Match times the real problem for dwindling crowd numbers

Especially seeing 10,000 at the ANZ, on a Friday night game, what a joke that is. It's been too cold lately is one but going to a stadium like the ANZ which is a very unfriendly place huge and without any atmosphere is one aspect which has affected most of the grounds of the NRL and the expense is another for a family when you consider the food, tickets, parking costs which has to have some affect on why families don't go and that is really the bread and butter of the NRL and always has been.

Rugby League should stop trying to curry favour with that element of the power elite we call the government and their soft propaganda and concentrate instead on the core supporters.

Very good point. Just take a look at last Sunday's game between the Warriors and Manly. Kieran Foran was put on report for a shoulder charge against Konrad Hurrell. Now granted, the MRC found he had no case to answer, but the fact that it was even put on report in the first place was an absolute joke. Both Andrew Voss and Daryl Halligan said in commentary that both Foran and Hurrell braced for the impact and both led with their shoulder. It was nothing more than a collision between two players and it should have been play on, not having a player put on report and a penalty awarded. The big problem is that the NRL, with a knee jerk response, have blurred the line between what is a good hit and a dangerous shoulder charge. What happened with Foran and Hurrell is completely different to what really started this whole mess, Greg Inglis' hit on Dean Young. The NRL need reminding that rugby league is a contact sport, its not Austag

No Crosscoder, AR doesn't read posts properly. As I've said he has a lofty view of himself, a lofty 2 inches from the ground though.

AR, is being pounded by the soccer folk on something that has a sentence with AFL + global in it. It's quite a laugh really :)

AR, you don't seem to have a grasp on my reply. Chump (funny how some disappear and new posters who sound exactly like the last lot banned, appear or re-appear??) stated 2 FTA NRL matches on Friday barely outrate the 1 AFL game. I clearly showed 1 NRL game out rates the AFL one at times let alone 2 struggling to 'barely' beat the AFL game. Then you go and ad the fox footy ratings (live game). Does the NRL have the luxury of a live foxsports broadcast of the Friday nite game? No, so why do you ad this? But as I said, it was the poster who brought up the 'FTA' aspect to his statement, which I have just outlined was not correct. I did go on to say I do not have the luxury of time going back further and anyone is free to. Champ has made the claim 'earlier figures' have showed 2 NRL games barely out rate the 1 AFL game. Well if this is your claim then don't you think you should back it up with a source? Plus Chump, you really are clueless.. The NRL not rate for 50 years? It hasn't existed for 50 years. A little basic research please. If not, I'll just hit the 'report comment' because this being banned & coming back under another, and another, and another name is pathetic on your part. Who ever you are, get a life.

Oh boy!!! stiff upper lip and all that needed. We are discussing dwindling crowds AR Open your peepers.All relevant,all tied in with scheduling,unless I am missing something.I'm sorry all those figures have thrown you into confusion. Monday nights drags averages down. Monday nights with out of town teams more so.This will remain so until 2018,a fact of life.Subject matter dwindling crowds.ANZ also involved as figure show. Now be a good lad ,and let me rest my weary head down,it's been a long day.The trolling has taken its toll.You and your mate Clipper are peas in a pod. What's Melbourne like today,must be dreary?.

Unfortunately no. If one is to rely on Andrew Barr for impartiality or reliability ,then one is desperate. I trust his worth as much as I trust a few journos. Yeah yeah ,I know ,I should have described " expert" as fully sick.Thanks teach.

The trouble with the line to ANZ is if you have to change at Lidcombe - it's a pain. If you can get an express, it's much quicker than going by car. Unfortunately I think they have to give a crowd guarantee to get the direct line, so rather a chicken / egg situation.

Um...that's all very impressive CC...but why on earth are you rabbiting on about Monday nights? We weren't talking about Monday Nights. We were addressing your claims that: - there's apparently no trains to ANZ; and - Sydney crowds are affected by matches which don't feature teams from Sydney. Well then...now we know!

