Another year of NRL, and Gyngell and the powerbrokers at Channel 9 are again trotting out one of Bon Jovi’s B-sides to flashy special effects on our TV sets. But they aren’t fooling me.
That imbecile with the red noggin may even boast that we have endured his recycled and inanely cretinous head-wobbles for 20 years on the Footy Show, but again, I ain’t believing the hype.
You see, for all the bells and whistles, the smoke and mirrors, the razzle dazzle and the shimmy-shimmy-whooshes that Channel 9 use to promote their coverage, the network is guilty of defrauding the general public.
Take for instance this season’s free-to-air showcase matches. Despite winning only five games in 2011, Parramatta has featured in five of the six rounds so far this season. The Eels have won one of those six matches to languish at the bottom of the ladder.
Meanwhile the Melbourne Storm, the team that boasts three of the game’s finest players, a team synonymous with champagne rugby league and the benchmark for all others, has been assigned to pay TV.
Channel 9 and the NRL may form an argument that it is ratings rather that merit that decide who will appear on the main broadcast. However, I will not allow myself to be defrauded by that logic.
Why am I subjected to watching toothless rednecks adorned in blue and gold boo and throw coins at their team when I should be watching high-quality first-class performances from the competition front runners?
The Knights v Parra game last week was rubbish. It stunk. Even Gould could not hype up the game, and I need not remind anyone that “Gus loves his Sunday footy”.
(Memo to Gus: get out of my life…)
If it’s not the Eels, it’s the Tigers. Again, with one win for 2012, the Tigers have featured prominently on free-to-air. Gus loves big Keithy, loves Leichardt Oval on Sundays, loves himself most of all and seems to start frothing every time Benji touches the ball.
I am led to believe that Beau Ryan is funnier than Bob Hope, and if I am patient enough, Adam Blair will come good and assume the throne as the next Dally Messenger.
And then Danny Weidler reports back to Kenny Sutcliffe on the National 9 news that Robbie Farah has confessed his love for Benji Marshall and… and… who cares!
If Channel 9 and the NRL are fair dinkum, they’d play the Sharkies every week. The reason being? They are playing white hot at the moment.
Danny Weidler could try to report on stories of meaning and purpose (not about Willie Mason joining the Tigers or Hindmarsh being simple or Hayne doing a train/plane/lame impersonation on the weekend).
I acknowledge that there are people in great proportion who follow the Eels and Tigers. And of course that will equal easy ratings for Channel 9.
However, and for the greater good of the game and its expansion, Channel 9 and the NRL have an obligation to show the best-quality matches more often than not.
This will result in greater sponsorship and support for the game, crucial in these economic times, as well as a level playing field for all clubs in their drive for improved memberships and followers.
The good folk in our nation’s capital, the home of the mighty green-machine, may well be under the impression they do not have a team to support if reliant only upon Channel 9’s coverage.
Get real Channel 9. I implore the station to adopt a balanced and impartial coverage. Play the better quality games, not the games that suit only the big teams. Only then might I concede that relentlessly showing Mario Fenech’s head being stretched into an alien type form is remotely funny.
dan
Guest
PS is there anything we can do about it apart from getting pay tv? ie make a complaint, write to Gallop etc?
dan
Guest
I said last Sunday if I have to watch parra again this year I will kill myself. Looks like the game's up this Friday. Pathetic sheduling
Jed from Miranda
Guest
Research may be wrong, but 3 games too many for parramatta. they are the most over rated team and have delusional fans. as for research, Jarryd Hayne is over rated and if he plays 6 for blues, we are done. doesn't deserve a start. go cronulla and go suck on that parramatta
eclipz
Guest
Anyone know if Ch9 are allowed to invest in Fox? Their programming seems an obvious way to drive customers over.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Could you please repeat the Red hot Sharks description again Doggiez? It makes me all warm and fuzzy.
Doggiez
Guest
Sorry made a few grammar errors Storm get fair share of Friday Red hot Sharks Bring them on friday
Doggiez
Guest
I agree im a rooster fan and despite on form at the moment were not shown on tv. I hate watching Parra errors week in week out. Roosters got to the gramd final but in 2011 were shown less than in 2011 to make room for more tigers games. the nrl should not base games on popularity but on quality and i brlieve every team should get a fair share of friday night tv time. I love watching Billy the kid but only get to experience him in origin. I wanna see Carney play but they never show the Sharks. Show me the green machine, on form Roosters, Storm, Warriors and red hit sharks. I love watching NZ but i only see them on free tv on sundays bring them on sunday
clipper
Guest
Brett, this is what I can't understand when league fans go on about ch9 - they're in it for the money, they're not some altruistic corporation out to show every minor game in unchartered areas. Do you think ch7 would be playing AFL games in Sydney not involving the Swans if they didn't have to? They would continue to show some third rate reality show that would do far better in the ratings. When the commish negotiate the next deal, they will have to consider wether to put the fans first or the money first, you just can't have it both ways.
