Women`s State of Origin.

[The Rocket]

I know this is probably on the wrong Forum, take your pick, but given the chat around the Mens SOO this is worth giving a bit of publicity to, especially if your interested in tuning into a real good game of footy. This game means a lot to the QLD girls, I think they see themselves as the standard bearer for QLD Rugby League at the moment.

Pulled 750 000 viewers last year and could easily beat that this year as a stand alone game on a Friday night shown around the country.

Recommended if your interested in some great open League and the girls really ripping in.

Have a look at the preview, might whet your appetite.

NRLW 2021: Women's State of Origin, Queensland Maroons, NSW Sky-Blues, match preview - NRL

[unapologetic pedant]

There`s also the under-19s SOO played as a curtain-raiser. I`m hoping this will be livestreamed somewhere.

[Dunbar]

Looking forward to this one. Some very good players on both sides. Hard to pick up winner but I probably edge to Queensland with the experience and quality they have in the spine (and Brigginshaw at 13).

[The Rocket]

**Sorry thought this was in the link I put up, yes it is shown on Sky UK.( you`ll have to do the time conversions)

Ampol Women’s State of Origin: Friday, June 25 NSW Sky Blues vs Qld Maroons – Sunshine Coast 7:45pm AEST 

• Nine (Brisbane/Sydney) GEM (Melbourne/Adelaide/Perth)
• Foxtel – Fox League (nationally)
• Sky Sport 4 (New Zealand)
• Kayo
• 9Now
   

International Coverage:

• WatchNRL: Not available in Australia, New Zealand or Pacific Regions
• Fox US
• Sky UK
• Fox Sports Asia
• TVWAN Action (Papua New Guinea)
• BeIN Sports (France)
• Fox Netherlands
• ESPN Africa
• Rogers (Canada)
• Sport24 (Worldwide In-Flight/In-Ship – excl Australia, New Zealand or Pacific Regions)

[Futtocks]

I've got Friday off, as I'm trying to use up annual leave days. Very much looking forward to this, as previous matches have been very good. Origin in the morning, an afternoon of whatever, then the women's test and the All Stars game.

All three matches are on Sky Sports - a sensible 10:30am for Origin.

[unapologetic pedant]

20 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

There`s also the under-19s SOO played as a curtain-raiser. I`m hoping this will be livestreamed somewhere.

The 19s game is to be livestreamed on NRL.com. I make it 8:15 UK time.

In the open-age SOO Queensland team there are a couple of debutantes still young enough for the 19s game.

Tiana Raftstrand-Smith and Destiny Brill followed the familiar pattern of playing League from ages 4 to 12 with the boys then, due to no girls` grades in League, had to go to Union. I think for both this was in NZ. Tiana definitely was a Richmond junior in Auckland, not sure where Destiny is originally from.

The fact that we`re still seeing so many female players in their late teens coming back to League after the long break at 12 illustrates how recently 14s and 16s grades have been available. And makes you think how damaging allowing all these players to drift into Union must have been, not just to the player pool but also the RL fanbase.

[langpark]

I find Women's Origin very under-rated, I watched the game last year and it was great quality.  I think they are under-selling it a bit and perhaps not even the NRL truly believe in it.  For example, in 2019, at North Sydney Oval, it got a crowd of 10,515.  Last year at Sunshine Coast Stadium it only got 4,833.  So I am a bit surprised that they are playing it there again this year.  It was played in (almost) off-season though, due to the pandemic.  So let's hope that was the reason and that this year it gets a much bigger crowd.  Capacity there is 12k, so selling it out should be the target really. 

 

Edit:  Crowd restrictions for the 2020 match were still in place:  https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/11/12/sell-out-crowd-for-womens-origin-on-sunshine-coast/

[The Rocket]

2 hours ago, langpark said:

I find Women's Origin very under-rated, I watched the game last year and it was great quality.  I think they are under-selling it a bit and perhaps not even the NRL truly believe in it.  For example, in 2019, at North Sydney Oval, it got a crowd of 10,515.  Last year at Sunshine Coast Stadium it only got 4,833.  So I am a bit surprised that they are playing it there again this year.  It was played in (almost) off-season though, due to the pandemic.  So let's hope that was the reason and that this year it gets a much bigger crowd.  Capacity there is 12k, so selling it out should be the target really. 

