Rugby league is crippled in South Australia

As stated today channel 7 expressing interest in having the NRL ,the SMH indicated the AFL after all these years its TV ratings in the northern states remain unimpressive. Crowds attending the team (Swans)is one aspect, yet few watching it, in its hometown after 38 years shows the interest has remained flat.And they did get a huge lift with the Super League war, but that's water under the bridge. GWS crowds have been the subject of much mirth by AFL fans down south and indeed people in Sydney.Their TV ratings are catastrophic. I have never argued the fact AFL crowds are good.I just believe with all the money spent and the contra work with ch7 over the many years, their Northern TV viewing should be far better. Perth will get an NRL club, would have happened probably in 2023,after this virus problem, will be held back a while. Redcliffe the more likely.

Yeah, was just looking at old posts to do with stadia in Australia and somehow this popped up and I had a read. Sydney Swans get pretty good attendances considering everything (around the 32,000 mark), they're also the most well attended team in Sydney believe it or not. GWS slowly getting off the mark as well averaging around 14k. Perth should get a league team, the Western Force got pretty decent attendances back in the day and thats Union, I'm sure a league team will be well supported there, also a Queensland one which I'm not sure where though, Redcliffe? Ipswich? Sunny Coast?

Goes back 8 years to a post :silly: Bit like the TV ratings for AFL in Sydney Samuel (another moniker), and that's after 38years. :crying: Oh and there are two codes of rugby ,just saying.Adelaide would be way ,way down the list of expansion areas in any case.Queensland and Perth well ahead.

Almost 10 years on from this thread, and there is still very little interest in rugby here in Adelaide. :laughing: :laughing:

that's funny I have been called in many of times to help AFL local clubs to teach them how to tackle properly and have helped in them winning grand finals. And this is based on you playing the game or just making an observation like most. Talk is cheap my friend , doing is better

And what you based this on not seeing crossbars to kick your steedon over, if they plied the money that they blow on useless emails and faxes and private boxes , then you would probably have a viable comp but when the local councils can give soccer an oval for $1.00 a year and the RL clubs in SA have to share with 3rd rate local AFL clubs that don't mind the extra income over the bar that the game generates, but when it comes to dealing out at the end of the year , they find a way to not to. I am speaking from experience and in one year when I coached senior RL in Adelaide , our 2 teams and supporters put over $55,.000.over the bar and we had to engage lawyers to receive our puny coaching fee ,thanks for 2 premierships and ended up with all our gear as well , but in hind sight , they only used the game to realise community club status to receive lighting from the council and when they were erected , the club was shown the door. Typical story in SA , but if the clubs had their own digs and clubrooms then they would be viable. The NRL has sent plenty of DO's from the eastern states to no avail as they have no connection with the local area and was just a job, meanwhile back in the camp, people like myself busted their guts for years for the game and not so much as a pat on the back as it was all expected to be part of the journey, alright for someone on over 90k a year, but to the volunteer , what a waste of money and time and effort. our game is in the dismal state that it is from neglect from the overseers that run the game. In 20 years of development work and over 45,000 kids the game is sick as and I will remind that 95% is volunteer work. I am based in a country city and the local AFL clubs spent over 750k on players, so what do you think that sought of money could do for the game of RL in SA. When you slag our game off , you slag me and every one else that has suffered from the debacle and has bleed for the game Time to show a little respect to the people and not shoot your mouth off based on a visual. .

If this debate goes on for another year there will definately be no NRL in SA so there will be no forum

your comment sucks big time

Rugby league supporters just have to accept the facts the reason why Rugby league won't work in South Australia or anywhere else is because the sport sucks, big time.

I use to play rugby league in the 80's in SA. I was sick of loosing a tooth after each game and bashing my youthful body around not being abe to return to work on Mondays. In NSW the soccer league has changed to playing in the Summertime to stop competing with Rugby league fans. Soccer is starting to enjoy larger crowds plus there is more talent as rugby players become available in their offseason. As for popularity you can compare crowds to NRL versus AFL and..... there is no comparison. Therefore rugby league played in a country town like SA has no chance against the AFL unless you hypnotise the whole of the croweaters into attending rugby league games.

