Women’s sport currently takes second fiddle. Right or wrong, that’s the world we live in.
The NRL have invested in a women’s competition for the past couple of years, while the World Cup in the UK later this year has committed to equal match payments with men.
But the fact that the Indigenous vs Māori women’s game next month serves as a double header, nearly slap bang in the middle of the end of the 2020 season and the 2021 course (July’s Origin, with a subsequent gap until the NRLW), demonstrates the almost throwaway, afterthought mentality when it comes to thinking about the women’s game.
To ensure long-term viability, the NRL needs to boost the number of punters tuning in and turning up, as they currently aren’t. If they were, then double headers wouldn’t be necessary, players would be professional and more teams would be in existence.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
The quality argument offers an easy out: biological differences between men and women ensure that the product appears less appealing to the punter accustomed to the former’s intensity.
Of course, there is the self-perpetuating cycle that minimal media recognition leads to lower public cut-through, which combine for less revenue, so fewer resources, thus poorer quality, and so fulfilling a vicious prophecy.
If Meg Ward and company were afforded full-time contracts, the product would improve. The question is to what extent?
The answer, unfortunately, no matter how much we may wish it, is not to the same standard as the men. If it were, then the entire raison d’etre for the women’s game would be negated.
But more than any biological differences, a more pressing issue is holding back the NRLW from its potential. Following an NRL side is a tribal affair, where blind loyalty and familial ties bind us to backing our lot. Playing quality is near immaterial.
From March to October, these emotions are monopolised by the men who take the field at Brookvale, Suncorp and Bankwest. Especially with money tight, asking punters to put their hard-earned into a new women’s competition only four weeks long seems optimistic.
The answer involves utilising that tribalism, but taking the game to areas otherwise under-utilised by the NRL. Pundits talk about the glut of Sydney fixtures and over-saturation of this market compared to the rest of Australia. Let the NRLW prove it.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Adding a Wests Tigers side would truly demonstrate the utility of a side often first volunteered in relocation talks.
A North Queensland Cowboys side with games from Cairns to Mackay and even Rockhampton could show New South Wales the value of the community game.
The Dragons splitting their time between St George and Illawarra to account for their usual split itinerary, and the Warriors travelling to Christchurch, Hamilton and Greymouth, would demonstrate the depth of feeling for the amalgamated and nationally representative sides, respectively.
Hell, with such a low monetary entrance bar, why aren’t Papua New Guinea considered, especially in light of the enormous social impact the inclusion such a team could have?
The point is there are options to expand the NRLW, providing footy to fans who have been deprived in terms of quantity. This should not be viewed as a consolation, but the opportunity to witness top-flight rugby league. If the numbers are there, then it may provide more pathways and elite viewings.
If the highest level of women’s rugby league is given the NRL moniker, then it follows that Moore Park has to support it. But it needs to avoid the trap of dependency and the poor sibling syndrome.
Eventually, the aim has to be for the women’s competition to stand on its own two feet on a professional and commercial level. This would be an eventual process, not unduly cutting the umbilical cord – forever linked with their male colleagues, but not dependent upon their revenue-raising.
Rosie
Roar Rookie
You can’t just force something upon people if there is little interest. I hope the women’s game grows, but it needs to do so organically. Give it time and see how it takes off. Stop being obsessed with making it as big as the NRL.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
#Criag All good - - I get sick of AFL people who are ultra negative about the AFLW......so.....forgive me sticking up for it......I umpire locally including a lot of womens and girls footy and have seen it evolving and seen the camradery the girls develop that you just don't see with netball, basketball etc. A funny story - we knew an Irish girl who had come to Australia and has ended up settling here, primary teacher. Anyway - she got encouraged from Gaelic to have a go at footy and was a natural. She got to represent Ireland in the 2011, 2014 and 2017 (2020 got postponed) AFL International Cup comps (teams could use a small number of Australian based players). Her local team mates were cheering her on when the Irish team were playing against the USA out at their suburban home ground and I was standing nearby when I heard the yelling out "Go Irish".....obviously their club nickname for the only Irish girl in their side.......suddenly the penny dropped - one looked at the other and said, "Hang on, they're all Irish.......what's her actual name??", the other responded "I don't know". That was my realisation that girls/womens footy was like the blokes......nicknames......even on the magnets on the whiteboard. You can play years and not know someones real name unless you made finals and saw the team lists (numbers/names) published. Well......that was 2011 and over the last 10 years more and more of that stuff is online now so some of that mystery has dissolved. I was also talking in 2017 (at the International Cup that year) to an ex VFL/AFL player who was involved in womens footy internationally and he said how - to his surprise - his daughters were taking up footy and when he asked why they said "Day, because it's a great game to play". That was his reminder...........the girls deserve the opportunity. Be it Footy, League, Union,......soccer.....cricket.....
