Why do you love Rugby League

[Nashy]

Whatever the NRL are doing in the USA, well, it's helping BHQ too. We've started to see a fairly steady increase of users from the United States hitting BroncosHQ.

We don't really have a thread laying out what we all love about this sport, why we keep coming back after terrible reffing, shitty administrations, and hell, most of us at one point of another have sworn off the game on a Thursday night, only to be tuned in on Friday again.

Why do you love it? How did you get into it? What was your first match? First win? First loss?

 

[McHunt]

hth

 

[Sproj]

I love what rugby league used to be and so therefore I love the English Super League because it is still played like that. These days I love the Broncos as they will always be my team but other than that, I can't stand the current version of the NRL, it is corrupt through and through and hate seeing one man use the game I love to line his own pockets.

 

[BroncsFan]

I'm falling back in love with league primarily because the broncos are playing the game the way it's meant to be played.

High octane attack, physical in defence, skillful outside backs... and Patty

 

[Jazza]

In my opinion, rugby league is entertaining because the frequency of scoring is just right. Soccer is too infrequent and can get games without a score at all while the likes of basketball and AFL the scoring is so frequent any individual goal holds less importance.

 

[Santa]

Whatever the NRL are doing in the USA, well, it's helping BHQ too. We've started to see a fairly steady increase of users from the United States hitting BroncosHQ.

We don't really have a thread laying out what we all love about this sport, why we keep coming back after terrible reffing, shitty administrations, and hell, most of us at one point of another have sworn off the game on a Thursday night, only to be tuned in on Friday again.

Why do you love it? How did you get into it? What was your first match? First win? First loss?

I don't know if I love rugby league, or I just love the Broncos. I only really watch other games to pass the time/keep an eye on the enemy. It's kinda like the Olympics- I don't care about the sport of swimming, I just care about the team (Aus).

My earliest memories of RL, was my grandma forcing me to watch it every weekend, when all I wanted to do was watch the Simpsons. She's also the reason I'm a Sydney kid who goes for the Broncos. She brainwashed me into accepting that we were the good guys, and everyone else was a bunch of cheats lol.

 

[Harry Sack]

First introduced to the game, like a lot of people I imagine, by my Dad. He's a bit of an odd chap, from a small country town in NSW at the foot of the Snowy Mountains. He supported the Raiders because he loved Meninga....but also the Bunnies and when the Broncos came in, he started supporting them too. I only worked out a few years ago that if push comes to shove, the Bunnies above all else. Point being, I just grew up enjoying the game...so early on I never really copped that whole "**** every other team but mine". Sure, I was disappointed when things didn't go our way, but it didn't destroy my day. That all changed somewhat as I became more invested in the Broncos...hate those Melbourne players. My first memory of league is those late 80's Canberra sides so I'll always have a soft spot for them.

I love the good and the bad of the game tbh. A little bit of controversy is a good bit of fun, especially on this forum. Watching people go into meltdown about a bad call, listening to Buzz and co piss and moan about the advantages we have with a whole city to choose from...or that we only leave the state X amount of times (while completely disregarding that whilst we didn't leave the state, a trip to Townsville is basically the same as a trip to Sydney) is a sadistic pleasure of mine. On the other side of that the joy after a win, whether hard fought or when we've just delivered an absolutely emphatic win (suck it Melbourne) is awesome.

 

[Sproj]

I know because of the result this will be sacrilege on here but I LOVED the Grand Final. The ref keeping out of it was beautiful and I want more of that. I understand that this isn't always possible but man, watching two gun teams be given the chance to sort it out between themselves was beautiful, reminded me of how good league used to be before the morons in charge currently got their hands on it.

 

[Harry Sack]

I know because of the result this will be sacrilege on here but I LOVED the Grand Final. The ref keeping out of it was beautiful and I want more of that. I understand that this isn't always possible but man, watching two gun teams be given the chance to sort it out between themselves was beautiful, reminded me of how good league used to be before the morons in charge currently got their hands on it.

This. Result aside, it was an amazing GF. I've never been able to watch the 2015 GF but I could stomach watching this one again.

 

[Alec]

My honest answer is because it was always on TV, more than any other sport, and the local team has generally been very good. If I grew up somewhere else watching something else, Rugby League would probably not be my favourite sport. I've been invested for too long to stop now though.

 

[mrslong]

I love that feeling when your team makes a break out of nowhere.

I love it when your team smashes a bloke and makes him drop the ball.

I love it when you’re on the back foot and your halfback belts a ripping 40/20 and flips the field.

Also, Patrick.

 

[Big Del]

1st played at primary school late 70s .
Coach / teacher said I think you had better join the League team and get some of that aggression out .

Been hooked ever since .

 

[Big Pete]

Of all the sports it has the best balance of physicality, endurance, skill, athleticism, team-work and fluidity. It allows the game to have a nice ebb and flow and when the game is played to a high standard it's satisfying to watch.

