AFL overtaking NRL in QLD

[BringBackTorps]

1. Very recent comments from NRL CEO A. Abdo re the NRL's concerns with GR RL in regional & rural areas (Qld. & NSW).

Footy Developments in NSW and Queensland

NRL is no.1 code in part of country with over 50% of population. But in the other 50% of the nation it hardly exists whereas the AFL has penetrated the northern states way better and are growing their base year on year! If RL is such a great game how come they don't have another team in...

www.bigfooty.com

(Scroll down to my post#229 in the above link)


2.

AFL does exactly the same though

No.

The AFL official regd. figures have detailed, separate nos. for the various GR AF participants. Eg:-

. nos. of jnr Club players in club competitions
. nos. of players in school competitions
. nos. of snr GR Club players
. nos. of players in short term school & other programs
. other formats also

afl participation numbers 2019 - Google Search

(See Qld. 2018 breakdowns)







EDIT:
The AFL provides both:-

. a total annual figure of all "participants"

. a total annual figure for each of the various formats- jnr club, snr club, & school competition nos; Auskick; short term programs etc.

It is because the most crucial nos. are for contact RL jnr & snr Club, & regular school contact RL competition, player nos., it would be much more preferred, & more valuable, if the NRL made these nos. available each year for Qld. & NSW- but the NRL does not.

 

[PhatBoy]

1. Very recent comments from NRL CEO A. Abdo re the NRL's concerns with GR RL in regional & rural areas (Qld. & NSW).

Footy Developments in NSW and Queensland

NRL is no.1 code in part of country with over 50% of population. But in the other 50% of the nation it hardly exists whereas the AFL has penetrated the northern states way better and are growing their base year on year! If RL is such a great game how come they don't have another team in...

www.bigfooty.com

(Scroll down to my post#229 in the above link)


2.

No.

The AFL official regd. figures have detailed, separate nos. for the various GR AF participants. Eg:-

. nos. of players in club competitions
. nos. of players in school competitions
. nos. of snr GR Club players
. nos. of players in short term school & other programs
. other formats also

afl participation numbers 2019 - Google Search

Yes I understand that but don’t they roll them all into one when giving the annual ‘we had x amount of registered players this year’ spiel?

 

[kendrick]

Being a Richmond member all my life 39 years and moving up to QLD in 2018 , One big difference about NRL compared to AFL is that...no one in Brisbane seems to give a crap about any sport... There is zero passion , nothing like there is in Melb towards AFL.... In melb everyone at work talks footy... Tipping comps... Hanging crap on each other etc...

Worked at a few different places in Brisbane and never once been asked who I barrack for , never been at a work place that has an nrl tipping comp..

I see the crowds at their games on tv here when at Suncorp and it's laughable ...this is before covid..

So I don't really think it is about NRL vs AFL... I just don't think Qld people are that passionate about sport.. I lived in the same street as Suncorp stadium and when the Broncos play there is hardly any noise from the stadium.. the only time NRL has any passion is when state of origin is on..and even then it's really just people wanting their state to win...they are not even big rugby fans.

When I explain to people just what it's like going to the MCG and the noise and crowds are just miles ahead of NRL they seem shocked...and I've taken some pommie mates to games at the MCG who live on QLD and they always say ...wow this is like the premier league back home..

So I can't ever see AFL being a big sport in Qld as NRL is really just a mild interest to most in Brisbane and it's evident by then being the biggest team in the state and they rarely fill Suncorp and have no where near the members AFL clubs get...

 

[BringBackTorps]

Enjoy.

Dark Blue, Maroon & White

www.footyalmanac.com.au

 

[footy75]

We're talking about the effects of the six again rule on the competition, do keep up. Stephen Kearney directly blamed the six again rule for lopsided scores in Warriors games before he was sacked.

The six again rule is a joke. Refs call phantom six again sets whenever they feel like and there seems to be no accountability for it like a penalty count.

 

[darcytiger]

Being a Richmond member all my life 39 years and moving up to QLD in 2018 , One big difference about NRL compared to AFL is that...no one in Brisbane seems to give a crap about any sport... There is zero passion , nothing like there is in Melb towards AFL.... In melb everyone at work talks footy... Tipping comps... Hanging crap on each other etc...

Worked at a few different places in Brisbane and never once been asked who I barrack for , never been at a work place that has an nrl tipping comp..

I see the crowds at their games on tv here when at Suncorp and it's laughable ...this is before covid..

So I don't really think it is about NRL vs AFL... I just don't think Qld people are that passionate about sport.. I lived in the same street as Suncorp stadium and when the Broncos play there is hardly any noise from the stadium.. the only time NRL has any passion is when state of origin is on..and even then it's really just people wanting their state to win...they are not even big rugby fans.

