The AFL is the beast that never sleeps, and when it comes to controlling the news cycle, no-one does it better. They launched into free agency last week and yesterday the trades started flying through.
The two major newspapers in Melbourne, the Herald Sun and The Age, are filled with news of the latest wheelings and dealings.
The average NRL fan is used to hearing about their version of player movement 18-months in advance or in round two of the season just finished.
It’s an annoyance, slightly disrespectful to those who pay their hard earned to watch, but accepted.
The AFL has turned roughly the same thing into a month long carnival. One that will take up plenty of time on the TV news and space in the paper.
High visibility for as long as possible.
Rugby League’s offering is the international game.
Australia takes on New Zealand in Townsville this weekend in-case you hadn’t heard.
The clash has been received well by the locals, as expected, but is it struggling for relevance elsewhere?
It’s a concept that had Australian coach Tim Sheens offer up this thought when talking to reporters:
“There is a little bit of (a struggle for motivation) with nothing happening at the end of the season, and the end of a long season for them,” he said.
“They (The Kiwis) have picked a very strong squad. I think in that regard, yes, there’ll be plenty of respect but motivation-wise we need to get it done, then they can go on holidays.”
That last part says it all. Get in, get out and move on.
A post-season NRL transfer window would be better for the fans, but terrible for the players.
Salary caps get arranged too far in advance to handle late negotiations.
James Maloney’s contract with the Roosters was signed so long ago that it has dust on it.
It would completely re-jig the way clubs go about their business at the moment. Perhaps too much so.
The AFL has struck gold with the draft, trades and free agency from a media cycle perspective.
Their supporters don’t morph into cricket fans as soon as the final whistle goes in the grand final.
Instead, they wait to see if their club can jag a piece that will help with the premiership puzzle.
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
You only have to look at Phil Rothfield's twitter account to see how they go after the NRL. Phil Rothfield @BuzzRothfield Has anyone else get the feeling that the #NRLISINCRISIS #STILLNOCEO #LATEPLAYERPAYMENTS #NOWORDON2013SALARYCAP #REPELEGIBILITYFARCE https://twitter.com/BuzzRothfield Check it out, it's just a mud raking exercise where no issues exists.
Boomshanka
Guest
CallMeeAl For your reading pleasure; http://www.thinktv.com.au/SiteMedia/w3svc371/Uploads/Documents/Weekly%20Ratings%20Report%20-%20Week%2040%20&%2041%202012-1.pdf
Bondy.
Guest
Sometimes I think to myself are the afl and nrl sports or just television shows, they both sports have been on our tv screens longer than the sullivans ,home and away and neighbours. Are they a traditon or a television event or both ?.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Yet they dont'see the need to while away their time on AFL threads playing the'victim".Paranoia from others perhaps. Quite the opposite when AFL supporters complain about media bias in Sydney,attitiudes toward GWS ,and they are not playing the "victim"button.Open your eyes,datylight is here.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Then Rossi you had better rewrite The Oxford dictionaryÍnternational"A game or contest between teams representing different countries"." Back to ru threads ,trolling point never got past first base.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Chasing LOL.4 SOO are chasing whom ,little difference in G/F ratings, FTA availability for the Storm in Melbourne minimal,no teams in Perth and Adelaide meaning coverage in the remaining 45% of teh country is SFA at times. Sorry to report but if 45% of the country gets SFA access,your points are enduringly paper thin.Ask sponsors where the opportunitiies lie.Without decent numbers in Adelaide and Perth where there is no NRL team,your figures would be well down the plughole. You are one of the first to hype national coverage of your code,yet the NRL secures a deal that will match the AFL financially. The population of the rl states may well be 55% ,but the Tv coverage is not 100% as is the AFL on a regular basis. I wont yet mention regionals to throw you off guard.
Rossi
Guest
The victim mentality of League and its supporters is getting ridiculous.
Rossi
Guest
No such thing as a Rugby League International. Should be written as a Rugby League 'International'*
Redb
Roar Guru
CC, The NRL with 55% of the population in it's 'heartland" is still chasing the AFL. Count all the metros you like the actual population is the relevant stat. :)
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
That unfortunately is part of the new Tv deal with ch9,sunday nights.The admin had to maximise their cash income from the Tv deals,and the combined bid 9/Foxsports was the one that provided such. Short term pain for long term gain. Whillst many rl fans would much prefer sunday afternoon,the reality is more eyeballs will be watching at 7-15pm,which means more advertisers willing to pay the bikkies for their ads.Sponsors also receive maximum exposure .If you are trying to grow your game,you have choices,either more FTA weekly, alternatively have your big events such as SOO/tests/G/F at peak viewing times. There are people no doubt, who would normally have little interest in rl,who watch SOO and G/Fs due to the time of staging on TV.that engenders interest in the code. The code had empty pockets,this will ensure those pockets are full,to do what the admin is charged to do,grow it and make it prosper. I will bet my you know whats,that down teh line the AFL will introduce nightime g/Fs.