Peter
Roar Rookie
Someone in my AFL RSS for this site mentioned replays interrupting game play, I think your hatred for Gus should remain at that. I get bored every time a replay interrupts the opposing side getting the ball, how many times does it happen. Only the other day a team got the ball back from a drop by the opposition, did I see it NO because "Phil Gould thought it best for me to see some bozzo making a lunge for the try line 6 plays ago" :(
Mick the clown
Guest
I don't mind having no Melbourne games on fta tv ever. They are A club that almost destroyed rugby league with their grapple tackles, crushers, chicken wings etc. Each new tactic then needs a specific ruling against with the refs clamping down on the practice. The club is a disgrace and is morally an culturally bankrupt They play well outside the spirit of the game I refuse to watch storm games because of the constant grubby wrestling Sorry folks but they don't rate and never will and I would love nothing more than the storm removed for good -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Barry
Guest
Oikee' , The only 50 year olds I am referring to are those people in charge of programming for Ch.9. My wife is a 50s lady. I doubt there are many 70 year old hippies from Nimbin still around; most would have left the building All we need now is a Bruce McAvaney clone to refer to every sporting event as a "famous victory".
oikee
Guest
Another senario, channel 9 might win the rights and throw 10 a bone, sell them some games. ? Watch this space.
oikee
Guest
Thanks for pigeon holing me Barry. Mate i am right on the backside of the boomers, i met a great lady just a couple of days ago, another Boomer on the edge, she was normal like me. Got me thinking, are we normal, or not normal, maybe we are the abnormal ones, the rest are the normals. My god i get confused. Anyhow, i was on the other blog reading what that cizzy dude from island, (Ireland) was writing, he reckons that our commontators are fantastic. Look, as far as i am concerned, if the rest of the world loves them, like my normal argument above, which you were probably wondering why i wrote this dribble, now it makes sense to you, if the rest of the world loves them, maybe they are all ok, maybe we are the odd ones out. ?? Now it makes sense hey. I have heard lots of poms say that our commontators are great, and they hate theirs, well i really like theirs, and i think ours are hopeless, my god, its like a revolving door, we dont know weather we are Arthur or Martha. Gee i laugh. I am happy to call a truce on our callers of the game. If they make people happy in other countries, that is good enough for me.
oikee
Guest
I am after this 'Who' guy as well. :)
Barry
Guest
Haven't really noticed the leeway on timing that the traditional bootlace tacklers are allowed to fall off the attacker.One night on the Footy Show I did notice a little fella say to Brohman that he had no problem in tackling the big kids, just get them underneath; he was a confident 12 year old. I am amused that Gus Gould has commented on TV that he was a "hilltop hood" as a youngster. Hilltop Road is an area of Merrylands/Mays Hill which is situated next door to Parramatta. So Gus Gould would have been a Parramatta junior league player at some stage, yet he never mentions anything about old loyalties. Beside him sits that bloke from Junee who is (somehow?) so parochial about them & the Roosters when he has to favour them in a call.
Barry
Guest
Yes, I have now realised the reason Ch.9 have another session on the match at halftime. .Why? Because the main duo always neglect the call of the game & so we have to get an update because Ch.9 must believe viewers are sidetracked by the duo's non-descripit meanderings and waffling-on during the game. Now if the duo actually called the game & pointed out it's features like who actually made the tackle(not the one that came in late over the top), Ch.9 would be able to use the halftime break more efficiently & for advertisers. And during any game , I don't need to know which player had somehow been connected to Parramatta because the caller's son played third grade for the Eels. Is he on a contract to promote the League's Club? How many exfootballers do they need on the program? Not one female commentator sighted anywhere. That's a boys club.
bankstownwe
Guest
Well said i am sick of gould and his shannanigans... rabbits rabbits..come on rabbits ..fair dinkum we are sick of it.so annoying..i just want to watch the game and enjoy it especially my fantasy team players lol. wally makes the most intelligeny commentary and sense i dont know why some dis him
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
ch10 has experienced a 70% drop in H1 profit.They will therefore need deep pockets to rectify their current poor ratings position and as a result their poor profit results. The NRL would boost their(ch10) ratings considerably,however they would also need a joint bid with a 7 or Fox (unlikely) to make a decent impact. There is no guarantee that News will continue to own the Storm,as Kim Willams has indicated they would like to sell the club(according to the SMH),to get the venture off their books.The likely buyer being Gerry Ryan (Jayco). Is that an indication also that perhaps Fox is a little concerned,they may not secure rugby league?.That is the 64m dollar question.
Boomshanka
Guest
So the Storm were created to get southern pay TV subs? Good effort when the most successful team in the league disappears off FOXTEL come finals time. As mentioned on threads elsewhere, the Storm are amongst the highest rating team in the league. Changing the TV rights holder and fixing the schedule would improve the competition and pull a wider fan base than sticking with the status quo which sees predictable New South Wales and Queensland based teams scheduled into their respective homes for each Friday night.
Brett McKay
Expert
I do get what you're saying Jazzy, for the record, and I certainly understand the frustration. But it's a commercial reality, I'm afraid..