 

Edit:  Crowd restrictions for the 2020 match were still in place:  https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/11/12/sell-out-crowd-for-womens-origin-on-sunshine-coast/

I totally disagree mate, I think the NRL realise they may well have a hidden gem on their hands are waiting for it to be discovered by the wider public.

I think any one who has seen the last couple of games would agree. I was blown away with the slick passing and tackling watching my first game. And I don`t care what anyone says, the girls looked hot, pony tails and footy shorts, made me want to be 21 again.

The game played at North Sydney was suitable for the times as it gave the appearance of a packed house and didn`t the girls respond.

Putting it on prime time main channel NSW and QLD Friday night is a real vote of confidence, and incidentally shown in all other states on Gem.

I reckon it could easily hit the 800 000 mark this year, bring on a two match home and away series.

 

[unapologetic pedant]

3 hours ago, langpark said:

  Last year at Sunshine Coast Stadium it only got 4,833.  So I am a bit surprised that they are playing it there again this year.  

 

6 minutes ago, The Rocket said:

I totally disagree mate, I think the NRL realise they may well have a hidden gem on their hands are waiting for it to be discovered by the wider public.

I sort of agree with both of you.

I think they had to play it in Queensland again this year to even up the host venues at two each since the fixture officially became Origin. And there aren`t many places which aren`t too big or too small.

The NRL and State Leagues couldn`t be doing any more to promote it on their own media. I don`t know how much coverage it`s getting on mainstream media.

I`m afraid I haven`t heard anything positive this week about ticket sales, which normally we would if they`d been strong. Hope that doesn`t bode ill.

If it has been a hard sell, what it reflects, apart from the general absence of an attendance culture in Australian RL, is how much of a start Soccer and Aussie Rules have on RL in terms of the respective women`s games resonating with the fanbase. This was allowed to happen for too long, now they`re playing catch-up.

24 minutes ago, The Rocket said:

I reckon it could easily hit the 800 000 mark this year, bring on a two match home and away series.

There`s been talk of a 3 match series, but that might a step too far. I`m with you - two games, where a team has to win both to take the trophy from the holder, will be more realistic for the foreseeable future.

[The Rocket]

2 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

. I don`t know how much coverage it`s getting on mainstream media.

Look it has been making the news bulletins and the SMH has run a few articles that catch the eye with good photos accompanying the story.

Absolutely zilch in the OZ, very annoying, maybe tomorrow. The ABC will run a few stories because of the women`s angle.

Still at that time it`s got a good chance.

Personally I reckon they should play the next one at Bankwest, I could easily see them getting 20 000+, especially if they can give it a bit of space. If they can breakthrough with one big event it could gain a bit of momentum from there, I`m talking with regards to crowds here.

Our local League introduced full season of girls u12`s this year with an eight week season of 14`s & 16`s corresponding with the last eight weeks of the other junior comps.

The u12`s was an interesting one, the same girls fielded an all girl team in last years boys u11`s, they wanted to play again this year, but some of the boys are starting to shoot up, so the Group got together and organised 5 other teams. Fantastic.

[Pulga]

3 hours ago, The Rocket said:

Look it has been making the news bulletins and the SMH has run a few articles that catch the eye with good photos accompanying the story.

Absolutely zilch in the OZ, very annoying, maybe tomorrow. The ABC will run a few stories because of the women`s angle.

Still at that time it`s got a good chance.

Personally I reckon they should play the next one at Bankwest, I could easily see them getting 20 000+, especially if they can give it a bit of space. If they can breakthrough with one big event it could gain a bit of momentum from there, I`m talking with regards to crowds here.

Our local League introduced full season of girls u12`s this year with an eight week season of 14`s & 16`s corresponding with the last eight weeks of the other junior comps.

The u12`s was an interesting one, the same girls fielded an all girl team in last years boys u11`s, they wanted to play again this year, but some of the boys are starting to shoot up, so the Group got together and organised 5 other teams. Fantastic.

Man, that's fantastic. That needs to be a story on its own!

[unapologetic pedant]

4 hours ago, Pulga said:

Man, that's fantastic. That needs to be a story on its own!

