AFL overtaking NRL in QLD

[Sector 7G]

[/QUOTE]
Not sure this is true. Media is hugely influential and they have a vested interest in RL. One problem for RL is that newspapers are a dying medium and it is possible to get news on AFL from different sources if you want it now.

I am of the opinion that who cares what other people like. I don't understand how Collingwood supporters can support Collingwood but I am fine with them doing so, just like I am fine with people supporting any sport. As long as it makes them happy then more power to them.

The only exception to that are sports were animals get injured, as I would love for utensil fighting, horse racing and greyhound racing to die very quickly as those sports don't deserve to exist.

100% and the more things you like watching the better. It is not something people should be proud of that they don't like soccer or RL. I wish I could like premier league as much as I like AFL, then I would have a sport to be glued to over summer

 

[MSB ROYS]

If the public wants it the media will give it, that is how they make money. It would make zero sense from a business perspective to talk up AFL when the people want to hear about league. If arguable the greatest single team ever to grace a footy oval 01-03 Lions could barely increase the casual supporters, let alone the membership numbers then nothing will. There is around 45-50K combined members for X2 AFL clubs in QLD, and around 50-55K combined for Rugby league memberships X 3 clubs . Very similar memberships #s in total, however where the difference occurs, is the Monday morning conversations between fans. From my time living in QLD, nearly no one talked about AFL on Monday mornings but nearly everyone talked about league be in the Broncos and the Titans to Storm and Parramatta supporters ect.... The casual supporter (non membership) for league in QLD is HUGE where as the AFL casual supporter #s are tiny in comparison.

To a certain extent; however, I still maintain that it is not in the Courier Mail's interest to pump up AFL over NRL. If there were two competing papers, then we could actually find out what people wanted to read. Also, I don't think that anyone under the age of 50 would actually but print copies of the paper. I think that there is not the same passion amongst younger people for either ARL or NRL that there was say twenty years ago.
Perhaps it's where I worked (Griffith Uni for 5 years on 1990s and for 10 years at UQ later, after 10 years overseas - during the 3 Peat time), but no one talked about any sport at all at any breaks. If you wanted an AFL or NRL discussion then you needed to find a specific person to speak to! Very different to growing up in Victoria where every one has an opinion on AFL. I have been amazed meeting old friends from Melbourne who never liked football when at uni, who speak about it when we meet up.

 

[AFLQLD]

Not sure this is true. Media is hugely influential and they have a vested interest in RL. One problem for RL is that newspapers are a dying medium and it is possible to get news on AFL from different sources if you want it now.

100% and the more things you like watching the better. It is not something people should be proud of that they don't like soccer or RL. I wish I could like premier league as much as I like AFL, then I would have a sport to be glued to over summer
[/QUOTE]

Very true.

Newspapers are almost completely irrelevant to the lives of nearly everyone under 30 already. They just don’t register in any meaningful way as a news source - they are “old people” news. The pages and pages of Rugby League news in the Courier Mail each day are for the benefit of a rapidly aging market. There is a greater mass of people who simply bypass it and get their news tailored for them through social media, online and streaming.

The Courier Mail’s deep incestuous relationship with Rugby Lesgue and the Broncos in particular, is having close to zero effect on anyone born since the 90’s, regardless of which code they follow. Most of them literally would neither know or care that such a relationship even exists.

Newspapers, led of course by the Murdoch rags, have already descended to mediocrity Irrelevance isn’t too far behind.

The Code Wars are going to be fought out elsewhere.

 

[BuntonRules]

My daughter did Auskick in Brissie over 20 years ago. She is a chef in London, and has no sporting interest at all. But she knows Aussie rules, and has more than a passing interest in the Lions. Long term investment.

 

[BringBackTorps]

1."Expansion hopefuls Brisbane Jets deny they are broke ahead of NRL’s Monday bid submission deadline
June 6, 2021 - 9:11AM P. Bardel
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom



The Brisbane Jets have rubbished concerns about their financial viability as the prospective expansion teams prepare to table formal bids to the NRL...

Firehawks bid chief Shane Richardson says their submission is ready to go.

Firehawks bid chief Shane Richardson confirmed they have their submission ready to go and will service the western-corridor region being targetted [?] by AFL’s Brisbane Lions if they win the NRL’s 17th licence.
“We have a really good plan around participation and expansion of the game,” Richardson said [NRL's aim is for Brisbane 2 to halt the collapse in male contact RL nos.].
“I have great respect for the Jets bid, but if they don‘t get the licence, we have a plan to take on that western-corridor area and encompass everybody[but Firehawks Leagues Club is eastern- Easts Tiger RL club].
“The AFL is going out to a league area and I think it’s important rugby league grows the game in that region.
“Peter V’landys (ARLC chairman) is absolutely right, it’s time to attack the AFL in that area [!? Ipswich etc. Western Corridor is Regional &, generally, working class- AF not as strong there!].”

