Hmmm always get the breaks

[stsae]

Link. http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/l...313-1uyjl.html

Friday on their minds: clubs want fixed schedule
March 14, 2012

BRISBANE have been given a huge advantage on and off the field, with the club scheduled to play on Friday night for the opening eight weeks of the competition - a run that is likely to continue until State of Origin.

The decision by Channel Nine to choose Brisbane for its Friday night coverage on a weekly basis has heightened calls for fixed season-scheduling to be part of the next broadcast deal, while boosting claims for a second Brisbane team.

Rival officials say a seven-day turnaround makes a massive difference to Brisbane's preparation for matches, while being on Channel Nine every Friday night enables the Broncos to attract greater corporate support - a fact highlighted by Cronulla's lack of a major sponsor.

''It's a massive factor in the Broncos' favour,'' a trainer from a rival club told the Herald. ''Knowing that they play every Friday night allows them to have a regimented preparation … The Broncos would have a recovery session on Saturday morning and their players could then have the rest of the weekend off.''

In contrast, Manly opened their premiership defence by travelling to play the Warriors in a replay of last season's grand final, then backed up five days later against Wests Tigers. The Sea Eagles play on Monday at Cronulla and do not have another Friday night game until round eight - but at least they have some exposure on free-to-air television.

With the Broncos-Titans round-eight clash set to be confirmed for April 27, the Sharks are the only club yet to receive a Friday night match - and they are also the only club without a major sponsor.

''Obviously having free-to-air games makes it much easier when you sit in front of sponsors,'' Cronulla chairman Damian Irvine said. ''We are right at the pointy end of signing a sponsorship deal, and we will do that, but it is no longer a case of sponsors wanting to throw a name on a jersey and being happy to use you as a billboard.

''They want to know exactly what your media monitoring situation is … exactly what your coverage is for free-to-air and pay TV. It is double-pronged because they don't only want to know that in deciding whether they choose you over another club or another sport, they also want to know that as to how much value they actually place on the position once they decide they are going with you - so in that light, free-to-air games are absolute gold.''

Manly boss David Perry said it was no coincidence the Broncos are by far the most profitable club in the NRL, with a turnover of about $30 million per season. ''When you are getting free-to-air TV games scheduled weekly, your TV viewership numbers are significantly higher … so to a potential investor, we are significantly disadvantaged,'' he said.

As a result, both Irvine and Perry believe each club should get a set number of Friday night games as part of the next TV deal.

''Hopefully all clubs can be on a fair playing field going forward because it clearly hasn't been equal historically,'' Perry said.

However, neither Channel Nine sports boss Steve Crawley or NRL football operations director Nathan McGuirk made any apology for the Broncos being consistently chosen for Friday night matches.

''It is one of the aims of Channel Nine that one of the two free-to-air games on Friday night is a game with some Queensland content they can show live into Queensland, and they are choosing the Broncos clearly to maximise ratings,'' McGuirk said. ''Last year the Broncos had 16 Friday night games … it will probably be about the same this year.''

Crawley said Channel Nine would support the admission of a second Brisbane team playing out of Suncorp Stadium.

''They have got the best stadium in the world and if you could have a game coming out of there every week that would be great for rugby league and great for the broadcaster,'' he said. ''Queensland is a big part of our game and they have only got three teams at the moment, so, from a broadcaster's point of view, having an extra team in Queensland would be a wonderful thing.''

Dogs, Manly set for Friday grudge match

Channel Nine executives and Bulldogs officials expect the bitter first clash between Des Hasler's new Canterbury side and the Manly team he steered to the 2011 premiership to attract huge interest, with the match scheduled for Friday, April 27. While the NRL is yet to announce the round eight schedule, the Herald understands the Bulldogs-Sea Eagles clash at ANZ Stadium has been pencilled in for a Friday night free-to-air game since Manly sacked Hasler after he announced he was joining Canterbury. The Broncos-Titans derby at Suncorp Stadium will be the live game in Queensland. Canterbury officials are hoping for a crowd of 40,000 for the match against the Sea Eagles, who have started the season like they finished last year with wins over the Warriors in Auckland and the Tigers at Gosford.

The schedule

BRISBANE

1 Friday, March 2 Eels (a)

2 Friday, March 9 Cowboys (h)

3 Friday, March 16 Knights (a)

4 Friday, March 23 Souths (a)

5 Friday, March 30 Dragons (h)

6 Friday, April 6 Tigers (a)

7 Friday, April 13 Raiders (h)

8 Friday, April 27 Titans (h)

MANLY

1 Sunday, March 4 Warriors (a)

2 Friday, March 9 Tigers (h)

3 Monday, March 19 Sharks (a)

4 Saturday, Mar 24 Dragons (a)

5 Saturday, Mar 31 Eels (a)

6 Monday, April 9 Panthers (a)

7 Saturday, April 14 Titans (h)

8 Friday, April 27 Bulldogs (a)


So-called independence is great.

[crikey chris]

We cannot have a News funded team not feature in a News funded competion, run by an ex News super league lawyer, on free-to-air tv every friday night along the east coast of Australia now can we?

[Rooster_6]

Cowboys are a better team than the Broncos this year and they can't even get a look in for a Friday night game.

Putting it down to a lack of QLD sides is a load of crap.

