What’s the point?

[Dunbar]

So, as I have said a few times, while I enjoy Super League games my most recent Rugby League passions have been watching the NRL and eagerly anticipating the World Cup when all the best players in the world will come together.

So, I guess the best description I could find for my current state of mind is a little lost and more than a little disillusioned.

I have decided to return to the roots and the community game and attend a Southern Conference or London & South East game each week.

[EssexRL]

Just now, Dunbar said:

I have decided to return to the roots and the community game and attend a Southern Conference or London & South East game each week.

I suspect this may be the route I take TBH although probably not as frequently as I watch games now. 

[Robin Evans]

I had a big mornge well over a decade ago when licencing was introduced.

I didn't go to SL games or internationals pretty much spending my money only in the Championship.

My stubbornness waned when p&R was reintroduced but I remain disengaged with how the game is managed. The Toronto saga was a classic example.

Fortunately, from my perspective at least, sky look to be pushing a p&r model. If any form of licencing were to return that would be me done with the game.

 

[gingerjon]

5 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

So, as I have said a few times, while I enjoy Super League games my most recent Rugby League passions have been watching the NRL and eagerly anticipating the World Cup when all the best players in the world will come together.

So, I guess the best description I could find for my current state of mind is a little lost and more than a little disillusioned.

I have decided to return to the roots and the community game and attend a Southern Conference or London & South East game each week.

It says a lot about how far the game has contracted that when I first moved to Hastings it was my own family commitments which meant I couldn't drive to the few teams that were within an hour or so's drive of my front door.

Now the reason I can't go and watch them is because they don't exist.

So with London returning to being a cargo cult, internationals vanishing, Super League being mostly uninteresting and the NRL beyond the Pale, I'm sort of stuck. I doubt I'll ever properly walk away but I don't now have any rugby league I want to watch.

[EssexRL]

7 minutes ago, Essex Eel said:

I've invested a lot of time and effort into the sport by coaching, running a club and being an avid fan but I'm slowly drifting away.  My other sporting passion is speedway and I can see real parallels between the two sports. Speedway is a working class sport, in the 70's and 80's had good crowds and was regularly on the TV and in the press.  The top riders were known to the general public and there were plenty of tracks and riders. Now tracks have shut, there is a lack of riders, self interest is placed before the greater good, one Country seems to dominate and there is an aging fanbase in the UK. Sadly Rugby League could be going the same way and those in senior positions need to realise this and halt the decline fast. Some uncomfortable discussions and decisions will need to be made, but for the sport to prosper and remain relevant it has to happen.

That's a good analogy. I used to watch Reading Racers in the late 70s/80s - really enjoyed evenings there but you're right the sport nose dived. Reading Racers (renamed Bulldogs) disappeared in the mid 00s. I can't remember when I last thought about speedway or heard anyone mention it. 

It's easy to drift away form things.

[Allora]

On a positive note it’s a shame the WC is not going ahead but it will give England chance to develop some Players 1-6 in the backs.

The current English squad would not beat many of the Pacific Island teams never mind Oz and the Kiwis.

[iffleyox]

19 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

I'm buying him a Wigan season ticket.

How much will Wire pay to keep him away? 

[Dr Tim Whatley]

1 minute ago, iffleyox said:

How much will Wire pay to keep him away? 

Already given Wire the kiss of death by backing them for the Grand Final 

[iffleyox]

7 minutes ago, Dr Tim Whatley said:

Already given Wire the kiss of death by backing them for the Grand Final 

this will not be their year.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

10 minutes ago, EssexRL said:

That's a good analogy. I used to watch Reading Racers in the late 70s/80s - really enjoyed evenings there but you're right the sport nose dived. Reading Racers (renamed Bulldogs) disappeared in the mid 00s. I can't remember when I last thought about speedway or heard anyone mention it. 

It's easy to drift away form things.

If I compare my two top sports it's completely the opposite of the Speedway analogy. As I've mentioned a number of times on here, I am just as passionate about snooker as I am (was) about RL but if I look at the amazing work being done in snooker in recent years it just brings my enthusiasm for RL down even more. 

Snooker has contracted a little because of covid but in recent years there has been more ranking events than ever before with a new event in Turkey announced for this year so actually expanding internationally when RL is cancelling international events. There are more pro players from more countries than ever before with players from about 20 or so countries with pro tour cards this season and players from about 60 countries taking part in world championship qualifying last year. Prize money has been higher than ever before with the World Champion receiving half a million quid last year and other tournaments rarely being below £100,000. Almost every ranking event is on free to air TV across BBC, ITV, freesports and Quest. The women's tour has more events in it now than it ever has had before. The game in general is far more competitive than in the past with players right down the Pro rankings as far down as even 80th or so often beating top 16 players. I could go on and on. 

And then I contrast that with RL... International tournaments being cancelled, games being postponed all over the place, media coverage waning, sponsorship money disappearing, players walking away from the game, not enough kids taking the game up, infrastructure aging, teams constantly disappearing, pro game constantly contracting with opportunities for expansion being wasted... I'll stop listing problems with the game, we all know what they are. 

