IMO why the game of rugby league is failing

[Sydney Titans Fanatic]

The Few reasons why the N.R.L is failing.
In the National Rugby League (N.R.L) there are Eleven teams in New South Wales inc Act, Three teams in Queensland, One in Victoria, and One in New Zealand. The Australian Football League (A.F.L) has ten teams in Victoria, two in Western Australia, two in Queensland, two in South Australia and two in new south wales. Just by looking at that it looks like in ten years the A.F.L are gonna be the top dog between the battle of the codes if the N.r.l does not get its act together.

When the referees make a bad call the one BIG thing that is ruining the game is not the bad call the referee makes its the commentary team criticising the referees call for the next ten minutes regardless if its right or wrong or regardless if its on television or radio accept the call and move on. If anybody who has put the refereeing standards below par its the Media. Everybody is human in this world and everybody is going to make mistakes. Lets compare the N.r.l to the A.f.l for a second, If the umpires make a bad call in the A.F.L they mention it and move on cause its life, were if the referees in the N.r.l make a bad call they talk about the mistake for 10 minutes which simply highlights the mistake and puts pressure on the referees. Sort it out after the game. If the referees make a mistake and the boss thinks there incompetent to referee at that standard put them back in reserve grade until there judgement becomes better just like they would a player. The Referees are becoming bigger then the game itself and it needs to stop. The Media's criticism of the referees are causing the general public to lose faith in the game, which brings me to my next point.

Don't blame ticket pricing for poor crowds in the N.r.l cause all you need to do is look at the rival code once again and discover that the majority of all there seats are more expensive then the Rugby League Seats and they average bigger crowds for the majority of their games then the N.r.l. This is once again due to the media who highlight all the games errors such as all the referees bad judgments but also has to do with how the rules have changed in the recent years of the game. Players safety is one thing that we should be concerned about but The shoulder charge and the biff was what made rugby league it is the game today. We all grew up with a bit of a biff especially in State of origin but know you are sidelined for playing the game properly.

If the game is to survive with channel 9 broadcasting all the big games, Fire the whole lot and start again, the three people you rehire are Phil Gould, Peter Sterling and Ray "Rabs" Warren.

[DIEHARD]

Brad Fittler is the first person I'd rehire. That guy cracks me up everytime he appears.

[C-Whiz]

[QUOTE=Sydney Titans Fanatic;332183]

The Few reasons why the N.R.L is failing.

You've certainly got an opinion on this! Can't say I agree with it all, but....

When the referees make a bad call the one BIG thing that is ruining the game is not the bad call the referee makes its the commentary team criticising the referees call for the next ten minutes regardless if its right or wrong

The media/commentary team should be picking up bad calls, especially by the video ref, because the whole point of having a video ref is to make sure the calls are RIGHT. As far as refs calls go, most of the time the refs just miss stuff. I watch about 15 forward passes a game, just out of dummy half, but it's become acceptable now because it happens so often and goes "unpunished". The thing that is most annoying is when one ref is giving 50/50 calls one way, and the other ref gives the same call the other way. Not to mention the change in focus week to week. Consistency, peeps!

The Media's criticism of the referees are causing the general public to lose faith in the game,

I would say the bad calls by the refs/video refs are causing the general public to lose faith in the refereeing standards, and only the refs can change this. no excuses! Most of the bad calls come down to interpretation and new rules which are changing the way the game is being played. It's not always the refs fault, sometimes they are the bunnies caught in the middle trying to enforce rules they don't even understand.

but also has to do with how the rules have changed in the recent years of the game. Players safety is one thing that we should be concerned about but The shoulder charge and the biff was what made rugby league it is the game today. We all grew up with a bit of a biff especially in State of origin but know you are sidelined for playing the game properly.

exactly, don't mess with it if it aint broken, and RL had a winning formula. I understand they are trying to "clean the game up" but I think all that pent up aggression just leads to worse acts within the rules. Squirrel grips as an example. A good old bit of biff would have sorted that sh!t out early.

If the game is to survive with channel 9 broadcasting all the big games, Fire the whole lot and start again, the three people you rehire are Phil Gould, Peter Sterling and Ray "Rabs" Warren.

This is where Ch9 started the rot. They got rid of fan favourites like Vossy and brought in Australia's most boring TV commentator, Ray Hadley. Who wants to listen to a game on TV being called as if you can't see what's going on? who wants to have to listen to his opinions on everything when we are trying to relax and watch the Footy Show??

Brad Fittler is the first person I'd rehire. That guy cracks me up everytime he appears.

Freddy cracks me up too. He doesn't take anything too seriously.

[DIEHARD]

Freddy cracks me up too. He doesn't take anything too seriously.

I'm sorry I wasted most of his playing career hating on him. Mainly because he was such an amazing player for the Blues.

[DIEHARD]

The problem is that Ray Warren and Gould piss and moan constantly. People watching rugby league to be entertained and I doubt other code's would cop commentators downing the game as much as they do.

[Titanic]

The problem is that Ray Warren and Gould piss and moan constantly. People watching rugby league to be entertained and I doubt other code's would cop commentators downing the game as much as they do.

Last time I started this debate I got shouted down but I"m happy to have another go ... Rugby League is the only sport bar none to constantly knock itself. Listen to any sport you like and you'll hear the media talk it up. The problem with Warren and Gould is that when they talk it up they don't sound convinced themselves ... get rid of them both and find some new blood. Sterling, Lewis, Geyer, Fittler ... even Tallis.

[C-Whiz]

find some new blood. Sterling, Lewis, Geyer, Fittler ... even Tallis.

For mine, Sterlo is the least biased and most intelligent of all the callers/hosts. Rabs and Gus annoy me when they start acting like a married couple. Funny for 2 minutes, long and drawn out across 80 minutes. But I do like the excitement Rabs provides, and he is a great caller of sporting events, when he leaves out the theatrics.

And what happened to the original Sunday Roast? Nowhere near as good as it used to be.