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NRL have released their draw and finals schedule with all broadcasters on board.
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Any ground is going to be soulless when it’s empty, even a local Suburban ground. If you were talking 50k at MCG as opposed to 50k at AO or Optus, you would have a very good point. But empty Vs empty, then it’s kind of redundant argument don’t you think ?
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Can’t speak for history but have often thought there are parallels between the Swans and the Storm. Both play in a state where they aren’t the dominant code, both have players that mostly originate from other states, have both achieved a fair amount of success , they both have a very ‘casual’ fan base to go along with their rusted on fans of the team / sport ( many Melbourne people would ‘support’ the storm without really having a great idea about the sport or giving a @@@@ about NRL, similar with many swans ‘supporters’ in Sydney ) , they both seem to enjoy the anonymity of playing in a non rugby/ footy town etc. etc .Comment
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The NRL is now forging ahead whilst the AFL fiddles and panders to soft types that can't leave home.
Remember the ANZACS, they were away from home for years and multitudes died for our cause. If you want to take the big $ then make a little sacrifice and get the show on the road. NRL administration and players showing us how it's done, sad but true, I'm gutted.Comment
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Way way to many vested interests in this “competition”. From the MCC to McGuire media to catering contracts, to newspapers etc it always leads back to one city.
Whether anyone likes it or not it’s still an expanded VFL. Not a true national competition. And this entertainment will revolve around that city.
I’ve started to accept it for what it is and I must say I’m a lot more relaxed about it. I’ll watch it if it’s on this year and look at it as more entertainment than sport. I’ll watch my local side as this gives me true enjoyment of a sporting competition and I’ll watch the AFL as if I’d watch WWE, enjoyable, bit of a laugh & packaged well but there’s a good chance you know what will happen before it happens.Comment
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It is what it is.
I’ve spoken to pretty much all the local players where I live n they laugh at the thought of the AFL resuming.
Because it’s a choice of for a fair few months continue to sit inside and watch a soulless game or as things open up get out n about with mates. SA, WA, NT & ACT won’t be to far away from resuming local sport imo. A lot of the local players have commenced training already. The AFL have truly read this all wrong.
It’s focussed on the state of Victoria because they will be stuck inside for a while with their draconian restrictions. So of course they’ll watch. In Other states the AFL are in for a shock imo. Short term they’ll get a bump.
It is what it is because they only have one template and have never considered any other way, MCG contract is the perfect example, and my advice is continue to follow the AFL but get yourself a local side and you’ll have a very very happy medium.
I’ll continue to follow Sydney and enjoy it immensely but will have amazing weekends of watching my local side win, lose or draw. Talk to the players, watch them train, listen to the heartache of getting dropped, listen in at the breaks, watch the jubilation of the song getting sung in the change rooms, occasionally help out, chat to the coach, eat food at the ground at a decent price.
Like I’ve said my advice is follow both.Comment
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I think you see this manifested in the fortunes of the northern clubs. And probably the Lions is a good case study as they have been around for a while and gone through big periods of success and no-success. What happens is that when the local team is doing well, locals can overlook the VFL-centric view, as they get enough enjoyment with the wins.
But when the team is not winning, local support dries up because they see it as a VFL competition, uneven playing field, and no real consideration or connection to QLD (or NSW).
You only have to watch a bit of NFL on TV to see a comp which is truely national. I wouldnt even like to guess where the NFL admin is based.
AFL will always be a fringe sport in NSW and QLD, and the teams in those states drifting in and out of life support until its a truely national competition.Comment
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IMO it will never in my life be a true national competition. Like I’ve said to many vested interests in Melbourne.
Sadly for Victorians Covid-19 will hit that states economy very hard as it relies a lot on international tourism. So the knock on effect is the state government will hold onto what little events they have for grim death.
A man will arrive on mars before it ever becomes a true national competition.
Peter Gutwein pointed it out in his press conference and every journo in Melbourne avoided it like the plague ““If you are going to call it a national competition, then out of this set up a national competition”
Why? because they know it’s true.Comment
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