When I explain to people just what it's like going to the MCG and the noise and crowds are just miles ahead of NRL they seem shocked...and I've taken some pommie mates to games at the MCG who live on QLD and they always say ...wow this is like the premier league back home..

So I can't ever see AFL being a big sport in Qld as NRL is really just a mild interest to most in Brisbane and it's evident by then being the biggest team in the state and they rarely fill Suncorp and have no where near the members AFL clubs get...

Completely agree. There’s not a culture of attending events either.
With my group of mates, it’s never “are you going to the game on the weekend?“. You can skip right past that and say “what time are we meeting at the pub?”
Our weekends are planned around the footy fixture.

It also helps with the culture of having memberships and a pretty much guaranteed chance of just buying a walk up ticket on the day for an MCG game. When my northern mates did attend a game it would be picked out and tickets booked weeks in advance.

 

[Breretonisahood]

Completely agree. There’s not a culture of attending events either.
With my group of mates, it’s never “are you going to the game on the weekend?“. You can skip right past that and say “what time are we meeting at the pub?”
Our weekends are planned around the footy fixture.

It also helps with the culture of having memberships and a pretty much guaranteed chance of just buying a walk up ticket on the day for an MCG game. When my northern mates did attend a game it would be picked out and tickets booked weeks in advance.

Agree with both these posts. I have often wondered why this is so. Many Qlders have no RL horizon earlier than SOO in 1980. There are no discussions about the modern game vs past eras like we do with AFL. It’s like the game just appeared about 40 years ago and Qlders just manage a passing interest except when SOO happens. AFL could supersede NRL in QLD but even if it did, there would never be the same level of interest as in Vic, SA, WA and Tassie. They’re just not that into footy.

 

[BringBackTorps]

Daily Mail M. Colman 29.5.20

The article states "Ruby League... is on track to lose the bitter war of the codes".

Colman said that, due to the NRL's severe financial problem (which are much worse than the AFL's; & V'landys said the NRL must make permanent HQ cuts of $50m pa, cf its pre-covid spending), the NRL may be forced to make major cuts to its 200 Development Officers.

Former Brisbane Bronco star S. Renouf, who has worked for 20 years in jnr RL development, said

"...if you lose those development Officers, you're in big trouble".

"...in regional areas of NSW & Qld., jnr rugby league is already struggling there".

Colman's & Renouf's full reasons for RL's plight are in this Daily Mail link below

Footy Developments in NSW and Queensland

NRL is no.1 code in part of country with over 50% of population. But in the other 50% of the nation it hardly exists whereas the AFL has penetrated the northern states way better and are growing their base year on year! If RL is such a great game how come they don't have another team in...

www.bigfooty.com

(scroll to my post#229)

 

[Freomaniac]

Nrls roots there are so deep... but unlike Collingwood... afls giant... the broncos are just no good and I don't see it getting better any time soon

To me it's not about taking over the NRL in Queensland, it's more about having a foothold or 2 or having a small fan base or following to build around

 

[SunshineBoy]

Is Cairns really the hotbead for Australia Football that I keep hearing?

Pretty strong

 

[Aknobymous]

I moved to the gold coast 1 year ago. Afl junior and auskick participation is huge. The only people who mention Nrl are sydney imports. I didn't even know origin was on during the week until i channel hopped onto it. They seem to only have a small curiosity in any sport. I felt there was a genuine small interest in afl due to there being so much on this year and us vic's, getting in anyones ear about the game. (This is my own personal experience not a representation of an entire state)

 

[Freomaniac]

I moved to the gold coast 1 year ago. Afl junior and auskick participation is huge. The only people who mention Nrl are sydney imports. I didn't even know origin was on during the week until i channel hopped onto it. They seem to only have a small curiosity in any sport. I felt there was a genuine small interest in afl due to there being so much on this year and us vic's, getting in anyones ear about the game. (This is my own personal experience not a representation of an entire state)

we also need for the QAFL to improve as well. Would be good if 3-4 players get recruited there each year. It might not be much but 30-40 players recruited from the QAFL would be massive in a certain way.

I don't expect the QAFL to be as good in quality as the SANFL, WAFL , VFL or the tac cup though

 

[Freomaniac]

In pockets, AFL is doing very well, mostly in SE QLD and Cairns. On the Sunshine Coast for example AFL is steadily gaining support due to a large interstate base to begin with.

The old media is becoming somewhat irrelevant as a tool because younger parents and their kids access it far less. Social media presence matters a lot. Much of the stigma around being an AFL player in urban areas has gone but it remains alive and well in smaller towns.

AFL simply needs to take the long view. It won’t take over from Rugby League but what was once just a foothold is now something more. The generation currently playing the game - it is their children who will grow up seeing AFL as their natural first choice sport.

