Will 2024 be the best NRL season ever?

[eal]

Magic Round does seem to work well in Brisbane but Perth would be an interesting experiment. 

[jim_57]

11 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

I think what is great to see is that for NRL round 2, there really shouldn’t be any excuse for any team to host less than 15k fans except for Sharks and Dolphins.

Dolphins don’t have a good excuse either as far as I’m concerned. Round 2 V a high drawing team on a Sunday should never have been at Redcliffe. Locking out at least 15k isn’t the best move for a new club trying to build and maintain a Brisbane-wide fan base.

[Sports Prophet]

2 hours ago, eal said:

Magic Round does seem to work well in Brisbane but Perth would be an interesting experiment. 

I wouldn’t think it would do as well in Perth over the course of a full round as it would Eden Park.

[going for the corner]

1 hour ago, Sports Prophet said:

I wouldn’t think it would do as well in Perth over the course of a full round as it would Eden Park.double headers draw well.

[going for the corner]

1 hour ago, Sports Prophet said:

I wouldn’t think it would do as well in Perth over the course of a full round as it would Eden Park.

Past double headers in Perth have drawn well.

[Anita Bath]

12 hours ago, going for the corner said:

Suncorp stadium seriously needs an upgrade to at least a 60k capacity.

 

There is a local bye law restriction limiting the number of high profile events (as defined by 30,000 plus attendance) that can be held at suncorp. Local authority currently surveying the neighbourhoods around suncorp re support for increasing the number of events and increasing the attendance threshold that defines such an event to 40k. All arose when they were already at their limit so couldnt host taylor swift. I forget who she plays for.

[going for the corner]

5 hours ago, eal said:

Magic Round does seem to work well in Brisbane but Perth would be an interesting experiment. 

Past Double headers have been a success and when you throw in the possibility of a Perth based NRL franchise taking part into the mix this would surely bump up the crowd figures even more with local added interest.

Edited March 12 by going for the corner

[going for the corner]

Plus Perth has a large kiwi and British expat community as well as large numbers of NSW and queenslanders.

[Sports Prophet]

4 hours ago, going for the corner said:

Past double headers in Perth have drawn well.

Agreed, but that’s very different to a triple dayer

[Dunbar]

7 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

Agreed, but that’s very different to a triple dayer

About 33%.

[eal]

The Spencer Leniu 8-week ban is an interesting situation. He clearly didn't mean to be racist and had no idea of the history behind the word he used and aboriginals. Also interesting that the NRL hasn't punished any of the players who offered their own opinions on the judicial process, despite that typically being a punishable offence.

[going for the corner]

19 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

Agreed, but that’s very different to a triple dayer

Grounds for experimenting though surely.

no double headers this year in Perth though sadly.

[jim_57]

1 hour ago, going for the corner said:

Grounds for experimenting though surely.

no double headers this year in Perth though sadly.

I think it’d be good if each of the 5 major capitals in Australia plus Auckland had an ‘event’ each year.

Sydney has the Grand Final, Brisbane has Magic plus both get an Origin each. That leaves Auckland, Melbourne, Perth & Adelaide, one of the latter 3 will get the neutral Origin and Auckland should join the hosting cycle soon. The 3 of those that aren’t hosting Origin that year should get double headers at the big stadiums (Marvel/Optus/Adelaide Oval/Eden Park).

Edited March 13 by jim_57

[Anita Bath]

7 hours ago, eal said:

The Spencer Leniu 8-week ban is an interesting situation. He clearly didn't mean to be racist and had no idea of the history behind the word he used and aboriginals. Also interesting that the NRL hasn't punished any of the players who offered their own opinions on the judicial process, despite that typically being a punishable offence.

No idea about the history of the word…..as Mandy Rice-davis said “he would say that wouldnt he’.  Funny how he didnt call any of the other broncos players a monkey, just the aboriginal.

[Sports Prophet]

5 hours ago, going for the corner said:

Grounds for experimenting though surely.

no double headers this year in Perth though sadly.

What about split Magic round. Perth double headers on Friday and Saturday and Auckland double headers on Saturday and Sunday.

[Pulga]

On 11/03/2024 at 01:03, unapologetic pedant said:

Swans and Lions are higher than average. Suns and Giants are far higher than average.

In any case, a claim that the first two are normal backs up my argument that now is no time for complacency.

AFL is VERY strange all round. Toss up whether it's stranger on or off the field. Nonetheless, the volume of crowd support in RL States must indicate something.

Posters on Aussie RL forums tenaciously insist that AFL is completely invisible in NSW and QLD. All the Swans and Lions fans must live underground.

As a Qlder who has travelled from bottom to top it surprised me just how insignificant AFL is in Qld. While I live basically on the southern border I was told AFL was making huge inroads into Qld which I assumed must be happening further north. I went on a 5000km drive a few years back and that couldn't be further from the truth. It is completely invisible while there were signs of rugby league everywhere.

[unapologetic pedant]

1 hour ago, Pulga said:

 While I live basically on the southern border I was told AFL was making huge inroads into Qld which I assumed must be happening further north. I went on a 5000km drive a few years back and that couldn't be further from the truth. It is completely invisible while there were signs of rugby league everywhere.

I've heard Cairns is the QLD regional centre where historically AFL has had a presence. If that's true, why? Intuitively, one would expect all parts between Townsville and PNG to be dyed-in-the-wool RL.

 

1 hour ago, Pulga said:

As a Qlder who has travelled from bottom to top it surprised me just how insignificant AFL is in Qld. 

In my view, NRL expansion strategy should prioritize mounting a stronger challenge in "rusted-on AFL States". As the most effective means of balancing any AFL joy in NSW/QLD. Storm are intrinsically solid, but their operation alone doesn't cut the mustard when juxtaposed with Swans/Lions/Giants/Suns. 

Wider popularity in NZ and PNG won't really help the metrics for Oz media deals and sponsorships. The "National" RL can't afford to be an overall distant second in the nation of Australia.

[stookie]

16 minutes ago, unapologetic pedant said:

I've heard Cairns is the QLD regional centre where historically AFL has had a presence. If that's true, why? Intuitively, one would expect all parts between Townsville and PNG to be dyed-in-the-wool RL.

 

In my view, NRL expansion strategy should prioritize mounting a stronger challenge in "rusted-on AFL States". As the most effective means of balancing any AFL joy in NSW/QLD. Storm are intrinsically solid, but their operation alone doesn't cut the mustard when juxtaposed with Swans/Lions/Giants/Suns. 

Wider popularity in NZ and PNG won't really help the metrics for Oz media deals and sponsorships. The "National" RL can't afford to be an overall distant second in the nation of Australia.

Wider popularity in NZ will certainly help with NZ metrics though, such as extra broadcast revenue etc.

This says currently $32M per year, no small amount: https://www.footyindustry.com/2021/12/21/nrl-announces-2bn-in-rights-agreements-2023-2027/

 

In my opinion, more importantly with RU struggling in Aus, furthering RL & the NRL in NZ could also negatively impact RU there, and as a result all through the Pacific region.

Up to now I've been all-in on getting the next team in Perth, but I'm now reconsidering and thinking the opportunity in NZ may be too amazing to miss. There's a lot of anecdotal stories that RU is off the boil in NZ, and the public's imagination captured by the mighty Wahs.

[gingerjon]

1 hour ago, unapologetic pedant said:

I've heard Cairns is the QLD regional centre where historically AFL has had a presence. If that's true, why? Intuitively, one would expect all parts between Townsville and PNG to be dyed-in-the-wool RL.

This has made me look up AFL Cairns and, because I believe in spreading the joy, would urge anyone who loves a bit of small-time sport gone mental to have a look at the "2004 AFL Cairns Grand Final Brawl" which resulted in 22 players being banned for 400 matches.

[going for the corner]

6 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

What about split Magic round. Perth double headers on Friday and Saturday and Auckland double headers on Saturday and Sunday.

Not a fan of splitting them up to be honest.

I like the idea of the full NRL bandwagon being in town.

[unapologetic pedant]

48 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

This has made me look up AFL Cairns and, because I believe in spreading the joy, would urge anyone who loves a bit of small-time sport gone mental to have a look at the "2004 AFL Cairns Grand Final Brawl" which resulted in 22 players being banned for 400 matches.

Further fun and frolics the other side of the Torres Strait last year -

"Violence disrupts Port Moresby AFL grand final"

Game abandoned after the second quarter. Matters came to a head early in the third. Stupendous biffo, on and off the pitch. Not uncommon, by all accounts. More details -

"Armed with sticks, plastic water bottles and other objects in hand, ran right to the centre of the clash, putting everything into chaos"

"Police officers had to open fire into the air multiple times just to disperse the people"

[unapologetic pedant]

2 hours ago, stookie said:

Wider popularity in NZ will certainly help with NZ metrics though, such as extra broadcast revenue etc.

Of course. But do you really think if NRL starts falling further behind AFL in Oz revenue and prestige that growing popularity in NZ would make up for it?

 

2 hours ago, stookie said:

In my opinion, more importantly with RU struggling in Aus, furthering RL & the NRL in NZ could also negatively impact RU there, and as a result all through the Pacific region.

NZRU still have a stranglehold on the schools. There's always another day for Union.

 

2 hours ago, stookie said:

There's a lot of anecdotal stories that RU is off the boil in NZ, and the public's imagination captured by the mighty Wahs.

Warriors have long been my favourite NRL team. Precedence indicates a rotten 2024 on-field season. Lost at home in Round 1. Storm in Melbourne this weekend. A possibly resurgent Raiders in Christchurch the following week. Could be 0-3. Dreams of a wooden spoon. Goes without saying, fervently hope all this is wrong.

I'll believe the hype if the NZ public's imagination remains captured irrespective of form.

[Copa]

21 hours ago, eal said:

The Spencer Leniu 8-week ban is an interesting situation. He clearly didn't mean to be racist and had no idea of the history behind the word he used and aboriginals. Also interesting that the NRL hasn't punished any of the players who offered their own opinions on the judicial process, despite that typically being a punishable offence.

An amusing thing to come out from the matter is that Leniu had never heard of one of the most high profile AFL players ever, Adam Goodes, who played in Sydney. Manly player, Haumole Olakau’atu, has also come out and said he’s also never heard of Adam Goodes.

 

[Sports Prophet]

1 hour ago, Copa said:

An amusing thing to come out from the matter is that Leniu had never heard of one of the most high profile AFL players ever, Adam Goodes, who played in Sydney. Manly player, Haumole Olakau’atu, has also come out and said he’s also never heard of Adam Goodes.

 

He’s never heard the idea that calling a black man a “monkey” is racist either, so I wouldn’t put too much thought into two men having no knowledge of an AFL player who retired at a time they were in their early teens living sheltered in the lower demographic, RL stronghold of the outer west.

[George Watt]

On 12/03/2024 at 10:21, eal said:

Magic Round does seem to work well in Brisbane but Perth would be an interesting experiment. 

No chance of it being taken from Brisbane for the foreseeable future. Too popular with players,coaches and spectators. Was there myself last year but will miss this year.