Short Skirts or Not - By Lauren

“TRADITIONAL cheerleaders – and their knee-high boots and short skirts -…” is the sentence Josh Massoud of The Daily Telegraph chose to open his report detailing Raelene Castle’s decision to modify the role of Bulldogs cheerleaders.

In other words, “knee-high boots and short skirts” is what a leading Rugby League journalist considers the traditional role of cheerleaders.

Can we really be surprised based on this appraisal that Castle is trying to change their perception?

I have seen uproar on Twitter about the ridiculousness of scrapping cheerleaders because they do a lot for their clubs, and that I would agree with. But their ability to support their club both on and off the field is scantly related to whether they are wearing knee-high boots and a short skirt or not.

Massoud reports that “pre-match and half-time performances are set to be abandoned in favour of off-field work, such as hospital visits, corporate entertainment and further education”, but Castle states that these women will still “be doing cheerleading at the game, they will still have pompoms”, but will also be given other opportunities and “professional evolution”.

Castle even explicitly states that these female ambassadors will go through the same community and learning programs as everyone else in the club.

The question is, why can’t these women do all of these things and still dance in short skirts if that is what they want to do? Because that is what feminism and empowerment is about: doing what you want to do and what you believe is important, wearing whatever you want while you do it.

Perhaps it is because when women’s space is expanded in this game, leading journalists introduce cheerleader characters based on their aesthetic qualities. Massoud did not write “Traditional cheerleaders – and their pre-match and halftime dance routines”. He wrote “…and their knee-high boots and short skirts”.

Remember that.

Because he is a journalist. It is his job to choose his words carefully and concisely. It is those words that dictate how a story is framed and perceived by the public. He chose to present these women as a mere spectacle in the opening sentence of his article.

Raelene Castle is trying to shift this perception. They are cheerleaders with pompoms, but they are also ambassadors for her club. She wants them to not only be professional, but to be seen by others as professional.

Unfortunately, if cheerleaders are seen merely for their physical merits and sexual attractiveness, this is a shift she cannot trigger until we disassociate these traits from their off-field work.

People are right. Cheerleaders – and women in general – should be able to experience professional evolution despite what they wear in particular settings. And I hope that one day they can.

But it will take far more than one decision from one club. This isn’t a footy problem. This is a people problem.

There are people in this game who see women as irrelevant. I have seen and heard it myself. It has been directed at my mother. It has been directed at me. Sometimes it is subtle and ideological. And sometimes it is explicit and downright offensive.

Raelene Castle is not the bad guy. She is not limiting, she is enabling. In all fairness, this might not work. But she is clearly aware that a problem exists, and as a good CEO should do, she is trying something new in an attempt to fix it.

Short skirts or not, these ambassadors will be there on game day. They will be taking part in off-field club initiatives. They will be as much a part of the Bulldogs empire as anyone else. They will be included.

Their space is expanding, and with any luck perceptions will change, and that is an exciting thing.

Short skirts or not.

Love,
@LadiesWhoLeague

Darcie's Blog - By Ladies Who League

We at Ladies Who League love hearing about other women who love what we love...blogging and the NRL! Darcie McDonald has written a blog on Women in League for her journalism assignment. We'd love for you to check it out and let us know what you think. We love it!

inherownleague.wordpress.com

Love,
@LadiesWhoLeague

The Nines Tournament Rule Changes - By Hayley

Today, the NRL announced the rule changes for the Nines Tournament next February. We will see ‘golden try’ extra time, a tackle count of 5 tackles, a ‘bonus zone’ and scrum changes. Here’s a bit about each rule;

Golden Try
If the scores are locked up at full time, the game will go into golden try’ extra-time. The first team to score a try in extra-time, wins. This is different to the current ‘golden point’ extra-time rule in the NRL. From what I’ve read, it’s unclear whether there will be a time limit for the ‘golden try’ extra-time.

The reason for this rule change is to stop the field goal shoot out in extra-time. The purpose is to trial this change with a view to change the rule in the NRL competition if it is received well. Personally, I’m not fussed whether it is golden try or golden point; I think it would be exciting either way.

5 Tackle Count
It will be interesting to see how the players adjust to this. I can imagine we will have some players caught out on the last tackle thinking that they have another tackle to go. The refs will need to be very clear with their tackle count.

Bonus Zone
For any tries scored under the posts, the team will be awarded 5 points. I assume this is to encourage teams to go through the middle rather than try to go around other teams and beat them with speed. I’m sure the goal kickers will be happy with this rule!

