| Australia and rugby league 15:44 - Jul 21 with 2460 views | SuffolkHoop |
I hadn't quite appreciated how popular rugby league is here before. They bloody love it! Watched a couple of games and I have to admit it is very entertaining, certainly easier to watch than Union although that might just be me. I can imagine the sport could become more popular in the UK with a little more exposure, I'll certainly follow it more when back home. |  | | |  |
| Australia and rugby league on 16:21 - Jul 21 with 2435 views | MrSheen |
With the exception of Brisbane they are surprisingly apathetic about going out to games, certainly compared to Aussie Rules. They can't make up their minds in Sydney about whether to play in suburban grounds near the club's home base or in bigger central stadiums. Having sat on a grassy bank watching the Dragons at Kogarah Oval on a sunny Sunday or in a bigger crowd watching the Bulldogs in a quarter-full Olympic stadium, I know what makes for a better day out
It's a great game though. Don't miss the NZ tourists when they play England at our. Olympic stadium in November, they've got some brilliant players. |  | | |
| Australia and rugby league on 16:42 - Jul 21 with 2426 views | SuffolkHoop |
| Australia and rugby league on 16:21 - Jul 21 by MrSheen |
With the exception of Brisbane they are surprisingly apathetic about going out to games, certainly compared to Aussie Rules. They can't make up their minds in Sydney about whether to play in suburban grounds near the club's home base or in bigger central stadiums. Having sat on a grassy bank watching the Dragons at Kogarah Oval on a sunny Sunday or in a bigger crowd watching the Bulldogs in a quarter-full Olympic stadium, I know what makes for a better day out
It's a great game though. Don't miss the NZ tourists when they play England at our. Olympic stadium in November, they've got some brilliant players. |
Well QLD is where I based that assumption on. Is the NRL worth much in TV rights? | | | |
| Australia and rugby league on 16:58 - Jul 21 with 2414 views | MrSheen |
| Australia and rugby league on 16:42 - Jul 21 by SuffolkHoop |
Well QLD is where I based that assumption on. Is the NRL worth much in TV rights? |
I think it went for $1bn over 5 years, including Origin, which is a bit less than AFL. Both expect more next time, coming up soon. Quite a lot considering no-one watches it West of Canberra. I think cricket got about $600m for five years including 20-20 and A-League was about $200m. Could be wrong.
AFL gets more paradoxically because pay TV is lower in AFL states, they wanted all the games on Foxtel to sell more subscriptions. Free to air on Channel 9 has a longstanding claim on the first two picks on the NRL each week, which gives them all home Broncos games and reduces the value of the rest. The law prevents pay TV hoovering up everything so it's much less powerful than Sky. If you've got lots of time and a Mensa membership, read about the Superleague War on Wikipedia. Bitter complicated and totally self defeating. | | | |
| Australia and rugby league on 18:53 - Jul 21 with 2367 views | Gloucs_R |
Must admit, I love AFL and have a soft spot for Geelong.....no idea why?!?! 
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| Australia and rugby league on 20:47 - Jul 21 with 2321 views | ozranger |
Sheen is right. League and AFL hold the sway with both money and coverage. Just take a look in the Brizzie papers and, primarily, the Tele in Sydney and the sports pages are littered with RL stories, even when they are out of season. I used to enjoy watching the Bears play at the old North Sydney Oval back in the late 70s, but the game has become a mess now. The main reason it appears so big is that you are now on the eastern side of what is called the "Barassi Line", a barrier that runs down the Qld/NT border, around the corner to the NSW border and then does a beeline to Canberra before heading south to the Victorian border and finally out to sea. Any place to the east is League territory and to the west of that is AFL. The two sports try to invade the others although AFL is/has been a lot more successful.
Mind you, I cannot see how the game here is better than in England. There are no major supporters groups that chant throughout a game like there is in England. All you get is some sheila or bloke singing out "Get em onside!" or similar. I even find watching the Super League more entertaining than what is on here.
I'd get yourself down to Melbourne for a few weeks and out to any games where the big teams are playing. Being in a crowd of 70-80,000 is quite something of an atmosphere!
