WSYD The winners from the 'Battle of Brookvale' is the AFL

[Jascave]

From the fallout of the 'Battle of Brookvale' last Friday night, a clear winner has emerged.

And that winner is the AFL.

The brawl at Brookvale between the Manly Sea Eagles & the Melbourne Storm is just what the AFL needs to get people to turn to the new AFL side in 2012, the Greater Western Sydney Giants, as well as the Sydney Swans.

Parents of prospective rugby league players wouldn't have liked what they saw last Friday night and might consider asking their sons to take up AFL instead.

The brawl at Brookvale has set rugby league back 20 years. And while publicly the AFL wouldn't like what they saw, privately they reckon it could be the best thing to happen to AFL in NSW since the Swans 2005 premiership.

 

[SM]

Get over it. It isn't a battle, this has done little to turn fans, and they don't need to be 'turned'. Everyone needs to wake up to the fact that following AFL or NRL doesn't have to be exclusive.

 

[Chewy]

Strongly disagree

Seven year old Johnny and his disapproving mummy don't go to the football

AFL and NRL are the most popular outlets for entertainment in Australia because people love the gladiatorial aspect of these sports

We are enthralled by skill, speed and athleticism of these sports, but most of all, we like to see big guys bashing each other up

 

[BombayPolice]

There were three fights in the NSW Junior Leagues on the weekend following the incident. Not great for Rugby League.

 

[Giants FC]

I didn't watch the NRL game on Friday night and haven't seen the incident - but was it really any worse than the stink after Matty Lloyd took out Brad Sewell a couple of years ago?

I'd love to see AFL numbers grow, and progress is being made for other reasons - but you're kidding yourself if you think this will have any effect whatsoever.

 

[Phone]

but most of all, we like to see big guys bashing each other up

no homo

 

[Roddy]

As ridiculous, brainless and typical of THUGby league as it was, it will be forgotten in 5 minutes...

 

[Bomber Bears]

As ridiculous, brainless and typical of THUGby league as it was, it will be forgotten in 5 minutes...

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Some more typicaly thugby league rubbish from that well known league club Hawthorn

Wait, what?

Nice to see another league thread on the main board though Seems you could be concerned about the success of this million dollar investment when you are reading this much into these sort of incidents. It wasnt a great look, which is why the players will be suspended for a long time, particularly when it ended up 5 on 1, but it's such a rarity these days it's of no huge concern.

(I wonder how many fights break out in junior/senior australian football every weekend?)

 

[markr]

I didn't watch the NRL game on Friday night and haven't seen the incident - but was it really any worse than the stink after Matty Lloyd took out Brad Sewell a couple of years ago?

You don't tend to see punches thrown in the AFL now since the suspensions are so heavy, there were plenty thrown at Brookvale.

 

[legend166]

It was pretty stupid. I don't like to see it in any sport.

More disappointing (and predictable) was the aftermath where you're painted as some sort of pansy for not liking a bunch of meat heads punching on like morons. Specifically, this piece by Fitzsimmons: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...al-for-return-of-the-biff-20110829-1jiio.html

 

[rhinowce]

I thought it was all sweet until the manly thugs ran in with flying haymakers to make it 5 on 1, that sort of shit is what turns mums off from their kids playing the sport..

 

[Ant85]

What do you mean?

It's entertainment, everyone loves a brawl.

It's great to see the players actually feel the rivalry.

That kind of intense rivalry seems to have been sapped out of the AFL, for fear of the "mums", don't see too many of them anymore.

Certainly the last few Carl v Coll games have lacked intensity as far as "Australia's greatest rivalry" is concerned.

 

[The_Flying_Egg]

I thought it was all sweet until the manly thugs ran in with flying haymakers to make it 5 on 1, that sort of shit is what turns mums off from their kids playing the sport..

Brett Stewart ran in to help his brother, good on him

 

[Underarm]

It was pretty stupid. I don't like to see it in any sport.

More disappointing (and predictable) was the aftermath where you're painted as some sort of pansy for not liking a bunch of meat heads punching on like morons. Specifically, this piece by Fitzsimmons: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...al-for-return-of-the-biff-20110829-1jiio.html

The NRL's biggest problem is that it doesnt want to spread Nationally, and it doesnt want to acknowledge women as fans. their "lets keep things the way it is" policy is what is going to lose them the war. the fight is just an example of it....

 

[Furn]

If you need a fight to make your game entertaining then its gotta be a pretty boring sport.

Its especially bad when your impressed by 2 fat, uncoordinated guys that couldn't land a single shot.

 

[rhinowce]

Brett Stewart ran in to help his brother, good on him

it was 1v1 before haymaker Stewart come running in and anyway His bro thru the first punch they should of just let them duke it out..

 

[pazza]

Round 2 quickly followed Round 1. Good fun.

 

[Baldur]

the winners would be St George & the other top 8 NRL teams

 

[Father Jack]

they wink at this sort of behaviour in SOO, so no surprise to see it rear its ugly head in the premiership season. I remember hearing a RL juniors administrator after a massive SOO punch-on a couple of years ago on the radio saying that those in favour of that sort of thing should see what it does to attitudes of the kids. Games seem to be harder to referee the following weekend, for some reason.

 

[calyam]

There were three fights in the NSW Junior Leagues on the weekend following the incident. Not great for Rugby League.

This IMO does more damage to the sport than anything that happens in the NRL.

 

[Bollox]

Best game for years they reckon.
Not far from me and all the neighbours here loved it....best game they've seen for years.
Reminder of the old Manly Wests games, full crowds, silvertails v fibro's, Rocks Messup commentating, the heyday of RL.

Never a bad thing for the game...except to the wowsers, soccer mums and wannabe dad of the year types.

In truth the winner was the NRL.

 

[Ant_]

Everyone needs to wake up to the fact that following AFL or NRL doesn't have to be exclusive.

Agree with this. Though the fight will be the turning point for NRL. Will not be surprised if they take the AFL's approach to punch ons.

You never see fights like that anymore in the AFL as the players now know they will get weeks out.

 

[Plugger35]

Best game for years they reckon.
Not far from me and all the neighbours here loved it....best game they've seen for years.
Reminder of the old Manly Wests games, full crowds, silvertails v fibro's, Rocks Messup commentating, the heyday of RL.

Never a bad thing for the game...except to the wowsers, soccer mums and wannabe dad of the year types.

In truth the winner was the NRL.

Yeah the NRL have come out and criticised it publicly and handed out suspensions and fines to keep all the wowsers and mums happy but privately they will be stoked at all the interest and publicity it has generated.

Everyone has been talking about the game and that brawl, even in AFL states, and a final or grand final between Manly and the Storm will be even bigger now. I don't see the problem with a good old fashioned brawl like that every now and again providing there are no king hits, headbutts or other dirty acts. The crowd loves it and it really ramps up the atmosphere.

 

[He_Beast]

I was at the game and it was one of the best nights of my life

 

[finders]

I didn't watch the NRL game on Friday night and haven't seen the incident - but was it really any worse than the stink after Matty Lloyd took out Brad Sewell a couple of years ago?

I'd love to see AFL numbers grow, and progress is being made for other reasons - but you're kidding yourself if you think this will have any effect whatsoever.

The low class mostly male trash that follow thugby would be loving the fight but the migrants and normal people in Sydneys' west would think RL is played by thugs and they would be 100% right.

It can't do Australian Football any harm to see how vicious and dirty thugby is at its heart - always was and always will be its just the nature and culture of the game..