Scrum Changes
Along with the 5 tackle count, this could be one of the biggest changes. Scrums will only be packed after a double infringement, otherwise it will be a hand over. A lot of people can’t understand why the NRL still has scrums when in most cases you can’t contest the ball anymore. There’s also another reason for scrums, teams run set plays from them. It takes the forwards out of play and makes things a little easier for the attacking team.

The powers that be see scrums as time wasting which is why they are trialling this idea. This is another rule change that we could see within the NRL competition in the next couple of years.


I’m excited to see how teams adjust to this form of the game. I think it will be exciting and fast-paced which will be a lot different to the standard NRL game.

I really hope clubs embrace it and put forward the best team possible, rather than just the bare minimum that was requested by the NRL. Given it was a World Cup year, I don’t like the chances though.

The Nines Tournament has the potential to be something big and exciting, so long as the clubs treat it with the respect it deserves. Not only am I excited that we will get a footy fix earlier than normal but it’s something new and I am excited to see the teams game plans.

Love,
@LadiesWhoLeague

The NRL and White Ribbon Day - by Mary

Today, Australia supports White Ribbon Day.

This is a day which seeks to raise awareness for male violence against women and children. It is the world's largest male-led movement to end men's violence against women.

Through challenging attitudes and behaviours and commonly held beliefs about violence, this initiative seeks to change the culture which perpetuates men behaving violently and destructively towards women and their family.

I think we can all agree that this is a powerful message and a day which needs to be supported, spoken about and made prominent so that statements and statistics like this, can be eradicated:

• 30 per cent of women across the globe are impacted by intimate partner violence;
• in Australia, one woman a week is killed because of violence from a current or former partner;
• the Australian Institute of Criminology reports that 36 per cent of all homicides take place in a domestic setting and 73 per cent of those involve a woman being killed by their male partner; and
• ABS data shows that 1 in 3 Aussie women aged 15 and above have experienced some sort of physical or sexual violence at some point in their lives.

This needs to stop. In  a society as privileged and lucky as ours, statistics like this are not acceptable and it needs to be completely understood that this is not ok.

The NRL is a proud supporter of White Ribbon Day. There are a number of ambassadors for the cause who seek to be champions of the cause and spread the message throughout the community.

The NRL is showing its support through some of its tremendous ambassadors - Mario Fenech and Nathan Hindmarsh participated in the White Ribbon Day Walk in Sydney this morning, the Kangaroos have sworn an oath while on tour and clubs like the Parramatta Eels have also had their players supporting the cause.

This is so vitally important and each of the NRL clubs should be getting involved. At NRL HQ, today's primary messages should all be about White Ribbon Day. As a code we need to commit to this cause and show leadership. The players, administrators and governing bodies of our game need to stand together and show support for this tremendous cause. It is a message which should not only be heavily promoted today, but every signle day.

In the NRL there have been players accused or and players charged with domestic assault. This is not a problem which only afflicts NRL players or people in the spotlight, but is an issue which afflicts society at large.

As a woman who loves rugby league I am passionate about seeing more women involved in the game and to see more women become supporters of the game. While initiatives like Women in League are positive, it is on days like this where women want to see the NRL take a stand, be courageous and say that this behaviour is not tolerated in our game and should not be tolerated in society at large.

I hope to see some comments from the NRL today and to see our players getting out there and saying no to violence against women and set a positive example for males in the Australian community.

Love,

@LadiesWhoLeague

P.S. Thank you to the White Ribbon Day site, for the stats used in this story.

Keep Suburban Grounds Alive.... please! - By Felicity

Earlier this week St George Illawarra, along with the National Rugby League (NRL) announced the “right game, right venue” initiative. Basically taking two games each away from WIN Jubilee and WIN Stadium Wollongong to the larger venues around Sydney including the SFS and ANZ Stadium.

St George are one of the larger supported teams in NSW and can draw a crowd when playing well (referenced by the crowds which jammed into venues across the 2010 season) so it would make sense to move to these larger venues.

The sentiment wasn't shared by most Dragons fans across social media and forums – most bemoaned the move, as there is a deep connection between fans to both Kogarah and Wollongong. Suburban venues are slowly being phased out in the NRL so fans are holding on grimly to the games at these stadia.

Rugby league and the NRL is quickly under the new leadership of Dave Smith turning itself into a more business oriented model with a slight nudge from the state government of NSW. They have indicated they will only “invest in major venues, moving forward,”

This new initiative which going by the quotes from Peter Doust and Dave Smith – the Dragons move is a small step towards moving games into bigger stadiums to as Doust indicated allowing “all our members and fans to be able to see the biggest games of the year,”

Looking at the quotes, I like many other Dragons fans aren't happy with the decision to take games away from our suburban venues. The Dragons have tried out this tactic, albeit forced in 2008 when they based themselves out at ANZ Stadium. The season was regarded as a failure with a lack of atmosphere at games combined with the Dragons scraping into the top eight before being eliminated by Manly.