I am from Adelaide. Yes rugby league is not that big.. BUT it is around AND GROWING HUGELY. I know many people that have played RL once and have made a swith from Footy... Adelaide DOES need a league team. The population of growing islanders and also maoris here is the first pressure point secondly Adelaide needs another sport for us to be into. NRL would be the best thing since PORT ADELAIDE, 36ERS, CROWS ETC.. WE DO LOVE OUR SPORT... SHAME ON YOU if you think NRL doesn't need a Adelaide team. What's the point of having the N in 'NRL' ?? Seriously needs to change the way the game is being expanded. If we want to grow we need to be put on the spot.

Rugby League here in SA is in a rebuilding, currently we have 8 clubs playing. Union is supported by the ARU whereas league is supported by the arl on a much less figure. we have a huge school competition in both primary and high schools, union have hardly anything but jumping on the back of league because south australians call both games rugby. clubs here are putting junior and seniors teams on the field each weekend with a huge volunteer workfoce because they love their league and want to give something back to our game, the GREATEST game

Ok Jaceman, show me an obscure AFL game overseas between two international teams? Not expat/park footy stuff which is 99% intl. AFL. My niece's fiance, an Irishman was roped into playing for Ireland in the last intl. AFL Cup in Sydney/Melbourne. How many more were there I wonder? Australian media is all over the feel good AFL international stories but wouldn't go near the Canada v Jamaica stuff as it doesn't fit in with their preordained bias. Here look at the 66 photos of the Canada v Jamaica game and the comments by real Jamaicans enthused about league. I think this is the match you are referring to. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jamaica-Rugby-League-Association/80979929389 Read the links to the games in the two major Jamaican newspapers: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport/Wolverines-down-J-cans-in-Carib-Rugby-Cup http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20120724/sports/sports3.html Take a look at league being explained on FTA Canadian morning breakfast show http://www.cp24.com/video?clipId=725266&binId=1.814368 Not bad for an obscure match. But according to our union folk, league had no right to expand. And you AFL zealots just love to jump on board. It must really grate with you. Fear is strong in you.

Back when I first moved to the Coast for uni I might have agreed with you Tony. Now i drive though Surfers on the way to work and watch (with envy) hungover sunburnt people head to the beach. So these days myself and probably 600,000 other people would disagree. Also my future inlaws live a suburb away so it isnt much of a 'part destination' for me... And none of the people I've met here have moved for the Titans or Suns, bar those employed by one of those organisations.

Matt S Draws any crumb of information to make out that RL is growing exponentially around the world. I am always tempted to post some article on obscure RU or AFL games O/s to show him that one swallow... Olympic dam is going to be big for Adelaide - 30bn of investment but as the western Force has found out the go home factor for imports is high...

Problem is, kids need to have a place to play the game. What I don't think many people in the two rugby Leauge states don't realise, is that in Victoria at least, if kids wanted to play League it is very hard to find a club. I used to live in Gippsland and there simply isn;t a juniour or senior comp - no comp whatsoever. I think Berwick may have a club which would be the closest. I am assuming from the article Adelaide would be the same. W.A seem to be doing it right - trying to have a local juniour comp to play from what I gather- from there it can grow at least a niche market. That was the problem with the Storm - they just plunked a team in the city - but no grass roots. Look at the AFL in Sydney - if you want to play you can - plenty of teams, a structure, a competetion that is local. They also worked with developers years prior in putting money into them building in AFL/Cricket ovals in new developments with AFL goal posts, supply schools with Goal posts etc etc.

It’s quite simple, travel expands your horizons and allows you to experience different things - it gives yuo perspective with which to view your own life. The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine

All I'm saying is I think you're deluded if you think the only reason Adelaide hasn't fallen in love with League is because they don't have a team here. This pins in a map build it and they will come expansion dreaming of fanboys is as hilarious as it is deluded. Adelaide has well over 100 years of being an Aussie Rules city, you don't just change that overnight. If RL wants to plant a flag behind ' enemy territory', then by geez, by jingo, by crikey the NRL would wan't to be serious about a 10-20 year plan. Nothing I've seen from Sydney has thus far demonstrated that the RL head shed is capable of this type of long term strategy to grow the game.

I don't set such narrowminded restrictions when it comes to making my travel arrangements, unlike some short sighted, unwordly, gumby code lovin' people. :)