criag
Roar Rookie
I did not at any stage put down AFLW. In fact, the crux of what I was saying was that the AFL have got the women’s game right and the NRL haven’t. Obviously I have little interest in AFL, but I am just showing the numbers as I found them. I have no interest in trying to make one set of figures look better than the other, and I know administrators will present the numbers that show them in the best light; was just giving the bare bones, (but thanks for your detailed numbers). Everything else is just me trying to be humorous (obviously I know it’s played outside Victoria!). Other than the numbers involved and you not liking my jokes, we actually agree. I did say that the AFLW was a popular competition. I also agree that the talent is there and coming through much more than NRLW, and I agree with what you say about it as a competition.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
#Criag You've said "There are 180,000 registered players in Australia, favourable in comparison to AFL but way below football." Keep mindful - the NRL number is "‘registered’ Rugby League participants across both Junior and Senior Rugby League". The 2018 numbers for the FFA were 227K for junior/intro (they bundle MiniRoos into "juniors"); 161K for youth and 138K for senior. That was 527K for "outdoor" registered participants. The AFL had 140K juniors, 122K youth, 115K senior, also 8K "Vets" and using the FFA method of incorporating the "intro" program (MiniRoos) - the AFL has a further 205K via Auskick. That's around 592K. So - I'm not quite sure where you're suggesting that the NRL with 180K is comparable to the AFL???? btw - and the numbers above were without going into the school comps category as well (add those in and the AFL went to 921K and FFA to 815K). Note - the FFA boost their numbers overall by including the imaginatively titled "Community Events & Promotional Experiences". Their 2019 total participation number of 1957 million was helped by over 544K attributed to this category. That and they count their coaches/refs and volunteers toward the grand total. And indoor (Futsal). Anyway - - it's clear you don't like Australian Football with little regard for the AFLW. I'm not sure whether you've noticed or not - - the current 14 team incarnation of the AFLW includes the following sides (Brisbane, Adelaide, Fremantle, Gold Coast, GWS Giants, West Coast). Common thread amongst those............they aren't Victorian. It's a bit rich that you try to put down the AFLW on the basis of Victorians........made, the NRL is a TV spectacle and is QLD/NSW only and even then NSW is the national capital of soccer and QLD is one of the most sporting split states in the country. The reason there are more teams in the AFLW is simple - - there is greater participation; there is a far broader and more effective talent pathway. The grassroots numbers surged on the news of the planned launch of the league such that it was brought forward. The teams are there because A. the clubs wanted them and B. the talent is online and coming through and C. the fans even this far in are sufficiently engaged (and that will only increase as the standard continues to improve). The W-League by contrast continues to just muddle along in the shadow of the men and the NRLW is little more than a month long 'tournament' rather than a real competition and it will struggle as long as womens Union is an olympic sport.
criag
Roar Rookie
The NRLW was definitely not an afterthought in 2019 when this four team competition undeservedly displaced the State Championship game between the Newtown Jets and the Burleigh Bears as the main curtain raiser to the NRL Grand Final. This was an infinitely higher standard and ended with a thrilling last-gasp victory to the mighty Jets, yet it was played in the mid-day sun as an afterthought itself. The women have surprised many with the standard they have reached, but for the foreseeable future anyway, this should not be allowed to happen again. So, how to improve? They obviously need more teams and more coaching at the elite level. There are 180,000 registered players in Australia, favourable in comparison to AFL but way below football. Both are obviously less physical games however, so how many could reach the elite level at rugby league, I don't know. This lack of brutal physical contact may explain why there are more teams in the AFLW, which is a popular competition (but then again, Victorians would watch poodles playing that game as long as they were in their team's jersey) but another factor is the AFLW starts well before the AFL competition, which is where the NRL could learn from the kicky-catchy-can't-picky-uppy code. As for football, the women play at a high level and the Matildas drew over 20,000 to Bankwest Stadium in late 2019. These are the standards women's rugby league are up against - not the men. And at the moment, they are being left in the dust.
