The Sea Eagles have some problems. Here's how to fix them

yep not so super, send the top 25 to the 40+ schools in the area, solves all problems hey? you got it right, that means nothing! of course they should support the local rugby league (and maybe adopt a regional area), attend important local civic events, etc. but who sends their kids to schools to be badgered by the NRL/AFL/RuggerBuggars/NBL/A-League Soccer/Netball/Volleyball/soft(and/or)baseball/tennis/quidditch/floorball/cricket/et al? it's a crowded market, let the kids learn (academically) and enjoy (friends/family/life/school), they'll play/watch what sports they'll enjoy without them being shoved down their mouths at school. ban all sporting organisations from schools on promotional crap, organised comps and refs only. really the organisations are basically wasting money there anyway.

I dont think the NRL needs 5 Perth team Pete? Can't move over the Sharks, Titans, Tigers, Bunnies and Eagles (which is suggested on an ongoing basis). More than happy for a Perth team, sooner the better, but I think west coast folk/consortium would like to start from scratch (again) and get a bit of buy-in from the ground up. How about the ''Black Swans", WA state bird!

Interesting that despite the Roosters interaction you turned out a Doggies fan. So that interaction built a love of the game but not of that club?

Plenty of optimism as well from the big fish and the Panther. Lets see what happens in 2018. Last season the Pennies were favorites in some eyes to win the thing and the Sharks were meant to seriously challenge as well but the poor old Sea Beagles would be languishing very close to the bottom of the table according to most.

No illusion..in 12 months Maloney’s gone from hero to zero,his ill discipline was like an anchor around the teams neck last year..Jack Bird also had an outstanding ‘16 when Holmes was outside making him look good,but by his own admission had a forgettable season...on ‘17 form including the WC it’s proven class v still to be realized potential in the centers...while Moylan,in a happy place,will bring back what the club lost when Barba left. Penrith were average for most of last year amidst the coach and club captain stand off,Carty will be back,Merrin will be playing more than 40 mins a game,and they’ll be charmed by Maloney’s first year syndrome..RCG and Kikau will be huge next year,and then there’s the development of Clearys game..Hooks their only potential obstacle.. Love your optimism,but poor old Cherry’s going to cop it next year trying to fruition this sides strategies alone..

Emotions can get pretty heated in debates Greg. We all have barrows to push. But that doesn't mean we should resort to putting the other person down.. I was always taught that when you have to resort to attacking the other debater instead of sticking to debating the topic in question, it shows you cant maintain a logical argument and are allowing it to get too personal. Its like being on a football field and attacking another player illegally instead of competing effectively against the other side. Making it personal like that doesn't win you the game. That lack of discipline is more likely to lose your team the game and even get yourself sent off. Same applies to debating. Making it too personal may make you feel good at putting someone down, but most readers wont look upon you with respect and your criticism will more likely to be laughed at, rather than appreciated. By the way Greg, Silvertails can have its abusers as well. I'd like to think forums should have a code of respect between members, but when emotions get hot and clear thinking goes out the window, even those you think are the most sensible, can sometimes lose the plot. I just wish Not so Super comes back with a logical argument that can be debated like was happening between Peter Phelps and myself. That's what these forums should be about. Use your mind not your emotions

No problem Peter. You are expressing an opinion and I'm debating it with you. That's what forums are for. I enjoy the banter and as I said I agree with Perth being added to the comp. It should never have been dropped after the SuperLeague war, and the NRL have been their usual reactive self rather than proactive and expand the League. The performances of the four Island sides in the World Cup demonstrates the direction the game should be heading. Outward. But that doesn't mean forgetting or being complacent with established Rugby League supporting areas

I am being somewhat provocative. I don't really think that Manly should go however the point that I am trying to make is that having no team in the whole of W.A. is deeply offensive to any RL fan based there particularly when Sydney has so many clubs. Its deeply offensive when all efforts to gain admittance to the NRL is constantly put off saying no expansion this year when in the next breath the NRL is throwing money at stemming the tide of falling gates at NSW based clubs. Complaints about poor suberban stadium facilities, poor toilets and crumbling infrastructure is deeply offensive when you have a wonderful first class stadium with no one playing in it. We have to address the Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane 2 issue and if that is by moving Manly Cronnula or someone else then bring it on.

Perth would cover all the area of W.A., S.A. N.T and all the way upto Cains. The TV benefits are significant. There are too many teams in Sydney/NSW period. I don't care who goes but we have to start putting clubs in the other half of Australia.

Bearfax the way this site runs is a lot different to the Silvertails forum ( and other fan forums) do you think the Silvertails could borrow some tips from here and have genuine moderators rather than their pretend rules that are an embarrassment? It would nice to have input from the club itself but they will never do that while the moderators are refusing to follow their own rules and allow abuse and swearing in a selective manner. A feature which allows you to dislike a comment without giving any reason I believe is of no value and creates hostility. It's a bit like a cheap shot. Any thoughts?