In Oz, rugby union is hanging on by a thread and the organisers are trying everything. League is struggling and if it wasn't for pay tv that sport may have fallen apart by now. Football is on its way up, mainly because it could not go any lower and AFL has been ruling to roost for quite some time and, at present, is arrogant enough not to feel the pressure from any other sport. |  | | |
| Australia and rugby league on 21:00 - Jul 21 with 2311 views | DWQPR |
A friend of mine, Lucien who lives in Sydney and a poster on the dot.org and who looked out for my daughter a few years back when she went to work there for a few months is a big League fan and supports the Rabbitohs, Russell Crowe's team and in February flew over on the Friday before the Hull away game which I got him a ticket for on the Saturday and then on the Sunday saw the Rabbitohs thrash St Helens in the world club championship final. He then flew back on the Monday! Still cannot get my head round this! It is the biggest sport in Oz followed by cricket with Union trailing well behind. |  |
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| Australia and rugby league on 03:43 - Jul 22 with 2235 views | bacardiinbrissie |
I think theres a common belief through the east coast (even here in Brisbane) that the days of rugby are well and truely numbered. Im not a gret fan but have been to plenty of Bronco's games whilst living here, but the incresing number of "touring" European teams is really taking its toll on both codes. So far this year we've had Spurs,Liverpool, Man Citeh, Real Madrid, Villareal, AC Roma etc. All these games have sold out and its on the rise here.
A few years back when Australia was bidding for the world cup (badly) the owners of the Rugby League teams refused to let the "soccer" teams use their stadiums to host the games. They reasoned that it would disrupt thier seasons. I think the general concensus is that if the world cup had ever been awarded to Australia, it would spell the end of the Rugby codes.
My kids are in school here and even they rarely play Rugby, there's "touch" which is done on a term basis but most schools now are teaching football(soccer). A lot of the kids that play league are islanders where the average 15 year old weighs in at around 100+kgs. Why the f**k as a parent would you want your kid getting flattened by these guys?
Dont get me wrong, i have many islander friends, mainly Tongan and Samoan and they are great guys, but you really wouldnt want to cross them. Their power to weight ratio is off the chart. Think Junah Lumo on steriods.
AFL will always be popular due to the set up and fact that it is promoted as a "family event". They invest heavily in youth and TBH deserve a lot of credit for the community work. My youngest has lessons in the Gabba every week from the Lions players and they visit all the local schools promoting respect and good values.
The whole sports culture is diffrent here and the players a lot more accesable to the supporters.Its normal to go onto the pitch after a game and have a kick around and i guess the money hasnt really ruined the games yet. Give it time.....
In response to the OP, yes they do love it here..but only when they win. Never have i met a nation so bad at losing. Which oddly is something we as Englishmen do very well !! :) | | | |
| Australia and rugby league on 04:47 - Jul 22 with 2224 views | SydneyRs |
| Australia and rugby league on 03:43 - Jul 22 by bacardiinbrissie |
I think theres a common belief through the east coast (even here in Brisbane) that the days of rugby are well and truely numbered. Im not a gret fan but have been to plenty of Bronco's games whilst living here, but the incresing number of "touring" European teams is really taking its toll on both codes. So far this year we've had Spurs,Liverpool, Man Citeh, Real Madrid, Villareal, AC Roma etc. All these games have sold out and its on the rise here.
A few years back when Australia was bidding for the world cup (badly) the owners of the Rugby League teams refused to let the "soccer" teams use their stadiums to host the games. They reasoned that it would disrupt thier seasons. I think the general concensus is that if the world cup had ever been awarded to Australia, it would spell the end of the Rugby codes.
My kids are in school here and even they rarely play Rugby, there's "touch" which is done on a term basis but most schools now are teaching football(soccer). A lot of the kids that play league are islanders where the average 15 year old weighs in at around 100+kgs. Why the f**k as a parent would you want your kid getting flattened by these guys?
Dont get me wrong, i have many islander friends, mainly Tongan and Samoan and they are great guys, but you really wouldnt want to cross them. Their power to weight ratio is off the chart. Think Junah Lumo on steriods.
