportunity to rile the NRL by claiming stars such as Greg Inglis and Johnathan Thurston could be tempted to switch codes by the prospect of playing Rugby Sevens at the Olympics.
Few codes could have survived the public bashing they received.
But Gallop and his team deserve credit for not only surviving the tide of controversies and scandals, but also in visibly growing the sport and building the framework for further expansion, be it on the Central Coast, Perth or elsewhere.
It’ll be fascinating to see how the NRL’s Anzac Day clash rates on free-to-air, particularly outside of the its heartland in places like Victoria, SA and WA.
It won’t come anywhere near to the numbers tuning in to the Essendon and Collingwood clash in those areas, but it’s a lot better than any other code could have mustered, and at least they are in a position to offer fans an alternative viewing option.
The fact that the NRL is chipping away and taking such opportunities is why they are in a position where they are seen to be rivaling the AFL in the media, even if we know it’s not really a contest.
After all the criticisms of the code, let’s pay credit where it is due.
Ian
Guest
18 a side I think I'll have to have a count when its on the telly seeing as there's bugger all else to watch.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Ian How many in an F troop?
Ian
Guest
Redb Looking at the "choice" available, I'd probably have to agree with you that F Troop would be the only thing worth watching on the TV at that time.
Redb
Roar Guru
Must remember to set the Foxtel IQ for F Troop.
BigAl
Guest
What's wrong with F Troop ?
Ian
Guest
As mentioned a handful of times above, Channel Nine and the NRL cannot sort its obligations to the fans outside of NSW and Queensland and the rest of the country look forward to this rubbish scheduled on Channel Nine whilst the ANZAC game is on. 2.30pm F Troop 3pm Survivor: Heroes vs Villains 4pm Men in Trees Is it any bloody wonder why the AFL rates so good for these matches when there is no competition!
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Trevor You obviously watch very few NRL games.The ANZ stadium is a classic example,the cameras tend to show the opposite side to the heavily populated areas,as they do at the SFS,where the Western side is heavily populated and the east not so .It happens at Penrith and Parramatta. Marshalled to one side of the ground, for ticket seat holders,or for general entry admission for the hill LOL. I have been following the game for decades and I have been season ticketholder, purchased a seat and used general admission ,and never been marshalled anywhere. Growing profile SOO ratings a record,crowds up,expectancy of a big increase in Tv contracts,an IC on the way,70,000 plus at a semi last year in Sydney.If you think FTA TV isn't essential for a sport's profile you are kidding.Ask the AFL ask the ARU re tests.
trevor
Guest
"free-to-air coverage is essential for a code’s sustainability and the Anzac decision highlights the NRL’s growing profile" Growing profile ? Wake up to yourself. I see crowds being marshalled to only one side of the ground for free to air games so it looks like there is more than a few thousand people at a game on a weekly basis,
B.C Queenslander
Guest
I Love Aussie Rules, I live in Queensland and I mean I LOVE Aussie Rules, now I find out I'm brainwashed by someone who clearly has no brain to wash.
Dirk
Roar Rookie
I find what you say "AFL's ANZAC day" very offensive. Implying AFL has ownership to ANZAC
Stop the back peddle CV, you've demonstrated your ability to promulgate sensationalist and unsubstantiated dribble. Then you have the audacity (and hypocrisy) of accusing your opponents of having "no constructive argument (sic)", what a hoot! Don't know how many times you have to be told, but it is not the AFL's job to promote Australian history, or the sporting history of their rival codes. That is what school is for. Victorian children aren't brainwashed, they learn about Gallipoli, Vietnam, WWII etc at Primary and Secondary school. Conclusion: Your whole arguement boils down to 'guilt by omission', which is absurd because the AFL is a sporting league, not a historical society or an RSL. CV, you have to be one of the worst offenders of logic on this board.
Country Victoria
Guest
Came on boys dont get your nickers in a knot - and stop this rant - you both have no constructive argument, have you? Again getting away from the main issue, boys are. I dont hate Australian Rules its just the idiots the AFL that force their way into Australian sports and fools like you that make Aussie Rules bad with all the AFL BS. A Victorian ANZAC day match with only two Vic teams, not truly an ANZAC DAY GAME is it? If Aussie Rules is that popular in NZ why not play them on the ANZAC day? And Aussie Rules players were not the only Australians who fought for our country Australia, the AFL is brainwashing many Victorians including the kids, by only speaking to relations with only hero storties (!)of those who have play Aussie Rules and fought for Australia. Its a AFL disgrace on all Australians who's fathers and grandfather (women too) gave their lives for Australian and were not involved with AFL.
