You know it kills me to march in here like Major Buzzkill and start some military-grade whinging, but…
Actually, who am I kidding. I’m a follower of rugby league in Australia, and it’s my darn right to be completely dark on the game at all times.
Having the sh*ts about footy is in my DNA. I’ll always find something in the game to whinge about until it’s fixed, and then move right on to criticising the solution.
Put simply, when it comes to footy, I hate the rules, I hate my team and I’m never watching this game again. I’m not happy unless I’m unhappy. In light of this awakening, let’s try this again.
So in review, I do want to kill a buzz, and it’s about the topic of expansion. Most people like the idea, and to be fair, who doesn’t fizz for a new jersey reveal? You’re only human, after all.
However, I would like to pose this; are there any advocates for growth out there that happened to watch the Cronulla versus Canberra torture session last Sunday? And what about the Benny Hill efforts of the Titans against the Dragons in the match afterwards?
These kinds of games, and a good smattering of other underwhelming examples from this year, are the exact reason why this game needs to get off the beers and stop thinking about birthing new franchises.
Why, you might ask? Because the standard of footy produced in such games show that there’s not enough humans running around in lower-tier competition to fill another playing list or two.
Unfortunately, due to injury plagues and poor choices on drugs, the depth of the talent pool has been exposed. What’s resulted is sub-optimal footy from decimated teams who are simply not up to the elite standard we expect from a drawcard sport, and sitting through it has been completely mind-numbing.
Call me crazy, but I like my footy flaming hot like a sizzling plate of Mongolian lamb, and just like that favourite dish from the local Chinese restaurant, it should come in doses that satisfy my want yet leave me hanging for more.
I don’t want a lazy susan of flavourless leftovers, and that’s what an expanded competition with exposed freshmen would look like – and I say this with full respect to the poor blokes filling in for their struggling clubs that are riddled with injuries at the moment. I know you’re all busting a gut, and that you would steamroll me with your weaker thigh, but it’s just stodgy.
What I’ve seen has got me concerned for an already-grizzly fan-base and the code’s credibility. The risk of having brave trailblazing and flag-planting negated by a diluted commodity is too great, and that’s why the NRL should keep the product to 16 teams until we can be certain there’s something decent brewing inside of it that the world won’t be horrified by.
In a time when the game struggles for relevance on the Gold Coast, there’s Sydney folk at their fickle tightarse best, most clubs are struggling to break even and there’s a dearth of playmakers going around, shouldn’t we just concentrate on shoring-up what we’ve got?
Don’t get me wrong; I reckon it would be great to get the Sandgropers on board and use them for their time difference, or to tap-in to the rabid fandom in Queensland, or even tease the old Bears fans with a carrot before cruelly giving it to Wellington at the last minute. But only when the seams are bursting with the personnel required.
Remember what happened the last time the game went gung-ho in spreading the gospel amid the horny financial blitzkrieg of the mid-1990s and the Super League war?
Everyone went too hard too early, drew a few ripper crowds in Adelaide and then ran out of coin and credibility. To be honest, they’ve probably only just paid off the credit card used to sort that mess out, such was its wide-ranging power of wallet-wrecking rankness.
And to those who say that exposure for the new crop will eventually lift their abilities – you make a good point. However, are you prepared to show the required patience for a few seasons of error-riddled snorefests between Darwin and Hobart that are played in front of 5000 people?
Before you answer that, just remember – you’re an irritable and demanding rugby league fan.
Again, I apologise for throwing a fire blanket on advancement, but there needs to be some pragmatism exercised here. You know I love youse all and your passion to drop pamphlets around the country, but the game’s greater past should stress those in power to tread lightly, and it’s immediate past should be encouraging discretion.
Should we expand, would there be enough Craig Bellamys going around to transform ordinary players in to extraordinary? Would we see unlikely showings of depth across the board like Penrith’s current survival in the face of an injury takeover? Or could Brisbane just share around a few fullbacks to make life easier for everyone?
The most likely answer is a triple no, so that’s why growth should be kept for armpits only. And as a footy fan, that would make me oddly happy – until I find something else that irks me.
Roarers, I feel this could be a spicy meatball of contention. Fire at will.
bearfax
Guest
Ah 81Paling who cant think of an original idea so he attacks those who at least try. A pale comment indeed for one who doesnt know how to research Rugby League in Adelaide. Stick to things you know about like fence palings and other dross, or do some real work and try researching your information rather than taking your frustrations out on others.
81paling
Roar Rookie
Please tell us Bearmakesitupashegoesalong what "fax" do you have that tell us that Adelaide will support a League team? as that would be news to the rest of the world.
Glenn Innes
Guest
The Link - Touch Football;; is not Rugby League pure and simple, it is a another sport completely.Rugby League is a collision based sport in which physical power is a key ingredient,touch features neither of those factors and simply adding the numbers from a completely different sport is poss weak advertising spin/ propaganda, It would be like soccer and field hockey.or cricket and Baseball combining their numbers because they have some things in common, but even more absurd than that. Yes I have read soccernomics and it is a very well written and researched book, but not without error, and it covers territory that is well beyond this website because most people here will become bored very quickly with the economics.
Monstrous
Guest
Funny the Titans declared that they count their members when they don't turn up. You have no evidence on the Suns and you don't live there so your Suns crowd estimates are made from TV viewing which is intriguing why you bother. Nothing in the Gold Coast Bulletin about bloated crowds...
