Your Passion For The Game

[Big Pete]

There's been a couple of posters of late talking about their passion for the game and lack there of in recent times.

I'm interested to know just how closely you guys follow the sport? I'd also like to know whether that passion comes and goes and what influences that?

 

[Sproj]

Well as mentioned in another thread, I will always watch every Broncos game, even replays at times but have just lost interest in the NRL in general. Even last night from what other posters are saying, there were some mind-numbing refereeing decisions again. It happens every game. The bunker is a great idea but no amount of technology will make up for human incompetence.

This game could and should be the number one code in Australia, yet it lags miles behind the AFL and even the A-League in most states. If not for Rugby Union's even higher level of incompetence at a national level, it would be dead last. That said, rugby has a wonderful international set-up to fall back on. In league, we don't even know which country a player will be playing for.

And every single game, you know the refs are going to even up penalty counts on top of ridiculous decision after ridiculous decision to make sure games are tight, so why bother? It is the utter incompetence by all those who run the game that has put me off, plus the incessant gambling ads and even single platform that provides the game that I just can't stand. Then the blockheads in the commentary boxes. It is just a little boys club run by little boys who have no interest in anything but their own pockets. So, in a nutshell, it is the product around the product that has turned me off the actual product that used to be great.

 

[Aldo]

Yeah, go to say that this is the first year in about 40 that I've started to question my passion for the game.

As Sproj said, total incompetence at all levels of administration and refereeing has gone bonkers and the game is suffering badly. I had hopes that last year was the dawn of an exciting new brand of footy that teams would adopt but sadly the refs have killed that by allowing the wrestle to creep back in.

Origin also is becoming a bit of a joke with all the over the top spitefulness taking away from the spectacle of the best players playing some great football.

The game is at a real crossroads for me.

 

[vertigo]

I'd also like to know whether that passion comes and goes and what influences that?

Almost exclusively due to your team's form I would think.

I play SuperCoach religiously so I watch a lot of other games and enjoy tracking other teams' form.

I am over Origin and what it does to the regular season, and dislike the time it takes between a try and kickoff due to the inevitable review (meta: "have a decision and going to the board............BUY KFC............obvious decision - just say try or no try and display it immediatly *****).

Other than that, can't complain.

 

[Big Pete]

For a few of us on here, it goes without saying. Once you're moderating a fan-forum, you've officially stepped into nerd territory. :laugh:

However, I do think this season has been a really tough year for fans...

Lots of teams are either doing it tough, or simply they're at a cross-roads and they don't look like they're getting close to winning a premiership.

As a Broncos supporter, even before 2-9, it was rough since we were forced to relive the grand final over and over again. This especially becomes true when it's framed as some sort of 'David v Goliath' triumph.

The News Limited agenda dominates just about every facet of the game, so a lot of the shows you see on FoxSports seem to only present the one angle over and over again. Unfortunately the community buys into it, so you're left with a lot of hypocrisy and selfishness.

I still watch it since I'm in way too deep at this point. I'm sure the code will come good, but I definitely think 2016 has been a forgettable year for most.

 

[Nashy]

I love the sport. I think Rugby League is fantastic. I don't have the time to dedicate to watching every single game, but most games are usually on the tele. I don't have a great deal of time for watching teams other than my own.

I think the gimmick matches like City County and All Stars are just shit, so never watch them. I find Australia is the king when it comes to killing the International game. I hate the Kangaroos, and I will not support them for that reason. That and I've always grown up to support NZ in pretty much anything on the big stage.

The game will never die. But I do feel like we will see another SL war in this country. I hate the NRL, I hate that they meddle, I hate that they are bias, I hate that their refs on the whole are fucking rubbish, I hate their judiciary, I hate the inconsistent bullshit across all aspects of the game, none more that charging players, and suspending players.

NSWRL runs this game. The NRL can build 50 offices in Brisbane, it won't change the fact that the decisions are all made in NSW, with the ideas and backings of those old fuckheads who still think this is a game you play between pub runs. That's the biggest resentment I have towards our game. I hate that it isn't a better product, because these old, selfish assholes will simply not let go, or just fucking croak. I also think it is completely laughable that Channel 9 have more say over what games are played when than that of the NRL, or the clubs and players who play the game.

