Sydney writer rips into AFL

[Scrumhalf]

He was right in so far that the AFL grand final was scrappy and the skill level wasn't very flash.

Most NRL games are akin to the worst of the football matches, the number of forward passes, knock-ons, sloppy tackles, etc... rugby is more prone to being a very ugly game to watch which is riddled with errors.

I haven't watched many rugby games this year, the few I saw were not of an exceptional quality, even by rugby standards.

He had one valid point and turned it into a garbage arguement that league is better than AFL.

Notice the growing trend of NRL appologists trying to convince people that NRL is better? AFL doesn't need to sink to that level because we have the runs on the board, it is better to walk the talk.

Put up or shutup. NRL is #2 until the numbers prove otherwise.

 

[b-t-gizzle]

geez that was so biased you'd almost think News Limited have some kind of stake in the NRL...

just wondering, any historians out there, did it stir up any kind of conflict of interest talk when News Ltd invested so much in the NRL? or is it basically just a "it's your newspapers / t.v stations u can show whatever you want" sort of scenario?

wouldn't it be scrutinized severly if say, Fairfax bought a stake in the AFL or an AFL club?

 

[ben9909]

Grow up, cockburger:
Rugby League. Your game is Rugby, as a league instead of a union, not "footy".

 

[grayham]

geez that was so biased you'd almost think News Limited have some kind of stake in the NRL...

just wondering, any historians out there, did it stir up any kind of conflict of interest talk when News Ltd invested so much in the NRL? or is it basically just a "it's your newspapers / t.v stations u can show whatever you want" sort of scenario?

wouldn't it be scrutinized severly if say, Fairfax bought a stake in the AFL or an AFL club?

No, its was actually thought that News Ltd owning RL would be good for the code. Most league supporters arent passionate enough to care about COI.

Scrumhalf: "Rugby" term used by AFL people is not an offensive term, its just a generic term for rugby union and rugby league, which those that arent familair with either, cant tell the difference. You dont own the meaning of "rugby", so relax.

 

[bresker]

If you want to talk about skill errors, watch the Parramatta v Cowboys prelim final.

The Eels were the minor premiers, yet they could barely complete a set of six. They had so many missed passes and knock ons it was like watching a junior grade team.

 

[plugger47]

And St George - mistake riddled with dropped simple passes. All the hybrids had to do was wait for the dropped ball, get the turnover and run. Fascinating

 

[finders]

Yeah.... actually to tell you the truth, I only care for Sydney.

Actually, make that the Northern Beaches of Sydney,..Gods Country...

The rest of Aus can go and take a running jump for all I care....

Thats the attitude Mate the rest of ther nation can go stuff itself = typical Sydney insecurity. BTW hows the economy, traffic and house prices going in slease city?

 

[Rex]

Biased crap by a Murdoch puppet.

Murdoch puppet? The AFL grand final was given far more coverage by Murdoch's Daily Telegraph than the rugby league. The Tele has been all over the AFL preliminary and grand finals and Mike Gibson has written some positive stuff about the game. He's paid to give his opinion, just like Patrick Smith is paid to give his and we all now how low he thinks of rugby league and its culture.

I don't agree with Gibson's article, but that's his job.

 

[plugger47]

Murdoch puppet? The AFL grand final was given far more coverage by Murdoch's Daily Telegraph than the rugby league. The Tele has been all over the AFL preliminary and grand finals and Mike Gibson has written some positive stuff about the game. He's paid to give his opinion, just like Patrick Smith is paid to give his and we all now how low he thinks of rugby league and its culture.

I don't agree with Gibson's article, but that's his job.

Gibson "backed" the swans until we won. All of the hirelings of RL hoped the swans would repeat 96. He and Masters after the win felt it absolutely necessary to rubbish the style of the swans, boring game etc, etc because they realise the implications of the victory for RL in NSW. They may be entitled to an opinion but not to write paid advertorials for rugby league. Bu then again journalistic ethics was never big in the murdoch stable. Masters is just a fairly pathetic relic of the 70's

 

[rhino]

If its anyhting like the GF parades in Brisbane it will be very embarrassing... I saw two GF parades in Brisbane and there were around 500 people there plus shoppers wondering what was going on.... where were those who go to the gabba?

I don't where you were but I went to all 3 parades on queen street and there were thousands at all of them. After the 01 parade the council said that it was probably the most people to a street parade in Brisbane history.

 

[Sherrinator]

Some of those goals that were missed, Andrew Johns could have booted them with his eyes shut.

if andrew johns could kick the goal with his eyes shut, wouldnt he have to be capable of kicking a ball further than 40 meters?

 

[ant555]

Who outside NSW and QLD watched the NRL finals? Fact is no one does so we will never know whether League is any good to watch or not.