Epiquin Did a little research to show examples of the Monday night influence ,by sampling a few games from a 4 years,to underpin my points on the matter:- 2007 early days of Monday night football. 21/5 Manly v Brisbane 13,493 28/5 Parramatta v NZ 11,160 11/6 Dragons v Sharks 12,455 18/6 Knights v Canberra 11.349 9/7 Parra v Newcastle 10,363 6/8 Sharks v Melbourne 7,831 13/8 Penrith v nth Qld 7,618 2010 29/3 Sharks v Souths 10,741 10/5 Roosters v Nth Qld 6,471 (SFS) 24/5 Penrith v Dogs 11,278 7/6 Souths v Nth Qld 9,688 21/6 Newcastle v Parra 8,474 12/7 Parra v Nth Qld 11,177 19/7 West Tigers v Nth Qld 11,364 9/8 Canberra v Penrith 8,850 23/8 Roosters v Gold Coast 9,113 2012 12/3 Parra v NZ 12,102 19/3 Sharks v Manly 8,652 14/5 Penrith v Dragons 10,367 21/5 Dogs v Sharks (Stadium Oz) 12,012 28/5 Roosters v Dogs 11,343 11/6 Penrith v NZ 5,778 18/6 Manly v Melbourne 12,106 20/8 Dragons v Nth Qld 9,245 2013 6/5 Dragons v Manly 11,607 13/5 Manly v Roosters 12,950 27/5 Cronulla v souths 12,243 8/7 Manly v Parra 10,987 15/7 Nth Qld v Manly 9,029 22/7 Souths v Dragons 14,571 (stadium Oz) 29/7 West Tigers v Manly Campbelltown 11,162 12/8 Dogs v Titans (Stadium Oz) 10,373 19/8 West Tigers v Roosters 8,393(SFS) 2/9 Parra v Dragons 8,910. For anyone to suggest there is no impact with teams from afar on a Monday night,they are having a lend of themselves.For anyone to suggest distance and traffic on a Monday night does not impact,they have never driven those distances or have had an exceptional run.Or they live in interstate bubble. The figures are there,They don't lie.Maybe our friend can call them gems for effect. eg Cronulla v Souths on a Sunday has drawn almost a full house,yet they could crack a tad over 12,000 in 2013.And 10,741 in 2010. Penrith v Nth Qld in 2007 7,618,Dragons v Nth Qld 9,245. Roosters v Nth Qld 6,478 Yes there wers some crowds better,but they were the likes of Souths V Dogs,Dogs v Parra next door neighbours if you will. Regional clubs are of course essential and good for the spread of the game,but they do impact attendances on a monday evening.That is nothing against them,just the realities of distances involving Monday nights.

For a start I don't go on to AFL threads to express any view either positive or negative,so trolling is not my forte.It's perhaps a sign of immaturity, mine is bigger than yours approach. Please explain why the only time you spend on NRL threads is to point score? Particularly as an example on London Broncos crowds,which has zilch to do with the thread,but you seized the moment.And also cynically have a shot at rugby league on other code's threads at times.It's not just my perception.I remember the regular shots at the Storm,the RLWC ,respect has to be earned. .And you wonder why people have a shot at that club in Western Sydney>It may have a bit to do with the false promises and the way it was done.I have respect for the Swans from a ingrained culture and crowd and membership perspective.I have always stated the AFL leaves the NRL fior dead on crowds and memberships.. I find trolling tiresome fullstop.