Despite this previous debacle, there is an understanding about why Peter Doust and the NRL have agreed to move games against the likes of Canterbury, Easts and South Sydney to either Allianz, ANZ or Sydney Cricket Ground. Rugby league needs to start maximising the revenue it can generate to compete with the footballing codes in Australia.

This understanding doesn't mean we have to be sub servant in submitting to the NRL's demands to  moving games to larger venues. I know quite a few Dragons fans who after this announcement won't be renewing their memberships whenever they are out – underlining that fans won't blindly fall into line with the whims of their clubs.

Not everyone (including myself) is willing to lug themselves out to the marquee stadiums in Sydney. It is a tough prospect to topple a sun drenched Sunday afternoon, sitting on the hill with mates cheering on your chosen side and not often replicated in the larger stadiums.

Rugby league is changing – we're moving into an age where business has started to trump sentiment in our game. I understand it is what may need to happen but for now, I would prefer to be sitting on the hill at Kogarah than being in the corner of ANZ Stadium. Keep our suburban grounds alive.

 

Love,

 

@LadiesWhoLeague

How many dudes... - By Mary

How many dudes you know roll like this? Not many... Shaun Kenny.

If you've been a reader of @LadiesWhoLeague this year, you'll know that while the Parramatta Eels are a huge passion of mine, I also identify as an NRL appreciator. It is also no big secret that I am a fan of the Sydney Roosters. One of the reasons I am a fan of the Roosters is because of Shaun Kenny-Dowall.

SKD has been a favourite of mine for many years. He is a talented footballer and I have enjoyed watching him play NRL over the last few years. Today after reading the paper I thought it was time to show him a bit of love. 

This Saturday night at Maroubra Sports Club, SKD will not just take part, but will headline a world record attempt to bring together the largest ever boxing class, all in aid of suicide prevention.

Suicide prevention is something which is very real to many NRL fans, particularly following the deaths of two extraordinary rugby league talents, Alex Elisala and Mosese Fotuaika. 

The goal for the fundraising attempt is 500 boxers, aiming to raise $20,000.

As always, it is wonderful to see talented NRL players realising the impact that they can have on the community. Far too often in NRL we focus on negative headlines and the players that bring our game into disrepute. All the while, there are other NRL players using their status to bring attention to and do positive work for the community and the very real issues our community faces.

Congratulations to SKD - we at @LadiesWhoLeague wish him all the very best of luck in bringing attention to a very worthy cause.

Box on.

Love,

@LadiesWhoLeague

Will selfies lead to more members? - By Mary

The NRL is on a mission to increase memberships in season 2014 and today has unveiled its new membership campaign involving none other than the selfie.
 
While in the past, the selfie has gotten many a footballer into trouble, the campaign stars NRL heroes like Robbie Farah, Jarryd Hayne and Greg Inglis recording their own messages to the fans, urging them to become members.

The personal messages as well as clips of players playing pranks on each other is part of the NRL's goal of doubling membership by 2017, leading to revenue of approximately $50 million.

For the NRL to have such a goal is commendable. I have blogged many times throughout the year about the importance of finding new revenue streams apart from pokies and gambling and working with the fans who are the game's best source of revenue to ensure that we get more people at games and increase the membership bases of the NRL clubs.

 
While I love the idea of players speaking directly to the fans and getting the game's biggest stars involved, I wonder how much this will assist the NRL in reaching its goals.

Over the last 6 months, there have been various ladies who league posting about what they see as the biggest issues in the NRL. There has been no shortage of posts and certainly no shortage of ideas about how we can make the greatest game of all, even greater.

There are some members, like me, who will always be members of their football club and don't question it when membership renewal rolls around in November of each year. For me, being a member of my club is important. I like to feel connected to my club and that I am financially supporting it. There is very little that the Parramatta Eels could do which would see me choose to cancel my membership.

The NRL doesn't need to worry about fans like me - it instead needs to worry about people that are not members of their teams and convince these people to join.

I am sceptical as to whether a brand new marketing campaign will achieve this. The NRL is clearly working hard in this area, but perhaps some of the reasons which prevent people signing up as members need to be looked at more closely.

So to finish this post, I have a few questions.