Michael C
Roar Guru
CV - your little rant leaves us scratching our head. Are you picking on the AFL for NOT including references to other sports???......that's not their job surely. SUrely if they did - you'd be more offended. For a broader community comemmoration - - there are dawn services, parades etc. The Kiwi's know how to take care of themselves too. Anzac day is not only about the Anzacs and not only about WWI and Gallipoli. It's become broader than that. Most Victorians can distinguish between a respectful rememberance ceremony (conducted by the military too) at the MCG as compared to a broader community 'official' event. Seems you can't. btw - the best thing is the respect on that day has seen the old days of hoons yelling out during the minute silence having vastly diminished over the years........that all the codes haven't got their act together is not the fault of the AFL. btw - what's Weary Dunlop got to do with the AFL????
Redb
Roar Guru
Your last rant reveals little in the way of facts more a hatred of the AFL. Just join the queue of the envious, there are plenty of fans of other teams in the AFL who hate the fact that Collingwood and Essendon share this day. Join the club. :-) it's the only day Collingwood and Essendon stand together for a bigger cause.
Rod
Roar Guru
MC, don't even try to think you know what Rugby League/Union fans think in regards to their games, you have no idea. *Oh poor afl fans had games moved to other days.* Has it hurt the afl finances? *the poor afl fans lost their suburban grounds.* Aww, but then you throw the crowd figures in everybody's face about how the G is the greatest place on Earth, you can't have it both ways. *poor Fitzroy and Sth Melb.* Yeah well atleast those clubs are still around in some capacity, don't you ever come in here complaining about these two clubs compared to my code that lost multiple clubs through no fault of their own. *give unfair advantage to interstate clubs* Last time I read BF, most people were complaining the opposite way because a team like Collingwood doesn't travel as much interstate, so what is it MC? *killed off the Big V* You guys wanted total domination of the country thus not needing State rivalries huh, you got your own way, so live with it. As you guys have mentioned before a billion times, "we are national, we don't need SOO because we have every state playing every week". *killed off the reserves and ‘curtain raiser’ games* Yep, and you got a National comp out of it, what would you rather, the old VFL, or the AFL you have now? Make up your mind. "forced our clubs into dodgey deals at Docklands" Don't play there then, if the AFL is as powerful as many in this country think, do something about it. It's not like the stadiums have a gun at the clubs heads. *and if you believe some media the AFL is blocking the soccer WC bid* Well their not going out of their way to help it are they?
Rod
Roar Guru
MC, is this a RL thread or an AFL one? How about doing what you are telling everyone else to do aye.
Michael C
Roar Guru
oikee - get real mate, "Time you squares in Melbourne started to understand the true meaning of ANZAC, it is not a AFL game." This is just a silly comment. YOu get your RL game to sort itself out, fine - - but don't got bleating about what happens within the AFL on ANZAC day. They play a game......so what? That the RL folk with their Aust and NZ components haven't been able to make a square peg fit in a square hole is hardly the fault of the AFL. Logic simply dictates that RL folk couldn't be bothered!!!
Michael C
Guest
You guys are so far off the track......Victorians are 'club' first by a country mile and generally hate the 'League' HQ. What we see on theRoar is that there are all these 'pro-soccer' and 'pro-Rugby' folk who give the appearance of being 'code' first and club......well, club as a sense of obligation in some cases. The lack of breadth of viewpoint and questioning tends to be more the state centric media.....who take delight in beating up the negatives....oh dear.....sounds just like the NRL coverage in NSW.......fancy that. FOr a long time, most Victorians dislike AFL HQ, because AFL HQ took away : 6 games on a Sat arvo, suburban grounds, Fitzroy and Sth Melb, give unfair advantage to interstate clubs killed off the Big V, killed off the reserves and 'curtain raiser' games forced our clubs into dodgey deals at Docklands, and if you believe some media the AFL is blocking the soccer WC bid, because, a lot of AFL fans love watching the top line international soccer too. Blind faith therefore is not due to any love of the 'AFL'.
Country Victoria
Guest
Is that all you got to say Redb? I am just stating the facts of what is going on in Victoria. You know I am correct! Most Victorians are easily brainwashed by the AFL and its BS
Redb
Roar Guru
Why so bitter son? :-) Your post is full of just rubbish and falsehoods.