And so I look at the differences between my two sports and it really makes me think what a bad place RL is in at the moment. I'll stick around, of course I will because as others have said, one of the most appealing things about the game is the community of fans and the social aspect to the game but the actual game on the field just isn't appealing to me anymore. 

[Robin Evans]

4 minutes ago, Johnoco said:

But you were still attending games and putting money into RL coffers. We are looking at people walking away from the game here, not because they are having a strop but because they just can't work up sufficient enthusiasm to give a toss. Or at least, not do something else instead.

Sad.

It is.... but if licencing returned I think I'd walk away too.... but thats just my mornge.... 

The game is losing its appeal even to those who have spent a lifetime watching it.... for many reasons.

The game needs big change. Change I doubt it can afford.

[tiffers]

9 minutes ago, Johnoco said:

But you were still attending games and putting money into RL coffers. We are looking at people walking away from the game here, not because they are having a strop but because they just can't work up sufficient enthusiasm to give a toss. Or at least, not do something else instead.

Sad.

*Tongue in cheek*
It's like an ex you still have on social media.

Just cant help yourself from having a quick look every so often to see what's new/going on.

But you no longer have the energy to bother with them really. You certainly dont spend the cash like you used to on them. Nor do you have any inclination to bother to discuss it with your mates as you'll just be moaned at for going on about it again...

[Copa]

1 hour ago, Allora said:

All of the teams have to be in the same bubble.

Are you suggesting Canberra can support all of the NRL teams with accommodation and  facilities to keep the game going?

I can not see it myself.

Canberra could comfortably host the teams.

We have international standard training facilities at the AIS and elsewhere, lots of unused hotels (with gyms) and motels set up for tour groups (one just as you enter Canberra has over 400 beds and is designed specifically to host groups like sports teams … there are others too) to the capital and for dealing with the huge numbers that arrive for parliamentary sitting weeks.

If the NSW government also gave permission for seiffert oval to be used it’d be great.

[Tommygilf]

I share much of the emotions of posters on this thread. 

I used to be an uber fan of the sport. Buy anything and everything, encourage mates to come along, christ at Uni I put money into sponsoring a team in Jamaica. 

But now I just feel deflated. I like my team, but the management of the wider sport is a sham. It's either old blokes saying "give em pop n crisps and the kids'll come flooding back" or ridiculous stupidity and self interest stamping out any positive growth.

I'm honestly at the stage where if Leeds turned around tomorrow and said we're off to play another sport I wouldn't mind. The club is the only thing that keeps me invested anymore. There's nothing intrinsic about RL that is keeping me engaged. No internationals, no big ideas, no vision. Anything with those aspects is crushed immediately either by the sport being wilfully stupid or by self-interest. 

Half the sport wants to strangle any growth and is perennially negative towards anything like a lot of the north of England frankly. Any outside idea or investment is met with suspicion and contempt - and disingenuous reasons are put forward to mask that contempt.

The World Cup debacle has left me absolutely fuming with the Aussies and the NRL. Yet I also feel that is somewhat tempered by our attitude in England, where we treat the national sides of our near neighbours with all the contempt we are now accusing the Australians of having. I was hoping the World Cup could spark my interest and give me hope that the game has a future that isn't managed decline. Part of me thinks we deserve what we get sadly.

[SouthLondonRL]

I agree with many on here and maybe it is something to do with the fact I'm not based the heartlands, however the world cup was the final straw. Tickets to many of the games, persuaded friends from Belfast and London to attend world cup games and then its gone.

I have gone from an Harlequins RL season holder to a casual TV (5 games a year) watcher.  I used to take a minimum 10 friends to the London internationals of which we have had none for a few years. Now my money is going into cricket and I can see my only involvement being the odd game on TV.

I just feel deflated and would love a one 2 one with the RFL. I should be the target market and have not been targeted in years 

[Johnny Ringo]

It's easy to see where people are coming from with their sentiments and there is no doubt it Could be far far better ran that it has been. But the last 2 seasons, this and 2020, are extreme circumstances, COVID can seriously damage your health and much worse, the game is a full on contact and close quarter breath and spit, sweat and slaver sport, you could not get any more close physical contact with 34 players involved. So although it has been very frustrating, the players and their families health and welfare must be paramount. Missing games and weeks of fixtures is insignificant to the bigger health threat aspect. 

[redjonn]

2 hours ago, EssexRL said:

There are certainly positives - other fans being one, but at L1 level there aren't many of us and I can't pretend that Skolars may not have a league to play in next year. I love the sport and invest in it emotionally and financially but I can't bury my head in the sand and ignore all that's going on (wrong). I may feel different if I lived in Hull or Leeds but I live in east London.

Hope you get inspiration to keep the enthusiasm going...

[EssexRL]

40 minutes ago, Johnny Ringo said:

It's easy to see where people are coming from with their sentiments and there is no doubt it Could be far far better ran that it has been. But the last 2 seasons, this and 2020, are extreme circumstances, COVID can seriously damage your health and much worse, the game is a full on contact and close quarter breath and spit, sweat and slaver sport, you could not get any more close physical contact with 34 players involved. So although it has been very frustrating, the players and their families health and welfare must be paramount. Missing games and weeks of fixtures is insignificant to the bigger health threat aspect. 