1. Are you a member of your club and if so, why?

2. If you are not a member of your club, why not?

3. If you are not a member, is there anything the NRL could do to convince you to join your club?

As always, I am very interested to hear your thoughts.

Love,

 

@LadiesWhoLeague

2013 NRL Season in Review: The Good, the bad and the ugly! - By Lauren

I don’t know about you, but I found the 2013 NRL season exhausting. It was a year of big headlines. We had it all. The Good, the Bad, and most certainly the Ugly.

The Good

 
The West Tigers juniors

The Tigers’ 2013 season was hardly a pretty one. There were few highlights, largely thanks to disastrous second halves. But if nothing else, in 2013 they showed us that they have some of the most exciting young players in the entire competition. David Nofoaluma (28/11/1993) gave us the try of the year which left everyone gobsmacked. Luke Brooks (21/12/1994) had one of the most impressive debuts of the season. Tim Simona (20/11/1991) has proved to be a nightmare to defend with his speed on the wing. Add Curtis Sironen (31/7/1993), Marika Koroibete (26/7/1992), and James Tedesco (8/1/1993) into the mix, let alone Aaron Woods (13/3/1991) who is already playing representative footy, and you have some serious forces to be reckoned with in the coming years. Let’s just hope the club is smart enough to hang onto these ones.

The NRL Rookies

There were 71 rookies in 2013. What a mammoth year in showcasing young talent. George Burgess is a monster. Tohu Harris is the NRL’s BFG (big friendly giant, for those of you who are not Roald Dahl readers). Ben Hampton made a big impression in his mere two first-grade games, and I have already mentioned Luke Brooks’ striking start. Kyle Feldt’s debut for the Cowboys left quite the impact as well. Clubs have already been fighting over Anthony Milford. Daniel Tupou and Korbin Sims are currently playing for Tonga and Fiji in the Rugby League World Cup. Matt Moylan, Dylan Walker. Some of these guys are younger than me, and I am jealous of how much they are achieving.

Cooper Cronk winning the Dally M Medal

Cooper Cronk is an incredible athlete and an even better role model. If you haven’t read his website, I implore you to do so. He is about hard work, and constantly finding ways to better himself both on and off the field. He is about respect and overcoming challenges. He recognises his shortcomings and instead of letting them defeat him, he uses them to drive him to be a better person. He shatters the famous/infamous “Boofhead Footy Player” stereotype. I can think of no one I would want to win a Best & Fairest award more. Oh and don’t forget about all those sinews.

Adam Reynolds’ try assist vs. Warriors (Round 17)

Just watch it. HOW DOES THAT EVEN HAPPEN?! Give this guy a Blues jumper already.

The Jon Mannah Cup

Watching the Mannah family cope with the loss of a family member publicly with so much grace was truly impressive. When the inaugural Jon Mannah Cup game rolled around, the Eels were already failing to fire and the Sharks were just starting to face all the ASADA allegations. Both teams needed something special. I will never forget the tribute to Jon Mannah. Prior to the game, they asked supporters of both teams (Mannah’s ex-clubs) to unite not in a moment of silence to mourn, but in a moment of applause in celebration for his life. Both teams played with real heart that day – you could see it in their hit-ups. That game was everything I love about League. It’s hard to laugh at Parramatta when they played one of my favourite games of the season.

Mahe Fonua’s GI-like try assist

“There’s no way he got it. He couldn’t possibly have… OH MY GOD HE DID IT! HE PULLED IT OFF! HOW DID HE DO THAT?!” – My living room at the time. Fonua had been struggling a little with form, but he played the game of his life that day and showed everyone just what he is made of. And you know what they say in sport, everyone. “Vics do it better”. And they’re not wrong.

The Bad

 
Farewelling retiring players

This is more ‘sad’ than ‘bad’, but on the eve of Grand Final I realised just how many well-loved players were bidding the NRL farewell. To Scott Prince, Steve Turner, Michael Crocker, Matt King, Dallas Johnson, Brett Finch, Nathan Fien, Matt Cooper, Matt Bowen, Danny Buderus, Jason Ryles, Joe Galuvao, Ashley Graham, and Ben Ross; you will all be sincerely missed by many, if not by all.

Losing Alex Elisala and Mosese Fotuaika

Two young lives lost to suicide before they had barely begun. Within just a couple of months. It was a tragic way to start the season, and I hope with all my heart that their families are coping. With everything else that happened in this tumultuous season, this left the biggest impact on me personally. They were not big names, and the story of their tragic deaths got lost amongst all the other drama. They were not mentioned at the Dally M awards, nor in any official ceremony that I saw. And yet, the names Sonny Bill Williams and Burgess are drilled into my brain from being mentioned so frequently. The biggest League media channels lost sight of what should have been the most important thing that happened this year.

