NRL

[meltiger]

Why should your views be paid any attention though? You support WESTS Tigers, and have only sympathies towards the Storm when they are the perfect on and off-field side per your own criteria. I pay no heed to what Collingwood supporters say about Richmond, so why concern myself with what a Wests supporter says about Melbourne?

Because this *smile*witted us against them attitude that the club is trying to cultivate is chasing away people who once had an extremely soft spot for the Storm that's why.


You support an expansion club which to an extent in it's infancy still requires the support of passionate ex-pats to keep the crowd numbers up. The more of us you chase away, the worse of the club will be.


This isn't a Canterbury/Parramatta or Richmond/Collingwood situation. This is a club who exist in a city that still hasn't truly accepted them, except of course when they want to have a dig at Sydney, a club whose officials and some players have gotten way to big for their boots and are chasing away the very people who have loyally travelled through the gates week in, week out for the last 10 years. This year was the first excluding the last time I lived in Sydney that I have been to less than 10 of their games. That is bad for the club if more and more of us stop going to watch them.


I don't support WESTS, I support the Tigers. & you can throw that line at me all day long, it doesn't change the fact the team you threw away your original club for got utterly SPANKED in the Grand Final yesterday.


40-0 8)

 

[meltiger]

I think it depends on the poster tiger74.M/Jube supports Wests Tigers but gives very balanced views on any team in the NRL.

LMAO


So if you write positive, you're views are balance. However if you have found the Storm's behaviour over the last month and most especially the last two weeks offensive, you're views are not-balanced.


LMAO



Maybe I should be happy at the pain you were feeling during the 2nd half ...


3 years of dominace, only 1 premiership, and the sports record breaking gf losing margin. What a grand club they are

 

[jb03]

I tend to agree that the Storm have been a bit sooky sooky la la but your defence of the webber dance is not entirely dissimilar.

 

[Tiger74]

Because this *smile*witted us against them attitude that the club is trying to cultivate is chasing away people who once had an extremely soft spot for the Storm that's why.


You support an expansion club which to an extent in it's infancy still requires the support of passionate ex-pats to keep the crowd numbers up. The more of us you chase away, the worse of the club will be.


This isn't a Canterbury/Parramatta or Richmond/Collingwood situation. This is a club who exist in a city that still hasn't truly accepted them, except of course when they want to have a dig at Sydney, a club whose officials and some players have gotten way to big for their boots and are chasing away the very people who have loyally travelled through the gates week in, week out for the last 10 years. This year was the first excluding the last time I lived in Sydney that I have been to less than 10 of their games. That is bad for the club if more and more of us stop going to watch them.


I don't support WESTS, I support the Tigers. & you can throw that line at me all day long, it doesn't change the fact the team you threw away your original club for got utterly SPANKED in the Grand Final yesterday.


40-0 8)

So we should be some begging suck up club just pleading for New South Welshmen and women to have enough pity on us to let us exist? Screw that. If our early success after the establishment of the franchise and the recent domination of the competition wasn't enough to get the lot north of the border tolerating us (let alone respecting us), nothing will. Big chuncks of the NSW RL community still want the franchise shut down, and you only have to listen to Sydney radio broadcasts or even the Footy Show to find people in Sydney in power still wanting the Storm shut down.

So why on earth should Melbourne plead and beg for understanding from a community that would sooner have us shut down?

 

[meltiger]

At least they will be remembered throughout history now ;D


Given Saints only got flogged by that much due to a needle inserted into a nerve in Langlands leg ... It really was a spectacularly woeful attempt by Melbourne to take Sydney's premiership yesterday.

 

[meltiger]

I tend to agree that the Storm have been a bit sooky sooky la la but your defence of the webber dance is not entirely dissimilar.

The Webber dance?

 

[meltiger]

So we should be some begging suck up club just pleading for New South Welshmen and women to have enough pity on us to let us exist? Screw that. If our early success after the establishment of the franchise and the recent domination of the competition wasn't enough to get the lot north of the border tolerating us (let alone respecting us), nothing will. Big chuncks of the NSW RL community still want the franchise shut down, and you only have to listen to Sydney radio broadcasts or even the Footy Show to find people in Sydney in power still wanting the Storm shut down.

So why on earth should Melbourne plead and beg for understanding from a community that would sooner have us shut down?

Plead and beg? Please. Keeping your mouths shut and getting on with the job without slandering an entire city out of some paranoid delusional that the entire city is out to get you is not pleading and begging.