So I guess. I love league. I fucking hate the NRL.

 

[Mister Wright]

Rugby League isn't my favourite sport, it sits behind Cricket, Tennis & Basketball. But I love my QLD Origin team and the Broncos. Rugby League is the only football code I'm even remotely interested in. Don't get me started on how ridiculous AFL is and how boring Yawnion & Soccer are, so there's not much to take up my time during winter. I'm usually hanging out for Rugby League by March and pretty much watch every game for the first 5 or 6 rounds, but as the rounds go on I'm really only interested in the Broncos games. I go out of my way to watch Broncos games and it's been good to get to a few games this year (except for the Panthers debacle) as I usually only get to 1 or 2 games max.

 

[Kimlo]

My passion is only really for the Broncos these days.

A few major reasons...

I fucking hate SOO and how it turns the competition to shit for such a long period. The international game constantly gets pissed on by selections like Radrara when he could be playing for his actual country and making international games a spectacle. The whole rep scene is a joke.

Refs - It's not the errors that piss me off, it's the inconsistent application of rules. For example, in golden point offside is never called. Ref by the book, or don't ref at all. Even things like evening penalty counts, makes me think the refs are there to add "entertainment" rather than ref purely objectively. I can't take the game seriously as long as that remains an issue.

And I haven't even got into the judiciary, where players are only cited if something gets attention by the media.

 

[subsbligh]

Definitely wavering. Grew up supporting the Broncs from inception - I was only 5. The 92, 93 premierships were an amazing, religous indoctrination into the house of BBFC.

2006 made me realise how hard premierships were to come across. 2008 broke my heart, 2011 was just unfair for Locky and then 2015.

We haven't had much luck for 10 years.

I only really watch the Broncos. Since I play supercoach I'll have an interest in other games.

I can't share it with my kids because its a Friday night after 8PM activity. My wife has never liked footy, and my mates are also having kids and what not making it hard to get to the games on Friday nights.

I don't know how NRL intend to capture a new generation with a club playing 8PM games exclusively on either a school night (Thursday) or Friday night.

I still get fired up for the Broncos. 2015 GF loss was so hard..makes me really pensive about footy generally . but then again was one of the best days of recent memory the road trip down, the day of with my mates, Cold Chisel and the day of was an amazing weekend. I hope we live it again soon.

My brother and I have a pact (he'll probably forget) forged in the early hours of the Monday morning to make sure we go back if we ever make the GF again.

It seems to be a part of my identity in a way that work and other hobbies just don't come near.

 

[vertigo]

I still get fired up for the Broncos. 2015 GF loss was so hard..makes me really pensive about footy generally . but then again was one of the best days of recent memory the road trip down, the day of with my mates, Cold Chisel and the day of was an amazing weekend. I hope we live it again soon.

My brother and I have a pact (he'll probably forget) forged in the early hours of the Monday morning to make sure we go back if we ever make the GF again.

Our road trip was pretty much the same, except most of it was spent 14 hours in a car each way, sleeping and riding trains :laugh:

I don't understand people who say they support a team and wuss out on not going to the GF if their team makes it (responsibilities permitting), it's pretty cut and dry to me.

 

[mrslong]

I grew up watching and loving cricket, but fell in love with the SOO concept and liked Rugby League and the Broncos as my 2nd sport. When I met my hubby he pretended to like cricket, would go to games with me and watch it with me. When we got married he said he didn't really like cricket, and why did I think he liked cricket when the only sport he likes is footy. Basically he trapped me into a marriage with him.

