Why Rugby League Is No Longer Number 1 For Me

[Chris]

Chris, you can fix this. We are all in the same boat.

Go to your local park and watch the A GRADE run around. Not Cup or state cup etc, just A Grade.

You will find your love again by half time. I do it regularly and it keeps me sane. Get a pie from the club house, buy some raffle tickets and sit on the car bonnet and watch.

It's a bit hard for me to go watch my local A grade when I live in the US :wink:

Before I left, my last real enjoyment that I had in the game was watching local footy, especially the kids. I really loved that. Nothing but pure footy playd because they loved it, without any money involved.

In the US, I coach and get heavily involved with rugby mainly because it's the only sport played here that I can tolerate. Been doing it for 5 years now and it's now become my number 1 sport.

 

[Byron_Bay_Fan]

Move to perth and get afl shoved down your throat. It's made me appreciate rugby league.

Well it has finally happened. Gallagher and myself can finally agree on something. I despise AFL - what a wimps game only having to kick the ball between the posts. I worked out that it is actually hand soccer.

The AFL crowds go into climax just over a simple kick between the posts - what a sham.

Then rugby field is too crowded and too much argy bargy without free running brilliance.

So contrary for me league will always be my favourite - after chess and surfing that is.

 

[gallagher]

Move to perth and get afl shoved down your throat. It's made me appreciate rugby league.

Well it has finally happened. Gallagher and myself can finally agree on something. I despise AFL - what a wimps game only having to kick the ball between the posts. I worked out that it is actually hand soccer.

The AFL crowds go into climax just over a simple kick between the posts - what a sham.

Then rugby field is too crowded and too much argy bargy without free running brilliance.

So contrary for me league will always be my favourite - after chess and surfing that is.

Peace in our time BBF.
Brings a tear. Haha

 

[jirskyr]

It's called getting old, fellas. I'm from the UK and I don't watch soccer at all any more for many of the reasons mentioned here (in my own mind). I've been in Australia for 10 years and I love league. Absolutely adore it, for all its stupid foibles and amateurish embarrassments.

Honestly, I think it's just getting older and losing your illusions, as someone once called a record or two.

I agree. I remember 80s footy being just the best thing ever, but try going back and sitting through old club matches on youtube… they can be quite tedious and terribly untidy encounters. It's like trying to watch He-Man or Thundercats as an adult, you realise how low your expectations were back then.

All this other stuff about disappointment in salary cap and uneven playing field - well that's sport in this century. Either you have no cap and the rich teams win, like Premier League, or you do have a cap and all the clubs try their best to circumvent it.

Salary cap is like tax, every single club in the world tries to minimise or bypass it if possible. If that disappoints you, well that's the human race folks and it applies to every sporting club and every business on the planet. The rose-tinted glasses must surely be off in this day of social media and speculation.

 

[WestsSupporter]

It's called getting old, fellas. I'm from the UK and I don't watch soccer at all any more for many of the reasons mentioned here (in my own mind). I've been in Australia for 10 years and I love league. Absolutely adore it, for all its stupid foibles and amateurish embarrassments.

Honestly, I think it's just getting older and losing your illusions, as someone once called a record or two.

I'm 21 and I feel the same as the thread starter. I'm close to "being over this", the crap with the salary cap, and let's not get started on the refereeing sideshow which Bill Harrigan started.

 

[MightyMaggy]

It's difficult to maintain one's enthusiasm when we (Balmain and Magpies and WT) have been so mediocre for so long, but I don't see that as the fault of the game and, more specifically, I don't think it is a result of a rorting of the salary cap.

Financial mismanagement of Balmain; Magpies and now the WT, has led us to the situation we are now in. If we could get our management act together off the field then we could be in for some good years. However, I'm not optimistic - after all, Wests Ashfield are back in charge, and look at what a good job they did with the Magpies before the JV.

