Matthew Johns: Rules crackdown and NRLW are bringing women back to rugby league

Rugby league has never been tougher, it’s just a different kind of tough. And it’s a big reason why it’s more appealing to a female audience, MATTY JOHNS writes.

Caitlyn Daunt and Taylah Bowden at NRL Magic Round, Suncorp Stadium. Picture: Patrick Woods.

The game is booming. The quality of the football is outstanding, and I’ve rarely seen so much interest in rugby league. Magic Round was confirmation.

There were as many visitors in the streets and pubs, as there were in Suncorp Stadium at any one time. In fact, there were many more.

Historically for rugby league, female interest has been a great indicator of where the sport sits. It’s been a challenge, but it’s not alone.

In the late 80s, and early into the early 90s, English soccer was struggling. Kicked out of the European competition, attendances were down, and it became insular due to little foreign interest.

Caitlyn Daunt and Taylah Bowden at Magic Round. Picture: Patrick Woods

The Taylor Report was conducted to lift the sport.

This led to the old Division One morphing into today’s powerhouse, English Premier League.

Interviewing David Hill recently, an Australian from the suburbs of Newcastle, who was charged with helping establish the Premier League into a television product for Sky Sports, he told me he was alarmed with what he saw when he initially attended matches.

The stadiums were shocking, but the fan base caused him far greater concern. There was hardly a female in the terraces and grandstands, which said everything about the quality of games and what women believed the sport stood for.

Immediate change was required. It took some time, working on everything from stadium quality, crowd behaviour, player profile and style of football.

But look at what the EPL is today, alongside America’s National Football League, as the greatest sports competition in the world.

For rugby league, 2023 has seen a big lift in crowd attendances and television ratings. The game is in a sweet spot.

Magic Round provided a gauge of what our supporter base now is, and it was clear that the sport is enjoying a significant lift in female attendance and viewership. In my opinion, there’s a few reasons why. Firstly, the quality of the entertainment. The faster ruck speed has loosened defences and allowed attack, and attack minded players like Latrell Mitchell to dominate.

The increased vigilance on foul play, and what is deemed foul play, has made the game safer.

HIA protocols has player welfare given greater priority. Anyone who thinks the game has gone soft is kidding. The game has never been tougher, it’s just a different kind of tough.

Watching a player push himself through the fatigue barrier, and make a desperate tackle, is tough. A late shot, high tackle, an elbow to the head, a player punching another, is not.

All this has made the sport more appealing to a female audience, and we will soon see a big lift in junior participation as a result.

But the other major reason is the NRLW. The NRLW is a high-quality product, played by outstanding athletes, who are skilful, brave and articulate.

It has changed the perception of rugby league, it is no longer just viewed as a male sport.

Back in the late 80s, the Tina Turner campaign was responsible for a surge in female interest, but the game can do better than that in 2023.

Just having a good-looking player take his shirt off, and winking at the camera, isn’t the answer.

Tina Turner with (from left) Allan Langer, Andrew Ettingshausen and Wayne Pearce. Picture: Peter Muhlbock

The NRLW doesn’t just appeal from a spectator viewpoint, it offers a career in the sport and entices young women to play the game.

You only have to go to a touch football carnival to see what potential NRLW has and the growth it can have in the next five years.

The uncertainty that existed in the lead up to this year’s competition, put all this at risk.

I support the increase in the number of teams for this year’s competition, but the game needs to work toward making it even more appealing through financial incentives, a quality ad campaign and an increase in the duration of the competition.

AND ANOTHER THING

The Dragons’ board must make the announcement we all know is coming, Anthony Griffin won’t be the head coach in 2024.

At the moment, the coach and players are being forced to perform in a realm of uncertainty.

The moment the announcement is made, performances will improve.

Griffin will have clarity, and the players will lift, playing for their futures, looking to impress the new coach, even if they don’t know who that may be.

I’m against bringing in the new coach now. To embed their own style and principles, will need a full pre-season, and a strong start is important.

Anthony Griffin won’t drop his bundle, he’ll be looking to turn this season around, to audition for his coaching future.

You can see the strain on Ben Hunt. In every interview and press conference he has to address all the uncertainty, and defend his coach. It’s not fair. He needs to get back to focusing entirely on football, he needs the board to show some strength.

Originally published as Matthew Johns: Rules crackdown and NRLW are bringing women back to rugby league