: Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:28 pm  

Exactly, I'm somebody who watches and enjoys RL. I've tried to watch many NRL games over the years with great anticipation and ended up switching off especially in the last couple of years. It is the five drives and a kick, the standard has gotten so high that there are very few line breaks or general excitement. It all comes off the back of building pressure. Great RL but boring to watch.

If this is how somebody who is open to RL and actually expected to enjoy the games, how will somebody who is new to RL feel?

: Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:29 pm  

Maximus Decimus wrote:

I've been to Olympic park and I've followed the NRL for quite a few years so I do have a good knowledge of it.

Whether the ground is a hole or not plenty of clubs do well with a rubbish ground. It wasn't that bad a ground that it stopped Melbourne Victory eventually outgrowing it. The Sydney Swans were a growing side and one that didn't compete in 4 or 5 Grand finals in the first 13 years of their existance.

The fact is that their crowds are no better than they were almost 10 years ago despite that level of success. Whenever they tried to take games out of the rubbish stadium they still hardly got amazing support.

Maybe its because of the way they play RL is basically dull.

I agree that Melbourne can play boring Rugby League, but the fact is that their stadium is a heap of poop doesnt help them. Trust me you will see a rise of around 20% in the first season at the new stadium.

Their crowds have been on the rise for the past 7 years and thats what they need to keep working on.

: Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:33 pm  

3 of the top 4 clubs being from Queensland? Well, we know where the RL heartlands are!

Interesting that the highest placed Sydney club is a merged team. Maybe mergers do work after all?

: Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:34 pm  

hindyscrack wrote:

I agree that Melbourne can play boring Rugby League, but the fact is that their stadium is a heap of poop doesnt help them. Trust me you will see a rise of around 20% in the first season at the new stadium.

Their crowds have been on the rise for the past 7 years and thats what they need to keep working on.

Between 2000 and 2004 they went down from 14500 to their lowest of 8500. Hardly growth for 7 years.

Maybe you should check your knowledge of Australian sport.

: Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:38 pm  

Maximus Decimus wrote:

Exactly, I'm somebody who watches and enjoys RL. I've tried to watch many NRL games over the years with great anticipation and ended up switching off especially in the last couple of years. It is the five drives and a kick, the standard has gotten so high that there are very few line breaks or general excitement. It all comes off the back of building pressure. Great RL but boring to watch.

If this is how somebody who is open to RL and actually expected to enjoy the games, how will somebody who is new to RL feel?

Look I agree that Australian Rugby League has been heading the wrong direction over the past couple of years. I too am a person who will watch anything that is Rugby League. In Australia you can watch 8 NRL games, 2 Toyota Cup, 1 Queensland Cup, 2 Super League and 4-5 league related programs on the box each week and I would watch it all (and bet on it too).

But I would watch any of the Australian games 90% of the time then constant poop that SL seems to deliver. Yes there are a few exciting games a year but the quality, blow outs and same teams dominating just dont do it for me. But hey that doesnt stop me watching SL twice a week on the box live here and head down to the Stoop as every week that I am in town.

: Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:39 pm  

on the storm, MD is correct they had very good crowds initially, around the 18,000 mark falling to 8000 or so.

when melbourne got a state of origin it added something like 3000 to their crowd average overnight.

they are getting a brand new stadium next year which is rectangular and holds 32,000 (shared with the soccer team) and ive no doubt their crowds will crack 20,000.

they have something like 6000 season ticket holders.

Olympic Park is a dump, the new ground will make a big difference

: Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:42 pm  

Maximus Decimus wrote:

Between 2000 and 2004 they went down from 14500 to their lowest of 8500. Hardly growth for 7 years.

Maybe you should check your knowledge of Australian sport.

Maybe I over estimated by a couple of years of growth (back in the bad days of 8k attendances, still not bad by SL standard eh?).

My knowledge of Australian sport is quite sound thank you.

: Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:42 pm  

dally messenger wrote:

on the storm, MD is correct they had very good crowds initially, around the 18,000 mark falling to 8000 or so.

when melbourne got a state of origin it added something like 3000 to their crowd average overnight.

they are getting a brand new stadium next year which is rectangular and holds 32,000 (shared with the soccer team) and ive no doubt their crowds will crack 20,000.

they have something like 6000 season ticket holders.

Olympic Park is a dump, the new ground will make a big difference

I think it goes without saying that a new ground will equal new fans and hopefully they should kick on from there.

Its still pretty poor though that a team who made the Grand Final 3 times on the trot does so poorly attendance wise, especially as 900,000 people watched one of those Grand Finals in Melbourne.

: Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:43 pm  

NRL crowds have been pretty much at record levels for the past 3 years. the all time record is 16,400 and we got something like 15,800 last year.

the best clubs are the queensland clubs and newcastle.

canberra, melbourne and the warriors are generally the worst.

the sydney clubs range from 13,000 - 18,000

of the sydney clubs, souths, tigers and dogs are all the most popular.

the tigers and dogs have gotten 18,000 in recent seasons.

the dogs had a terrible year last year with SBW walking out on them. they will break 20,000 fairly soon.

souths are doing their bit as well with lots of ST holders.

saints are returning home to Kogarah this year which will help as their fans dont travel to homebush.

: Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:45 pm  

hindyscrack wrote:

Maybe I over estimated by a couple of years of growth (back in the bad days of 8k attendances, still not bad by SL standard eh?).

My knowledge of Australian sport is quite sound thank you.

A-ha well so is mine!

I don't disagree that Super League is error strewn but for sheer drama and passion it beats the NRL every time.

I used to love watching the NRL, some of the best games I've seen were NRL games even fairly recently when Penrith won in the final, what a game that was.

However as you agree it has started to go down the wrong path and something needs to be done about it before it starts to affect support RL has in Australia.