It's been well documented that during covid V'landys did great. The NRL was one of the first leagues in the world to come back etc. He also did great in horse racing when things were going shit too.
So, my opinion is this. He is amazing at dealing with a crisis - a perfect crisis manager. If things are going shit, V'landys will step in and look like the saviour. The nonsense, quick fixer.
But, I'm yet to be convinced that he can do this job over a period of time.
I 100% agree that concussion in our sport needs to be fixed. Players welfare should be number 1 priority. But the way he is going about it is wrong. It is redefining the game we love and is literally changing the entire history of the sport in 2 weeks. His stubbornness will kill it off completely if he doesn't find a better solution. It all started with the Eels/Roosters game. He reacted quickly without thinking it through and changed the game in an instant.
The way he is marketing and promoting the game is through changing the actual game itself.
If we take the toughness out, what does the game stand for?
No coincidence that this was the first year in more than 40 years that the NRL didn't launch the season with a proper marketing campaign. It was left to the networks to do the NRL's job. Why? Because V'landys doesn't know what the game stands for. Last year, the campaign showed how far the game has come through diversity, inclusion and acceptance in attempt to attract a wider audience. Some people hated it because it didn't focus on the game. Many traditionalist complained about how it should have focussed on the athleticism of the players and their brute toughness like the big hits etc. Problem with that is it scares off mums and dads. V'landy know this. So the solution was a low-key approach. He can't talk about how the game has progressed without upsetting the traditionalist and he can't show the big hits and brute without scaring mums and dads. So what does the game stand for?
V'landys has been quoted as saying that the "NRL is in the business of entertainment". Really? How's that worked out in the last few weeks?
The game has a serious identity problem. I want to know what V'landy's big plan is.
His knee jerk reactions won't fix it in the long term, infact his short-sightedness can stuff the game forever.
You need to be a member of 1Eyed Eel to add comments!
Replies
Great writeup EAM. Like you said, PVL did a great job during covid, but he is killing the game now as a spectacle. The game in the last two weeks has been boring to watch, and has become too soft for mine. Some of the sin binning has not been deserved imo. Teddy for example has a low running style, so he is falling when someone comes in to tackle him. Why start all this mid season? I fullly get that we have to stamp out high tackles, but a bit more notice for fans and players would have been good. As I have said previously on here, I am not enjoying the game right now. The Roosters and Broncos game was rediculous.
V'landys has shown he's stubborn and unpragmatic. This probably won't end well.
What exactly did he do during COVID that was so great ?
I just thought he did a good job getting the game started again. As EAM said, we were the first sport to start back. That was a good thing he did imo
The kent needs to be hung, drawn n quartered.
Lord Vlandys should be put in one of these at half time.
The 'season launch' is an unnecessary cost. That's why it was binned this year.
Btw Greenberg's 'diversity' launch was a garbage marketing job, completely off brand and they forgot who their customers are. It didn't focus on the game itself or the fans, it focused on everything but that. It was rubbish.
My only issue with the crackdown is the overuse of the sin bin. 13-12 (or 11) should be rare not something that happens in each and every game. That's what is changing the fabric of the sport the most.
Disagree. It's no secret here that I liked last year's campaign. It was 100% on brand and was exactly the message the game needed to make to attract a wider, new audience. But hey...
Agree with your thoughts on the crackdown and sin-bin. Way overused. I think I heard a commentator say that there was more sin bins in one game than there was in an entire year of footy.
I agree with you.
PVL makes reference to Rugby Union having eliminated high shots, this shows he has zero understanding of Rugby League, it is a different game, not the stop start stodgy referee centric game that Union is. RL is supposed to be brutal, and fast, taxing fitness and strength / endurance. The elbows, coat hangers, deliberate shoulder to head shots, need to be punished, the incidental scalp massage or high tackle as an attacker falls just before the tackle, like the Tedesco tumble, should not result in anything, play the fuck on.
Tackles like Victor Radely did on Coates, where he rushed out and smashed him, then finished him off, not touching his head, was brutal and great, why is that penalised / sin binned?
Players are already taking dives like that shit game soccer to gain an advantage through the sin bin, however the bombastic, pig headed, ego manic, “ my way or the highway” fat heap of shit PVL will plough on, as he knows best.
The games popularity is built on its brutality . They can manage kids footy with cotton wool for the helicopter parents and Honda Oddesy driving dads and still manage the big boys game with common sense .
I bet it's not a direct comparison however the foundations of the drawcard is the same . Imagine thr UFC started penalising over physical contact .
As it stands I'd rather see the NRL suit players up in gridiron gear and let them go for it.
There's more chance of the game being history in 10 - 20 years time on its current path. Do a marketing campaign about how the kids game is safe , let the big peoples get on with their game , and move on . Oh that's right , the NRL are too busy throwing money at social awareness campaigns rather than bringing kids to play it . Whilst soccer and AFL are in the schools and promoting their games non stop.
maybe that's why the numbers are apparently dwindling .
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
of 4 Next