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.
Jay C
Roar Guru
Fox Sports does a much better job. Except Brett Kimmorley. But everyone else is much better. Vossy, Ikin, Andy Raymond. Just better.
Ash
Guest
Gus certainly can get a little out of control with his personal opinions but I find that the real problem for me is the one-eyed ramblings of Wally Lewis and the insufferable self-righteousness of Ray Hadley. I've tried but I cannot watch games that they commentate; it just sucks the life out of me. Get rid of Hadley and bring back Vossy. League was so much more enjoyable for me when he was calling the second Friday night game.
Kaks
Roar Guru
Considering I, along with a majority of others, hate listening to a large number of channel nine's commentary team, I would disagree with your comments. And continuing on from this, the Channel 9 commentators like Gus Gould (who gives me a headache and makes me nauseous at the same time when he opens his mouth) ALWAYS bash the referee's when they make a call which has a knock on effect to everyone watching the game. Watch an AFL game and listen to the commentary when they speak about referee's, it is like chalk and cheese.
Beergardener
Roar Pro
Firstly, kudos for actually writing an article, something I haven't done so I can't fault the effort that went in. I can definitely fault your comparisons between League and AFL though - why do complaining authors and commenters on here arbitrarily compare AFL and NRL crowd figures? They are 2 very different sports, with different histories - they don't even really share a common ancestor sport like Union and League and even NFL. Why aren't you comparing League crowds with other sports and then criticising Hockey or Baseball or even Motocross or Swimming crowds? As other commenters on here have said, comparing our crowds to other sports' internationally they are fairly good. NRL also generally get good TV viewing numbers with both the NRL grand final and SOO II coming ahead of the AFL grand final in TV viewings last year.
Beergardener
Roar Pro
I'm a Broncos supporter but that would have been a great game to watch no matter who you support!
Justthetip
Guest
I totally agree
Jay C
Roar Guru
He needs to learn the difference between being paid to commentate and being paid to write his weekly segment for the local rag.
Jackson Henry
Roar Guru
Yeah I know mate. A real shame.
Jay C
Roar Guru
Can't hack Gus. Too many agendas. Can't get past it.
Sven Jensen
Guest
Yeah but what a great game last night ... AFL....ratings ? Whatever...
Jackson Henry
Roar Guru
Yeah, he's good stuff with his impartiality, always fair dinkum with his analysis. It's just that he doesn't offer much more than many of us already know. "X team really needs to be the next to score here" is about it. Gus Lockyer and Joey on the other hand are able to point out things that you might not know.
Jackson Henry
Roar Guru
I actually was talking about Channel9, hence the use of term "powerbrokers"...although there are a whole bunch of guys who are still prominent in the circles of NRL power who look after 1) themselves and 2) their own clubs. If RL i a going to do itself justice, these blokes need to be punted. A Know-Nothing like Dave Smith is the best thing that could have happened to RL , in my opinion anyway.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Oh dear. Here are the Mediaweek ratings for the NRL & AFL for last nite's game Fri TV #AFL Seven #AFLEaglesBlues 439k (Mel 331k Ade 108k) 7mate 198k (Syd 21k Bri 15k Per 161k) Fri TV #NRL late #NRLSharksKnights Nine 358k (Syd 221k Bri 138k) GEM 25k (Mel 19k Per 6k) Fri TV #NRL early #NRLBroncosRoosters Nine 661k (Syd 367k Bri 294k) GEM 30k (Mel 24k 6k) If they whisper the NRL in Melbourne then they must be stone cold silent about AFL in the northern markets because NRL (non Storm games to boot) are out rating AFL watched in the Northern markets. There are also times non Storm games in Melbourne have had bigger FTA figures than Swans & Lions games in the Northern markets.
kirk
Guest
is this another one of those "I''ve been a huge League fan my whole life *wink wink* but lets talk about how amazing AFL is compared to NRL?" articles.
DB
Guest
The problem is Channel 9 run the NRL.
Jeremy
Guest
The NRL don't run Channel 9. But blame the NRL for Channel 9's choices if it helps.
Jackson Henry
Roar Guru
I agree Slei.The real comparison comes by way of other sports...Rugby League continually delivers yesterday's standards tomorrow. It's a real shame that it's own powerbrokers seem to love sitting around inhaling each other's flatulence rather than try and bring the game forward into the 19th century. Thank buggery the product itself is first rate, because that's probably all RL has going for it compared to other sports. And yes, Joffrey No Mates Hadley really needs to go.
Jay C
Roar Guru
Sterlo is a joy to listen to. I recall watching the second game last night. there was a "contentious" call and the way he handled disagreeing with it was class.
Sven Jensen
Guest
Yeah... But what a great game last night !
Baldie
Guest
How many times a year do the broncos get to play a team after a 7 day break but their opponents only had 5 or 6. This unfair advantage needs to end. Even broncos fans want this. They don't want to remove that invisible * against their wins that they currently get.