League and union cannot afford an all-out Pacific code war

Why wouldn’t you count five days? I know one game go for six plus hour over five possible days. Other sport an hour or so. Hard to compare, but you don’t count football/soccer attendance by first and second half seperatly.

When saying you didn't read what I had posted, I was referring to the sentence saying 'crowds shouldn’t get rival codes panicking' which you misinterpreted as “GWS crowds getting rivals panicking “ and responded 'seriously and gave reasons why. BTW the ratings were 52k which isn't bad for a game against a hopeless side in the afternoon. And yes, I agree with you that RL is still small bikkies overseas and AFL doesn't have any professional presence, but don't know what that has to do with the argument.

So very much like the Ben Teo,born in Auckland NZ playing junior rl there. Then playing for various NRL clubs Then playing rugby league for Samoa. Then going to England and becoming a English ru International. Yep perfecto. Nothing to see here. The passion of heritage players is something to behold.So it's something I do not choose to knock, just point out the irony when someone bags rl flexibility.

deucer. On the contrary mate I clearly read what you stated.You noted emphatically” The NRL try to stymie the AFL in Sydney by putting on the big games at the same time as GWS.” I refuted that view with my response. Yes you are correct GWS was on FTA (lucky them, the Storm should be so lucky) today I happen to notice that and the “crowd ” and await the ratings figures with interest. And I also note that no NRL games were on at the same time in Sydney.The admin must have stuffed up hey!! Then why the need to suggest they try to stymie ? The rival code such as rugby league are not panicking, they do not consider GWS a threat .Else they would have had games against them today. They have enough other issues with which to contend. Yes they(AFL) do market their game better than the other codes that I would never argue against, they also have been lobbying Govts for grants a lot longer than the other codes.But they are still a professional code only in this country.And rugby league so far has a successful SOO series, which the AFL had to dump.And they have a team in NZ, and semi pro teams in PNG na done on the way expected from Fiji.Rugby league is still small bikkies overseas.

Don't think you read what I posted. I said the crowds shouldn't get rival codes panicking. GWS is actually on FTA at the moment, so don't know why you say they're not on FTA. Anyway, I wasn't criticising the NRL for clashing scheduling, but rather that there really is no threat from them. I don't watch, play or follow AFL, just find the way they market is ahead of the other codes.

A conspiracy theory deucer. NRL clubs all put in to the NRL what they prefer re scheduling of home matches. The NRL whilst having a little more control over scheduling and trying to be fair to all clubs ,have to ensure the FTA and Pay TV stations get their share of picks for games, which provides ratings ,and as a result advertising revenue. GWS TBH is way down the list of concerns.So mate it is a coincidence. "GWS crowds getting rivals panicking ",seriously? They are not on FTA here for a start. The Eels have a new stadium and get decent crowds 21,000 last night,now even against live TV,Souths are getting plenty of FTA exposure.You have stated GWS crowds are hardly bringing over rugby league fans.NRL crowds at times have FTA up against the gate, something GWS which also spends 4 weeks in Canberra ,doesn't have to contend with. Give people a decent stadium with comfort and cover, and they'll attend, regardless of what other codes may be doing at the same time.

Well, it must all be coincidence that when the biggest GWS games occur, there is a strong offering at ANZ stadium. As I stated, there's no reason why they shouldn't do this - it's their area and you don't want to lose market share, just don't think the fan bases cross over and as you say, the crowds shouldn't get the rival codes panicking.

After the Pirates(so of course not the Reds) perhaps and that's a big if.But of course TV stations pay big money for high rating sports in this country, and unfortunately mama the Super rugby is just not keeping up to speed. TV stations like Foxtel are watching their dollars, so if they are not prepared to pay the bikkies, the Force returning ,will be like North Sydney returning.Buckleys.

deucer. The Tv stations dictate in many cases, when the main TV rating NRL game is to be played, Thursday night,Friday night and Sunday afternoon football. And the NRL clubs have decent input when they prefer to have their games played, to maximise their crowds.Also as in the case of Melbourne,Canberra,Brisbane when grounds are available. The idea the NRL is somehow waiting to see when GWS is to be played is laughable and .Their Tv ratings in Sydney if you can find them ,their crowds and playing games in Canberra,would have SFA influence on the NRL scheduling.

