RL as a spectator sport

[nathan_rugby]

I can't believe the piddling things that people get a bee in their bonnet about. Yeah, sure, things like the 20/40 could/should go (all the more so it's never actually used), but is anything like that a hill to die on in terms of falling out of love with the sport? I don't think players have the flair coached out of them necessarily; does DCE have the flair coached out of him? Or Reece Walsh? Or Jayden Preston?

"Sadly the game is getting more and more sanitised. More things are getting punished which we are not used."

I'm not clear what exactly is meant by that. Is the game going 'soft'? Looking at the speed of contact in the modern game, and the ever-mounting injury toll, it doesn't seem so to me. What are these extra things that are being punished now? Things like a free facial with every tackle? Should we go back to that?

Shoulder charge isn’t allowed
Any form of a scuffle is getting yellow and red cards
Any form of high tackle, even if accidental and bouncing from the chest getting punished

With regards to the facial, of course obvious ones should get punished, but the mild / not so obvious ones are fine. It’s a part of the game.

In general, too many penalties by the refs is ruining the game. Just let it flow.

Did you see the impact of the last televised shoulder charge? The Cats centre could have easily ended up like mose masoe. The size of the players and the contact point of shoulder charges is insanely dangerous. Are you really arguing that it should be back in the game as a legitimate tackle technique?

Not specifically, was just more the point that a lot more things are getting penalised and I think its ruining a lot of games.

[Mike]

Cards are fun. Gives more attacking opportunites, although teams are so big and fit you probably need at least 2 on one side before there's significantly more space.

[nathan_rugby]

Cards are fun. Gives more attacking opportunites, although teams are so big and fit you probably need at least 2 on one side before there's significantly more space.

The cards we got against St Helen’s were fun?

Did you watch the game?

[Mike]

Cards are fun. Gives more attacking opportunites, although teams are so big and fit you probably need at least 2 on one side before there's significantly more space.

The cards we got against St Helen’s were fun?

Did you watch the game?

They made the game more entertaining for a neutral. More incident.

[morley pie eater]

What makes a game (in any sport) interesting?

I'd say number one is that you're interested! Sounds obvious, but if you live in Limerick, chances are you'd be interested in Gaelic football.

What creates your interest, and makes you go to a match? For many (EW apart!), it's being brought up with a sport: parents, school-mates, folk at work,talking about it during the week...the build-up which is manufactured for a boxing match, but natural in community sports like ours

Then what maintains it at the game? The play, sure, but also the crowd, the atmosphere. This is where football wins, and RL is in decline, especially at Wigan.

I'm convinced that the apparent downward spiral in attendances is a result of, rather than a cause of, the fans' attitude (a generalisation - not all fans, but enough.)

The result is lack of atmosphere, sitting in a half-dead (as opposed to half-empty) stadium next to someone who complains endlessly about players, coach, ref, rule-makers, and throw in the cost of pies or pints or whatever. I've been there and bought the t-shirt.

Does it make you desperate to come back? Personally I prefer away matches, which are more convenient for me anyway, and the complaints of, for example, Cas fans, I see more as of part of entertainment as it's loudest when we're winning!

Analysing what's wrong with the game as though it exists in isolation from the fans, and we don't play a part in raising and lowering the entertainment value, is missing maybe the most crucial part of the picture...imo.

[Mike]

THat's been the case at Wigan for decades morley. Home games have no atmosphere and half the people just go to have a good moan, away games are much better because we actually support the team. I agree if the atmosphere was pumping every home game people would want to go much more, but personally ,I think the decline in enthusiasm we're seeing is coming on top of that, not caused by it. I recently went to an MLS match at a new team's stadium, they are bottom of the league, but the atmosphere was amazing - constant fan chants led by active supporters groups who are encouraged and aided by the club, rather than tolerated. If only Wigan could do something like that, but the last time it was tried with the Brigantes it got dropped at the first sight of a problem.

[Caboosegg]

If they swapped the to goal ends home and away around you'd instantly have more atmosphere. The metal room carries sound so much better than the perplex on the other stands.

Rl in general need to make an event of every match they can. Get youth teams playing before kick off and give the kids free ticket create the support young.

Hopefully half time activities can start again, they add something.

[First Try Tickle]

The result is lack of atmosphere, sitting in a half-dead (as opposed to half-empty) stadium next to someone who complains endlessly about players, coach, ref, rule-makers, and throw in the cost of pies or pints or whatever. I've been there and bought the t-shirt.

This is what i think is a big problem. I sit in the south and there is a gang of lads behind me who obviously get together each week for the game and discus their weeks. Drives me mad.

I used to stand in front of the Sullivan Bar and even poor games had a good atmosphere as everyone was stood up and squeezed in.

So we need some terracing back, it shows how much it helps with the atmosphere at grounds like Saints, Wire and Salford, but then it struggles at Hull when your shoved in a corner and sat down.

[Mike]

IMO, if the club setup some supporters groups and gave them drums and let them lead chants and improve the atmospere in the DW, they'd get as many complaints about it as they would get new fans in. The home crowd is miserable.

[fozzieskem]

If they swapped the to goal ends home and away around you'd instantly have more atmosphere. The metal room carries sound so much better than the perplex on the other stands.

Rl in general need to make an event of every match they can. Get youth teams playing before kick off and give the kids free ticket create the support young.

Hopefully half time activities can start again, they add something.

Good points one and all