Mongs like Denis Fitzgerald don't represent the majority of Sydneysiders.

 

[Tiger74]

Plead and beg? Please. Keeping your mouths shut and getting on with the job without slandering an entire city out of some paranoid delusional that the entire city is out to get you is not pleading and begging.

Mongs like Denis Fitzgerald don't represent the majority of Sydneysiders.

I used to work for a QLD company, and everyone up there was cool with the Storm and its existance (just the usual competitive niggly agro stuff over the battles with the Broncos which is all good of course).

When visiting Sydney, between clients I meet, and listening to 2UE or 2GB, I am still surprised that 10 years on I still get people saying the league would be better without Melbourne. I generally put it down as a "Sydney" thing, and just disregard it. It does concern me though, because if Melbourne do have a sustained soft patch, I have no doubt big elements of the NSW media will be banging on for our licence to be revoked. This is coming from the same dinosaurs however who keep cheering Souths when they get resurrected, but do SFA to support them once they are up and running.

 

[meltiger]

I think the major problem people have with the Storm is the seeming lack of progress they are making off the field. Sponsorships etc are great, but remember, most of the populace isn't interested enough to delve deep into an issue and crowd numbers are usually the #1 gauge of how a team is viewed.


For the on field success that the Storm have had, the crowd numbers are terrible.


Personally, I think the new stadium will fix that problem, as you would know as well as I do that whilst it generates a fantastic atmosphere, it is a shithole of a place to watch a game from general admission, and that makes it hard to get first time viewers to return. The first class stadium we are finally getting (should have been TD ) will change all that imho


At the same time, remember even if some are still hostile, Sydney has had a much harder time with it's tradtional clubs than what Melbourne has. Look at North Melbourne for instance - If they were an NRL outfit, do you think they would still be in existence in their current form? Sydney has suffered alot of pain with it's heartland clubs and unfortunately, beng owned by News, coupled with poor crowds. Melbourne are the face of it.


Let's see what the attitude towards the Swans would be if we chucked out/forced to merge half of our Melbourne clubs, and the Swans still only attract 100k per week on tellie in Sydney.


Time will heal the wounds, but you yourself are a prime example of 10 years not being to heal some pains that the Sydney clubs have suffered.

 

[mb64]

I used to work for a QLD company, and everyone up there was cool with the Storm and its existance (just the usual competitive niggly agro stuff over the battles with the Broncos which is all good of course).

When visiting Sydney, between clients I meet, and listening to 2UE or 2GB, I am still surprised that 10 years on I still get people saying the league would be better without Melbourne. I generally put it down as a "Sydney" thing, and just disregard it. It does concern me though, because if Melbourne do have a sustained soft patch, I have no doubt big elements of the NSW media will be banging on for our licence to be revoked. This is coming from the same dinosaurs however who keep cheering Souths when they get resurrected, but do SFA to support them once they are up and running.

I think the Storm are a sleeping giant,they are making good progress & their awareness has grown considerably,The new stadium is desperately needed & I believe this will further increase crowds,The NRL's strength at the moment is their QLD market & then NSW,however crowds in NSW are dwindling which is further proof the NRL needs the Storm & Warriors to continue to grow.David Gallop has done a good job with the NRL but this year he's struggled & l believe his time is up.

In respect to Waldron & Bellamy I think they both went too far & should have apologised to the tribunal but the flack they have copped from NSW was been way over the top.Waldron didn't help himself today when he complained about the crowd booing Cam Smith,he should have said nothing.Having said that they run a great club down here & Gallop should be mindful that the Storm are growing while sides like the Rabbits,Sharks,Roosters & even the Eels have declining crowds & there may be another merger or 2 down the track.

 

[meltiger]

^ i agree with most of that MB and it pretty much echo's what I said. The off field side is working if you delve into the nitty gritty, sponsorships etc but whilst crowds remain low that is the key indicator for the majority. It will increase with the stadium. I am personally very excited about it. I don't know if any of you have been to Skilled Park at Robina, I went there in R26 for the Titans, Tigers game. WOW! If our stadium has viewing like that, we won't know what hit us when the Storm move in.


What I do disagree on is the Sydney reaction. Waldron, Bellamy and Smith basically accused Sydney at large of being cheats. What reaction did you honestly expect?


We've had to put up with QLD'ers & Kiwi's doing it at Origin/Test time. Now Melbourne want to join the party? No one in a position of authority in Sydney is out to get anyone.