They will return unlike the Reds

Let’s not get too carried away Mama. The most important thing to remember, it was rugby league that entered professionalism 100 years before ru decided it wasn’t a crime to do so. And the SL war 1995 helped instigate that fact. For without professionalism ru would not be the game it is Internationally today. Money made then by ru authorities, went to grassroots, administrators ,but next to zero to the players who busted their backsides. And remember also rugby league had a world cup in France decades before the 87 ru one held in Sydney. “Refs who organise a close game” LOL.About time we had a penalty goal for 3 points on some technicality, which many of the players have zero idea what it’s for.I’m sure the Eels are laughing at that one. It was of course ru authorities who lobbied in France a despised Govt, to get rid of professional rl in 1941 and succeeded.It was the similar authorities who threatened ru players in Italy to not play rugby league ,hence insurance was denied to those playing rl, and the game wilted. When rugby league lobbies any Govt to have a code banned, the code will lose me. When the NRL has $38m in the Bank and blows the lot in a few years ,with little to show for, as a certain code did here ,I would hardly be trumpeting its administrative brilliance ,nor what rl may or may not have copied from it.

Mama, 4 thousand turned out to watch brumbies, enough said

RU OK. THe Rugby World Cup with true players that have lived, bought up or resided in a country for at least 3 years will play in front of millions on TV and make millions Of $$$. The RLWC destined for the USA has now been dropped....Rugby is the fourth code in Australia and probably always will be but will never die. Meantime the SARL is nearly dead, the Tas RL is dead and adult RL numbers in eastern and northern Sydney are probably behind the RU which means RL is struggling also in the biggest RL city in the world.

NRL copy from other codes but especially RU and AFL Siren to end games Medics and runners on ground during games Corner post doesnt count as touch Loose head and feed to same team in scrums Countdown clock Video Ref’s Sin Bins 10 mins – Yellow cards Blood bins Red Cards Substitute changes HIA Name changes Razzmatazz Music Shirt Designs State of Origin from AFL Four points for a try All RU rules in 1895 Time off for all stoppages in last 5 minutes and refs who organise a close game from Roller Game made for TV

Yes the guy Eddy pettybourne ? that was born in Sydney that played RL for Samoa, USA (despite his heritage being Samoa rather than US protectorate American Samoa) and NZ should give Ancestry.com a riddle for centuries. NRL has the laxest eligibility rules in world sport so much so that the Liberian ship registry laughs at them. For example how do Cotric & Vaughan get 2 play 4 NSW in alleged "State of Origin?" as they were born, raised & played all RL in Canberra RL comp & dont meet SOO rules (google them)- played u20s 4 NSW despite never playing in NSW as way round rules perhaps - Bizarre. Born and bred Vics for Qld next? Its a joke

There should be a 4-yr programme of internationals, all played in the current RWC window, (late September-end October) and scrapping current July and November windows. RWC Lions, with matches for other nations at that time. Regional Champs Champions Trophy Eg, European Champs, 6N + Top 4 ENC, 2 groups of 5, home and away + semi finals, and final, (max 6 matches over 7 weeks) I know this would mean a season without SH teams, but would develop 2nd tier without disrupting 6N and also mean some double ups with 6N teams, but also good as return fixtures often better. Asia/Pacific, (Aus, NZ, + top 3 from Pacific nations), home and away, plus final, again Aus/NZ play 3 times potentially, but they do currently. Current 6N stays but move to August and early September, TRC extended to 6 teams play single round of fixtures, at same time. Champions Trophy is home and away series v winners of each region, plus ru in Europe, giving 5 teams, Europe x 2, Asia/Pacific, Africa, America. Repeat to make 5 events, with maybe some matches played at single venue to reduce costs.

I would disagree with this. The AFL just does their own thing - obviously they want to gain market share, but don't think they specifically target RL. On the other hand the NRL try to stymie the AFL in Sydney by putting on big games at the same time as GWS, which, of course is their right. Think it's a waste of time as the fan bases don't really cross over and it may give a bit of publicity to GWS, which is barely visible out there.

Don't mention the code wars, I mentioned it once but I think I got away with.... Have held both Rebels and Storm memberships and for a few years held those memberships simultaneously. I like them both and continue to watch both. I marvel at the likes of Karmichael Hunt who played both ( and AFL) cos while they are similar with transferable skills there are some nuances that make all the difference. Wendell Sailor, Nat Rogers, Lote Tuquiri all had great careers in both codes. Why choose? Here in Melbourne I've been able to take in a Wallabies test match at Etihad and hot footed it over to the old Olympic Park to watch the Storm. All of it is all good!

Using the illustrious words of Basil Fawlty": Don't mention the war."

We're grooming him to take over from ms castle