Why the hatred towards rugby league

[papabear]

I tend to avoid the smh, for obvious reasons but Malcolm knoxs article from a business perspective agreed with me.

I grew up on the north shore and reading into the history I understand the rugby league perspective to be wary of union organisation ( not the union people)

However after reading the smh Comments I don’t understand the hate towards league people. Eg comments like the game is boring or not big enough internationally, are all whatever. But so many comments hating on the people who enjoy league.

Also this isn’t a hidden behind the internet thing too, two examples in real life:-
- at a school sports try day one lady came up to me chatted chatted chatted asked about the club ( I suppose expecting it to be union) as soon as I said rugby league she won’t “ohhh that game...”
- second - we had a banner up at the school ( next to the two union clubs banners) got taken and nicked.

Oddly enough a lot of really hard core people run there kids and help the league clubs for numbers, really great people.. let’s be honest the biggest competition for kids on the north shore isn’t afl union or league, it’s soccer, every kid wants to play soccer with there mates..

Thus, if the hardcore rugby people can be nice, what is with the animosity from the masses of rugby people on smh??

Really, league is not by a long way unions biggest competitor or problem, same for league... in fact as far as I read union appears to help league in a lot more places nowadays then what it used to.

 

[wamberal]

Maybe a reaction to the Roy Masters articles in the SMH, he just bags our game up hill and down dale.

We all know that our game is struggling, we do not need to have it shoved down our throats all the time.

 

[papabear]

Maybe a reaction to the Roy Masters articles in the SMH, he just bags our game up hill and down dale.

We all know that our game is struggling, we do not need to have it shoved down our throats all the time.

That is the history of rugby league is struggling.

And really that article would have only resonated to the hard core. Sort of like Peter fitzsimmons rubbish’s league on tv and in the paper constantly, it only annoys the hardcore not the masses as they probably wouldn’t bother reading an article that is so anti ..

 

[Froggy]

I think it comes from two factors. Firstly there is a clear class issue, even of that is more perceived than actual. Secondly, the games are fairly similar (rugby league, after all, had it's origins as a spin-off of rugby union) so we are more or less competing for the same market. Yes, I see the soccer issue, but there will always be a significant population wanting to play/watch/become involved in a body contact sport, and hence the rivalry.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

I think it comes from two factors. Firstly there is a clear class issue, even of that is more perceived than actual. Secondly, the games are fairly similar (rugby league, after all, had it's origins as a spin-off of rugby union) so we are more or less competing for the same market. Yes, I see the soccer issue, but there will always be a significant population wanting to play/watch/become involved in a body contact sport, and hence the rivalry.

Or may be e get sick of the stream of bullshit League journalist spew on a regular basis about our game. I'm not a League fan. So I don't watch it, read about it or care what is going on with the game. And part of that is not publicly talking shit about it either. If they truly believe that League is the superior game then great. Why bother why having to talk down others.

 

[wamberal]

The simple truth is that Australia is the only developed country where league is more popular than rugby. They know that, we know that, it rankles with them, and it rankles with us.

 

[Sully]

It seems to be a trend all over the internet. Arseholes can type too.

 

[Derpus]

They have that Melbournian thing going on where they feel the need to constantly tell us how much better NRL is even though we genuinely don't care.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

And fact league is only developed country where league is bigger then union which enables them to steal our star players like Joseph S the 16 year old school boy plastered on today’s Tele as nrls $2m kid.

I don’t blame league for its success but I do blame a lot of gross incompetence in rugby administration for missing the opportunity to close the gap since 2003.

World game in rugby going busters whilst we fight amongst ourselves as Rome burns.

Sometimes in a crisis the opportunity can be seized to force change - gosh I hope that is the case as league closest to rugby but I just don’t enjoy it but with the exception of the state of origin. League competes for union for players and hence more about rugby getting its shit together to fend off league snapping up our best young talent and yes not about bashing league.

 

[RedsHappy]

Maybe a reaction to the Roy Masters articles in the SMH, he just bags our game up hill and down dale.