Anyway, I embraced footy to the fullest and it became common ground for us, playing touch footy and going to the Broncos or watching QLD. I was heavily addicted to footy tipping, but got caught up in a fantasy footy comp that we have been playing for over 10 years together now - so it made NRL watching a religion. I had to watch every single game. (Hubby is not into fantasy footy so I've overtaken him as the fan of the family)

I used to love NRL more than Lego, but I find that the incompetency of how the league is run and officiated is getting me down, I'm also upset with how SOO is ruining the Premiership. So much so that I'm almost contemplating writing a letter to Foxtel, The Broncos, Channel 9 and Telstra telling them I'm going to stop spending money on the sport if they don't fix it.
I probably won't but. ha.

 

[Super Freak]

This is the first time in ages I haven't watched the other games.

The only time I would watch the other games is when it's State of Origin or when it's related to the Broncos (like a team they are playing next week).

I've just lost interest in the other games.

Actually, I do watch the 9's. But the only reason I watch that is because I run the Facebook page.

 

[Porthoz]

I love the sport. I think Rugby League is fantastic. I don't have the time to dedicate to watching every single game, but most games are usually on the tele. I don't have a great deal of time for watching teams other than my own.

I think the gimmick matches like City County and All Stars are just shit, so never watch them. I find Australia is the king when it comes to killing the International game. I hate the Kangaroos, and I will not support them for that reason. That and I've always grown up to support NZ in pretty much anything on the big stage.

The game will never die. But I do feel like we will see another SL war in this country. I hate the NRL, I hate that they meddle, I hate that they are bias, I hate that their refs on the whole are fucking rubbish, I hate their judiciary, I hate the inconsistent bullshit across all aspects of the game, none more that charging players, and suspending players.

NSWRL runs this game. The NRL can build 50 offices in Brisbane, it won't change the fact that the decisions are all made in NSW, with the ideas and backings of those old fuckheads who still think this is a game you play between pub runs. That's the biggest resentment I have towards our game. I hate that it isn't a better product, because these old, selfish assholes will simply not let go, or just fucking croak. I also think it is completely laughable that Channel 9 have more say over what games are played when than that of the NRL, or the clubs and players who play the game.

So I guess. I love league. I fucking hate the NRL.

Other than the not supporting Australia, I'm in the same boat as Nashy here.

The game could become so much better, were it not for the vested interests from the Sydney centric crowd and all the promiscuity keeping idiots in places they would have long been fired from under any other proper business administration.

MRC, Judiciary, Refs (including the dreadful bunker), should all be above reproach, utterly professional, and most importantly, consistent in their decisions and rulings... we all know they aren't.
Why? Because some of them are idiots, and others don't know what to do with the instructions they receive from above, which sway according to which direction the wind is blowing from...

I hoped for better from Greenturd, but it turns out he's just looking out for certain interests, not the game!

I'll keep supporting the Broncos, I'll keep watching other games when possible, but I have ZERO confidence in the NRL as it is now.

 

[pennywisealfie]

My interest waned years ago, probably around 2008. I started watching more at the start of the year, but the sport just isn't that great at the moment. When every single ref and video ref is terrible, then you know the problem isn't the refs. It's the rules. They seem way too open to interpretation. Get rid of the grey areas and you have a good game.

 

[Foordy]

unfortunately I fear as much when Greenburg go the job ... he only cares about keeping the status quo. I thought the whole idea of an "Independent" commission was to end all that and do what the game needed done. guess i was wrong.

it is also a bad sign that the standard of refereeing in the game has plummeted since the likes of Tim Mander (do you think he has had enough of politics yet) and Bill Harrigan retired.

The Bunker itself is a great concept, by allowing the video refs to choice the footage they view instead of the broadcaster, you ensure you get a true version about what is happening. unfortunately, the one draw back of having this technology is that you need someone competent to use it ... and we simply haven't got that.

after Greenburgs big statement that the Bunker will not get any decisions wrong, it appears that he has instructed Archer to defend the decisions made (if he actually believes what he is saying then he should be fired immediately). So, when the NRL release the stats about the bunker, the can claim what a success it has been, but these stats are based on a lie.

The referees now know that no matter what decisions they make, they will be backed publicly, which makes it impossible for them to be dropped for poor performance.

all of this has lessened my passion for this great game, I used to watch rugby league for hours on end, but i got sick of seeing the incompetence of the referees destroy a great game of footy.