These are two players from our family who saw no other way out when it was all too much. We need to send a clear message to the entire Rugby League community - those on and off the field that there is always another way out. There is no weakness in asking for help. The work the QRL has done to minimise the stigma of mental illness has been phenomenal. I just hope we see more of it at a national level.

ASADA investigation

The investigation in itself, if handled the right way, is a positive. I want to know that when I watch the brilliant displays of athleticism that are inherent in this great game that they are done without illegal performance enhancers. Too many supporters, players, and media spokespeople are blaming ASADA for all this drug drama. Don’t blame them. They haven’t done the wrong thing. Blame those who did the wrong thing. And out their wrongdoing. They have brought the game into disrepute. For once, it is a case of “Don’t hate the game, hate the player.”

I for one, find it hard to be sympathetic toward Sandor Earl if for no other reason than a) he was paid a ridiculous amount of money for a TV interview – if clearing your name is so important, do it for free; and b) when someone administering anything into your body tells you not to tell your team doctor, perhaps that should indicate that something isn’t quite right. If you feel like you have to lie about it, you’re doing something wrong. An athlete allowing someone to inject them with substances they don’t have a full understanding of is the equivalent of anyone signing a legal document without reading it.

Sam Burgess’ dirty tactics

Squirrel grip, eye-gouge, high tackles. And yet, apparently he is one of the best we’ve got? I am a firm believer that if you are truly a great player, you play with integrity and respect. Get it out of your game, Sam. Pronto. It’s a disgrace.

Canberra Raiders club culture

It started with Dugan and Ferguson. There was a bit more Dugan. There was a bit more Ferguson. There was a bit of contract drama. There was Anthony Milford and Josh Papalli. There was Shillington being fined for speaking out about all of it. And there was even a bit more Dugan (and he wasn’t even at the club anymore). Time for a change? Good luck, Ricky.

State of Origin

Blues fan. Final minutes of Game III. Down by two. Mitchell Pearce kicking on the third. Can’t even talk about it.

The Ugly

Robert Lui’s return in Women in League Round

Who the hell made that decision? There is already suggestion that we don’t take the Women in League round seriously enough. But having Robert Lui, who was stood down after being charged with assaulting his girlfriend, make his NRL return in that round? That was above and beyond. Even if everyone deserves second chances, someone should have been smart enough to make him wait at least one more week. Honestly.

The ’7^th Tackle’ Fiasco

If it had happened to my team, I would be livid. I am appalled enough that it happened to the Cowboys. It was a mistake that, technically speaking, cost them a spot in a final. For the second year in a row. What made it all the more awful was seeing more media and public uproar about JT’s comments following the affair than for the event itself. While I hardly think there is a pro-Sydney conspiracy going on, there is much to suggest that the support out-of-NSW clubs receive is relatively second rate.

 

How do you solve a problem like Ben Barba?

Ben Barba was stood down at the beginning of the season for what was commonly referred to as “personal issues”. At the time, I thought it was handled remarkably well. I thought Todd Greenberg spoke impressively in the press conference and that the club was good to help Barba before his ‘condition’ led to any public disturbances.

WELL.The allegations that have come to light since his release from the Bulldogs are suggesting that this was far from the case. Barba did not even complete his rehabilitation program before returning to the field. And considering the fact that these are domestic abuse allegations, you would think they would be a little more diligent in ensuring the safety of everyone involved.

 
Was it a cover-up? If it was, was Todd Greenberg responsible for that cover-up? If he was, why should he be in such a high standing in the NRL? And I’m not even going to ask the question that everyone really wants to know.

DUIs

I’m pretty much just going to name and shame now. Could Mitchell Allgood and James Tamou please stand up?

Russel Packer urinating on the field

Enough said.

In conclusion, there’s never a dull moment in Rugby League. ”And I couldn’t be happier this school year is ending.” (Because there’s always room for a Mean Girls reference.)

 

Love,

 

@LadiesWhoLeague

 

LadiesWhoLeague Update - by Mary

Hello everyone,

You might have noticed that here at LadiesWhoLeague we have gone a bit quiet over the off season… and it's not without a reason.

We have been so delighted with the progress that we have made this year. From a small blog that started in June this year, we have had almost 20,000 visitors to the site and we now are almost at 700 Twitter followers. For all of you that have supported us and enjoyed our articles, we say a big thank you.