I like the history of the game and how we have clubs that go back over a 100 years. I like that these clubs are also represented in the lower grades and that the game has a strong pathways system that makes it possible to follow careers from high school all the way to NRL.

I love how the game celebrates different cultures and gives young indigenous and Polynesian kids superstars to look up to.

 

[mstreet]

Of all the sports it has the best balance of physicality, endurance, skill, athleticism, team-work and fluidity. It allows the game to have a nice ebb and flow and when the game is played to a high standard it's satisfying to watch.

I like the history of the game and how we have clubs that go back over a 100 years. I like that these clubs are also represented in the lower grades and that the game has a strong pathways system that makes it possible to follow careers from high school all the way to NRL.

I love how the game celebrates different cultures and gives young indigenous and Polynesian kids superstars to look up to.

I love the inclusivity. No matter your origin story, if you are good enough in your own right, there's a place for you.

I love the grass roots, working class origins.

I respect teamwork and comradery. People willing to pay the price to further the team. The selflessness.

I like the character arc over a career. Hero, villian, hero. Hello Justin Hodges.

I love that due to having 40 minute halves, a team needs balance. Not just a power game, but endurance, tenacity.

I love that little men, like Langer, can change a game. Proving time and time again, it's not the size of the dog, but the fight in the dog.

Came to league via state of origin. It is mandatory viewing in Qld. Hard to describe families glued to a then bulky tv, screaming at it.

I love the rituals around family viewing of origin. Whether it be inviting people around for roast, beers, or bbq. Origin is a time of gathering. Much like Xmas.

Then Qld got its own team. Being in sunshine coast, Broncos by default. I've been a tragic every since.

In the days of VHS, and channel nine. Recorded all the games played on nine. Rewatched, and then rewatched. Especially in the off season lol.

Rugby league brings people together. You forget the week. Gives you something to look forward to.

 

[john1420]

In my opinion, rugby league is entertaining because the frequency of scoring is just right. Soccer is too infrequent and can get games without a score at all while the likes of basketball and AFL the scoring is so frequent any individual goal holds less importance.

Exactly what I was going to say, tries, and even line breaks, are exciting because they happen reasonably infrequently but still often enough to keep you interested/entertained/engaged.
I'm a born and bred South Aussie, lived here all my life, and grew up loving and playing AFL. But the core of the game isn't exciting. It's not hard to kick a ball through two sticks, and over someone's head. What is exciting about an AFL goal is if you are emotionally invested in a team, and your team kicks a goal. (OK I know there can be the very occasional snap on the run from the corner pocket, but this is the outlier, not the norm). Rugby League is exciting to watch (granted moreso prior to PVL) even without having an emotional investment in the teams you are watching.
OK so how does a born and bred South Aussie whose family treated AFL like a religion, become a League tragic? Well it all started with HG Nelson and Rampaging Roy Slaven. A friend turned me on to their sports show on JJJ I think it was, way back in 90. Always gave me a good laugh so he suggested I watch the AFL and ARL (back then) grand finals and State of Origin with HG and Roy doing the commentary. After a year or 2 of doing this I came to see how much I loved the League and how AFL just wasn't doing it for me anymore.

 

[ZTop]

Just purely addicted to Broncos, Darren lockyer was my hero and I've been in love with the game since, I would say I spent pretty much every afternoon of my school years outside kicking a footy and I don't think I'll ever change

 

[LittleDavey]

This. Result aside, it was an amazing GF. I've never been able to watch the 2015 GF but I could stomach watching this one again.

I feel the same. I think for me, we lost 2015 with the lazy last 10 second defence on JT, letting him get the ball away. This year...we were beaten by a better team - we didn't lose it, they won. Well, Cleary fucking dragged the 2-time premiers kicking and screaming to the win, but anyway. I can accept that, I can't accept 2015 because we were the better team and had no right to lose. The fact it was the Cowgirls - of all the teams in the comp - also burns deep as well. Though to be fair to both teams, it was an epic GF and probably the best for a neutral observer until this year...funny how we're the team to feature in both stand-outs over the past 10-15 years...

I agree with others that league is an amazing combination of action...athletes with incredible stamina...huge collisions that would put mere mortals in bed for a week...the sleight of hand of the likes of Walsh... And while it's repetitive in format, it's also unique - no two sets of six are ever the same. Unlike union where it's either ruck it up forever or play kick-it-back-and-forth. Or AFL where it's just boot it around the paddock and hope your guy catches it instead of the other guy.

You can feel pressure building when teams get repeat sets. You can see the fatigue starting to show on defending teams getting slower and slower with their line speed, arm grabbing and dropping off tackles. Bench interchanges can completely change the flow of the game, can completely change the momentum. Hell the momentum swings in general... It's an exciting product, it really is.