Not sure what that means Not so Super. If you elaborated with a cognisant argument, the relevance of that comment may make sense. In isolation its just a put down, and generally people who put down others arguments don't have the capacity to debate effectively. So what is the relevance NSS?

I would like to add my comments on the topic of attendances at rugby league games, recently my son bought me a ticket to the Aust.- Fiji World Cup game at Suncorp Stadium.It would be my first visit to the new venue having last been there 30 years prior (Lang Park), to an Origin game when my son was a boy. The ticket cost then was $17 and where we were seated this time (ground level), on the 40 metre line the cost was $85.I had heard over the years that this was the best stadium in Aust.to watch a game, but from our cheap seats, i beg to differ!, Firstly as you looked up you were looking directly into the glare of the lights on opposite side of the stadium so sunnies or a visor essential for future visits! The other annoying aspect was we had to repeatedly ask the ballboys to kneel when they stood in front of us, otherwise we saw nothing! Now it is okay to watch the game on the big screen but i can do that at home for free! Also i am glad i don't drink, ($7.50 for about an eight ounce beer). All up I was away from home for six hours, caught the train both ways, I live at Birkdale.I now come to point of my comments why would you bother! Why would you leave the comfort of your lounge room to venture out get ripped off, see nothing of the game and get home knackered! So when we have these discussions re falling attendances I know why!

China has hundreds of millions of middle class Adelaide doesn't care about RL

You have no idea

Then perhaps you should move there also!

So should you!

Peter you are talking chalk and cheese mate. Sure it would be great to have Perth in the comp. I've always supported that initiative and have questioned time and again the delay. But throwing population comparisons misses the point entirely. I'm not giving an either or comment here. The Sydney north and central coast can exist as well as Perth, though Adelaide seems a touch premature. Actually If we were to compare home crowds at Perth, Adelaide, Brookvale and North Sydney in the mid 1990s they were very similar. But the issue is this. Firstly suggesting the Northern Sydney areas and Central Coast are 'dead horses' is both inaccurate and offensive to those areas. Crowds at several other Sydney clubs are little better. Check Cronulla, Sydney City, St George Illawarra, West Tigers, Penrith crowds. In fact only three teams averaged more than 16,000 home crowds in 2017. The rest including Manly were between 13,000 and 15500. Such is the lack of interest in attending Rugby League matches these days, that only Brisbane attracts crowds over 25,000, and that for a one city side of almost two and a half million people. The thing is Peter that having a league side in a Rugby league interested location is better for the game than having none. Manly consistently could average 14,000 in the pre SuperLeague days. North Sydney 13,000 and the Central Coast conservatively could attract at least 13-14000 to home games. That's a potential of around 30,000 fans more than we have today. The fans haven't disappeared, they have just been ignored, and are going off following other interests. Manly for example has shown if you've got a good game to watch, can attract over 20,000 at home. But the ground cant handle it. As for membership, I'm a Manly supporter and not a member. Why should I be? Like many Manly supporters you don't need to be a member to support the team. Bring in Perth. Great. Bring in another Brisbane side, great. bring in another NZ side, great. maybe even PNG. But don't forget supporters you already have and throw money at some clubs and virtually ignore the others. That's a sure way of destroying supporter base. And since 1995, we have lost over 30-40000 fans in the Sydney area through poor NRL management, amalgamations, inadequate grounds and lack of recognition of the tribal nature of the game. People will attend if the facilities are up to standard. And you don't need a stadium that holds 80,000 to do that. In fact that is more likely to turn people off.

Don't let the figures for manly confuse you. They had a home match at suncorp and have one there next year. One way to get your numbers up .Ride on the back of the Broncos.

I very much doubt that Penrith or the Sharks are stronger. I could be wrong but the Pennies have swapped 5/8's with the Sharks which sounds like big signings but it is an illusion and the Sharks have replaced Bird with Dugan so no big deal there. Saints appear stronger and should do well but no certainties in the NRL. This is Barretts third year and like Hasler he will be starting with an untried 5/8. Travis Burns was Haslers 3rd year 5/8 and that didn't stop them finishing 5th. DCE and whoever will be better than Burns and Orford in my opinion. I'm liking that people are thinking Manly will be weaker this year and I'm hoping that they will be more consistent and a few new faces will step up to the plate. I think the punters have failed to factor in the fact that a lot of Manly's players are on the rise and a lot of their opponents are on the slide.

The point is that hundreds of millions of Chinese could watch NRL if they wanted to. Super league believed that this meant a lot or they were lying. Comparing the Perth population with the Northern beaches population isn't Apples and Apples either. The North shore obviously has to come into calculations as well if you are talking about potential spectators at Brookvale oval. Those under a certain age will care as much about the Bears as people in the Eastern suburbs care about Glebe , harsh but true. The aim should be to entice more spectators broaching the vast area from Hornsby down to the harbour bridge and north to Palm Beach. Last I heard the third biggest CBD in Australia is North Sydney and that is now logically Sea Eagles catchment.