Just on your statement abotu Sydney crowds ... Are they in fact dwindling? I'd love to see some compartive stats to back that up. Some clubs simply had bad years. Parra would certainly have had a drop in crowds this year, but do not kid yourself for a second if you think they wouldn't sell out Parramatta Stadium every week if they had spent 3 years on top of the ladder.

 

[meltiger]

LMAO Pulled this of League Unlimited.

This is what MB64 is talking about re: The booing of Smith. Is it any wonder there has been so much joy expressed at yesterdays owning of the Storm?


Waldron has dead set lost his mind. :rofl

Melbourne Storm boss blasts 'disgraceful' Sydney crowd



5 minutes ago. | Dominic Brock



http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/10/06/Storm_boss_blasts_disgraceful_Sydney_crowd



Hear Brian Waldron's attack on Sydneysiders
Melbourne Storm chief executive Brian Waldron has launched an attack on the people of Sydney after suspended captain Cameron Smith was booed by fans at yesterday’s NRL grand final.



Smith – was banned for two weeks for a grapple tackle, ruling him out of Melbourne’s 40-0 loss to Manly yesterday – was subjected to boos from the crowd when his face was shown on ANZ Stadium’s big screen.



Waldron, who along with coach Craig Bellamy is facing legal action over comments made against the NRL judiciary after Smith was suspended, described the crowd’s actions as “a disgrace”.



“When Cameron Smith’s face came up on the screen last night, 80,000 people… 60,000 people booed him,” Waldron told SEN radio.



“I think if any insults are to be thrown, they should be thrown they should be thrown at the people of Sydney, because that was an absolute disgrace.



“To do that do a player that’s the Australian captain, whether it’s in jest, whether they’re full of drink, I don’t know what it is.



“I was disgusted in the crowd last night to do that to the Australian captain and they need to be told – I think (NRL boss) David Gallop should come out and make a statement about what a disgrace it is to treat the Australian captain like that.”



Gallop has appeared on Ray Hadley’s 2GB morning program today, but did not take Waldron up on his suggestion to berate yesterday’s grand final crowd.

 

[jb03]

More than likely they were booing Smith as a representative of the Storm. I suspect that Smith is quite admired on an individual basis.

 

[meltiger]

^ That's exactly right. Plus it's not as if the OP crowd have never booed an opposition club or player before!



Was Waldron this much of a goose when he was a Tiger?

 

[Tigerbob]

David Gallop is one of the biggest turds I have ever seen.

WOW what a scumbag! Absolutely no idea.

Have a look at the way that code is run, stinks of amateurs all over the shop!

Everytime I watch a press conference of a coach or CEO of the NRL I can't help but laugh. It's comical. The league is in trouble because of these brick heads from Sydney.

As for Waldron and Bellamy, the NRL should be thanking their lucky stars for guys like these in their amateur league. Melbourne is clearly the best run club in the whole league, and in the toughest market. It shows all other clubs up, and they hate it.

This whole week smacks of New South Wales Jealousy of Melbourne. There is no doubt the judiciary conned that decision for Cameron Smith, and the way Gallop has come out and backed the legal proceedings. Laughable.

It will only smack them back on the head, cause if expansion doesn't work for the NRL, with the AFL proceeding and succeeding and with Soccer progressing well, it won't be long for that code to suffer.

Then all those smug Northerner's can come and have a whinge.

Melbourne is a blessing for the code, and they are treating it like *smile*. Moronic decisions by moronic people.

 

[meltiger]

:rofl ;D :blah

David Gallop is one of the biggest turds I have ever seen.

WOW what a scumbag! Absolutely no idea.

Have a look at the way that code is run, stinks of amateurs all over the shop!

Everytime I watch a press conference of a coach or CEO of the NRL I can't help but laugh. It's comical. The league is in trouble because of these brick heads from Sydney.

As for Waldron and Bellamy, the NRL should be thanking their lucky stars for guys like these in their amateur league. Melbourne is clearly the best run club in the whole league, and in the toughest market. It shows all other clubs up, and they hate it.

This whole week smacks of New South Wales Jealousy of Melbourne. There is no doubt the judiciary conned that decision for Cameron Smith, and the way Gallop has come out and backed the legal proceedings. Laughable.

It will only smack them back on the head, cause if expansion doesn't work for the NRL, with the AFL proceeding and succeeding and with Soccer progressing well, it won't be long for that code to suffer.

Then all those smug Northerner's can come and have a whinge.