Jets co-chief Steve Johnson said both local and state governments were ready to tip in millions for infrastructure in the western-corridor as part of Brisbane’s 2032 Olympics bid. (Words in brackets, & emphases, mine)" ".


In late July 2020, the QRL stated that, in the Rugby League Brisbane Jnrs. comp., for male & female club players U6-U12 inclusive, there were about "5000 players, in 498 teams". (See my link below).
The figure of 5000 is extraordinarily low, & is shocking, in such a large RL heartland city. (And the 5000 includes c. 12% RL club Tag players, who are only playing non-contact Tag).
The RLBJ comp. covers all Greater Brisbane (pop. 2.1m), excluding the Ipswich region(pop. c.300k) & the Ipswich District RL comp.

The Ipswich District JRL, in the "western corridor", to the west of Brisbane, has predominantly regional characteristics, where RL is strong (& further west, Toowoomba/ Darling Downs is also a RL stronghold).
AF is not strong there, cf the rest of Greater Brisbane, so Richardson's above comments are surprising.







2.

There is around 45-50K combined members for X2 AFL clubs in QLD, and around 50-55K combined for Rugby league memberships X 3 clubs . Very similar memberships #s in total, however where the difference occurs, is the Monday morning conversations between fans. From my time[when?] living in QLD [where in Qld.?], nearly no one talked about AFL on Monday mornings but nearly everyone talked about league be in the Broncos and the Titans to Storm and Parramatta supporters ect....

GR AF, & the AFL, have been growing very strongly in SEQ since 2017- & GR male contact RL nos. have collapsed. See my comments, in the above paragraphs, on U6- U12 RLBJ jnr club nos. See my link below for the no. of contact RL teams in the RLBJ comp. for U14- U18, which are even worse for a RL heartland city.

No one on this Thread, however, denies that, in all of Qld., the NRL comp. is far more popular than the NRL comp.
It is the SEQ trends that are worrying the NRL- P. V'landys said on 30.4.21 "The AFL is invading Qld. ...it's brilliant management...we're ready for the fight".

Footy Developments in NSW and Queensland

Seems to me that RL has had a large influx of Pacific Islanders / Kiwis. All the big stars when I lived in Sydney were Australians/ Aboriginals. The diversity of player type has changed. Maybe this is good for the growth of the game not sure. AFL is/was the best footy code in OZ.

www.bigfooty.com

EDIT:

In 2020, in Greater Brisbane (not including Ipswich District comp.), there were only 59 GR adult male contact RL teams- an extremely low no.

AFL overtaking NRL in QLD

I have also been in Sydney for about 15 years and agree wholeheartedly with Off Tap It is a slow process. About 2 years ago the North Narrabeen Sports High School took down the Rugby goal posts and installed AFL posts, I nearly ran off the road when I saw first saw them. Another interesting...

www.bigfooty.com

 

[BringBackTorps]

1. SMH R. Masters 30.6.21

Masters said, re QRL Chairman B. Hatcher's concerns of another NRL team in Brisbane, that Hatcher

"...wants to protect Qld.'s 14 team State Cup, & not antagonise the Leagues Clubs that fund them- and he doesn't want the State Cup teams as a fully resourced Reserve grade competition to the NRL".
(Will hurting the Qld. State Cup produce a net negative impact on RL in Qld.?)

Masters further mentions the concerns that Qld. has about the declining quality of elite RL in Qld.

Why NRL expansion is a double-edged sword for rebuilding Queensland
After two successive defeats on Queensland soil, the autopsies of the Maroons’ combined 76-6 humiliation are taking place in the pubs and the board rooms.

www.smh.com.au

I don't understand some of the QRL's logic- Brisbane, c. 2.4m, RL heartland, deserve another team. And a local derby usually builds up keenly-contested, fabled, & much anticipated fierce rivalries.
With Brisbane2, more elite pathways should produce more elite Qld. players over the long term- although there is a dilution of talent initially when the NRL goes to 17 teams.
(If the precipitous fall in GR male contact RL nos. continues unabated, however, then even Brisbane2 may not be a saviour for elite & GR RL in Qld.).





2. The Guardian N. Tedeschi 28.6.21

Tedeschi states there is a "talent deficit" in Qld. RL players who are eligible to play for Qld., under SOO Eligibility Rules.
And this "talent deficit" is exacerbated by major structural & demographic factors that may cause Qld. SOO teams to be in a long term skill disadvantage to NSW teams.

Many of the best players in the NRL may not even be eligible to play SOO for Qld. or NSW- which might also diminish its appeal as the "best".