AFL will always be popular due to the set up and fact that it is promoted as a "family event". They invest heavily in youth and TBH deserve a lot of credit for the community work. My youngest has lessons in the Gabba every week from the Lions players and they visit all the local schools promoting respect and good values.
The whole sports culture is diffrent here and the players a lot more accesable to the supporters.Its normal to go onto the pitch after a game and have a kick around and i guess the money hasnt really ruined the games yet. Give it time.....
In response to the OP, yes they do love it here..but only when they win. Never have i met a nation so bad at losing. Which oddly is something we as Englishmen do very well !! :) |
Agree with most of this. I don't think he rugby codes will die, there will always be room for them. However there is no doubt football is on the rise and there will be an effect. They have always feared this, hence the long campaign to keep the game down in the press.
I like going to rugby league games and follow South Sydney. The quality of play is very good in the NRL, much better than the UK league. Last year's grand final was one of the best live events I have attended helped by the fact we broke a 43 year drought to win the premiership of course! That said there is no denying that most regular home and away games are played with next to no crowd atmosphere. ANZ stadium on grand final day is superb. At a regular game with less than 20,000 in an 80,000 seat stadium not so much...
Spot on about AFL, they market their sport very well. Also the draft system is excellent at avoiding Chelsea/Man City monopolies on the AFL premiership. My son plays junior AFL and it only cost $40 for a whole school term. Its a great game to watch live imho, except when its raining!
I've lived here 15 years. In that time football has gone from being mocked and treated like an immigrants/girls game by the media to fast growth and huge participation rates. The move in the league away from ethnicity based clubs was a big factor but Aus qualifying for the 2006 world cup and performing well was the key. This is what opened their eyes to how big it is globally compared to the other sports they are into where generally only 2 or 3 countries are any good (league, cricket etc). Now that Aus only has to get past the likes of Oman and Jordan to qualify for the world cup you can assume they will get in most times. That will only help to grow it more.
The A league seems to be growing in strength. In Sydney the creating of the Western Sydney club was a masterstroke and there is a fierce rivalry between them and Sydney FC. The atmosphere at WSW games was something to behold compared to what you normally see in Australian sporting venues. A lot to be said for using a smaller suburban stadium.
Once the local fans realise that paying big bucks to watch big clubs play exhibition pre-season warm up games is a rip off I will accept them as proper football fans! I'm back in London in March/April next year and looking forward to taking my son to the place I grew up to see a proper football ground and match. | | | |
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| Australia and rugby league on 06:29 - Jul 22 with 2202 views | isawqpratwcity |
Don't underestimate Union in Oz. I spent some time in Mudgee (mid-West NSW) and was surprised to find it was easily the no. 1 code. Nationally, Union's fortunes rise and fall with the Waratahs and the Wallabies, and at the moment, NZ is sweeping all before it. |  |
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| Australia and rugby league on 13:09 - Jul 22 with 2127 views | MrSheen |
| Australia and rugby league on 06:29 - Jul 22 by isawqpratwcity |
Don't underestimate Union in Oz. I spent some time in Mudgee (mid-West NSW) and was surprised to find it was easily the no. 1 code. Nationally, Union's fortunes rise and fall with the Waratahs and the Wallabies, and at the moment, NZ is sweeping all before it. |
Australia is just as class-ridden as the UK. In the Eastern States, League is for the working classes, Union for the upper classes - Union's core strength is in private schools and elite universities. Both are virtually invisible in the AFL states, despite the presence of Super Rugby teams in Melbourne and Perth.
Union's upper class background is its protection, but also what keeps it from breaking out. Former Wallabies are judges, surgeons and CEOs, former leaguies are doormen, bus drivers or in prison, so Union will always attract sponsorship beyond its popularity.The battle now is for the Pacific Islander community, and beyond that for New Zealand. As Islander kids are unlikely to attend the schools that prepare them for life as judges, surgeons and CEOs, they are increasingly likely to take the cash from signing on as League players. Union doesn't exist in the poor suburbs, so even if they wanted to play the game their fathers and grandfathers grew up with, they will find it very difficult to get started.