Melbourne is a blessing for the code, and they are treating it like sh!t. Moronic decisions by moronic people.

Yep, 100,000 viewers per week of Swans games in Greater Sydney is tremendous success.


Don't believe everything Vlad tells you

 

[Tigerbob]

:rofl ;D :blah


Yep, 100,000 viewers per week of Swans games in Greater Sydney is tremendous success.


Don't believe everything Vlad tells you

What I am saying is that we as a code have teams in Queensland, New South Wales (although they don't deserve to be part of our great game), South Australia, Western Australia and Victoria. We are truly National.

Whilst the NRL keep there amateur philosophies, some deep concerns will remain. The Financial Market will be controlled by Leagues that can give brands National Exposure. Not just stupid bogan states! ;D

The A League is doing it also, and is continuing to grow strong with soccer the number one sport for young kids.

Brainless the NRL must be not to see this progressing, but then again, with the people in charge, I don't doubt that's what they are.

I could care less if the NRL goes to be honest, I am far more into AFL and the A League to care, just thought I'd bring up points that I can see. Only thing of interest to me is the Melbourne Storm, and how something so professionally run can be part of a hack league.

Melbourne lost the Grand Final against the Warriors. Once they lost that it was too hard, too many games, no weeks off, bodies battered, stupid decisions to get rid of our Captain and best player in the league also contributed. Just became too much.

No point crying over it anymore, they can laugh up North, it will only back fire in their faces, and when that day comes I will be right there to offer the same sympathy they offered us. Hacks!

 

[Tiger74]

^ i agree with most of that MB and it pretty much echo's what I said. The off field side is working if you delve into the nitty gritty, sponsorships etc but whilst crowds remain low that is the key indicator for the majority. It will increase with the stadium. I am personally very excited about it. I don't know if any of you have been to Skilled Park at Robina, I went there in R26 for the Titans, Tigers game. WOW! If our stadium has viewing like that, we won't know what hit us when the Storm move in.


What I do disagree on is the Sydney reaction. Waldron, Bellamy and Smith basically accused Sydney at large of being cheats. What reaction did you honestly expect?


We've had to put up with QLD'ers & Kiwi's doing it at Origin/Test time. Now Melbourne want to join the party? No one in a position of authority in Sydney is out to get anyone.


Just on your statement abotu Sydney crowds ... Are they in fact dwindling? I'd love to see some compartive stats to back that up. Some clubs simply had bad years. Parra would certainly have had a drop in crowds this year, but do not kid yourself for a second if you think they wouldn't sell out Parramatta Stadium every week if they had spent 3 years on top of the ladder.

ON this I agree with MB64 pretty much word for word.

My concerns with the decision though was it was completely pre-judged and determined before Smith even walked in the room. For an impartial judiciary, this goes against everything you are supposed to believe in. I also personally believe that the verdict would have been more tolerant if not being a Storm player and not for the media over-reaction in NSW leading up. This is there version of the AFL love affair with Goodes, but in reverse.

On Sydney clubs, they relied too long on the rivers of gold from the pokies. Now that they cannot keep up with the player wage demands, the whole thing is in trouble. This is why the national comp is needed, to give a national TV package, but still its easier to blame the Storm for some. Truth is with EU player wages, the inflation is here to stay, and they will need to adapt very quickly.

 

[meltiger]

My concerns with the decision though was it was completely pre-judged and determined before Smith even walked in the room.

& this is precisely the kind of slanderous rubbish that is going to cost Waldron and co when they get sued


Smith was guilty, that is the sole reason he was suspended. Regardless of how many other players have gotten away with it over the year.... including every single Storm wrestler that has donned the jersey this season ....Smith was guilty.


The video evidence was there for all to see. It was his job in light of damning video evidence that he was not guilty, he couldn't do it, knew he couldn't do it... hence the sooking started BEFORE the judiciary hearing.

 

[meltiger]

This is why the national comp is needed, to give a national TV package, but still its easier to blame the Storm for some.

Rubbish. Where else do the NRL need to place teams? Adelaide? Pfft. Perth, maybe and regardless of what Gallop said recently, Perth will be one of the next two expansion teams.


But guess where the majority, the vast majority of the Australian population live? The Eastern seaboard. Which the NRL dominate in all bar one city. If they actually had a negotiation process for their rights they would do a hell of alot better. The NRL negotiating with News Ltd is akin to someone answering a question about the last time they had sex, nominating the last time they stroked. Playing with yourself doesn't count.