Man! I feel like a woman!

[unapologetic pedant]

8 hours ago, The Rocket said:

Personally I reckon they should play the next one at Bankwest, I could easily see them getting 20 000+, especially if they can give it a bit of space. If they can breakthrough with one big event it could gain a bit of momentum from there, I`m talking with regards to crowds here.

The Matildas got 20k for a game at Bankwest a couple of years back. I honestly can`t see any standalone women`s RL game getting anywhere near that at the moment.

The reasons are not what the NRL are currently doing, rather what they weren`t doing 10 years ago, 15 years ago, etc. And the women`s Soccer popularity illustrates the stronger appeal of international fixtures as special events.

As the number of girls who have played junior RL (Tackle and Tag) grows and they start asking their parents to take them to games the crowds for women`s RL will rise. But I think it will happen gradually. For the time being, consistently high TV ratings are a more realistic and sustainable objective.

8 hours ago, The Rocket said:

The u12`s was an interesting one, the same girls fielded an all girl team in last years boys u11`s, they wanted to play again this year, but some of the boys are starting to shoot up, so the Group got together and organised 5 other teams. Fantastic.

The all-girls Berkeley Vale Panthers 11s team made the Prelim Final on the Central Coast last year, where they lost to their own club`s boys team.

If the numbers continue to increase, there may be more girls preferring to play in all-girls teams or all-girls competitions below 12s. It will be an individual choice. Some will want to continue for as long as possible in the same mixed team they`ve been playing in since under-6s.

[unapologetic pedant]

Quick thought on the under-19s game today which the Blues won 16-12.

The winning try was a long-range play off a scrum. Leaving aside it was a typically deranged Aussie ref phantom lost ball call that lead to the scrum, I wonder if it will dawn on anyone down under that these sort of spectacular scrum plays are far less likely now that PVL has decided he`d rather the game restart with a slow-motion handover and one-out hit-up after the ball has crossed the touchline?

This is a terrible rule change. Yet nobody in the RL media seems interested.

[Farmduck]

 

[Dunbar]

Really enjoying this game despite the conditions.  In fact, maybe because of the conditions as it is tough attritional game... old fashioned State of Origin, not like that game of touch football in the Men's game 1! 

[unapologetic pedant]

2 hours ago, Dunbar said:

Really enjoying this game despite the conditions.  In fact, maybe because of the conditions as it is tough attritional game... old fashioned State of Origin, not like that game of touch football in the Men's game 1! 

You must have been partying like it was 1991.

[Dave T]

Yep, enjoyed it this morning. Very tough game. 

[unapologetic pedant]

On 22/06/2021 at 11:21, The Rocket said:

Pulled 750 000 viewers last year and could easily beat that this year as a stand alone game on a Friday night shown around the country.

A word about this year`s TV ratings.

That 750k figure will be something like "Reach" or "Peak", never sure how they relate.

The average figures last year were FTA metro 302k (Sydney 145k, Brisbane 157k, no figures for the other three cities), and Fox League 55k.

The average figures this year were FTA metro 288k (Sydney 144k, Brisbane 119k, Melbourne 11k, Adelaide 8k, Perth 6k), and Fox League 151k.

The Regionals this year were 179k. From recollection they were about the same last year. The other three FTA figures will also have been roughly the same last year, just standard for Friday night NRL in those cities.

So the two significant changes are a FTA drop in Brisbane, more than compensated for by a big increase on Fox.

What does all this reveal? Frankly I don`t know for sure. The game was played in November last year, it was a tighter contest this year (maybe resonating better with the Fox audience?), and there`s been a general drop in Brisbane NRL FTA ratings this year because of the Broncos` woes.

[The Rocket]

 

2 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

A word about this year`s TV ratings

I found this from an article on 2018 Rugby League TV ratings:

"The Women’s State of Origin reached almost 700,000 fans through Channel Nine alone"

The 2019 figures according to TVTonight showed 353 000 metro in Sydney(211k) and Brisbane(141), if we assume regional to be approximately 2/3`s of metro you can add another 200 000+. There was 152 000 on Foxtel that year as well.   Friday 21 June 2019 | TV Tonight

I have to say I was disappointed with last nights figures. Your observations about the Broncos woes and its` effect on FTA ratings in that city may well hold water. 