That's totally reasonable but that's not the problem - in fact Covid has had little impact on the L1 season. The problem with L1 is (1) recent changes has made it too small and (2) I don't know whether it will exist next year. The changes in the last decade have been endless and have not been grounded in any sort of strategy or future proofing. And that's before you even get on to the rest of the domestic and international game. 

It is hard to be invested in a sport that is in decline and doesn't know what it is going to do about it.

(I'll stress again this is no reflection on Skolars who are well run, forward looking and well coached which is why I have 2 Sts, sponsored two players and the Man of The Match award this season).

[Damien]

58 minutes ago, Johnny Ringo said:

It's easy to see where people are coming from with their sentiments and there is no doubt it Could be far far better ran that it has been. But the last 2 seasons, this and 2020, are extreme circumstances, COVID can seriously damage your health and much worse, the game is a full on contact and close quarter breath and spit, sweat and slaver sport, you could not get any more close physical contact with 34 players involved. So although it has been very frustrating, the players and their families health and welfare must be paramount. Missing games and weeks of fixtures is insignificant to the bigger health threat aspect. 

I know for me, and probably others, Covid has absolutely nothing to do with it. I'm not saying you are doing this but it would be so Rugby League for those running the game to blame things on Covid and not listen to what fans are saying.

[SouthLondonRL]

54 minutes ago, Johnny Ringo said:

It's easy to see where people are coming from with their sentiments and there is no doubt it Could be far far better ran that it has been. But the last 2 seasons, this and 2020, are extreme circumstances, COVID can seriously damage your health and much worse, the game is a full on contact and close quarter breath and spit, sweat and slaver sport, you could not get any more close physical contact with 34 players involved. So although it has been very frustrating, the players and their families health and welfare must be paramount. Missing games and weeks of fixtures is insignificant to the bigger health threat aspect. 

I agree with a lot of what you have said regarding the current season, however the sports been in decline for a while and other sports such as Union, the Olympics, football, cricket etc have all been able to put on events.

For me its the NRL control of the game which is the problem and even the fact we have not seen a proper English international since 2019.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

I'm a bit worried about the sport and my club...... However then I see a couple of cracking games like the last two on SKY and remember why I love it so much 

I'll be going to the remaining Broncos games and the some SL games before the season is out

It's a great spectacle and all the nonsense around it at least keeps us busy on here 

[EssexRL]

4 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

I'm a bit worried about the sport and my club...... However then I see a couple of cracking games like the last two on SKY and remember why I love it so much 

I'll be going to the remaining Broncos games and the some SL games before the season is out

It's a great spectacle and all the nonsense around it at least keeps us busy on here 

That's what is so frustrating - it's a great sport on the field (mostly). Blimey it wouldn't have survived this long if it wasn't! 

PS. I admire your dedication to Broncos

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

2 minutes ago, EssexRL said:

 

PS. I admire your dedication to Broncos

Drinking helps 

[Big Picture]

7 hours ago, EssexRL said:

As any one who reads my posts know I love RL and always try to be positive about it; however the state of the sport, the poor way it’s run, the uncertainty around restructuring, and of course the cancellation of the WC (I really don’t think it’ll happen next year) is depressing and collectively is ebbing away my enthusiasm for the game. I have other things I could do with my time and money. For the first time in years I’ve missed Skolars home games this season. This is no reflection on the club who do a fantastic job under difficult circumstances but more my general feelings about the sport. 

How do other people feel? 

I know how you feel, I've loved the game since I discovered it (and its connection to the uniquely Canadian rugby football played when the Grey Cup was inaugurated over here) in the mid-1990s, it's the game I was looking for about 2 decades before that when I tried to find information about "rugby".  Back then the only place where any information could be found was in a library and what little there was was about RU which didn't sound like much to write home about, an impression later confirmed on the rare occasions when RU was shown on Canadian TV.

I've struggled to see much of anything in the modern game worthy of my interest since the Toronto debacle and the SL clubs' small time worry about them taking "no away fans" to their stadiums.  It brought the British game's limitations sharply into focus, so nothing about what's happened recently is really surprising to me.

Since COVID I've discovered just how much better RL was to watch in the years just before I discovered it than when I did find it, and the dull, predictable version played today is nowhere near as interesting.  This business with the World Cup and the Aussies essentially deciding on their own that it would be either postponed or cancelled is the latest indication of the northern hemisphere countries' dependence on them and the need for a way to change things.

Of course we all know deep down that no one in the game in the NH is capable of changing things, so unfortunately unless and until something new and bold comes on the RL scene, the tail (i.e. a smallish country in an out of the way part of the world) will keep wagging the dog (i.e. the rest of the world) in this sport.

[DoubleD]

3 hours ago, Allora said:

On a positive note it’s a shame the WC is not going ahead but it will give England chance to develop some Players 1-6 in the backs.

The current English squad would not beat many of the Pacific Island teams never mind Oz and the Kiwis.

You're probably right to an extent, although our first 17 would give most a game if fit..............there's a drop off in quality thereafter though