RANT Are You a Fan of The NRL Still?

[Sproj]

Look, this is essentially a rant but I have grave concerns for this sport and whatever direction it isn't heading. Is it out of control? More importantly, can it be saved from itself?

Let's look at some key issues here (no particular order):
- Queensland fans treated like garbage (vegetables and meat lovers stupidity)
- Vlandys being in charge and changing whatever his morning flatulence suggests he should
- The head high crackdown
- The six again farce
- Inconsistency and blatant ineptness in officiating
- The penalty crackdown that was working but complaints stopped it
- The salary cap farce - mercenaries can top up the best teams now
- A former Roosters staffer being the salary cap auditor
- Former players video reffing teams they played for
- Inconsistencies and favouritism in the judiciary
- Alarming drops in ratings
- The infiltration of AFL into league heartland
- The continued demise of Qld teams - the bread and butter of the NRL
- The media whinging influencing game management
- The continued, sustained and long term benefits to teams that cheat
- Constant rule changes on a whim

Is the game dying?

 

[winslow_wong]

I was hoping there’d be an option for “the game is only background noise to the BHQ banter”

 

[Broncapz]

Warriors / Cowboys / Broncos get the wrong end of the pineapple in regards to officiating.

I don't know, but I can't remember when any of these teams really got the rub of the green. That Hethrington fine was pretty much the epitamy of the officiating idiocy.

Referees not policing playing on the mark is severely impacting the quality of the game overall. As well as offside consistancy is out the window.

Much of the Broncos problems is self inflicted however. The terrible rules and officiating is just making it worse.

The game NEEDS a successful Queensland team. Period. Even if we need to WWE to get it done.

 

[mrslong]

If my mighty fantasy team wasn’t doing so well (thanks be to PVL) I’d not be watching as much as I am.

However, I’m completely disillusioned with the Broncos and the NRL right now. Can’t wait til the off season.

I’ll probably watch next year again because I’ll be sucked into the Reynolds hype.

 

[Financeguy]

I voted I love it and watch every game but more realistically I watch every game but don’t love it as much as I used to.

i still look forward to relaxing in front of the tv after a week at work and attend my season ticket games when I can (not Broncos unfortunately)

I’m still going to hate the off season…

 

[Sproj]

I voted I love it and watch every game but more realistically I watch every game but don’t love it as much as I used to.

i still look forward to relaxing in front of the tv after a week at work and attend my season ticket games when I can (not Broncos unfortunately)

I’m still going to hate the off season…

Thanks for saying this because to be honest, after putting up the initial post, I did think about the negativity of it and thought, I hope that doesn't sway people from voting love for it if they do indeed love it because I would genuinely like to see where the game sits with Broncos' fans - love or hate of the game at present.

 

[Kimlo]

I used to watch all games, now it's about 2-3 a week. I still enjoy the odd game, it's still a fantastic game at its core and when the rules don't get in the way it's quite enjoyable.

If they revert to 2019 rules I'll probably go back to watching 6-8 games a week.

 

[Financeguy]

Thanks for saying this because to be honest, after putting up the initial post, I did think about the negativity of it and thought, I hope that doesn't sway people from voting love for it if they do indeed love it because I would genuinely like to see where the game sits with Broncos' fans - love or hate of the game at present.

No worries mate.

watching on tv, going to the game, speaking to non bronco mates about the game and reading the commentary and opinions on here all bring enjoyment to me personally.

Things can certainly improve, I don’t agree with the new rule changes for example, and the current performance of our team sucks but it’s still my favourite sport by a long way.

 

[Alec]

I watched about 5 non-Broncos games, and not even full ones.
With Melbourne and Roosters always being in the GFs, the rule changes and the Broncos going to shit, I definitely don't have as much interest as I used to.

 

[Sproj]

I used to watch all games, now it's about 2-3 a week. I still enjoy the odd game, it's still a fantastic game at its core and when the rules don't get in the way it's quite enjoyable.

If they revert to 2019 rules I'll probably go back to watching 6-8 games a week.

Me too. If they go back to those rules, I'm back all in and that includes reverting to the June 30 deadline. August 1 is begging to be manipulated and of course, it now is.

 

[Nashy]

The options didn't really fit where I'm at.

I watch some of the games, but I don't think it's ok. I have it on Kayo in a small window around other shit I'm doing, and the Broncos get the TV.

Vlandys can go **** himself.

 

[BroncosAlways]

It ain't easy. In saying that, there's really no alternative for me, so my hands are tied.

 

[Scorchie]

I love it but man its been hard.