The Realist
Guest
You've missed the main point of my post....... "the average sports watcher...........has very little interest in the NRLW becoming a fully fledged competition" ......and this article was proposing that the NRL pour money into it hand over fist to make that happen. It is also insinuating that there is sexism at play (and the women are an afterthought or token play in a publicity stunt) but that is rubbish. It's about interest, not sex, hence the comparison to lawn bowls. Quoting stats about 580K watching a one off Origin match is pointless as no one is saying that's not a great spectacle. Of course it would be a better competition with more teams but having one from each club would send the game broke.
Nat
Roar Guru
There was so much wrong with that statement I didn't know where to start! :stoked:
andrew
Roar Rookie
Apologies Nat, just realised you're a Diehard supporter, who could forget Fyfe's brilliant Grand Final winning field goal. Tigers.
andrew
Roar Rookie
How about a photo of Easts Jeff Fyfe, one of my favourite Tigers players, :stoked:
Nat
Roar Guru
Wally in the old Valleys jumper mate, he would have been 20 - 21yo then. I'm gonna change it again soon though.
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
if the women expect same pay as the men then they have to put out a comparable product - 16teams where atleast half will be competitive etc. It's taken the mens comp 100 years to get on the big coin, I saw where Brett Kenny said he got $5k at the end of the year in a 1 off payment. The big $$ from the mens comes from bums on seats (granted - not a lot at the Roosters games), merchandise, sponsorship, TV deals. By rights the women should be getting paid based on the crowds to their games, sponsorships for their games / clubs, their merchandise, TV for their games. Trouble is got to get the playing numbers up first
Nat
Roar Guru
I agree Jimmmy, it's all very same same and doesn't really give a chance for a team to grow into a 'team'. Imagine the various premiers we would have if the NRL season was 5 weeks? Tigers might go for it.
Tony
Roar Guru
I'm not sure that you've factored in time off for suspensions Jimmmy
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
Thanks Jimmy. Your confidence won't be misplaced.
Jim
Guest
For starters each NRL club should field a NRLW team. At the moment with only 4 teams they are not capturing the supporters they would if there were 16 teams. There should be Female comps from the juniors. I have heard some say that there are not enough girls wanting to play but I wonder if these people actually go out to local grounds and watch junior rugby league or are they the ones only interested in sitting at home watching NRL with no concept of what is out there. If they want the women's game to be professional the people running league need to start acting professional when it comes to the women's game. Stop making excuses and make it happen.
andrew
Roar Rookie
Like your photo on your icon Nat, back when Wally had hair.
Harry
Guest
It's interesting to read a number of comments here about whether there's an audience for women's rugby league. I grew up in Canberra but I've lived in Melbourne for the last 15 years, so let me tell you a little story about the first year of AFLW down here. I went to the last game of that first season, Collingwood vs (I think) Adelaide. Stinking hot day, tiny ground - but all gathered in the shadow of the miniscule grandstand were the die-hard Magpies supporters. The Pies weren't doing well in that first season, and after one free kick against them I vividly recall an ancient Collingwood fan yelling from her wheelchair: "It doesn't matter whether it's men's or women's, the umpires never give us a chance!!" My point is, the success of club football of any code is built on tribalism. I follow the W-League way more closely than the A-League, because the former has a Canberra team whereas the latter doesn't. If the Raiders had a presence in the NRLW I'd watch every game. You can't put on a four-team competition which runs for a few weeks and expect very many fans to take an interest, especially when one of those teams - the Broncos - is hated by most rugby league fans who don't live in Queensland. The NRLW just isn't ever going to work without at least doubling the number of teams.
Nat
Roar Guru
Good comment John, I agree 100% (same Nat, different device)
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
My money's on you for most tackle busts in a season HY.
Tony
Roar Guru
You are on to something here HY, full contact lawn bowls would be a winner, particularly if they recruit enough punchy ex footballers to the game.