Once again, there are views of the history of Wests Magpies, which are simply, factually WRONG! Under the constitution of most, if not all of the other Leagues (Social) Clubs, the FOOTBALL CLUB had financial control, because the majority of the directors of the Leagues Club were nominees of the Football Club. There was no such requirement in the constitution of the Western Suburbs Leagues Club (now known as Wests Ashfield).
When the Western Suburbs Football Club was known as the ‘Millionaires’, the directors of the leagues were mainly supporters of the Football Club, so they heavily financed the Football Club.
In the late 1950’s and the early 1960’s, other Leagues Clubs were pouring considerable amounts of money into improving the club facilities for their members, while the Wests Leagues building just aged.
In 1963 or 1964, some prominent businessmen joined forces and campaigned to cut the donation to the Football Club and spend money improving the facilities of the Club. They achieved a majority at the director’s election over the Football Club aligned directors. The reduction in the donation to the Football Club meant the playing strength of Wests Magpies dropped away in the mid 1960’s and the results for the First Grade side fell away.
Meanwhile the Leagues Club **boomed**, because it was well run by the people in charge and this has continued until this current day. Wests Ashfield has been very successful since 1964.
Therefore, the comment **….“However, I'm not optimistic - after all, Wests Ashfield are back in charge, and look at what a good job they did with the Magpies before the JV”** is made without knowing the true facts and thinking the financial arrangement for Wests Magpies was the same as existed with Balmain Football and Balmain Leagues Clubs.

 

[2041]

It's called getting old, fellas. I'm from the UK and I don't watch soccer at all any more for many of the reasons mentioned here (in my own mind). I've been in Australia for 10 years and I love league. Absolutely adore it, for all its stupid foibles and amateurish embarrassments.

Honestly, I think it's just getting older and losing your illusions, as someone once called a record or two.

I agree. I remember 80s footy being just the best thing ever, but try going back and sitting through old club matches on youtube… they can be quite tedious and terribly untidy encounters. It's like trying to watch He-Man or Thundercats as an adult, you realise how low your expectations were back then.

All this other stuff about disappointment in salary cap and uneven playing field - well that's sport in this century. Either you have no cap and the rich teams win, like Premier League, or you do have a cap and all the clubs try their best to circumvent it.

Salary cap is like tax, every single club in the world tries to minimise or bypass it if possible. If that disappoints you, well that's the human race folks and it applies to every sporting club and every business on the planet. The rose-tinted glasses must surely be off in this day of social media and speculation.

I find myself agreeing with you a lot, jirskyr.

I think as you get older your relationship with the game develops, just like any relationship - maybe it 'mellows' and you enter a new phase, or maybe you get sick of it and move on. But I think the important thing to acknowledge is that both parties change - which is why I don't really buy the "it used to be better" argument. Nah, man - it used to be different. But so did you.

What I do think is a shame is younger people being sold this "it was better in the old days" crock. Like the guy above who says he's 21 and is being put off by refereeing. Refs are just the same as always, dude - we can just see their mistakes now. Just ignore the muppets in the commentary box moaning about it and get on with enjoying the game. As long as there's beer and football it's all basically fine.

 

[2041]

It's called getting old, fellas. I'm from the UK and I don't watch soccer at all any more for many of the reasons mentioned here (in my own mind). I've been in Australia for 10 years and I love league. Absolutely adore it, for all its stupid foibles and amateurish embarrassments.

Honestly, I think it's just getting older and losing your illusions, as someone once called a record or two.

I'm 21 and I feel the same as the thread starter. I'm close to "being over this", the crap with the salary cap, and let's not get started on the refereeing sideshow which Bill Harrigan started.

Sorry if this sounds rude, but if you're 21 and "over" the game you're either pretty easily led or you can't have liked it very much to start with.

I mean, you talk about "the crap with the salary cap"… when exactly was it that you *did* like league? When you were 14, say? That would be 2009, a year that Melbourne won a title they were subsequently stripped of for cap breaches. Or perhaps when you were seven? That's 2002, the year the Bulldogs were stripped of all their competition points for cap breaches.

When is the period in your mind where league didn't have "the crap with the salary cap"? Because it pretty much wasn't in your lifetime...