They need to go back to 2019 rules before they lose more fans.

 

[papabear]

Canberra made the GF in 2019 playing a defensive game and pretty shit now.

IMO - the game is better now.

The two major changes:-
- High tackles being enforced. This needed to happen, the cultural bullshit that unless you absolutely murder someone it bounced up or they ducked into it bullcrap that was espoused by commentary needed to go.

The game needs to be safer on tv so parents arent legitimately afraid for their childs well being in signing their kids up.

- 6 again, it was either this or 20 normal penalties a game, it was always better to cop a penalty then have a fast ptb when your d line was tiring... also it brings room for the slighlty smaller more aerobically fit / quick players in the game then a bunch of second rowers.

Honestly watch a game of international union - it is **** off slow , with fucking huge bastards playing because they only have to run 10 percent of the time and most of the game is standing around waiting for either the ball to come out from a scrum / ruck / sideline / penalty / some other circus.

This thread shows why the NRL needs a second team in brisbane though.

That all said - i tend to only watch canberra and maybe one or two other games if I am lucky nowadays... 15 years ago at uni when i had more time on my hands, i watched everything, real life, even junior footy > takes over NRL

 

[Rico]

like being married ...you go through rough patches. Looks like the game is in one now.

 

[Renegade]

Not really enjoying it atm. I understand the head high approach but they have to differentiate a swinging arm to a guy that's running tall to someone falling into a tackle once the tacklers motion has already been set. You cannot eliminate 100% of knocks to the head unless we revert to Oztag. There's other examples which I'm sure anyone can think of in 5 seconds.

The 6 again is good in theory, but i think the application has been poor. To be fair, I'm not sure how else it could have been implemented with the idea of speeding up the game, but half the time no one knows why it has even been called - think about if you're trying to introduce a new fan to the sport "why did that team get 6 again? "dunno" - it borders on farcical at times.

I will watch the broncos game and maybe one other a week, I used to watch 3-4 matches regularly and more if I was around, but it's boring to see one sided games decided by a binning that culminates in a rout - V'landys is deadset kidding himself if he thinks it's exciting to see 30 point differences in multiple games on a weekly basis.

Also, quit changing the rules mid season. Which other professional league does this? If you're going to dramatically change the way a game is officiated, at least give teams an off season to prepare for it.

 

[Financeguy]

- 6 again, it was either this or 20 normal penalties a game, it was always better to cop a penalty then have a fast ptb when your d line was tiring... also it brings room for the slighlty smaller more aerobically fit / quick players in the game then a bunch of second rowers.

Honestly watch a game of international union - it is **** off slow , with fucking huge bastards playing because they only have to run 10 percent of the time and most of the game is standing around waiting for either the ball to come out from a scrum / ruck / sideline / penalty / some other circus.

This thread shows why the NRL needs a second team in brisbane though.

That all said - i tend to only watch canberra and maybe one or two other games if I am lucky nowadays... 15 years ago at uni when i had more time on my hands, i watched everything, real life, even junior footy > takes over NRL

I don't think the only alternative to the 6 again rule was 20 penalties a game as we have never averaged 20 penalties a game pre the 6 again rule, or at least as far back as i checked since 2013. It could have stayed as is and used a more strict measure for what is a sinbinning to stop multiple penality's being abused.

If anything with the 6 again we are seeing more penalty equivalent actions in the match because the game quickly moves on from them so the ref has less accountability to justify them. I would bet that people watching the game now are saying "what the **** was that 6 again for" more than they were previously saying "what the **** was that penalty for"

I also disagree with the argument that it has brought the slightly smaller more aerobically fit / quick player in the game. There has always been room for that player, always. That is just a cheap easy justification to support this argument because it cant really be proved.

Interesting that you think the game is better now yet only watch a maximum of 37.5% of the content. Maybe these new rules do cater for the more casual fan...

 

[IceWorks]

Always loved league. Wouldn't be surprised to see it go down a few notches in popularity compared to other sports over the coming decades however as it's still very limited in reach compared with other sports like soccer and frankly it's a brutal game, which influences parents decisions when choosing junior sport.

The joke that is the Melbourne Storm, a team that is a parasite on the pipelines of the other QLD teams and despite many years of unreasonable success still haven't developed a local pipeline.. demonstrate just how unsuccessful the geographic expansion has been.

The current rules just feel like you don't know which referee is turning up, every close game seems to have contentious 50% calls or just plain mistakes that too often decide a game, seems to be a flaw that has got worse as the athletes have gotten stronger and the game faster with league, I'm not sure there are easy fixes for those issues.