The success of League as a career option for islanders is creeping back into their home islands, and even into New Zealand. The Kiwis are now more than a match for the Kangaroos in League thanks to their expanding talent pool, and its no surprise that the All Blacks have finally deigned to play on one of the islands for the first time ever (Samoa), to protect their code and bind the islanders to it. It means that little Joey is likely to get battered by big Akuila in the Penrith Under 11 leagues every Sunday morning, so they will have to plan for that.
The wonder is that the Wallabies are so often competitive with the big Union nations given how parched their roots are. A flexible approach to the concept of nationality helps. | | | |
| Australia and rugby league on 13:42 - Jul 22 with 2111 views | nadera78 |
| Australia and rugby league on 13:09 - Jul 22 by MrSheen |
Australia is just as class-ridden as the UK. In the Eastern States, League is for the working classes, Union for the upper classes - Union's core strength is in private schools and elite universities. Both are virtually invisible in the AFL states, despite the presence of Super Rugby teams in Melbourne and Perth.
Union's upper class background is its protection, but also what keeps it from breaking out. Former Wallabies are judges, surgeons and CEOs, former leaguies are doormen, bus drivers or in prison, so Union will always attract sponsorship beyond its popularity.The battle now is for the Pacific Islander community, and beyond that for New Zealand. As Islander kids are unlikely to attend the schools that prepare them for life as judges, surgeons and CEOs, they are increasingly likely to take the cash from signing on as League players. Union doesn't exist in the poor suburbs, so even if they wanted to play the game their fathers and grandfathers grew up with, they will find it very difficult to get started.
The success of League as a career option for islanders is creeping back into their home islands, and even into New Zealand. The Kiwis are now more than a match for the Kangaroos in League thanks to their expanding talent pool, and its no surprise that the All Blacks have finally deigned to play on one of the islands for the first time ever (Samoa), to protect their code and bind the islanders to it. It means that little Joey is likely to get battered by big Akuila in the Penrith Under 11 leagues every Sunday morning, so they will have to plan for that.
The wonder is that the Wallabies are so often competitive with the big Union nations given how parched their roots are. A flexible approach to the concept of nationality helps. |
One of the things union does to stay competitive, alongside pinching players form other nations, is finding RL players from poorer backgrounds and offering them scholarships to RU playing private schools - it's how Kurtley Beale and few others ended up playing that code. They also pick up a few players released by NRL clubs' U20's teams.
As to the Pacific Islanders in Australia, I think they've overwhelmingly moved over to RL. It's much more suited to them, physically, apart from the financial rewards on offer. In New Zealand about a decade ago they introduced weight classifications to go alongside the age groups (at the youngest age groups anyway) so as to avoid the little white kids being squashed by Polynesians twice their size.
The big problem for RU is that they always had a stronger international element than RL (and certainly AFL which has none) but they've been and well and truly pushed aside by soccer in that regard. It's seen as THE international game out there, so RU is left with...what? | | | |
| Australia and rugby league on 14:02 - Jul 22 with 2096 views | nadera78 |
| Australia and rugby league on 03:43 - Jul 22 by bacardiinbrissie |
I think theres a common belief through the east coast (even here in Brisbane) that the days of rugby are well and truely numbered. Im not a gret fan but have been to plenty of Bronco's games whilst living here, but the incresing number of "touring" European teams is really taking its toll on both codes. So far this year we've had Spurs,Liverpool, Man Citeh, Real Madrid, Villareal, AC Roma etc. All these games have sold out and its on the rise here.
A few years back when Australia was bidding for the world cup (badly) the owners of the Rugby League teams refused to let the "soccer" teams use their stadiums to host the games. They reasoned that it would disrupt thier seasons. I think the general concensus is that if the world cup had ever been awarded to Australia, it would spell the end of the Rugby codes.
My kids are in school here and even they rarely play Rugby, there's "touch" which is done on a term basis but most schools now are teaching football(soccer). A lot of the kids that play league are islanders where the average 15 year old weighs in at around 100+kgs. Why the f**k as a parent would you want your kid getting flattened by these guys?