I will however, still watch both QLD and the Broncos whenever they play

 

[Mr Fourex]

Origin also is becoming a bit of a joke with all the over the top spitefulness taking away from the spectacle of the best players playing some great football.

What the hell are you talking about....?

"spitefulness" has been an inherent ingredient of SOO since its very beginning

...and rightly so.

 

[Big Pete]

There's some really interesting points being raised in this thread.

I remember when the Gold Coast Titans were introduced in 2005 and the excitement that generated. Finally, Rugby League was looking to expand again after the Super League War. It felt exciting to be a Rugby League supporter at that time and you just wondered what the game would be like in ten years time.

...it really hasn't grown since.

In fact, in a lot of ways it's gone backwards and there's a lot of clubs that are doing it tough right now.

I look at a team like the Warriors and just wonder how they haven't won a premiership yet. The NYC was brought in, it should have brought in a few more Rugby Union prospects, it really should have paid off but instead it's the same old story. I almost feel bad because I know how it goes with them. They come out and just about every fresh-faced hopeless optimistic has them in their four, they start off terrible, pick apart a bunch of Origin depleted teams, and either they make a run or they just implode. They're trapped in a cycle and they're killing the game over there.

Then you have Melbourne who have been the model of excellence for so long (minus the past cheating, let's not go there) and yet what sort of inroads have they made in Victoria? A bunch of Kiwis who happened to spend a season or two in their local league made the step up and proceeded to do little of note while there. Where is the coverage? Why isn't Channel 9 doing their best to promote the Storm down there and air their games on FTA? Why don't they treat their players like stars?

It really is the reverse of the Warriors in a lot of ways. The SKY TV coverage is excellent and for a long time was easily better than what we received in Australia (every game live at a time where we had 4pm delayed). However, they've got a mediocre side that doesn't look like it will ever win a premiership, where as Melbourne is a legendary team that receives little to no exposure.

Which brings me to the broadcast.

The broadcast in Rugby League is awful. If you look at the games that attract the biggest audience and leave the biggest impression on the general public, it's rarely the best or most relevant games.

Take a look at last week.

THURSDAY
Sydney Roosters vs Brisbane Broncos

FRIDAY
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs vs St George Illawarra Dragons

SUNDAY
Manly Sea Eagles vs Newcastle Knights

Who thought Thursday and Sunday were good ideas?

Let's have the Roosters play Brisbane infront of 6000 odd people at Allianz Stadium. I'm sure that's going to appeal to the casual viewer.

Or, let's show the public the worst team to play in years against a side that was absolutely struggling when these matches were announced?

I can at least live with the Bulldogs/Dragons, even though on paper it looks as exciting as watching paint dry. At least there's an argument that you have two massive fanbases and that it could be a Top 8 game. In which case, make that the Sunday game and help draw a huge crowd to help put over the popularity of Rugby League.

Is it really that hard?

I just can't believe we spend all week talking about the Roosters/Broncos and Bulldogs/Dragons when we could have easily put the Warriors/Panthers on Thursday and had the Cowboys/Storm play a huge Friday night game.

There's instances of this through out the year, where the FTA games are dominated by teams like St George, South Sydney and the like and they're boring as bat shit.

I don't actually mind the first 20 Rounds being a fixed draw. Lots of sporting competitions around the world have a fixed draw and they just keep getting bigger and bigger. I'd just like to see those games mixed around fairly, and when we get to Round 21-26, that the big games are featured on FTA so the game gets an opportunity to promote it's biggest stars.

It feels crazy to me that I had to explain to friends and family who Anthony Milford was before he played for Brisbane in 2015. But I don't blame them, I blame the lack of exposure the Raiders receive.

 

[Nashy]

Getting a few teams out of Sydney and expanding to Perth at the least will go a long way to fixing issues. All that money that the NRL keeps using the bail out the shitty clubs is wasted money.

If you can't run a business. Sorry, but your licence goes to someone who can.