We all know that our game is struggling, we do not need to have it shoved down our throats all the time.

Another rugby long-standing virus that's contributed to its decline here: we attack and stigmatise the tellers of truth re the failure of the rugby elite in this country. Versus taking it on the chin, owning up, and doing something positive to truly fix the problems.

 

[RedsHappy]

I tend to avoid the smh, for obvious reasons but Malcolm knoxs article from a business perspective agreed with me.

I grew up on the north shore and reading into the history I understand the rugby league perspective to be wary of union organisation ( not the union people)

However after reading the smh Comments I don’t understand the hate towards league people. Eg comments like the game is boring or not big enough internationally, are all whatever. But so many comments hating on the people who enjoy league.

Also this isn’t a hidden behind the internet thing too, two examples in real life:-
- at a school sports try day one lady came up to me chatted chatted chatted asked about the club ( I suppose expecting it to be union) as soon as I said rugby league she won’t “ohhh that game.”
- second - we had a banner up at the school ( next to the two union clubs banners) got taken and nicked.

Oddly enough a lot of really hard core people run there kids and help the league clubs for numbers, really great people.. let’s be honest the biggest competition for kids on the north shore isn’t afl union or league, it’s soccer, every kid wants to play soccer with there mates..

Thus, if the hardcore rugby people can be nice, what is with the animosity from the masses of rugby people on smh??

Really, league is not by a long way unions biggest competitor or problem, same for league. in fact as far as I read union appears to help league in a lot more places nowadays then what it used to.

Three big historical reasons for 'the hate':

1. There is far more of class or economic strata divide, coupled with the related viruses of elitism and snobbery, in this country than we care to admit to ourselves. It's a bit different to the British version; here it's build from school type, economic prestige and the means of asset ownership.

2. League was in large part established in this country and got momentum as Union held it itself to unarguably be the superior form of football, it was so in the then-idealised and idolised England, and the controllers of Union saw no need to consider any form of payment to players or the related need to indulge 'the working classes' desire for local, tribal playing groups of their own that they could relate to.

3. There was enough guts and fortitude and laudable 'we'll show 'em' Aussie grit in the League break-aways such that they determined there'd be a League and the Union toffs could go fuck themselves, the working blokes would have the version they reckoned was better to play and wanted to play.

In many ways Union never got over all this, willingly gave up the battle for the grubbier masses confident in its innate superiority and grander roots in the upper reaches of the private school movement and its generation of business elites and influential graduates. All groups that were generally self-regarding and liked to co-mingle only or mostly with their own type.

Thus the chronic snobbery and elitism has never really been purged from Australian Union, it's one of the reasons the game has chosen so many inbred governance systems and over-sighting boards and such like. And thus one of the quietly buried, but still alive, seeds of its current traumas.

 

[wamberal]

Another rugby long-standing virus that's contributed to its decline here: we attack and stigmatise the tellers of truth re the failure of the rugby elite in this country. Versus taking it on the chin, owning up, and doing something positive to truly fix the problems.

Sorry, mate, that is just a load of bilge. Who is supposed to "take it on the chin and own up"? Me? You? All the many supporters of the game, those of us who played it and watch it and love it, warts and all? What should I own up to? Do you have anything to own up to?


Who are you characterising in your statement "we attack......"? Me? You? All the many supporters of the game? Including, by the way a lot of ex-players who have put, and continue to put, a lot of work into running it, supporting it, usually for little or no reward?


What are the positive things that we should do, after we take it on the chin? Be specific, please.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

My dislike of league comes down to a few things:

- The history of league clubs nicking our best players because they could pay them. I'm actually more angry with the sneering attitude of the IRB over this than league itself
- League is to my mind an inferior game. All the stuff I love about rugby revolving around contest for the ball is pretty much absent in league, so why would I watch it? The sport flat out bores me
- The never ending stream of stories about the latest stupidity from the players. I don't think I need to say anything else
- The attitude of league journos in this country (Masters, Rothfield et al) who just love taking pot shots at rugby. They also like to big up the game, when really only Australia and the North of England play it in any significant numbers. They can get stuffed.