Dont get me wrong, i have many islander friends, mainly Tongan and Samoan and they are great guys, but you really wouldnt want to cross them. Their power to weight ratio is off the chart. Think Junah Lumo on steriods.
AFL will always be popular due to the set up and fact that it is promoted as a "family event". They invest heavily in youth and TBH deserve a lot of credit for the community work. My youngest has lessons in the Gabba every week from the Lions players and they visit all the local schools promoting respect and good values.
The whole sports culture is diffrent here and the players a lot more accesable to the supporters.Its normal to go onto the pitch after a game and have a kick around and i guess the money hasnt really ruined the games yet. Give it time.....
In response to the OP, yes they do love it here..but only when they win. Never have i met a nation so bad at losing. Which oddly is something we as Englishmen do very well !! :) |
There's a lot of nonsense written and spoken by soccer people in Australia - mostly born out of long-term resentment that their favoured sport is not the dominant one in that country. The game has always been massively popular at participatory level, going back 40 years or more, and the national team is widely supported because it gives Australia a chance to take on the world (which the other sports don't offer). And there are constant, constant, assertions that the game is going to take over.
The problem is though the A-League is sh*t. And I do mean sh*t. Aussies are used to watching the best - RL, AFL, cricket - they offer the best domestic competitions in the world in those sports and everyone knows the A-League is, at absolute best, the 20th best league in the world. Add to that the historic and cultural links the other sports have - Rugby Leagues had the 3 most watched TV shows in 2014.
The histrionics of certain soccer people - led by the likes of Craig Johnston - merely serves to antagonise fans of other sports.
Your other point about declining playing numbers is a good one, and it's happening to every physical contact sport in the world. Partly it's the decline of industrial jobs and the physical expectations of men, but it's also the commitment involved in playing a sport like RL even at amateur level. Training twice a week, in the gym a couple of nights, a game on the weekend, and the strong possibility of getting injured and the resulting impact on your work and/or life. At junior level you've also got to add int he nature of modern parenting - "I don't want my little boy getting hurt".
It's happening to every sport in the developed world, and it's one of the reasons the RFU classes every child doing 6 weeks of rugby union lessons in school as a player. Total BS but bumps the numbers and looks good when applying for government money. I believe Auskick (the AFL introduction scheme) is even worse in this regard. | | | |
| Australia and rugby league on 15:39 - Jul 22 with 2077 views | MrSheen |
| Australia and rugby league on 14:02 - Jul 22 by nadera78 |
There's a lot of nonsense written and spoken by soccer people in Australia - mostly born out of long-term resentment that their favoured sport is not the dominant one in that country. The game has always been massively popular at participatory level, going back 40 years or more, and the national team is widely supported because it gives Australia a chance to take on the world (which the other sports don't offer). And there are constant, constant, assertions that the game is going to take over.
The problem is though the A-League is sh*t. And I do mean sh*t. Aussies are used to watching the best - RL, AFL, cricket - they offer the best domestic competitions in the world in those sports and everyone knows the A-League is, at absolute best, the 20th best league in the world. Add to that the historic and cultural links the other sports have - Rugby Leagues had the 3 most watched TV shows in 2014.
The histrionics of certain soccer people - led by the likes of Craig Johnston - merely serves to antagonise fans of other sports.
Your other point about declining playing numbers is a good one, and it's happening to every physical contact sport in the world. Partly it's the decline of industrial jobs and the physical expectations of men, but it's also the commitment involved in playing a sport like RL even at amateur level. Training twice a week, in the gym a couple of nights, a game on the weekend, and the strong possibility of getting injured and the resulting impact on your work and/or life. At junior level you've also got to add int he nature of modern parenting - "I don't want my little boy getting hurt".
It's happening to every sport in the developed world, and it's one of the reasons the RFU classes every child doing 6 weeks of rugby union lessons in school as a player. Total BS but bumps the numbers and looks good when applying for government money. I believe Auskick (the AFL introduction scheme) is even worse in this regard. |
I think it was also the case that the AFL was more vocal than RL in not wanting to release their stadiums for the World Cup bid. Why should they? FIFA rules insisted that they have exclusive use of stadia for three weeks before they were used, which would have put a 2-3 month gap in the middle of all the oval-ball seasons, denying them the stadia that in the AFL's case they had mostly paid for. FIFA wanted 10 stadiums of over 40,000 seat capacity, and Australia has eight at present, all used by the AFL (5) or NRL/Super Rugby. The reserve list for upgrade had two AFL and two NRL grounds.