Get used to this, once News lose the TV rights they will attack the AFL at every opportunity.

LOL the fact that they where on after midnight certainly helped keep the viewing ordience down

 

[goDees22]

He's making up bullsh*t to try to convince himself that Rugby is better than AFL. Mike Sheahan doesn't have to resort to that to convince himself which is better. he can't honestly believe that, 90,000 fans for 2 interstate teams at the AFL GF, which would be double the record crowd for a rugby GF, do they get bout 40,000? i dunno but its f*ck all compared to AFL. the NRL players never miss goals cos there is no pressure on em cos no-ones watching, no one gives a sh*t

 

[rhino]

if andrew johns could kick the goal with his eyes shut, wouldnt he have to be capable of kicking a ball further than 40 meters?

I'm sick of hearing league supporters toss on about how well Andrew Johns can kick the ball. He's a great player but just because he can kick a banana kick doesn't make him pele.

And no disrespect to Michael O'Loughlin, but he isn't the greatest player in the history of Aussie Rules as Johns supposedly is in League. That O'Loughlin missed those shots was more pressure then skill and maybe Johns would have handled the pressure better.

 

[plugger47]

I'm sick of hearing league supporters toss on about how well Andrew Johns can kick the ball. He's a great player but just because he can kick a banana kick doesn't make him pele.

And no disrespect to Michael O'Loughlin, but he isn't the greatest player in the history of Aussie Rules as Johns supposedly is in League. That O'Loughlin missed those shots was more pressure then skill and maybe Johns would have handled the pressure better.

Also in RL kicking is a specialty. No more than two or three players kick. Ever seen Willie Mason kick for goal? In AFL kicking is a generic skill. The true comparison with Johns would be the very best kick for goal in the AFL (whoever that is) For the swans it is Nick Davis. Gibbering Gibbo conveniently forgot about the Geelong v Swans game two weeks ago.

 

[bresker]

How far out do rugby league players kick from? Has anyone ever landed a drop punt from 60 metres?

 

[rhino]

How far out do rugby league players kick from? Has anyone ever landed a drop punt from 60 metres?

drop punts are kicked for field position and usually they kick about 40-50m. I really think Johns might have struggled with the kicks O'Loughlin had on saturday, 50m would be a stretch for him.

 

[plugger47]

As no one is allowed to stand on the mark in AFL he would be struggling to make more than thirty metres from the player on the mark. Gibbering Gibbo obviously believes his champion woulb be given the concession of a free run at the goals

 

[cyberdog]

By gee,by jingo,by crikey!Gibbo's a tool!

 

[i0Nic]

That article sounds pretty insecure and is not necessary. He has his right to his opinion though, and if its an opinion that rubs people the wrong way and creates controversy then the editors love it because that is what sells papers.

Also on the parade in Sydney.. I think it will get a decent turnout, I'm sure more than what turned up in Brisbane.

 

[Jimthegreat]

OK...expect record ratings for an NRL GF in the whole country... With the Fairytale Tigers playing a Queensland team, the ratings are gunna be HUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGEEEE!!!!

What do you think the Swans winning the AFL means??? Does it really mean anything to anyone other than the 25,000 die hards that show up to every game??

RL can only dream of 25,000 to their games on a regular basis.

 

[littleduck]

RL can only dream of 25,000 to their games on a regular basis.

no reason why they cant build towards 20,000 averages in sydney as the suburban boutique venues undergo upgrades and more teams make use of telstra for blockbuster matches; no reason why the storm cant average 15,000 at their new stadium; no reason why the cowboys wont receive an upgrade in due course; no reason why the warriors wont come good again and bring back their crowds; no reason why the gold coast wont average 20k at their 25k venue.

 

[Giants FC]

For a so-called professional writer, the grammar is appalling. The content is incoherent, and conveys the impression that the writer is nothing more than a bitter old man unable to come to grips with Sydney accepting a place for Australian football in its sporting psyche.

 

[Lowie01]

Mike Gibson is writing specifically for the Sydney market - he doesn't care whatsoever if people in Melbourne go off the deep end. His comparison can be made between an average game in one code to make the other look great.

This "mine is bigger than yours" attitude between AFL fans and NRL fans is ridiculous. Both are extremely successful, and will continue to be for as long as we're all alive.

 

[Jimthegreat]

no reason why they cant build towards 20,000 averages in sydney as the suburban boutique venues undergo upgrades and more teams make use of telstra for blockbuster matches; no reason why the storm cant average 15,000 at their new stadium; no reason why the cowboys wont receive an upgrade in due course; no reason why the warriors wont come good again and bring back their crowds; no reason why the gold coast wont average 20k at their 25k venue.

Yesterday the size of the stadium didn't make any difference to the crowds. Gold Coast couldn't get a crowd the first two times they were in existence.