However, we're not stopping here. Over the off season we are going to redesign our website and move away from our current blogger format. We have loads of ideas about how to get all of you engaged including a picture gallery, making the comment section easier to use and having a sign up process so you can become a member of LadiesWhoLeague.

I'm also busy over the off season meeting with some sensational people I have met along the way to discuss ideas and brainstorm about how we can start a female revolution in the NRL. I'm extremely excited and can't wait to see what 2014 will bring.

In the meantime, if you have any suggestions, comments or criticisms, please feel free to send us an email ladieswholeague@gmail.com or send us a tweet! You have all helped to make this site what it is, so we are always grateful for your feedback. Finally, if you like what we've done this year and would like to become a contributor, get in touch. For LadiesWhoLeague it certainly is a case of the more the merrier.

Love,

@LadiesWhoLeague

An NRL wish list for 2014 - by Anna

A lot has been written and said this year about the state of the game and why fans are disillusioned with the NRL.

Below is my wish list for supporting the greatest game of all.

Match scheduling

I would love to attend more NRL matches on a Sunday afternoon.

If you support a high profile NRL club like I do you would be lucky to attend an NRL match on a Sunday afternoon.  This year the club I support had only one Sunday afternoon match. Most matches were held on a Friday night. Supporters with young families are impacted by the night time matches with most choosing not to attend matches at all. With poor parking options, the late kick off time and a lack of transport infrastructure means that most families opt to not attend matches at all.  In Sydney it is a lot easier getting to a game on a weekend than on a Friday night after work. 

I would love to see all clubs have an equal share of the Friday night matches.   This will ensure an even level playing field for all NRL clubs when it comes to television exposure. And as a fan it would be good to watch on television other clubs on a Friday night besides the usual Brisbane, Bulldogs, Roosters or the Rabbitohs.  

Kick off time

It would be great if the NRL kick off for Thursday/Friday evening matches can commence as intended for at 7:30 pm.

This year I attended many matches that were held either on a Thursday or Friday night. A Thursday night match that I attended earlier in the season didn’t kick off until 8:20 pm. I only live 12 km distance from the ground and I didn’t arrive home until well after 11:00 pm.  I also attended one of the State of Origin matches this year and that match didn’t start until 8:15 pm. The late kick off time is not fair to young families whom have to travel long distances to watch their heroes play.

Currently there is a 40-45 minute gap between the conclusion of the NYC match and the start of the NRL match.  This leaves those that watch the NYC matches idle for a long period of time.   Whilst the majority of the clubs provide adequate entertainment for the fans most would prefer the NRL kick off to be brought forward.

Match day costs

Transport costs should be integrated with match day tickets and memberships.

For fans that live in Sydney the cost of travel is expensive and cumbersome.

Why is the benefit of including transport cost within a ticket only offered for marquee matches? Surely the NRL on behalf of the Sydney based clubs can negotiate an arrangement with the NSW Government to help fans get to matches without the burden of waiting in queues.

If the A League clubs can integrate transport costs with their fans memberships why can’t the NRL clubs do the same?

The cost of entry for most of the “away matches” is expensive. A few years ago if you were a season ticket holder you could attend an away match for the low cost of $8.00.  

There should be a benefit for fans with a membership at any of the NRL clubs to pay a standard cost to attend an away match lets say $15-20 for a single ticket, and $30 for the price of a family ticket.

Food and beverage costs at a football match can be quite exorbitant at the larger venues. I understand that venues need to make money but there needs to be a middle ground that makes all stakeholders happy.

NRL Merchandise

I would love to see a broader range of NRL merchandise offered to female fans.

At best female fans have the option of purchasing a ladies jersey and a polo top. The NRL has an extensive female supporter base; it would be great if there were more options to pick from. It would be even better if female supporters can provide input or feedback as to what they want.  The NRL is missing out on a lucrative market.

The cost of merchandise can be quite steep. The cost of a polo top at a minimum can set back a fan $80.  An NRL jersey is about $160. A great sight on television and at the game is seeing a sea of colour in the grandstands. Recently I attended the A League Sydney Derby match and it was a wonderful sight to see fans in the stands wearing their team colours

Final Wish: Less of Sonny Bill Williams and the Burgess Brothers

I would love to hear and read less of SBW and the Burgess family.

For season 2013 the NRL fan was provided an avalanche of articles, radio reports and interviews relating to Sonny Bill Williams and the Burgess Brothers.  In particular on channel 9 we were given a cheesy insight to Sonny Bills inner thoughts on his comeback match to watching everything about the Burgess. 

Surely there are a lot more stories to tell or write about besides these guys. Dear Channel 9 enough already.

What is your NRL wish list for season 2014?

