V'landys is out of touch and losing his battle with AFL and rugby

Jeez I am Rugby supporter but I have to admire V’landys. Not sure he would be easy to live with but his “ crash through” approach was far more successful than I anticipated and he does appear a real fighter for the game. Whether he can fix NRLs blatant disregard for the financial woes of grassroots and country League remains to be seen. In my opinion the formation of the ARL commission was nothing more than a money grab by the NRL clubs sucking more money out of the game to allocate to players and support staff. For the income the game has received over the years it has been woefully managed.

Interesting that you left out Tassie in your last sentence - I don't think it gets counted at all, but good of you to acknowledge that some areas are counted twice, which makes regionals messy as I said, one of many reasons you are deluded into thinking I got 'dusted', whatever that means. Lots of countries now have comps playing AFL too, but only the most hardcore fan would say the AFL has expanded into those countries.

Apparently that seems to be a phenomenon in Sydney: eastern suburbs Waratahs rugby fans are also passionate Swans members. There's a significant crossover apparently and I can see why. Being from WA, I found union more exciting and intuitive to watch (when in open play) over league, which I find to be a bit like basketball (back and forth).

Yep it's far bigger Lou, but unfortunately bigger does not equate to more nations being much stronger to make the semis. The same situation with rugby league on a much smaller scale, they'll have more countries involved but competitiveness will hardly change. Australia will be runaway favourites.

North of Sydney has always been strong ru.RL has been a minor sport.Manly has again been strong ru ,but the Sea Eagles have a decent following . The bulk of Sydney's population is in the West, and indeed the growth. Quite the contrary we know you were brought up to spend time knocking rugby league in their threads, and many times showing you are not that au fait with rugby league. 50-60 years back the world has changed, whilst their ESL crowds have fallen, they have new clubs in the South ,East and Midlands that did not exist before, and Wales. The number of countries playing rugby league with comps has multiplied to at least 40 during that time.And no, as you cynically ,untruthfully commented ,they are not Aussies who have tasted a kebab but local youth in local comps. 50-60 years ago no women or girls played rl in the North or South FTM.Keep up to speed mate. And the British Govt is granting a large sum for the RLWC 21, which has sponsors already on board. I've been to the UK on 3 occasions ,once for as month(rugby league tour) mostly in the North for 3 weeks for club and test matches and know the fervour of Leeds,Hull,Wigan and St Helen's fans. I've also attended the old Wembley stadium with close on 80k in attendance for a Challenge Cup final.So your "small" comment re fans is used rather loosely. So I put my experience with that code in the North of England ,perhaps a head of you coming from the North of Sydney and never attending a club match or Test there. Never argued that soccer dominates around the country.Look at the Pommy print media and TV. That 2nd last para is a load of bollocks.I've never commented prior on the number of AFL FTA viewers in Melbourne.My argument has always revolved around the exclusion of regionals in ratings for rugby league. Comparing the Storm which receives little coverage(PR or media) in Melbourne (23 years),by comparison to the pages the Swans receive in Sydney(38years),for the Storm to receive 96K ,the NRL would hardly be weeping.And Sunday from memory in Sydney was overcast with rain, meaning more at home to watch the Swans. It's not just me who thinks you got dusted, when you come charging in hoping you are armed with a rl negative.The responses by others were a fair indication. Regional is counted twice from what I understand on the GC.The regional areas of Northern Australia _NSW and Qld hold populations bigger than WA and SA, they are generally stronger rl fans, than the cities.This has been brought up by media types, and some AFL fans still don't get it.you still don't get it.

Perhaps you should research why the Reds were axed.They had to pay for all transport and accommodation of visiting teams, not head office. Without that impediment of weighty costs and the SL war ,they'd still be here. Because the Reds went to News Super League, when the time came to rationalise ,when both the ARL and SL came together ,the Reds were one of the victims ,just like the Crushers.As a result the new NRL comp included Melbourne. Melbourne has less rugby league juniors than WA. The only thing you got right dude, WA is behind a couple of other areas for expansion.They will have to bide their time. Oh and the Force in ru are already coming back.

It took 33 years Crosscoder but look how far bigger It is. ????????