clipper
Guest
I am not arguing against you. Sure, there may be a few more viewers at 7.15p, but that would be the case for the AFL as well - it just seems the NRL will bend more for the media, and it may be that if there is enough pressure, the AFL will as well, which would be a great pity to end such a grand tradition.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
2.30pm has been a tradition on a saturdays for a hell of a long time.Your mob would be lynched if the governing body changed it.So people throughout this land have gone accustomed to it and prepare for it. 5-15pm on a sunday twilight,on a long weekend, has nowhere near the ratings pull of 7-15pm start,when people have finished their dinner and relaxing from the days activities. The whole reason ch9 wanted the later start,because a darn side more [people watch a game on Tv that starts 2 hours later. You are not arguing aginst me,but the very media people who show the game on their outlet.Think they may have some idea.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
There is quite a difference between stepping in to prevent a fight ,than decking the person involved to stop the fight.King hits or heavy shots do no one any good. Of course there is no comparison with Mad Monday,someone could have been badly injured in the fight.Compared with allegations of unsavoury words to a lady,which should have been solved within 24 hours .I am not defending the latter.Just suggesting no one can sit back smugly from any code.i have spelt out my distaste re the issue. Mad Mondays should be a celebration of a years hard work,called something else,but held in private away from you, me and indeed the prying media.especially from a mob like ch9,who have had issues in the past with misogyny.and attitudes toward women. I am more than aware of the journos involved and the very reason I mentioned their names,was to show there are plenty of good stories for your code,so much for the Sydney papers being one sided.So much for the anti Sydney media. If the ARLC (not the NRL BTW Horatio) wants to start their own media arm,I will be the first to lambast them, if they sweep under the table any major offfield incidents.If they do, they are no better than a totalitarian mob.I expect fair and balanced reporting ,the good bad and the ugly but not the overblown. What a conspiracy theory the Fairfax press wanted AFL money,by writing lies about Birchgrove.I have read it all now. The major print media are losing subscribers in their droves,the SMH in particular.Yes technology is to blame in the main,but also the continual bias shown by some journos (agenda driven ) such as the FitzSimons ,Rothfields,do their sheets no favours.
CallMeeAl
Guest
The irony being that on the Oztam site they only have official viewing reports for week 39. 5 city gives AFL gf 2.962 million. And 3.222 for the presentations. NRL gf is wknd 40. This debate always rages too soon. And where else do people try to compare a 3 hr afternoon broadcast with a 2 hr prime time (or near enough to) broadcast. It does't make sense.
CallMeeAl
Guest
Because of centralized revenues all clubs get distributions from the AFL. I would't think all clubs are getting assistance though. On what basis do you suggest this?
Horatio
Guest
The NRL want to start their own media arm like the AFL so undoubtedly CC will call it North Korea. The SMH poster today said the Bulldog players are innocent wheras the story says nothing of the sort. Bias?? Since News departed RL they have been hammering them. The Fairfax papers wanting AFL money have written lies about AFL (Birchgrove Oval, Western Sydney AFL oval use (booked by AFL for a 2 week carnival) but Swans sponsor money (QBE, Volkswagon and Lifebroker?) enabled good coverage during finals. Newspapers now need advertising from sources other than cars, real estate etc and what better than giving bad press to the 4 footy codes struggling for space in Sydney. Consequently the codes will advertise with you and magically they get good press...
clipper
Guest
The figures may peak around 7.30p, but it still doesn't alter the fact that 6-10pm is classified as prime time by the networks and 2.30pm is nowhere near it.
Redb
Roar Guru
"Andrew Yu ,Amanada Lulham,Neil Cordy ,R Wilson " Yu & Cordy are AFL writers, not RL. Never hard of Lulham. Rebecca Wilson has taken pot shots at all and sundry including the AFL, she has been quite scathing of AFL on Melb radio SEN. Does anybody take her seriously anymore? :)
Redb
Roar Guru
Defence is still a reasonable explanation. I mean do you let your Brother get his head smashed in or do stand up. There is no comparison with a Mad Monday. I think its a blury area for any club. Being blatantly drunk out on the juice is not the same as what happened with Scotland, however I.m not close enough to judge the circumstances and beleive the club is still to pass a penalty as they waited until he was found guilty. Given a 2 year good behaviour bond only this week.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Defence and decking are no excuse ,end of story.I am doing no more moralising than you on the Dogs.