Culturally Rugby League has more issues than AFL in keeping kids in the game past their mid teens. The difference in physical size of players is a problem that is hard to resolve and teams of 90kg sixteen year old islander boys are pretty discouraging for a 65kg kid to face. AFL still does have a role for all of those kids - the tall string beans, quick little guys, the slow but solid kids who are physically strong. In Rugby League many often get weeded out. For many kids who still want to play a team sport, AFL is a realistic option.

It is safe to say that AFL in Queensland has moved from a completely fringe sport into the edges of the mainstream but the continued development will happen over generations, not years.

solid post.....

This is also a similar reason the AFL is slowly getting some presence in NSW. Both Sydney Swans and GWS Giants making finals in recent years helped as well.

 

[GoGeta]

Ewwww Rugabeeee....

 

[Lip Gallagher]

We're talking about the effects of the six again rule on the competition, do keep up. Stephen Kearney directly blamed the six again rule for lopsided scores in Warriors games before he was sacked.

Can't they count to 7?

 

[Walshawk]

More AFL games there is the obvious next step.
Cairns and Townsville have acceptable stadiums.
Mackay has a very good AFLW venue.
Sunshine Coast is the one. The AFL need to get together with Cricket and government to get a 12k stadium happening.

 

[BringBackTorps]

Until 2017, Qld. had, remarkedly, more regd. female AF participants than Vic.!

This link (Part 1 of a very detailed & lengthy Series on the Qld. female AF boom) has a very detailed analysis of the strategies AFLQ used to achieve their regd. female growth, from 2004 (but is not the total explanation for Qld.'s incredible success, in a RL state, with a much smaller population than Vic).

From 2017 however, & the start of the AFLW, Vic. overtook Qld. to become no. 1 female state.
Qld., in 2019, is 2nd in Australia for regd. female participants- still a major achievement.

K. Fenwick & G. Bastiani said, re 2020

"School football remains a significant part of the pathway in Qld. with as many girls' sides competing as there are boys"!

B. Brock, AFLQ Female Dev. Manager, advised the AFLQ in 2013

"...I reckon we could get to no. 1 in the country participation-wise for women & girls...They started changing people's job descriptions...allocating KPI's around the participation of girls".

Women made this happen - The development of women's footy in QLD

The story of how women's footy in Queensland developed and great, as a 'non traditional' footy state is fascinating.

sirensport.com.au

(K. Fenwick & G. Bastiani)

 

[Kappa]

Whats with the AFL HQ trying to Hitler the heckin'g country and take over the entire continent? Just appreciate and look after the fans that actually want to watch AFL and stop with the obsession of trying to infiltrate NSW and QLD.

If the head honchos at afl house didn't try and grow the game they should be fired immediately.

 

[rank and file]

Good to see a packed stadium for the State of O

 

[BringBackTorps]

As many Qld-based Brisbane fans may not know the full history of their song, I have included this history here.
Many VFL/AFL MSM commentators have called the original Fitzroy song (more up tempo, & with a drum beat, cf Brisbane's) the most stirring of all the 18 Clubs' songs.

The person who chose the Marseillaise tune, wrote many/most of the lyrics in 1952, & was involved in the "up tempo" arrangement, was Bill Stephen- legendary Fitzroy player & coach.
Stephen & all the players were on a 3 day Club train trip to Perth- the train had a piano in the saloon. The song's lyrics etc. were written & sung over 3 days. Stephen said, whilst on the trip, "We must have sung it 4000 times".

Bill Stephen passed away recently.

RIP.

Footy Developments in NSW and Queensland

NRL is no.1 code in part of country with over 50% of population. But in the other 50% of the nation it hardly exists whereas the AFL has penetrated the northern states way better and are growing their base year on year! If RL is such a great game how come they don't have another team in...

www.bigfooty.com

(Scroll to my post #227 in the link)

 

[PhatBoy]

Can't they count to 7?

Maybe if they started getting a point for missing a field goal instead of nailing one, on top of the 6 for a converted try, they would start to get it.

 

[Freomaniac]

I'm sure to the extent it is, it is only marginally more than the Gold Coast with both based on substantial immigration from Vic, SA ant Tassie...just that there is 4 times as many people on the gold coast

Overall there is 3.6M in South east Queensland. This is why it makes sense long term to have two Clubs there....and would make no sense whatsover to have one another 2 and a half hours flight further north in a city of 150,000

3.6 million in South east Queensland and 5 million all up in Queensland.