A-League seems to me to be a very derivative product, including the fan culture. WSW and others follow the self-important "La Doce" model of capo-led chanting, flare-lighting and banner waving, irrespective of what's happening on the pitch, and appear to have fallen out with their players, the club management and a lot of mum'n'dad fans. Their crowds were in four figures by the end of last season, and the club's in the red.
I was once a one-eyed football fanatic, but it would be a crying shame if Australia lost its culture of several thrilling, courageous sports with local heroes, and became a distant province of the Blatterball Empire, the same as everywhere else, but sh*tter. It would be like turning the Galapagos Islands into a gold resort. [Post edited 22 Jul 2015 15:43]
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| Australia and rugby league on 00:23 - Jul 23 with 2021 views | bacardiinbrissie |
| Australia and rugby league on 14:02 - Jul 22 by nadera78 |
There's a lot of nonsense written and spoken by soccer people in Australia - mostly born out of long-term resentment that their favoured sport is not the dominant one in that country. The game has always been massively popular at participatory level, going back 40 years or more, and the national team is widely supported because it gives Australia a chance to take on the world (which the other sports don't offer). And there are constant, constant, assertions that the game is going to take over.
The problem is though the A-League is sh*t. And I do mean sh*t. Aussies are used to watching the best - RL, AFL, cricket - they offer the best domestic competitions in the world in those sports and everyone knows the A-League is, at absolute best, the 20th best league in the world. Add to that the historic and cultural links the other sports have - Rugby Leagues had the 3 most watched TV shows in 2014.
The histrionics of certain soccer people - led by the likes of Craig Johnston - merely serves to antagonise fans of other sports.
Your other point about declining playing numbers is a good one, and it's happening to every physical contact sport in the world. Partly it's the decline of industrial jobs and the physical expectations of men, but it's also the commitment involved in playing a sport like RL even at amateur level. Training twice a week, in the gym a couple of nights, a game on the weekend, and the strong possibility of getting injured and the resulting impact on your work and/or life. At junior level you've also got to add int he nature of modern parenting - "I don't want my little boy getting hurt".
It's happening to every sport in the developed world, and it's one of the reasons the RFU classes every child doing 6 weeks of rugby union lessons in school as a player. Total BS but bumps the numbers and looks good when applying for government money. I believe Auskick (the AFL introduction scheme) is even worse in this regard. |
Just to be clear, I was in no at putting down any of the codes and I don't mind watching any.just that my preference given a choice is "soccer". I lived in Sydney 20 years ago and remember going to see Parramater etc as I did St George.
There is no denying that football is increasing in support and the grand finals are evidence of that.
I agree with most of your post but looking into the future there really are only so many supporters so something has to give
I'm currently being sitting in Brisbane airport heading to Melbourne surrounded by Real & Citeh fans. I'd guess most airports are the same today
What is for certain is that now Australia put in a good show at the WC, popularity is soaring. It's gonna be a tough future for one of the codes ! | | | |
| Australia and rugby league on 00:49 - Jul 23 with 2017 views | daveinmelbourne |
Football is definitely on the rise here, and the other codes are a wee bit worried as they should be.
I went to the Roma Real Madrid game on Saturday, yes it was a shocking game but a fair few people turned up to watch, officially it was 80,000 but I think they did a 'QPR', I reckon 60,000 was nearer the mark. No atmosphere but the crowd tells you there's a certain amount of enthusiasm.
Yes, the A League is still sh it but it's a lot better than say five years ago. Andy Harper and Craig Foster et al still try and talk it up but still.....
I'm a big league convert I have to admit, obviously I support the Storm, it's an excellent game to watch and the Storm are/were very good at what they do. I find the standard much better than Super League which I also watch, for me the play is more incisive and a little more ruthless.
