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Another Friday night and another Broncos game, what’s new? I love my rugby league, have since my old man and his old man uses to take my three brothers and I to Raiders games.
Twenty four years later, and I am still attending Raiders games. I was in Melbourne over easter, a place were league is only whispered in small circles and vacant on the news. I attended my first AFL game at the MCG and was impressed.
Seventy plus thousand people were cheering on their teams. Sure it was a season-opening weekend but this crowd is not a one off, it’s a regular occurrence. Average crowds in the AFL in 2014 was 33,696. NRL has under half that with 15,900.
After the last TV deal, the NRL sold it’s soul. Being a ginger that’s something I know about. Sure it set a record in overall value but what has happened? Sure the ratings aren’t bad but what does that matter when your watching on the TV and the stadium has more empty seats than fans?
Trying to explain to my partner – who comes from south of the border – how great this game is receives a simple reply “Then why aren’t people at the game?” Checkmate.
Then there are the problems with player behaviour. When was the last time the NRL held the season opener without controversy surrounding the game?
I’m turning 29 this year. I’ve grown up a lot recently. If I did something stupid I would have jeopardised my apprenticeship.
If I had gone DUI I would have been sacked. League players do the same and are free to play that week. When is the game going to step in and stop players from bringing the game into disrepute?
Who wants their kids growing up to idolise blokes who urinate on cop cars, glass their partners, are engaged in drug scandals and sexual assault?
Furthermore, what is with live coverage? NRL gets three free-to-air games every week, two on the same night, one live, other delayed and no option to choose which one to watch.
What happens if you are sick of the Broncos on TV every Friday night? What happens if you can’t afford Fox?
The NRL looks after the popular teams and the others are forgotten about. Why can’t I buy an NRL package that’s subsidised so I can watch my home team? The Raiders have three free-to-air games this year.
Channel Nine has the voice of rugby league in Ray Warren, a voice many generations know and have come to love. Andrew Voss looked like the next in the line to the throne, but instead they brought in Ray Hadley.
Andrew Voss could relate to many generations while Hadley can barely relate to one. Andrew Johns, Brett Finch and Brad Fittler are not TV people, and Phil Gould is too opinionated for the average fan.
Peter Sterling is one of the few players who has made the transition to commenting, but it is all too rare.
What about our halftime grand final entertainment? Ricky Martin, enough said.
This is my first time writing into The Roar. I’m no journalist or writer. However, I am a league fan, and I fear our great game is going backwards.
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