Still..... its one of the main reasons why the AFL will fund both Lions and suns

 

[BringBackTorps]

Seven articles, with links, that state that (male contact) GR RL is experiencing a significant decline in nos. in the bush.
The 7 articles are from FoxSports, Daily Mercury, SBS, Daily Telegraph, Newcastle Herald, & Western Advocate etc.

The Daily Mercury article says the NRL is "embellishing" its Official regd. "participation" nos. by including "touch & women's football" (& tag).

P. Kent, & Penrith legend G. Alexander in 2020 (now a jnr coach in the Penrith District JRL), have also said several times the NRL is inflating its participant nos. by including touch, tag & one-off & community events ie to disguise the GR male contact RL significant decline.

Footy Developments in NSW and Queensland

NRL is no.1 code in part of country with over 50% of population. But in the other 50% of the nation it hardly exists whereas the AFL has penetrated the northern states way better and are growing their base year on year! If RL is such a great game how come they don't have another team in...

www.bigfooty.com

(Scroll down to my post# 241 in this link).

P. Gould, P. Rothfield, P. Kent, & other RL experts have written that "Rugby League is dying in the bush", or similar comments, for c. 7 years.

 

[BringBackTorps]

More evidence that P. V'landys is concerned re the long term, significant decline in GR male contact RL nos. V'landys wants to recruit P. Gould to work for the NRL HQ.

7news.com D. Walton 8.10.20

"V'landys is hoping to lure Gould for Special Projects, chiefly Pathways & Participation".


Sydney 2GB Radio B. Fordham 28.7.20

V'landys said, re P. Gould

"...if he...is (able) to increase participation, we should use him".


Daily Telegraph P. Kent

Kent said

"Bush football is slowly dying. There are strong AFL competitions where that didn't exist 20 years ago in many bush towns...".


Daily Telegraph P. Rothfield

Rothfield said

"Country Rugby League is in fact dying a slow death".


All 4 links & full quotes are in this link- scroll down to my post #243

Footy Developments in NSW and Queensland

NRL is no.1 code in part of country with over 50% of population. But in the other 50% of the nation it hardly exists whereas the AFL has penetrated the northern states way better and are growing their base year on year! If RL is such a great game how come they don't have another team in...

www.bigfooty.com

 

[PhatBoy]

It's a slight overreaction. In some spots maybe it is accurate. In Western NSW it isn't. In fact while I wouldn't say that new clubs are springing up out of nowhere, a lot of teams that were basically extinct have made a return.

Just in the three competitions closest to where I live (Group 10, Group 11, Mid-West) a number of sides have either expanded or returned. And the women's competitions have helped that a lot too.

Oberon - the St George of bush footy, won 11 comps in 12 years or something back in the 60s-70s. Didn't have a senior presence a decade ago. Have since returned to Group 10 with 3 grades plus a women's team, made a grand final. Currently playing the Mid-West Cup which is a slightly lower competition than Group 10.

Blayney Bears - Had guys like Kerry Hemsley and Paul Sironen and Jason Darcy (ex NRL players) in the 90s and went broke paying them. Disappeared for 9 years, have been back in senior Group 10 competition for the last 10 years with 3 senior teams plus women.

CSU - My old club. Used to have roughly 25 players playing 2 grades in the NSW Tertiary Rugby League against the other unis. Has switched to the local Mid West Competition and won it several times, depending on numbers year in year out (it's mostly students so the side changes a lot) they either enter two or one team in the Mid West competition, have two women's teams. Have started a loose affiliation with the newest junior club in the area, the Eglinton Eels who came into existence 10 years ago.

Portland - Play in the Mid West competition, were extinct for over a decade before returning 2 years ago

Villages United - a fourth Bathurst team that emerged 12 years ago. Still going, regular Mid West finalists.

Dubbo Westside - the third 'poor cousin' Dubbo club that existed through the 1980s and 90s, died in the late 90s. Re-formed five years ago and now have 3 men's teams and one women's in Group 11 competition.

Forbes Magpies - never died, but went the best part of 25 years without so much as making a grand final. Have recently won 2 Group 11 first grade premierships beating the powerhouse Dubbo CYMS team in both, and now absolutely flying.

A whole host of villages have put together teams in recent years in some of the minor competitions. Peak Hill, Molong, Trundle, Manildra, Grenfell, Eugowra, Cargo, Canowindra, Burrangong - they all have sides in the Woodbridge Cup and their biggest town is Molong at about 2000.
That's just a bare snapshot of the immediate region around where I live.

Yes it is not representative of the entirety of NSW and Queensland but even if you go further west to the absolute outback, Bourke, Brewarrina, Walgett, Collarenebri, Cobar, Lightning Ridge, places like that - they are still competing. Mungindi and Newtown (Walgett based club) have both only formed in the last 5 years.

Rumours of the death of bush footy have been fairly exaggerated.