AFL will always look a mess to me, saying that I appreciate seeing two good teams having a go, Hawthorn v Freo for instance.
And yes, this lot are the worst losers/winners in the world, bless 'em! Piece of pi ss to wind up though! | | | |
| Australia and rugby league on 01:50 - Jul 23 with 2000 views | SydneyRs |
| Australia and rugby league on 14:02 - Jul 22 by nadera78 |
There's a lot of nonsense written and spoken by soccer people in Australia - mostly born out of long-term resentment that their favoured sport is not the dominant one in that country. The game has always been massively popular at participatory level, going back 40 years or more, and the national team is widely supported because it gives Australia a chance to take on the world (which the other sports don't offer). And there are constant, constant, assertions that the game is going to take over.
The problem is though the A-League is sh*t. And I do mean sh*t. Aussies are used to watching the best - RL, AFL, cricket - they offer the best domestic competitions in the world in those sports and everyone knows the A-League is, at absolute best, the 20th best league in the world. Add to that the historic and cultural links the other sports have - Rugby Leagues had the 3 most watched TV shows in 2014.
The histrionics of certain soccer people - led by the likes of Craig Johnston - merely serves to antagonise fans of other sports.
Your other point about declining playing numbers is a good one, and it's happening to every physical contact sport in the world. Partly it's the decline of industrial jobs and the physical expectations of men, but it's also the commitment involved in playing a sport like RL even at amateur level. Training twice a week, in the gym a couple of nights, a game on the weekend, and the strong possibility of getting injured and the resulting impact on your work and/or life. At junior level you've also got to add int he nature of modern parenting - "I don't want my little boy getting hurt".
It's happening to every sport in the developed world, and it's one of the reasons the RFU classes every child doing 6 weeks of rugby union lessons in school as a player. Total BS but bumps the numbers and looks good when applying for government money. I believe Auskick (the AFL introduction scheme) is even worse in this regard. |
I don't agree the resentment is because it is not dominant. It is much more about how the game was derided in the media for decades with a big slice of underlying racism - admittedly not helped by the fact that most old NSL clubs were ethnicity based. The title of Johnny Warren's book 'Sheila's wogs and poofters" sums up the media attitude of old. The was a concerted campaign, driven by fear, to keep the game down.
The difference now is that Australia can pretty much qualify for every world cup rather than only one qualification ever before 2006. This nation likes to think it is a global sports powerhouse. The reality is that it is strong mainly in sports where very few others are strong or even care. Cricket, Rugby League, Swimming for example. Aus batted way above its average in the olympics but a lot of that was due to very generous government funding and the priority sport was given in this country. Since others followed suit (UK lotto funding and the rise of China for example) Aus is sliding down the medal table from the heights of 10-15 years ago. England even beat Aus in the commonwealth games last time, almost unheard of in the modern era.
In 2006 Aus got a glimpse of what a real global tournament is like and how exciting it is to be a part of it. Thousands out at 2am in the cold watching games, never seen that for the Ashes, Rugby World Cup or Olympics. Qualification is easier now, too easy in my view, but it means Aus will be in almost every world cup unless that changes.
Best comps in the world. Rugby League only really has two serious comps., the NRL and UK Super League The Kiwis, possibly the world's best side or very close, have to play in the NRL which is an excellent standard. Of course AFL is the world's best, it is the only country that plays the game! Cricket is a game played by only few countries and is only close to being the main sport in India, Pakistan and Australia. It is down the pecking order in other test playing countries. So yes the standard here is good, but its all relative. What would the global standard be like if 100 countries were seriously into it. Quite a bit higher I would imagine.
The A league is still young. I think football here does see itself as more of a development base and is realistic about that. Trying to get a style of play etc that they want and knowing the best players will end up in the richest leagues overseas. Its no different for South America and they still have passionately followed local leagues and strong international teams. They have a strong tradition of course but the A League is getting better and I believe will continue to do so.
I have seen a huge change over the 15 years I have been here in the attitude to football. There's a very good reason so many big clubs are coming here in marketing exercises to play friendlies. They are fully aware of the growing appeal here and the potential for this country to be a handy place to pick up talented players at a much lower cost than in Europe etc.