Having said that, to pull around 620 000 viewers nationwide, not counting the increasingly popular viewing method of streaming, is no slouch.

I believe the game was a sell-out at the ground, though obviously not everyone turned up to claim their seats, undoubtedly due to the bad weather, I know a few hundred weren`t allowed to travel from NSW.

I wonder whether the sight of those packed houses at North Sydney Oval encouraged viewers to stick around in those initial years. 

I was reading an article today where the journalist was saying that such is the configuration of BankWest that even a crowd of 15-16 000 can generate a very good atmosphere and not give the appearance of being half empty. Worth a try ?

 

 

 

 

[unapologetic pedant]

On 26/06/2021 at 14:15, The Rocket said:

Having said that, to pull around 620 000 viewers nationwide, not counting the increasingly popular viewing method of streaming, is no slouch.

A related point about men`s SOO.

The Sydney rating for game 1 was 861k. The rating for game 2 was 972k. There were falls from game 1 to game 2 in Brisbane and Melbourne as there usually are across the board, even more so since Game 2 moved to Sunday.

Even allowing for Sydney schadenfreude at the Cane toads` expense, the big jump must be related to the lockdown, and underlines a point made on Aus RL forums about the number of people watching Origin in pubs and clubs who don`t get counted. Plus now, the streaming factor, where people who would have been out and about streaming the game on their phones were last night confined to home.

On the women`s Origin game, there will have been a novelty factor the first couple of years. The great thing is the rating hasn`t kept falling, indeed it`s gone substantially back up this year, so it`s reasonable to assume that it`s plateaued at 600k +.

As you say, that figure plus streaming forms a strong pitch to sponsors and advertisers. It`s significantly higher than the AFLW GF, and more than double the men`s Aus Super Rugger final.

[Futtocks]

7 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

more than double the men`s Aus Super Rugger final

[langpark]

I can definitely see this becoming a 3-match series.  To maximise interest and crowds, I'd be playing each one on the Wednesday before (or Wednesday after) the men's matches.  That way, it is still in the midst of the two-month or some "origin fever" period, yet still has enough breathing space in order for it to be its own event and not have to share any spotlight.  Also, mid-week should provide good ratings too.

[DoubleD]

Why do they only play 70 minutes? I find it bizarre. It will be 80 minutes in the World Cup won’t it?

[The Rocket]

1 hour ago, langpark said:

I can definitely see this becoming a 3-match series.  To maximise interest and crowds, I'd be playing each one on the Wednesday before (or Wednesday after) the men's matches.  That way, it is still in the midst of the two-month or some "origin fever" period, yet still has enough breathing space in order for it to be its own event and not have to share any spotlight.  Also, mid-week should provide good ratings too.

Men`s Origin I believe is going back permanently to a mid-week fixture. 

I don`t think the broadcaster is happy having only the one game covering the whole week-end, I know I wasn`t.

This of course brings up the old-chestnut of the Pacific Cup tournament filling the gap. Personally I feel if the Tier two best players are made to choose between SOO and the PC, they will most likely go with the former (that`s not to say they won`t choose the latter in the end of year internationals), so likely the only full-strength mid-season Test team would be the Kiwi`s, and that`s assuming they can bring any SL based players back. Who are they supposed to play against ?

And I doubt the broadcaster is going to be interested in NZ playing Samoa, Tonga or Fiji if they are missing key players, I`m not even considering PNG with all due respect, because I don`t think they are strong enough yet to provide viable opposition. And the other point is, it is very unlikely a match between NZ and any of these nations would rate in OZ anyway, therefore Ch9 most wouldn`t be interested in using these as schedule fillers anyway.

Look I`m not happy about it, but as long as there`s Origin, as long as the NRL earns 20% of its` revenue from Origin and as long as the best Tier Two players are eligible for Origin, and as long as we have a 25 week season, I can`t see any likelihood of Mid-season tests bulking up a stand-alone Origin week-end.

Sorry mate way off track, where does that leave the Women, I really like your idea of an `origin fever` period and the idea of space, but if the Mens are going to be only played on Wednesdays, maybe alternate Wednesdays for the women. A six week Origin bonanza.