Maroons’ sharp slide into mediocrity is concerning – and not just for Queensland | Nick Tedeschi
Queensland’s inability to play above the sum of their parts could not have come at a worse time

www.theguardian.com




3.

Dogs till i die said:
Is the declining male participation rates in ĢR NRL in Queensland starting to bite in SOO? A very one sided SOO in 2021 must be worrying for the NRL as SOO is the financial golden goose for that code.

Its probably too early to tell and probably swings and roundabouts in performance cycles but they would be hoping for a move even match 3 this year and the 2022 series.

If Qld becomes uncompetitive in SOO for a prolonged period, it would be a disaster for the NRL. SOO is a huge ratings', financial, & cultural triumph for the NRL- it cannot afford it being downgraded on a permanent level.

 

[Roobs321]

I haven't really paid much attention this season. Raiders entering a terrible slump after their most promising period this century was just demoralising for someone who became a fan in the late 90s and missed the earlier success (not helped by Kilmarnock also getting relegated). Didn't watch a second of SoO this year. My only remaining interest is hoping that the Panthers can get a premiership for their 2020/21, would be absolutely gutted for them if they lost again given what they've shown during the pandemic era. Another season where I'll just turn up for the final fortnight.

 

[BringBackTorps]

P. V'landys here describes in June 2021 that, if the NRL doesn't outlaw head-high contact, it may face an existential threat.
He said "We want to make the game safe...I would be derelict in my duty if I did not take some action to eliminate that part of the game".

GR male contact RL is also likely to continue its long term significant decline in nos. if the NRL cannot "make the game safe".

There still appears, however, uncertainty as to how the NRL should treat incidental & accidental high contact/"flyswats" to the head. This video shows actual NRL incidents of high contact in recent weeks, & the inconsistent penalties/actions applied to these high contacts.





Many RL fans want RL to continue as a "tough, rugged sport", & oppose rule changes that they say unacceptably alter the "fabric of the sport"- they oppose accidental, incidental "unavoidable (?) flyswats" to the head being penalised. The NRL has unofficially decreased the head-high crackdown in recent weeks, following the Magic Round uproar against it.

Together with the increasing blowouts' problem/many uncompetitive teams/worrying ineptitude of elite RL in Qld., the NRL is facing many invidious challenges.
Are these challenges insurmountable, in the sense that the vast majority of RL fans will continue to support RL?

 

[BringBackTorps]

Foxsports Z. Rayson 5.7.21

Rayson said "What's behind the NRL's raft of blowouts...a host of their peers being overpaid, to an ARLC lacking accountability".

P. Kent 5.7.21, re reasons for the blowouts, said

"The problems are bigger than just the rules....some of the players that are playing in the NRL are not all NRL standard...So many players are on overs, that's why salary caps are out of whack, and that's why there's now no depth at clubs".

P. Rothfield, W. Bennett, & other NRL experts also offer their views for the reasons for the large no. of blowouts.

A ‘false’ salary cap, players ‘not NRL standard’, and ARLC woes: Behind the NRL’s ‘great imbalance’

A ‘false’ salary cap, players ‘not NRL standard’, and ARLC woes: Behind the NRL’s ‘great imbalance’

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[BringBackTorps]

SMH V. Rugari 17.4.21

V. Rugari is a long time soccer journalist & Sydney resident.
He has written in this article that the AFL & GR AF Is "booming" in Sydney, mainly in more middle class & affluent areas of NS, & around "the city".

Is Aussie rules booming at rugby’s expense?

The academies at the Swans and Giants are pumping out locally bred AFL stars. They’re also helping to foster a living, breathing footy culture in parts of Sydney that are traditionally rugby union heartlands.

www.theage.com.au

There is no relevance to the AF boom in Sydney having a direct impact of the growth of the AFL & GR AF in Qld.

This Sydney boom, however, has indirect implications for the growth of AF in Qld. It is very likely similar factors are also occuring in middle class & affluent areas of SEQ.
Those who prefer a full body contact sport are turning away from the more traditionally-accepted RU, &, to a lesser extent, RL. Many probably consider these sports too dangerous for their children.
Whilst AFL players have had similar experiences of poor off-field (& sometimes criminal) behaviour, they occur much less frequently, cf NRL players. And, of course, there are c. 720 listed players in AFL teams, cf c.560 in NRL teams.

The current MSM furore re c.12 St George players deliberately breaking (& then lying to investigators about this) the covid19 lockdown guidelines in Sydney has generated massively bad publicity for the NRL, in Qld. as well as NSW.

 

[BringBackTorps]

Brisbane has been officially awarded the 2032 Olympic Games.

IOC rubber-stamps Brisbane as host of 2032 Olympics and Paralympics

Brisbane has been awarded the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games after the International Olympic Committee rubber-stamped the Australian city as the ho...

www.insidethegames.biz

Here are some artist pictures of the new Gabba that will be created.