 

[Brumby Runner]

My personal story doesn't really align with the conversation above.

Grew up in a League family and played League at public schools in the 50s and early 60s, before the introduction of the 6 tackle rule and injury replacements. Hardly knew anything about Rugby until the famous schoolboys tour of GB and the rise of the Ellas. League still remained my game (followed Western Suburbs and Manly over the years) until the Super League dispute in the 90s. Had a passing interest in the Wallabies but that was pretty much it, although we did have our young son playing with the Narrabeen Tigers during the 80s.

The introduction of the Brumbies in 1996 coincided with our relocation to Canberra. It took just one game to transform me entirely. Players like Roff, Gregan, Larkham, Smith, Finegan, Mortlock, Paul, and Walks through to the modern day champions have ensured my continuing interest. Over the years, my connection with the Brumbies hasn't waned but I have gradually lost all connection and interest with and in League. I am now a dyed in the wool Rugby follower, mainly Wallabies, Brumbies and ACT Vikings, but with some interest in the JID and SS competitions.

I am not a product of the Private School system but I love Rugby. I grew up with League but have no interest in it at all anymore, but I do not berate the game nor the players and supporters. I do think there are millions of non-Rugby fans in this country who are missing out on the 'game they play in heaven'.

 

[Ignoto]

To hate something would imply you have strong feelings for something. I personally don't care for the game. Whenever these arguments are brought up, it's always by the League camp. It's truly little brother mentality.

 

[KOB1987]

Yeah I don't hate league, I just find it boring. I was brought up in a town where there was no junior rugby and had to play league. I then went to a private school where there was obviously no league and had to play rugby. I have never looked back and wished that I could have played league. I played one game when I was at uni and our college side was short so hit a few of us rugby guys up. It was one game too many.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

They have that Melbournian thing going on where they feel the need to constantly tell us how much better NRL is even though we genuinely don't care.

That kinda talk could land you in the Phil Gould Re-Education Centre where you'll be forced to listen to a loop of Phil Gould pre-Origin monologues until you confess your eternal & undying love for The Greatest Game Of All (& Phil Gould, of course ).

 

[wamberal]

It might also be worth pointing out that we are in the middle of a once in a lifetime catastrophe. In an alternative universe, where Covid-19 does not exist, we are coming towards the end of a really interesting Soup season, with a couple of the Australian franchises shining; we are also looking forward to a phenomenally successful inward Irish tour. Tens of thousands of Irish supporters will flood in, and both games will be sold out. Then it will be on to the Rugby Championship, with some wonderful rugby to watch.

In this alternative universe, our money problems are of a totally different dimension, not least because Optus comes good with a substantial offer for 2021, then Fox Sports stepped in and upped the ante considerably.

And of course the end of year tour would be a chance to blood some of our great young talent coming up from the under 20s.

I really think we should put our current situation into a bit of historical perspective. Back biters and nay-sayers should think a bit before lashing out.

 

[The torpedo]

My dislike of league comes down to a few things:

- The history of league clubs nicking our best players because they could pay them. I'm actually more angry with the sneering attitude of the IRB over this than league itself
- League is to my mind an inferior game. All the stuff I love about rugby revolving around contest for the ball is pretty much absent in league, so why would I watch it? The sport flat out bores me
- The never ending stream of stories about the latest stupidity from the players. I don't think I need to say anything else
- The attitude of league journos in this country (Masters, Rothfield et al) who just love taking pot shots at rugby. They also like to big up the game, when really only Australia and the North of England play it in any significant numbers. They can get stuffed.

Pretty much my thoughts as well (how often are AFL players in the news for bad behaviour as well?)

Also up here in Qld the endless wankfest over the Broncos absolutely shits me. Watching Easts destroy them on Thursday was glorious.

 

[Adam84]

Shit man, the comments against both codes go both ways... League fanatics hate union, Union fanatics hate league. People are passionate about the things they love. Purely by the size of the supporter base I’d say the number of union haters outweigh the league haters from the respective codes.