Is rugby league a code in crisis?

You're spot on Fonz. I heard this fascinating insight from a former editor of a Murdoch paper... Every year, Murdoch has an employee meeting at his ranch in Aspen for an annual pep talk. This meeting involves all the editors worldwide from each of his newspapers...plus a few guests (often Heads of State and bosses of multi-national companies). Across this meeting, Rupert basically imparts his world view on the guests and makes certain that everyone in the room knows exactly what he thinks about certain issues. It was incredible to hear this. The other thing that emerged was that sales were the start and finish of the corporations' objectives. What does this have to do with League or the DT or any other paper? Basically, Murdoch wants one thing only: maximising sales. He is not interested in journalistic integrity, ethics or evene truth. Do whatever is requried to sell papers. One thing that sells papers in Sydney is the AFL-NRL "code war".

The Bears will probably come back,and bring back all the lost fans with hyphenated surnames,and sales of gin and tonic will treble on ground. As there is so much high rise development going on the east of Sydney/Waterloo/Moore Park,I would not dare to suggest the sporting preferences of the populace.They may in fact have a prefeernce for bocce.

I have noticed that the Tele and my hometown paper the Illawarra Mercury now seem to give the AFL a lot more coverage in their papers. The Tele keeps writing about the Giants in a positive manner with stories like "they won the third quarter" or some former player reckons Isreal Folau is getting better. 90% of their games they have been beaten by double their score. In the results section, they dedicate many columns to every division of AFL played in the state (it seems like that) Even the Mercury has all these columns on results for the Sydney 4th division!! AFL has been spending a lot of money on advertising - but it would be disapointing if this is the reason for the sudden spike in column space in both the News & Fairfax media

I just want to give my assent to the idea that maybe the game (while it isn't in crisis exactly) is not too far from it. But it isn't (probably) got anything to do with Gallop who had the second hardest job in the country, or Grant who possibly is a contender for the top 50 at least along with so many other Entrepreneurs that make Australasia so fine ;) It is however to do with the fact that ever since I got into Rugby League as a just out of high school teenager the Sydney centric administration of the game has been having problems which mirror the other two Sydney centric footballs administrations, namely the FFA and the ARU. What is it about Sydney that causes this? And perhaps just as poignantly, why is the AFL seemingly twenty years into a post-scandal era? The off-field antics of the players is one thing, but in a city of sin you tend to get leaders who are sinners as they say...and those sins are grandfathers of them all. I'd like to know why this is, but also if there is something that can be done about it? And finally, is it legitimate to claim that this is all a product of the ARL-Super League war, which so often is quoted as the source of a clamour in a city which has just committed regicide (for me this triggers thoughts on Rome amidst The Assassination) ?

Yeah about the class-image thing. Basically Rugby exists now in two codes. There is Rugby League and there is Rugby Union. Rugby League wouldn't exist without the working class quite simply! Australian Football is not Rugby and it did not split irreconcilably along class lines meaning it will always be a unified code. Rugby League cannot compete in the arms race with that, not directly...instead it needs to be different enough to retain its relevance to blockbuster sponsorship. Simple.

And quite possibly democratic principles like self-evaluation, participation and access for as many citizens as possible are being thrown at the window. Yes this is coming from a company we're all very wary of already (including those groups mentioned just above this post) but it does infect issues of access particularly. Not only are you getting less quality in order to make up your own mind, you're also getting less visible options/..channeling democracy into a subterranean environment.

Yes but it's probably not due to their love/boredom of that particular game (or the code itself) all mainstream media coverage of all codes is heading in the direction of at least double spruiking: first of the accessories to the game like beer-culture/ betting-culture/ entertainment culture (particularly in the promotion of the major cities in which major Rugby League is played/ set) But also secondly the media provider themselves...showing that their promotion is no more about democratic access but a TiVo type lifestyle where you are encouraged to (or even disadvantaged by not) watch as many hype-up/spruiking telly shows as possible.

Maybe Jdubya is one of the party himself ;) I think all the above has virtually been proven to be the case in the Media inquiries in the UK over the last few months. So let's all be wary, but not paranoid. While News Limited had/have half-control over the code they will want control over how the code is seen/perceived. We fans however have to wear whatever the outcome is...what are WE going to do about it?

And guess which route the NFL chose all those years ago. Nothing new there man, just imitation alley! What we really need is somewhere in the middle...which guess what is what we get here on the Roar. If people are 'members' of an organisation they tend to criticise, but because they are also enfranchised they also tend to change things to the way that they want em :D

Why are there not more of these type of comments Dean ;) ? Sometimes Australians just need a bit more of a humour at times, you've got a lot...doesn't mean you've got the lot!

Exactly. He read the headline, bemoaned "another code war story"....missed the point completely and then signed off by bagging Rugby and AFL.

GilRocky - do you see the irony of having a go at this website for coming up with code war stories - and then having a go at Rugby and AFL?

Dumba*se: read the article.

tubodewd - good points, all based in reality. Unfortunately if you're trying to break down the league 'working class wall' getting rid of Easts (although most people in the east don't follow league) would not be the best way to achieve this. Look what happened when the Bears left - a lot of people switched to Rugby or AFL - the same would happen with Easts. If two western suburbs teams merged, you wouldn't lose anyone, as they wouldn't switch codes.

GilRocky perhaps actually reading the article was a stretch for you

Booooorrrring. Anothercode in crisis story on The Roar. A website created by Rugby Union people looking to get as many hits on their website by continuall y coming up with code war stories (usually to the detriment of their favourite whipping boy RL) that provoke the never-ending stream of bait-takers from every class in society. Some of them can even type. Please, write about the quality of the game. Write how great the thrill of Rugby League is to its passionate spectators and those who appreciate the balletic athleticsm that occurs every week without fail. Compare that to the awful drudgery of Rugby union and the aerial trivality of AFL. Go write something else that demonstrates an insight.

I await eagerly the results of the new commission and fully support anyone wanting to shine a light into the darker corners of our game. League fans have one and all been subject to one of the biggest snow jobs ever in the last 10 years the NRL and its media partners like Rothfield have failed as administrators and commentators. With IMO jerks like Rothfield and Gould being the voice of league onbehalf of Rupert Murdoch its owner, its no wonder you cant watch a game without being bombarded with gambling adverts / sly political messages and have teams that are so obviously rorting the salary cap that remain free from press investigation or comment. And then when the scams are inevitably unraveled the main protagonists are treated as victims and all crimes swept under carpet, asides from a few easy scape goats. League fans and players from junior to elite to retired amateur to lifelong fans deserve better...Go Grant! Lets see some real change

If League wasn't in some form of crisis then something would be wrong. Gallop has left the game in good shape. Is it just me or has there been bugger all off field player issues, I can't recall many if any this season so far.

Jdubya Maybe not rupert directly himself, but I sure his subordinates running any of his media outlets "toe the party line". Its amazing how all News Ltd WORLDWIDE is ultra-conservative, anti-union, anti-public sector. I am sure thats just a coincidence.

That joke is a bit old mate. There are plenty of us out there but not many can afford to live in the East.