If your theory was correct, then on those population figures, RL crowds should be huge and ratings through the roof. Instead, what you have proved is that despite having a much bigger " home" market, RL's popularity is surprisingly low.I feel the NRL and RL supporters have an inferiority complex when it comes to competing with AFL. We believe AFL is a bigger game and consequently we are always on the back foot. The media dont help us here either.
Here are some facts I posted on another thread
QLD/NSW Population - 11.4m
NZ Population - 4.3m
VIC/SA/WA/TAS - 9.7m
Think about it. RL has a MUCH LARGER interested audience than AFL does. Yes we have the Swans in Sydney and the Lions in Brisbane but apart from the core of regular supporters, no one else in QLD or NSW really cares.
Here's another fact - ALOT more people move from the southern (AFL) states to NSW and QLD than vice-versa. If you did a census of people at Swans or Lions games you'd find the majority of them are originally from the Southern States anyway. It just masks the reality that no one in NSW or QLD really cares about AFL. We dont watch it on TV, we dont read about it in the papers.....we dont care at all. That's over half the Australian population who dont care.
Yet you will hear the AFL and the media (who probably moved from down south to Sydney as well - hey Kochie) say they are a National Game. If they can be bothered to even talk about RL they a)Dont even know a thing about it, and b) think it's a tiny little game that no one really cares about.
But look at the population figures. RL IS THE BIGGEST GAME IN TOWN!!!!!