I bought up the north of Sydney, not England. I know there is a small, fervent following in the North of England - although far less than 50-60 years back - or are you going to try and deny that as well? Melbourne always has more people watching FTA - something you never acknowledge, and it was in prime time, not Sunday afternoon like the Swans. I know in your mind you think I got dusted, but going over it again, that was far from the truth. Regional is messy as some areas are counted twice and some aren't counted at all.

Perth had the western reds in league and the force in union both codes pulled the pin as the market cant sustain them, soccer due to heaps of 10 pound poms and basketball due to wildcats success are more popular than rugby in Perth. they wont be having a crack at the WA market anytime soon. sounds like wishful thinking dude

The remaining NRL teams all had to fit in with the strict requirements of NSW/ACT/VIC/Qld Governments and their medical advisers.That's why the NRL went to the trouble and employed a bio security expert by the name of Professor Heslop. A lot easier to control clinical requirements in hubs,than players going back home after games ATM. There are only ATM a few grounds utilised and many of the clubs have to travel at odd hours to non home grounds to play.All disruptive in some ways. Look at the stuffing around when a player's child's school had a COVID-19 case.The NRL had to bring forward a game and defer a game to the next day..

Good on them, it's hardly a scoop.Trouble is ,it is confined to these beloved shores.

I agree the Warriors have made huge sacrifices but as far as I'm aware no Australian NRL side has. The ACT follows whatever NSW does so no real impediment there ------ Well there is understandable merde emanating from the WA & SA teams being on the GC and that is because of the intransigence of western and central state. ----- True, both Leagues have had issues.

Please don't bring the mile high club into it Rowdy, think of the kiddies.

WA were a bigger problem.Do you know how tight the NZ were with their lockdown? Do you understand the length of time the Warriors' players have spent away from their families? The Warriors had to spend 14 days self isolating in Tamworth,before they moved on to the CC. And of course throw in the ACT,Chairman Andrews,Commodore Pala.........of Qld. The AFL are in hubs(meaning they all play at the same stadiums or nearby) which are a lot easier to control re this COVID-19,than having players go back home and be expected to be religious in their attitude to ensuing strict medical controls.

Have a look at Past TV ratings.Bear in mind this was the first week back for that code, as it was for the NRL a fortnight earlier. The Storm apparently got 96,000 on the main channel 9 in Victoria when shown live couple of weeks ago.In the scheme of things meaningless. Not really ,you got dusted mate ,sometimes as Dirty Harry noted a guys gotta know his limitations.It's happened to me, accept it and move on. Regional is hardly messy ,from a population perspective, from a ratings perspective. Yes it's a minor sport in the North of England compared to soccer, but still has strong support just as fervent as AFL fans, and it is growing at grassroots level.In fact a few of the top soccer players came from a rl background. Did I say there was a comparison with soccer, you brought up the North when discussing London as inferring it to be a small backblock. No need to apologise for not reading the rest ,it wouldn't suit your anti rl narrative.

And it took 33 years for the other code to follow.

LOL another ignorant comment from ClipperThe PNG have a team the Hunters in the Qld Cup and will be having a Fiji team in he NSW equivalent next year. PNG women's rugby league and development work is being assisted financially by the NRL. Tonga was so farcial that the players were all heritage, having direct ties to the country, not like situations where players go to play a code in another country for a few years and under the residency rule suddenly become eligible to play for that country ie Japan. The effect of Tonga doing so well ,has made a huge impact in that Island for participation in rugby league.

Ratings come ratings go, at times like these when people haven't had something for while, they go bonkers.I'm hardly surprised.

Ha ha, I’ve voted Left all my life, federally, except the ’96 Federal election and the most recent. —— When you are a polemicist it’s hard to be dogmatic. At least that’s what Shaun Micallef told me. —– Yes Victorians, as represented by the ruling body of Aussie Rules, have been reprobates. I dunno why this is news to you. —— As for Lizard people l subscribe to no such theory. ——- But l am happy for you to waste your time about me wasting my time. You being passionate about me being passionate; oh the irony. As Neil Young said, “Are You Passionate?”

Holy goodness you are obsessed with politics! You need to get a life man. Rowdy goes from thread to thread abusing people about being Victorian and “socialists” which are apparently infiltrating every part of his life (as far as I can tell it’s a Victorian-Communist-Lizardman conspiracy) Maybe tell your delusions to a trained professional