[chook 56]

I think you can put a lot of it down to supporters.
Bronco fans are bloody everywhere, and the networks know it :/

[stsae]

I think you can put a lot of it down to supporters.
Bronco fans are bloody everywhere, and the networks know it :/

Dunno 56 when we ventured up the freeway in 2010 we had a lot of support there even though it was a Monday night.

IMO they just benefit from having 1 team in a big league loving city. I reckon a lot of their crowds support the opposition teams.

Look at all the ads up this way, it's all Wankos and ex-Wankos, very few Titties on the Teev or radio.

As Crikey alluded to, it's put on for them, has been since day dot. That's how it rolls when your owned by NewsRL.

I hate them.

[chook 56]

You only have to read the Courier Mail (which I try not to do). All you see in the NRL section is the bloody Donkeys.
Just about all our customers are Donkey supports & it bores me to bloody tears listening to them.

[stsae]

You only have to read the Courier Mail (which I try not to do). All you see in the NRL section is the bloody Donkeys.
Just about all our customers are Donkey supports & it bores me to bloody tears listening to them.

Honestly I've found they have some of the most league uneducated fans I've ever encountered. All the know is Wanko. They are usually also fans of all things QLD, their GAyFL, socca, bastard ball and Yawnion teams.

I've found most of them don't really support the Wankos or the game it's just another QLD thingy.

I love how Gus has always refered to them as QLD, cos it shits the more intelligent among them.

Most pure leaguies up this way go for an oldskool team or a QLD cup/local team.

And I never read the papers, but can only imagine the dribble they spew forth.

Ever heard that dead set legends show on sat morn mate??? Bean Ikin, it's sickening.

Moving up this way I thought it would be league mad in the media, it's just Wanko/QLD mad unfortunately.

[chook 56]

Honestly I've found they have some of the most league uneducated fans I've ever encountered. All the know is Wanko. They are usually also fans of all things QLD, their GAyFL, socca, bastard ball and Yawnion teams.

I've found most of them don't really support the Wankos or the game it's just another QLD thingy.

I love how Gus has always refered to them as QLD, cos it shits the more intelligent among them.

Most pure leaguies up this way go for an oldskool team or a QLD cup/local team.

And I never read the papers, but can only imagine the dribble they spew forth.

Ever heard that dead set legends show on sat morn mate??? Bean Ikin, it's sickening.

Moving up this way I thought it would be league mad in the media, it's just Wanko/QLD mad unfortunately.

Yes I have heard that tripe of a show. Refuse to tune in after the first couple of times I heard it.
And yes, I hear ya re the media.
The only other non Donkey supporter I get to see is me old Vermin sparring partner. Pretty bad when you regard him as good conversation, eh? LOL

[chook 56]

Oh, loved giving them heaps when when Morls was bustin' chops.
They are the biggest one eyed whingers EVER. Reckoned Morls should have been jailed for his "cheap" shots.
They don't like it when you point out the real cheap shot artists like Carroll, Close,Tallis etc

[stsae]

Oh, loved giving them heaps when when Morls was bustin' chops.
They are the biggest one eyed whingers EVER. Reckoned Morls should have been jailed for his "cheap" shots.
They don't like it when you point out the real cheap shot artists like Carroll, Close,Tallis etc

Lol, yep thats their old chestnut, they always feared Mozz. And of course ignored Toolis and of course their new punch in the back of the melon cheap shot merchant Hammy Thiagay. He's a deadset protected species. I've never seen him even questioned over some of his crap.

And head down to the Tweed mate, we have all sorts here, a lot of fake Titties fans and very few Wankos. A lot of lol@Souffs fans, a lot of StainedIllaSoxes and a lot of Chookies even.

Down at my boys footy club there are a lot of Chooks, and we love to get together and lol@everyone.

[Guest]

The year after the Roosters got the spoon, 2010 they were also in the first 6 rounds on free to air.

I dont think Rooster supporters can complain. I still cant believe the game was on 9 last week end.

[stsae]

The year after the Roosters got the spoon, 2010 they were also in the first 6 rounds on free to air.

I dont think Rooster supporters can complain. I still cant believe the game was on 9 last week end.

For starters it was the 1st 5 rounds.

There was only 1 Friday night game in there.

Much hotter and harder to play 4 from 5 first Sunday's.

Also those Sunday games are delayed, must be worse for advertising $$$ compared to 8 live Friday nights in Brisbane.

Do you realize they don't even play ch 9 games on Sunday's in Brisbane if the Wankos are on Sunday On fox???

No you're not going there Lickey Mane. We live thru this shit up here.

I do agree I was shocked about Sunday's timeslot, I thought the IllaSoxes and Boggs deserved that one.

[Guest]

For starters it was the 1st 5 rounds.

There was only 1 Friday night game in there.

Much hotter and harder to play 4 from 5 first Sunday's.

Also those Sunday games are delayed, must be worse for advertising $$$ compared to 8 live Friday nights in Brisbane.

Do you realize they don't even play ch 9 games on Sunday's in Brisbane if the Wankos are on Sunday On fox???

No you're not going there Lickey Mane. We live thru this shit up here.

I do agree I was shocked about Sunday's timeslot, I thought the IllaSoxes and Boggs deserved that one.

Thanks mate I needed that thickhead.

[stsae]

Thanks mate I needed that thickhead.

Thickhead, lol, you seen a mirror lately Lickey???

[Guest]

Thickhead, lol, you seen a mirror lately Lickey???

I mean a thickhead like when someone open hand slaps the back of someone else head because they have said a dumbarse thing, like what I said. Do you get it?