 

[innsaneink]

I agree with '41
Its getting older, a bit cynical, wiser to the facts.
Its still #1 for me, I have interests in other sports but still none so much as RL.
I see the kids photos on the WTs FB pages, with the players, in their gear…all excited, right into it....I was like that, I collected autographs and articles, magazines...watched and played as much as I could

The 12 or 13 years my son played were some of the most enjoyable years of my life, being able to get inviolved in his teams was wonderful, I miss it now

The NRL with all its faults...it is what it is and I still watch as often as I can, even though I dont attend as much now. Im highly critical of the so many unfair aspects of the game, but as I was about to post in this thread last night, I thought back to when I was a kid....and it was there too, rich clubs, poor clubs, dodgy refs, unfair selections etc etc...it seemed a lot fairer back then, 12 teams everyone plays everyone twice, top 5 finals all very up & up

I think OP Chris residing in the states now and being so distant from it all would play a big part in his thoughts here

 

[Gary_Bakerloo]

I'm fine with all the salary cap stuff, but I think they should use a "points" system.

Refereeing errors are a part of the game. In saying that, the Bunker seems to work better than previous iterations of the video ref.

My interest in the game is the same every season. Starts of slow, I get interested in the competition and then Origin arrives, kills my interest and I disengage somewhat. I then thoroughly enjoy the post Origin rounds.

 

[fibrodreaming]

It's difficult to maintain one's enthusiasm when we (Balmain and Magpies and WT) have been so mediocre for so long, but I don't see that as the fault of the game and, more specifically, I don't think it is a result of a rorting of the salary cap.

Financial mismanagement of Balmain; Magpies and now the WT, has led us to the situation we are now in. If we could get our management act together off the field then we could be in for some good years. However, I'm not optimistic - after all, Wests Ashfield are back in charge, and look at what a good job they did with the Magpies before the JV.

Once again, there are views of the history of Wests Magpies, which are simply, factually WRONG! Under the constitution of most, if not all of the other Leagues (Social) Clubs, the FOOTBALL CLUB had financial control, because the majority of the directors of the Leagues Club were nominees of the Football Club. There was no such requirement in the constitution of the Western Suburbs Leagues Club (now known as Wests Ashfield).
When the Western Suburbs Football Club was known as the ‘Millionaires’, the directors of the leagues were mainly supporters of the Football Club, so they heavily financed the Football Club.
In the late 1950’s and the early 1960’s, other Leagues Clubs were pouring considerable amounts of money into improving the club facilities for their members, while the Wests Leagues building just aged.
In 1963 or 1964, some prominent businessmen joined forces and campaigned to cut the donation to the Football Club and spend money improving the facilities of the Club. They achieved a majority at the director’s election over the Football Club aligned directors. The reduction in the donation to the Football Club meant the playing strength of Wests Magpies dropped away in the mid 1960’s and the results for the First Grade side fell away.
Meanwhile the Leagues Club **boomed**, because it was well run by the people in charge and this has continued until this current day. Wests Ashfield has been very successful since 1964.
Therefore, the comment **….“However, I'm not optimistic - after all, Wests Ashfield are back in charge, and look at what a good job they did with the Magpies before the JV”** is made without knowing the true facts and thinking the financial arrangement for Wests Magpies was the same as existed with Balmain Football and Balmain Leagues Clubs.

Many thanks for taking the time to outline this background for me MM. I remember the days when the Magpies were the "Millionaires"; and I also remember that the Magpies (the football club) were starved of funds by the league's club (Wests Ashfield) - it was well publicised at the time. I don't doubt that Wests Ashfield is a very well run club, but they underfunded the Magpies, who struggled for decades as a consequence or, at least, that was my impression.

Are you taking me to task for using "financial mismanagement" and "Wests Ashfield" in the same breath? As I say, I don't doubt that they run an excellent club. But that was no consolation to me when the Magpies were so mediocre for so long.

Are you suggesting that given the business acumen of Wests Ashfield that the WT should prosper in the future? I certainly hope so. But if they were so indifferent to the fate of the Magpies (largely due to underfunding) why should I take comfort from the fact they are back in charge (of the purse strings)?

Hope you can set me straight if I have things hopelessly muddled MM.

 

[westTAHger]

Like:
watching players come and go, who have great ability.