Over the next 11 years, Brisbane will be transformed into a new world city. Here's how it will look

The 2032 Olympics will catapult south-east Queensland onto the world stage, but what will the region need to meet the demands of the major sporting event?

www.abc.net.au

The Qld. govt. has already announced that, if it obtains these games, it will demolish the Gabba- & replace it with a new $1b, 50k, permanent oval stadium, on the same site (with the stadium footprint enlarged, by also claiming some of the adjacent land).

This will be a massive boost for the AFL (post 2032)- & for GR AF throughout Qld.

 

[madmug]

random question, how many people live in that central queensland area?

About 250k. An area of about 500ksqkm. Major industries of coal mining & cattle.

I think its a big hat RL region.

i have a cousin moved up with his CQ wife about 20 yrs ago. Lived in Emerald now in Rocky. Its bloody hot!

 

[Gigantor]

The Qld. govt. has already announced that, if it obtains these games, it will demolish the Gabba- & replace it with a new, $1b, permanent 50k oval stadium, on the same site (with the stadium footprint enlarged, by also claiming some of the adjacent land).

This will be a massive boost for the AFL- & for GR AF throughout Qld.

Geez, a lot of fans of other codes are not going to like that.
I can already hear the whinging about governments building stadiums for the AFL.

 

[madmug]

Geez, a lot of fans of other codes are not going to like that.
I can already hear the whinging about governments building stadiums for the AFL.

Its for cricket!

 

[The_Wookie]

Geez, a lot of fans of other codes are not going to like that.
I can already hear the whinging about governments building stadiums for the AFL.

Lions stadium at Ipswich bound to get some improvements for the pentathlon events too,

They cant really complain. Ballymore getting essentially rebuilt, Dolphin stadium will need work by 2032 and Suncorp will be nearly 30 years old - some parts even older - by then so thats going to need work.

 

[Aussie in exile]

With Rugby League losing most of his credit in Australia due to it's cowardly act of pulling out of the RLWC this could be the biggest boost ever for AF in Qld.
If Vladys had any integrity he would fall on his sword for this cowardly act, but he won't because he doesn't have any
I can't express enough how big an opportunity this is for the AFL. Manna from heaven.

 

[PhatBoy]

With Rugby League losing most of his credit in Australia due to it's cowardly act of pulling out of the RLWC this could be the biggest boost ever for AF in Qld.
If Vladys had any integrity he would fall on his sword for this cowardly act, but he won't because he doesn't have any
I can't express enough how big an opportunity this is for the AFL. Manna from heaven.

Settle down buddy. Cricket Australia aren’t sacking anyone for pulling out of a series in SA due to COVID. The icc aren’t spearing anyone for the T20 World Cup being shitcanned last year.

 

[Aussie in exile]

Settle down buddy. Cricket Australia aren’t sacking anyone for pulling out of a series in SA due to COVID. The icc aren’t spearing anyone for the T20 World Cup being shitcanned last year.

I was pointing out the opportunity for the AFL to use the cowardly act to make progress in Qld

 

[PhatBoy]

I was pointing out the opportunity for the AFL to use the cowardly act to make progress in Qld

Do you really think a tournament held during Australian cricket season in England would have been the difference between keeping and losing any possible young Queensland defectors to AFL?

 

[Aussie in exile]

Do you really think a tournament held during Australian cricket season in England would have been the difference between keeping and losing any possible young Queensland defectors to AFL?

You obviously haven't read my last post properly.
Again I'm saying that the cowardly act of the ARL in pulling out of the RLWC is a great opportunity for the AFL in Qld

 

[Gigantor]

Australians don't really care about international rugby league.

 

[madmug]

Australians don't really care about international rugby league.

I think most people support any team playing for Australia.

 

[Ice-Wolf]

Australians don't really care about international rugby league.

Nobody cares about international Rugby League. Rugby Union is the international version of the Rugby Codes.

The only interest that International Rugby League holds is the potential of beating New Zealand at a form of Rugby and we'd still prefer to see it in the other form of the game.

 

[Gigantor]

I think most people support any team playing for Australia.

Actually, most Australians don't give a damn about sport full stop.
The Kangaroos get a fraction of the ratings of an SOO game, even a dead rubber.

 

[madmug]

Actually, most Australians don't give a damn about sport full stop.
The Kangaroos get a fraction of the ratings of an SOO game, even a dead rubber.

Well you're right there, they don't.

Most people have other issues in their lives, sport is either incidental or irrelevant.

I was thinking more that 'sports orientated people' would support Australian teams, or at least wished them well & success.

Like the Roy Morgan tables of footy support.

Swans have over 1,000,000 who 'support' them, but only about 55,000 members.