 

Love,

 

@LadiesWhoLeague

NRL 'Culture' - By Mary

This week at @LadiesWhoLeague, if you have been keeping up, you'll see that I've been writing a lot about women's involvement in NRL.

For the moment, this will be my last blog on the topic but I feel that I have left the most controversial issue till the end. This blog has certainly been the hardest one to write.

When I speak to many of my friends about why they have no interest in rugby league, there is a common answer - it is a game played by 'boofheads', with scandal after scandal filling the papers week after week. It seems that the image the NRL has is one which is discouraging many females from giving the game a go. In my opinion, that's a tremendous shame because rugby league is a fantastic sport with lots to offer.

The question then becomes, does the NRL have a culture problem?

My answer is, no.

As a code, rugby league is not perfect. For those of you who have read the blog throughout the year you will remember many stories about how NRL players should look to be role models, about boys behaving badly and about the way contracts are treated and valued by both players and coaches. There is certainly room for improvement and the NRL should always be striving to educate players and to work towards ensuring that we are not just creating excellent rugby league players, but excellent men.

While NRL is not perfect, I would argue that many of the issues facing rugby league are common to all sports. No sport is devoid of scandal and no sport is devoid of players that do silly things. This year, the ASADA scandal is certainly the one which has dominated sports headlines. While the NRL was in the spotlight, so was the AFL, in a very significant way.

The reality is that scandal sells newspapers. 

We need to get much better as a code and as fans at promoting the positive things that NRL does for the community and focusing on players who are truly excellent players, but role models for society and the community. 

I'll firstly focus on some of the tremendous initiatives the NRL has introduced over the past few years.  This year the 2013 NRL-RLPA Academic Team of the Year was announced. In connection with this, the NRL launched a new strategic partnership with the University of Western Sydney that will give players more opportunity to pursue further study once their footballing careers are over. This new partnership will be the most comprehensive professional athlete education program in Australia.

The aim of the Graduates of League program is to increase university entry, retention and completion rates of elity athletes. The program gives players one on one tuition, at least an hour a week, funded by the NRL, the player's club and the Rugby Leauge Players Association. 

The NRL-RLPA Academic Team of the year gives players the chance to ensure that they can continue to contribute to the community positively once they have finished playing NRL. It gives players the confidence to pursue further study and gives them the resources they need. 

For me, this program shows that we are a sport that  not only values players for the contribution that they can make on the field, but also is a sport which focuses on what players can do and contribute once they have left the game. 

Then we get to what I see as one of the jewel's of the NRL - the NRL One Community initiative. This program is the largest and most comprehensive community relations program in NRL sport. With tremendous initiatives like Women in League round, Rugby League Reads, the Ambassador Program and the Voice Against Violence it is clear that the NRL is serious about the role it can have in the community and using our rugby league superstars to initiate positive changes in the community. 

When I read stories about the Canterbury Bulldogs raising money for beyondblue, Centrebet Stadium establishing a make shift animal shelter for pets that have been evacuated from the Blue Mountains as a result of bush fires and the Raiders making a tremendous commitment to Pacific player education and welfare I am proud. I am proud of the sport which I love and proud of many of the players who participate to make our communities better.

As a code, we need to get better at celebrating the tremendous things that Rugby League can achieve, rather than focusing on the negativity and silliness of a few.

Next year, here at @LadiesWhoLeague we are going to make a tremendous effort to keep you all up to date with everything good about the NRL. We'll be writing about the One Community program and the players that are a part of it. We'll also focus more on some of the game's good guys - men like Michael Ennis, Ben Creagh, Tim Mannah and Ben Ross who are wonderful role models for the game and all heavily involved in the community.

We hope you'll help us and get involved by sharing our stories and in turn sharing your sport and the tremendous things it does for the community.

Love,

@LadiesWhoLeague

Women at NRL Game Day - by Mary

This week at @LadiesWhoLeague we have been thinking about the role of women in the NRL and how we can both encourage and promote the participation of women at all levels of the game.

Today I have been thinking a lot about game day.

As you all know I love Rugby League. There is nothing that I love more than attending a full Parramatta Stadium and cheering on my team. I often get swept up in the atmosphere, the cheering, the bright lights, the roar of the crowd and of course the passion shown by my fellow supporters. 

However, I feel like game day is still a very male dominated arena - illustrated by the surprise on people's face when they hear I am an NRL supporter. In a sport perceived to be dominated by males, a 24 year old lawyer often stands out in the crowd.

I no longer want to be perceived as unusual for an NRL supporter. I want more women to become involved and to share in the joy that I receive from the game, week to week.

