Rugby League & Rugby Union, what lies ahead?

[jargan83]

Queenslanders will come out in force when the Aussies get a game up there. They have the final as well dont they?

[TOCC]

the GF is in Brisbane, but i dont know about the other finals matches

I tried watching the NZ-AUS game last night and it was to dam boring

was it even broadcast in WA?

[jargan83]

yeah, i dont remember what time it was on C9 at 10-10:30ish? it was probably on Foxsports sooner then that

[.X.]

One of the problems I have always seen with "National" games is that they are not National yet.

Sure the AFL has called itself the AFL for the last 20 years. But lets be honest. It is still the VFL with a couple of expansion teams. Until the AFL reduce the number of Melbourne based teams by at least half it can still only be considered an expanded VFL.

The sad thing about the NRL is that it has copied AFL model, the NRL will always struggle as a National competition because of the bias of the "southern states".

Soccer (sorry) Football has got more of a chance of surviving because of their world wide popularity and the "multiculturalism" of Australia, tho is saying this Australia will never truly love Football as long as diving and flopping around like an untrained seal in hope of a free kick continues to be part of the game.

Rugby Union is going to continue to struggle to attracting a national audience and conversely large national or multinational sponsors as long as they continue to prevent a large portion of their product from being on shown on free to air television.

[beige]

A 'smush'ed rugby may well be much bigger in Australia - but do you think it'd increase in stature globally by much?

Nope.

Game was on at 9:30 here. Was a pretty good crowd by international league standards but, considering this tournament was being hyped as some kind of new dawn for the international game, I think it missed the mark (despite how the commentators were continually trying to spin it)...

[jargan83]

One of the problems I have always seen with "National" games is that they are not National yet.

Sure the AFL has called itself the AFL for the last 20 years. But lets be honest. It is still the VFL with a couple of expansion teams. Until the AFL reduce the number of Melbourne based teams by at least half it can still only be considered an expanded VFL.

The sad thing about the NRL is that it has copied AFL model, the NRL will always struggle as a National competition because of the bias of the "southern states".

Soccer (sorry) Football has got more of a chance of surviving because of their world wide popularity and the "multiculturalism" of Australia, tho is saying this Australia will never truly love Football as long as diving and flopping around like an untrained seal in hope of a free kick continues to be part of the game.

Rugby Union is going to continue to struggle to attracting a national audience and conversely large national or multinational sponsors as long as they continue to prevent a large portion of their product from being on shown on free to air television.

Cricket is the only true National sport in this country X

[.X.]

Cricket is the only true National sport in this country X

Cricket wasn't part of the original question Jargs - therefore it doesn't count

[jargan83]

just pointing out that its the only sport in this country that is genuinely played in every state in the country.

The original question was about the future of Union and League, you introduced AFL to the discussion, which has only be the "AFL" since 1991 yet isn't truely national as no one north of the Victoria/NSW border gives a s**t about it. Rugby both Union and League are Qld and NSW.

So based on your original statement about national games Cricket is the only one that can claim truely national status.

Or did you only want discussion on "National" sports on your terms?



The thing that has to be killing Union is the lack of FTA exposure. 8 Wallabies tests in June/July/August being showm at ridiculous times of night by the rights holder can't possibly help the game to grow
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[.X.]

The thing that has to be killing Union is the lack of FTA exposure. 8 Wallabies tests in June/July/August being showm at ridiculous times of night by the rights holder can't possibly help the game to grow
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Gee didnt someone say that before?

oh that is right, it was me

[jargan83]

and it has been said countless times before that so you hardly came up with it. I could add that Cricket has better FTA coverage then Rugby

Lawn Bowls has better FTA coverage then Rugby
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[.X.]

Now that the Packers are out of Channel 9 - you watch how quick the Cricket coverage goes the way of other sporting coverage on FTA

[jargan83]

spot on X, live coverage of Test Cricket, One Day International Cricket an increasing calander of 20/20 International Cricket with 3 games this season, definately going down the tubes.

Except here in Perth where ODI are delayed telecast so are 20/20s, when i say delayed I say delayed to the equivalent time here in the west. I guess that move is to maximise ratings so that we can see the games after work (large proportion of ODI)

It might not be your cup of tea but it has nationwide appeal, something none of the winter sports have

(and Cricket Australia seems to have a spine, something missing from ARU headquarters in regards to FTA coverage)
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[Burgs]

So meanwhile, while you two get a room, back to League and Union....

[jargan83]

The last part in brackets was about Rugby

[.X.]

he started it