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
A Vic School reached the final of the NSW schools country championships Southern zone recently. A first!
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
The 4 players who died playing Australian Rules in 2011-12 where all the result of body contact collisions not heart related. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/afl/mates-pay-tribute-to-ultimate-gentleman-afl-player-josh-henderson/story-fnca0u4y-1226327006306
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Im not sure of the right answers for the great game of rugby league, but these are the right questions.
Monstrous
Guest
What misinformation did I provide? You do not know the cause of death in these tragic circumstances unless you have the coroners reports. People die playing soccer too but in some cases there is an existing condition or a combination of events may have caused the death. You have let your biases overtake common decency and common sense.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Monstrous, I have every right to provide info that refutes the above that kids are going to other sports like basketball & AFL because rugby league is full of ethnic Islanders & is too dangerous. If one doesn't like the 'convenient' truth then stop making misinformation.
Monstrous
Guest
Was Raudonikus nephew playing League - in the Sydney herald it was hidden under an article about Rugby Union safety - however I wouldn't make light of a tragedy to make a point like yourself and then fail to back it up with links which you obviously keep for occasions like this - are you serious?? Tragically accidents happen in NRL, AFL, skateboarding, horse riding, skiing etc etc. There are many more players playing AFL than NRL in the dangerous ages above 14 when these incidents occur
Monstrous
Guest
Cathar, The AFL accepted less money to get local teams televised on FTA to boost the game. The NRL (part owned by news Ltd) made sure the News Ltd owned Storm was rarely on FTA so storm could boost PayTV subs (owned by news) in southern Australia. I know which I prefer. Bellamy has called for a draft so he must be worried about when Slater etc retire which is why he will quit then too.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
The Storm's losses I heard are down to the $2-300,000 level. Not bad compared to other sporting clubs in the city. another factor which the Storm have not had compared to the Swans, is FTA coverage at a decent time for the Storm. The Swans had VFL televised live into Sydney as decade or so prior to their entry.
clipper
Guest
So similar to the Swans in the early days, except that they were winning from the very early days. Don't think News ever expected it to be profitable - and it won't be for a while, if ever, just like getting their hands on sports for Foxtel.
clipper
Guest
Yes, agree that Sydney was a one sport city in the 70's to 80's and is now a multi sport city, but you also have to factor in immigration - this one of the reasons why soccer is so big here. Adelaide does not have that same level. Just think it is too small, not growing and Aussie Rules is so dominant, not just AFL but SANFL. and they have Soccer as well. Agree that tastes change, as we have seen in Sydney, but as I have said, they haven't in Melbourne - the Storm can't even get close to the basket case that is Melbourne, what hope has a city a quarter the size?
bbt
Guest
The Storm were an example of how NOT to set up a club in indifferent territory. No support from head office, indifferent media, a disinterested Channel 9. The club was begging for support to go into schools etc - their appeals were ignored. News Ltd wanted to get the club profitable ASAP so as sell it off. Not a great scenario. The culmination was an egomaniac with poor management skills running the place without any interest or oversight from the NRL or News Ltd.
bearfax
Guest
Sydney was virtually a one winter sport city in the late 70s early 80s. It became a multi sport city over the past 30 years with the introduction of the Rugby Union 15s, the national soccer comp and the Swans. Its already been shown that Adelaide would accept a League team. And no one is suggesting that at first it will compete well against Australian Rules in that city. But as with Sydney, interests change generation to generation. Young people who would have played one sport, suddenly start playing another. Saying Adelaide is a one sport city is just suggesting the city is in a Time Freeze. It maybe that way today. In 20 years it could be entirely different as has been shown in Sydney.
bearfax
Guest
Good points Narco but I already addressed the issue regarding Sydney based teams and my belief that one or two of them will be gone in a decade, so that opens the door. As for the Titans and Canberra, they have the audience, they just dont have the results in recent years to encourage bigger support. Money will be made available as long as the number of people watching the game increases. Teams like Perth, Central Coast, PNG and a second Brisbane side are sustainable because they already have the money available as a base and they are each representing large one city locations, except for the second Brsbane side but that is a 2 million population city well able to accommodate 2 teams in a Rugby League stronghold. TV money will increase exponentially to meet the increase in audience as long as the administrators and the media promote the game appropriately
clipper
Guest
The big difference, bearfax, is that Sydney has become a multi sports city, whereas Adelaide is dominated by AFL. The Swans took a long time to take off due to bad management and poor on field results, but once they started winning, they became trendy and really took off, overtaking attendance averages from NRL clubs until they became the most attended team in Sydney and have kept that mantle, even though there's another AFL team. If you contrast that with the Storm, who have been winning almost since day 1, yet haven't overtaken any AFL team with the attendance average and aren't anywhere close, then you will see that it will be so much harder in Adelaide than the Swans journey in Sydney.
Numbers Man
Guest
I take your point if NRL stuff up expansion it put the whole game in jeopardy. If Soccer stuffs up the A- League there is hardly a problem the whole thing folds and it reappears in 4 years time again. Rugby has a big international reputation and AFL has more support to one game that the NRL has to all the game combined for one week. I read a book Soccernomics and it scary stuff for localised sports.
Rich21
Roar Rookie
I believe there was always a Rabbitohs match back in the days played in PNG but I'm not too sure