Part of this is about getting more women involved at all levels of the game and celebrating the contributions of those women who are already involved. I wrote a story on this earlier this week and you can check it out here.

The next step is getting more women involved in game day. How do we do this?

I feel this links nicely with the story I wrote earlier this week about making women more present in NRL and celebrating the contributions of women at all levels of the game. We need to make women visible and a positive and a meaningful part of the way game day is conducted.

I feel this can be done in a series of ways.

I have attended many NRL games at different stadiums throughout Sydney (it's my hope to go interstate next year). I am yet to hear a female ground announcer. There are women out there just as passionate and committed to the NRL as men - it would be fantastic to see a woman involved in ground announcing and getting the crowd involved and hyped ready for the upcoming game.

In both the EPL and the A-League women are involved in officiating. This I feel would also be a very big step for the NRL. There is no lack of women involved in officiating. In 2012, Kasey Badger became the first female referee in our Toyota Cup competition. What a sensational achievement. Whilst Kasey should certainly not be promoted to the NRL simply based on her gender - her commitment to the cause and the many hours she puts into her training suggest that it will only be a matter of time before we see her in the NRL. You can read more about Kasey here.

One of my favourite parts of game day is half time when the kids often come on and get the opportunity to run around the field. It is absolutely delightful to see such young children with a love for the game and the enthusiasm they have for running onto the same field that they see their heroes running onto week in and week out.

Here's another idea - why not have women playing rugby league as a pre-cursor to the main game. Catharine Lumby has suggested this also happen at State of Origin. My question is why not? Australia has some tremendously talented touch football teams who are not getting the recognition that they deserve. The Australian women's touch football team has won seven consecutive World Cup Events and has won every Trans Tasman series since 1986. Unfortunately, these women get zero funding and are unknown to most Australians - a tremendous shame. These women need to be celebrated and recognised for the tremendous contributions they are making to Australian sport.

I would love to hear all your thoughts - how can we get more women involved at game day?

The next piece I'll write will focus on NRL 'culture' and whether that has an impact.

Love,

@LadiesWhoLeague

Let's celebrate sensational women - by Mary

Here at @LadiesWhoLeague, you might have guessed that we are passionate about two main things - women and rugby league. When you combine these two things, you get me, a person who is passionate about the role of women in rugby league and how we can increase female participation both at a fan level, but also at a more administrative and managerial level.

Over the next couple of weeks I am going to be considering how we can get more women involved in the NRL. This is a concept very dear to my heart so I would truly love for as many of you as possible to get involved in the conversation so that we can work towards taking positive steps forward. It is only by starting the conversation that we can really get to the crux of what we're talking about.

This will be the first of a series of posts I will be writing on the issue.

The first step we need to take is to make women involved in Rugby League more visible. Whilst I have often blogged about the lack of women who are involved in the game at higher levels, there are a number of women who play a really important role in our game. We should celebrate these women. Often, when females think of the NRL, the only women they can think of who are associated with the game are the cheerleaders and the mum's who operate the canteen and cheer their sons or daughters on from the sideline. While there is nothing wrong with this and these women are crucial to our game, we need to celebrate all the women who contribute to NRL in a positive way and we also need to encourage women to be brave enough to put their hands up to be involved in NRL.

I have many female heroes who are involved in our game. Just think of Raelene Castle, the CEO of the Bulldogs, Catharine Lumby, who advises the NRL on a pro bono basis in regard to gender issues, Maria Tsialis, journalist at Big League Magazine, Lara Pitt who work with Fox Sports, Debbie Spillane who runs the fabulous Hens FC and of course Catherine Harris, the only woman on the Australian Rugby League Commission and the tremendous woman who declared that she wanted to see a woman on the board of every NRL club by 2014.

These women demonstrate that women have a lot to offer and can make a positive contribution to rugby league when given the opportunity. 

There are countless roles for women in NRL which takes them away from the stereotypical image of being either a mum on the sidelines or a cheerleader on the sidelines. We need to encourage women to become involved in the administration of our game because while 40 per cent of paying NRL fans are women, this is not reflected in the way the game is administered.

Here are some ideas - let's get women in our NRL boardrooms, women running our football clubs, women taking part in game day by getting involved in ground announcing, women commentators both in print media, radio and television, and women taking part in the officiating of the game (this already happens in the EPL and in the A-League). When these women do become involved they should be promoted and celebrated just as much as men involved in our game.

We need strong female role models to lead the way and there is certainly no lack of them.

I'll continue writing on this issue over the coming weeks.

Love, 

@LadiesWhoLeague