DISLIKE:
under handed payments, blatant rorting of salary cap, and favoritism towards certain teams, including ref's.

 

[stryker]

I love the game and not living in Sydney gives me a greater appreciation. What I mean by that is I am not tribal in my support. If WT's folded tomorrow I'd take up a new team by next year. I am a supporter of the game.

I love watching other sides play and when a new player hits the scene, my interest is peaked. I was stoked that the cows got up last year and will be just as happy to see the sharks get the cash this year. I enjoy watching the Raiders play this season as well. Ricky has built a really tough and skillful squad down there in the snow…

I certainly agree about park footy. I watch a lot of it and enjoy hanging with old team mates and rivals watching the new generations learn the game. NRL level does annoy me somewhat and I absolutely despise the NYC. However the twin pillars that League built it's reputation through....Toughness and Courage are still there and as such, I can put up with the other crap in small doses for the reward of seeing hard men testing each other in one of the world's most demanding sports.

 

[tigerbill]

I agree with the original post but mate, compared to other popular sports the NRL is light years ahead in terms of fairness and attitude. Yes FIFA I'm looking at you.

 

[jirskyr]

I think as you get older your relationship with the game develops, just like any relationship - maybe it 'mellows' and you enter a new phase, or maybe you get sick of it and move on. But I think the important thing to acknowledge is that both parties change - which is why I don't really buy the "it used to be better" argument. Nah, man - it used to be different. But so did you.

I agree and it sounds kind of like a break up: "we just grew apart".

For me, modern day footy is about clubs and players being super professional and unfortunately this can be cruel for supporters. The speed of the game and the minor differences between top and bottom teams means small errors are very costly, and this can mean anything from the bounce of the ball, player in-game mistakes, bad signings or poor management.

Applies to cheating as well. It's not as if teams didn't cheat in the old days, even back to the early days when players had to be locals, so the clubs would arrange bogus accommodation to comply.

 

[Geo]

For me its Rugby League is a Dreadlock Holiday..that and Netball..

 

[Chris]

I think OP Chris residing in the states now and being so distant from it all would play a big part in his thoughts here

There's probably a lot of truth to that, Ink. The rot started before I left though. I was very much into the EPL before I left.

In saying that, I will watch Teddy's Origin debut, though.

 

[tsjonathan]

Agreed, no where near as interested in footy as previous years. Feels like it's fading

 

[TIGER]

Add me to the list too
A factor that hasn't been mentioned which I think is also contributing to the disenchantment is the lack of any real characters in the game, there were so many genuine and uniquely interesting players in the game and their character come out in their football and added another dimension to the enjoyment of the sport itself. Say what you like about Willie Mason love him or hate him he brought fun into the game. If there's one thing missing from today's game it's FUN. The game has become sterile and bland.
Go watch all three games of your local club match and you'll understand what I mean.

 

[happy_tiger]

Add me to the list too
A factor that hasn't been mentioned which I think is also contributing to the disenchantment is the lack of any real characters in the game, there were so many genuine and uniquely interesting players in the game and their character come out in their football and added another dimension to the enjoyment of the sport itself. Say what you like about Willie Mason love him or hate him he brought fun into the game. If there's one thing missing from today's game it's FUN. The game has become sterile and bland.
Go watch all three games of your local club match and you'll understand what I mean.

I see where you are coming from TIGER , but does that come from the fact that many grounds the players are so far from the spectators ??

Players can't necessarily interact with the crowd like they could in the past

And then if they could , how will their actions be cross examined by all and sundry on social media

A funny story about a relation of mine which I learnt from his best man at his wedding, he was a handy footballer played grade in Brisbane before moving to North Qld with his job with Qantas to Mt Isa and Hamilton Island in the 80's

Anyway while playing in Mt Isa he was the goal kicker , and being a bit of a pretty boy , he'd always make sure his hair was in place before proceeding with his conversion

Anyway this one kick was from the sideline and a indigenous lady ran to him with a hair brush so he could comb his hair before taking his conversion and gave him a kiss on the cheek

Imagine trying to do that at an NRL game in the modern day :wink: