Will 2024 be the best NRL season ever?

[Sports Prophet]

4 minutes ago, unapologetic pedant said:

I would guess the discrepancy is related to Magic Round.

The L.U. figure is likely the more reliable.

I would too and/or Magic. I won’t make any such assumptions to your latter, but to credit my source, it looks to be a factual site claiming figures for over a century. I still haven’t seen your link/source, but do welcome it.

[Damien]

Hopefully the NRL get a massive payday on the back of the last couple of seasons and the expansion of the comp:

 

[stookie]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

Hopefully the NRL get a massive payday on the back of the last couple of seasons and the expansion of the comp:

 

Hopefully the NRL also pay attention to other sports in Aus that chased short term money increases and had their visibility in the sporting consciousness fall of a cliff behind a niche paywall, and prioritise long term success instead.

ie the damage done to a-league soccer, 50 over cricket, all sorts of rugby union.

[Pulga]

On 19/07/2024 at 09:08, Anita Bath said:

Snow recorded at Stanthorpe and Goodiwindi this week.

I live in Stanthorpe and was in Goondi yesterday coaching. 

"Snow" is a bit generous. It doesn't reach the ground. 

[Thunder Road]

Leigh Leopards have bolstered their squad with the signing of young Englishman Bailey Hodgson. Rugby League Live can reveal that the 21-year-old has signed a deal with the Super League club after securing an immediate release from Manly Sea Eagles.

[JM2010]

How long did Lewis Murphy sign at the Roosters for? I wouldn't be surprised if Wakefield were trying to get him back for next season 

[The Rocket]

Strange things happening over here: Fumbleball deliberately rescheduling a game in Perth to clash with tonight`s NRL game in that city. Threatened, who knows, but very odd (and silly to boot).

Paul Cully writing in today`s Herald that the NRL should forget about the American market , it`s union territory, I mean why bother, threatened, who knows.

 

 

[Pulga]

How good is this! One of the feelgood stories of the year.

I see some associated with other sports on social media are calling it a "riot".

Everyone is just having fun. Great to see how the Lebanese community is so tied to the Bulldogs. 

 

 

[Sports Prophet]

On 02/08/2024 at 19:07, The Rocket said:

Strange things happening over here: Fumbleball deliberately rescheduling a game in Perth to clash with tonight`s NRL game in that city. Threatened, who knows, but very odd (and silly to boot).

Paul Cully writing in today`s Herald that the NRL should forget about the American market , it`s union territory, I mean why bother, threatened, who knows.

 

 

Was it rescheduled??? I don’t think it was rescheduled at all was it?

Even if it was, the AFL are not exactly going to let the NRL waltz their way into a secured market are they?

The good news is that despite the clash, the NRL fixture drew over 20k spectators which is a fabulous result for a 6pm Friday night kick off. There will be some novelty factor there, but I don’t think any other club apart from Brisbane (at a guess) which has got over 20k for a 6pm Fri night kick off, so a great result for the NRL.

Expect a Perth team to be announced in the coming months along with the new broadcast agreement.

[unapologetic pedant]

1 hour ago, Sports Prophet said:

The good news is that despite the clash, the NRL fixture drew over 20k spectators which is a fabulous result for a 6pm Friday night kick off. There will be some novelty factor there, but I don’t think any other club apart from Brisbane (at a guess) which has got over 20k for a 6pm Fri night kick off, so a great result for the NRL.

Expect a Perth team to be announced in the coming months along with the new broadcast agreement.

The attendance at HBF Park was announced as 20 027. Apparently chosen to represent the year the Perth bid hopes to join the NRL. Similar to last year when the Warriors rounded off some of their crowds to 95.

Whether the bona fide number is more or fewer, I don't believe such fiddling around should be permissible. Scepticism concerning the size of sports crowds is hardly allayed if official figures can be adjusted for symbolic reasons.

[Sports Prophet]

19 minutes ago, unapologetic pedant said:

The attendance at HBF Park was announced as 20 027. Apparently chosen to represent the year the Perth bid hopes to join the NRL. Similar to last year when the Warriors rounded off some of their crowds to 95.

Whether the bona fide number is more or fewer, I don't believe such fiddling around should be permissible. Scepticism concerning the size of sports crowds is hardly allayed if official figures can be adjusted for symbolic reasons.

I didn’t hear that. Pretty poor if it was the case.

[unapologetic pedant]

15 hours ago, Pulga said:

How good is this! One of the feelgood stories of the year.

I see some associated with other sports on social media are calling it a "riot".

Everyone is just having fun. Great to see how the Lebanese community is so tied to the Bulldogs. 

I recall seeing many similar scenes after the 2004 GF. This was at a time when NRL was still reeling from the SL war and ARU were claiming they would become the bigger code.

Reminded everyone that, despite all the setbacks, support for NRL clubs was embedded in Sydney communities. There is no way RU would ever command such a groundswell of street-level resonance.

[Copa]

6 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

I recall seeing many similar scenes after the 2004 GF. This was at a time when NRL was still reeling from the SL war and ARU were claiming they would become the bigger code.

Reminded everyone that, despite all the setbacks, support for NRL clubs was embedded in Sydney communities. There is no way RU would ever command such a groundswell of street-level resonance.

Some also assaulted and abused one of Canberra’s most high profile supporters who attends almost every Canberra game, regardless of location, with his drum and Viking costume. A small segment of footage was posted online but he said it was far worse than what that short piece of footage showed.

Edited August 5, 2024 by Copa

[The Rocket]

9 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

Whether the bona fide number is more or fewer, I don't believe such fiddling around should be permissible. Scepticism concerning the size of sports crowds is hardly allayed if official figures can be adjusted for symbolic reasons.

 

9 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

I didn’t hear that. Pretty poor if it was the case.

Apparently the number of tickets sold was slightly more but that number was announced for the reasons mentioned above by Pedant.

 

[unapologetic pedant]

4 hours ago, Copa said:

Some also assaulted and abused one of Canberra’s most high profile supporters who attends almost every Canberra game, regardless of location, with his drum and Viking costume. A small segment of footage was posted online but he said it was far worse than what that short piece of footage showed.

I've seen other footage with Raiders fans cheerfully part of the mix. They tend to stick out. 

A large gathering anywhere in the world contains a minority of miscreants. Sadly inevitable.

Without segregation there would be pandemonium at most Soccer games over here.

[Sports Prophet]

17 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

I recall seeing many similar scenes after the 2004 GF. This was at a time when NRL was still reeling from the SL war and ARU were claiming they would become the bigger code.

Reminded everyone that, despite all the setbacks, support for NRL clubs was embedded in Sydney communities. There is no way RU would ever command such a groundswell of street-level resonance.

RU is far too high brow for such street revelry. 

[stookie]

1 hour ago, Sports Prophet said:

RU is far too high brow for such street revelry. 

Also far too detached from any amount of passion.

[The Rocket]

1 hour ago, stookie said:

Also far too detached from any amount of passion.

They can be passionate in their own big-headed deluded manner. I remember when the talk was that union was going to overtake League in this country and the League radio calls where being forced to cover Wallabies test matches, poor Leagiue Daryl Brohman was forced to be the sideline eye at a Wallabies Test match, parts of the crowd were screaming at him "we`re coming to get you", oh dear, it`s been a tough twenty years for the union crowd.

[stookie]

1 hour ago, The Rocket said:

They can be passionate in their own big-headed deluded manner. I remember when the talk was that union was going to overtake League in this country and the League radio calls where being forced to cover Wallabies test matches, poor Leagiue Daryl Brohman was forced to be the sideline eye at a Wallabies Test match, parts of the crowd were screaming at him "we`re coming to get you", oh dear, it`s been a tough twenty years for the union crowd.

How odd...

I haven't actually been part of a union crowd, but I've heard from multiple people that it feels like more of a networking event, or a booze up at the pub with a game on the tele in the corner you pay a bit of attention to. There never seems to be any angst or anger at a loss. Obviously this is for an Aus crowd, not NZ or SA etc.

[stookie]

Anyway, back on topic @The Rocket, are your fellow fans boarding up the windows and putting the cars into storage for Saturday night?? I love that the doggies are FINALLY winning again, but that seems to have reactivated the moron fringe in the fan base as a result.

[EggFace]

2 hours ago, stookie said:

Anyway, back on topic @The Rocket, are your fellow fans boarding up the windows and putting the cars into storage for Saturday night?? I love that the doggies are FINALLY winning again, but that seems to have reactivated the moron fringe in the fan base as a result.

I went to Canterbury 20 odd years ago and couldn't wait to leave.

[Damien]

Great news:

 

[unapologetic pedant]

Swans v Magpies fumbles rated a paltry 41k on FTA in Sydney last Friday night.

Swans top of the ladder, ostensibly a huge game.

[The Rocket]

20 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

Swans v Magpies fumbles rated a paltry 41k on FTA in Sydney last Friday night.

Swans top of the ladder, ostensibly a huge game.

And that ain`t the half of it, Melbourne Storm the night before rated 88 thousand on FTA in Melbourne.

I just wonder whether the worst kept secret in Australian sport - the NRL will soon have a Western Australian franchise - is making people sit up and take notice of this soon-to-be truly Australasian behemoth.

[unapologetic pedant]

2 hours ago, The Rocket said:

And that ain`t the half of it, Melbourne Storm the night before rated 88 thousand on FTA in Melbourne.

I just wonder whether the worst kept secret in Australian sport - the NRL will soon have a Western Australian franchise - is making people sit up and take notice of this soon-to-be truly Australasian behemoth.

I couldn't work out whether the 88k was on the main or secondary channel. Usually makes a considerable difference.

Another, and far bigger, Storm game tomorrow night. No fumbles, like last Thursday. Unlike last Thursday, no Olympics and stadium won't be empty. Whole thing should come across better on TV. Melbourne FTA rating will be especially interesting.