Yes participation has been strong for a long time, but the change is that it is no longer assumed little Johnny will switch to Rugby League or AFL once he is 10 or 12. Neither of those sports offer astronomical salaries at even the very highest level. The A League only needs to provide an attractive offering with the potential to earn overseas maybe 10 times what you could earn as an NRL player if you are good enough.
I don't expect football to ever dominate like in true football countries, but it is certainly on the rise here like never before. | | | |
| Australia and rugby league on 07:03 - Jul 23 with 1978 views | RType |
| Australia and rugby league on 16:21 - Jul 21 by MrSheen |
With the exception of Brisbane they are surprisingly apathetic about going out to games, certainly compared to Aussie Rules. They can't make up their minds in Sydney about whether to play in suburban grounds near the club's home base or in bigger central stadiums. Having sat on a grassy bank watching the Dragons at Kogarah Oval on a sunny Sunday or in a bigger crowd watching the Bulldogs in a quarter-full Olympic stadium, I know what makes for a better day out
It's a great game though. Don't miss the NZ tourists when they play England at our. Olympic stadium in November, they've got some brilliant players. |
Its not that they can't make up their minds about where to play the games, its that money talks. Ask all the fans and players and they would all prefer to play in the local provincial stadiums. The thing is the clubs often make a loss when playing there, and you have ANZ stadium actually paying the clubs $250-300k to come and play there (and they then make money on food, drink, parking, etc). Financially it makes sense for the clubs but kills the atmosphere.
I support West Tigers and a day at Leichardt Oval is brilliant. Standing on the hill, drinking tins, fans all mixed together with good banter. I dont bother with games at ANZ though.
I never watched Rugby League at all before I came here 5 years ago, but really like it now. I even like the A-League too. That is getting better but is still League 1 standard overall really. The top teams are maybe mid-Championship level.
Not a fan of AFL at all. Been to a few games and it is definitely better live than on TV but can't get into it. Victorians are a bit weird about it too, they get very defensive over it. It is like a religion down there. | | | |
| Australia and rugby league on 08:59 - Jul 23 with 1951 views | MrSheen |
| Australia and rugby league on 07:03 - Jul 23 by RType |
Its not that they can't make up their minds about where to play the games, its that money talks. Ask all the fans and players and they would all prefer to play in the local provincial stadiums. The thing is the clubs often make a loss when playing there, and you have ANZ stadium actually paying the clubs $250-300k to come and play there (and they then make money on food, drink, parking, etc). Financially it makes sense for the clubs but kills the atmosphere.
I support West Tigers and a day at Leichardt Oval is brilliant. Standing on the hill, drinking tins, fans all mixed together with good banter. I dont bother with games at ANZ though.
I never watched Rugby League at all before I came here 5 years ago, but really like it now. I even like the A-League too. That is getting better but is still League 1 standard overall really. The top teams are maybe mid-Championship level.
Not a fan of AFL at all. Been to a few games and it is definitely better live than on TV but can't get into it. Victorians are a bit weird about it too, they get very defensive over it. It is like a religion down there. |
My dad used to take me to Ruislip to watch the Gaelic football as a kid (mostly because you get a drink on Sunday afternoon there), so I can see the similarities with AFL, but to me it's a great game for highlights. You get about 10 minutes of fantastic skill and sweeping length-of-the-field combination play, and about two hours of six-a-side wrestling in a far-off corner, when the ball squirts out, it's thrown back in, and they do it again. I'd love to see it in a 70,000 crowd and see how the fans enjoy it though.
Poor old Wests, they seem to be going from bad to worse after signs of revival last season. | | | |
| Australia and rugby league on 12:29 - Jul 23 with 1929 views | SuffolkHoop |
I'm pleased my observation has sparked such a high quality discussion. If I'm honest I'm actually a little underwhelmed with the level of Ashes coverage. I mean I can always find it on TV if I want, but i was expecting it to be a little more wall to wall. Cricket in general isn't as obvious as I imagined it would be - although I appreciate it is winter here (not that the weather in Cairns reflects it). | | | |
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