Epiquin.The point I am arguing is the timing(scheduling),and even AR brings up scheduling and then backtracks when one suggests Monday nights at 7pm is hardly a crowd pleasing or practical time. It's the time taken in toto ,with school the next day for families.And you have partly answered my comment,stating the Manly lack of transport facilities He AR, appears to have no concept of time.,traffic and distance for outlying clubs. and that's being nice.Nor does he conceive the view finishing work at best,travelling at least 1 hr sometime 1 12 hrs to pick up a family and then expecting to get to ANZ by 7 pm. on a Monday evening. Dread to think the situation with Manly locals. Nor does he understand the same point having a Monday evening game is not going to bring fans in any sort of numbers from regionals as mentioned(and bear in mind their populations are significantly smaller than cities). I have been following this code for a hell of a long time and been a member /ticket holder probably before this guy was born,and since Monday evening was introduced from memory 2006,it has affected crowd numbers.I don't particularly care whether our flag waving friend tries to take the mickey out of me,suggesting otherwise.The figures tend to support my view. I attend all local Monday night games when scheduled locally ,and would have zero chance of making them on time at ANZ.Simple as that. When I posed the question to AR about Monday nights with AFL and the likely effect,he dodged as he is want to do.That to me says something. If there is one thing that I laugh at , it is some guy from another code,lecturing me despite my many years of attendances and putting up with ARL/SL/NRL problems at times, how to suck eggs.More so a guy who has a distaste for the code.The very same lecturing me all about the Sharks. He can't have his cake and eat it.One minute he states scheduling is vital,when I mention Monday nights(bad scheduling) and crowds he goes off on another tangent. The good folk of those clubs he named,would not be chuckling they would be complaining about Monday nights.Go on to club blogs and see Monday night scheduling comments. If ever I spent the same inordinate amount of time & boundless and energy on AFL threads ,making some ill informed comments,yours truly < would not last 5 minutes.He comes on board doing so,then must expect the expected.

Each to their own I guess. I've been to a couple of AFL games. 1 i didn't enjoy at all and left early, the second won I enjoyed a lot more, but not until the final quarter. I later heard it was given "match of the year" status. I continue to have a passing interest in the game. I usually will watch (and more or less enjoy) the Grand Final, but I'm not too fazed if I miss it. The fact is it just doesn't appeal to me the way League does.

CC, Obviously not every part of Sydney is on the train line, that's the case with every city in the world. But ANZ has a station literally right next door and when there's events on they usually have direct services from Central in the East and Strathfield in the West. I'm sorry there's no direct express train from the Shire to ANZ, but there are trains from the Shire to Central. Surely changing trains isn't a huge ask. As for Manly, there's bugger all public transport to anywhere from there, let alone ANZ. Yes, Melbourne has a better set up by virtue of the Hoddle Grid, trams, trains and busses. But there will always be outliers.

One of CC's favourites, is to explain low crowds by pointing out that "there are few supporters from the likes of Canberra/Newcastle/Nth Qld/GC in Sydney on a Friday or Monday nights." It's a pretty bizarre excuse - I mean, is it a national competition, or just a Sydney one? Are decent crowds only achieveable if there are 2 Sydney clubs playing in every game? The good folk at Perth Glory, NQ Cowboys, Port Adelaide and NZ Warriors would have a good chuckle over that one.

Well - please show me where you have given positive stories on GWS rather than having a dig whenever you can (as you have just done)

So I was right, it is the usual “yeah, well they must be doing it too!” ...btw you're using "sic" incorrectly.

Good one A.R or should I give you your correct and prior title Australian Rules for old times sake.The abbreviated version is probably more effective . And I get moderated a rl fan in a rl thread ,you get away with it.Says it all. We understand you have an intimate knowledge of what rl fans experience getting to some of these places by 7.00pm on Mondays and Fridays . You yourself noted the need for family friendly hours via scheduling.Do you remember what you post at times? I didn't realise one had a direct rail link from the Shire to ANZ.The State Govt has kept it a secret from us all apparently.Or an extremely fast bus service from Brookvale to ANZ .The rail line from Brookvale or Manly must be hidden under the Spit Bridge. . So our rl expert of long standing, who spends zero time on other game time NRL threads,can you please explain why there are few supporters from the likes of Canberra/Newcastle/Nth Qld/GC in Sydney on a Friday or Monday nights.And why that has an effect on crowd averages,when you yourself bring up scheduling.. Please Mr NRL genius.How many AFL games are played on a Monday evening and please advise the number of West Coast EAgel or Adelaide fans who turn up to watch the Swans or Lions on a Monday evenying >Waiting....... The comparisons of ANZ and the MCG re transport are chalk and cheese.Eevn Melburnians reckon our set up pales by comparison. Don't know about gems,but sure is plenty of fools gold to be found.

The wording "curious at best"He didn't comment I proposed a query..I left it at that.You go figure.,yopu are the expert (sic)