NRL 2015: How you voted in Fans Survey

THE fans have spoken and now it’s up to the NRL and ARL Commission to listen and make the changes you want to rugby league in Australia.

THE fans have spoken and now it’s up to the NRL and ARL Commission to listen and make the changes you want to rugby league in Australia.

Close to 10,000 people took part in our NRL Fans Survey and gave us an insight into what is important and what’s not; who you love, who you hate and what you want to see changed about the game.

This is what you think about the state of the game.

1 WHO IS THE BEST PLAYER IN THE NRL?

Johnathan Thurston 70%

Greg Inglis 8%

Cameron Smith 5.3%

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 3.9%

Shaun Johnson 3%

Cooper Cronk 2%

Corey Parker 1.7%

Paul Gallen 1.2%

Kieran Foran 1.2%

Billy Slater 1%

James Graham 1%

Daly Cherry-Evans 1%

Ben Hunt 1%

Josh Dugan 0.6%

Jesse Bromwich 0.1%

2 How many NRL matches would you attend in a season?

1-2 32%

6+ 19.4%

Zero 20.6%

3-4 19%

5-6 9%

3 Is a day at the footy good value for the family?

Yes 27%

No 73%

4 If you don’t go to the footy, why not?

Food and drink prices 23%

Ticket prices 22%

Access to stadiums 18%

TV experience is better 17%

Nothing stops me going 16%

Unruly fans 3%

Stadium facilities 1%

5 What is the biggest issue confronting Dave Smith?

The quality of the game as a spectacle 26%

Performance of his executive team 21%

Crowd numbers 22%

Expansion 9%

Impact of Origin on clubs 9%

Player behaviour 7%

Player welfare 6%

6 Should the NRL open its war chest for big-name players?

Yes — the competition needs the best players like Israel Folau 49%

No — it would create an unfair advantage for some clubs 51%

7 Should State of Origin be played outside Queensland and NSW?

Yes — the game has to be showcased to other states 44.5%

No — it should only be played in Queensland and NSW 55.5%

8 Which team do you most like beating?

Sea Eagles 23%

Roosters 19%

Rabbitohs 11%

Broncos 11%

Bulldogs 11%

Storm 9%

Dragons 4%

Sharks 3%

Eels 3%

Tigers 1.1%

Cowboys 1%

Warriors 1%

Knights 1%

Raiders 1%

Panthers 0.5%

Titans 0.4%

9 Who is winning the publicity war to attract players/crowds to their sport?

Australian Football League (AFL) 47%

Football Federation of Australia (FFA) 34%

National Rugby League (NRL) 15%

Australian Rugby Union (ARU) 4%

10 How many games should each club play in the home-and-away season?

22 (Two pools — play each team in your eight-team pool twice and those in the other pool once) 36%

24 (Current schedule) 29%

30 (play each other twice) 22%

15 (player each other once) 13%

Wayne Bennett during Brisbane Broncos training. Picture: Darren England

11 Who is the best coach in the NRL?

Wayne Bennett 40%

Craig Bellamy 16%

Trent Robinson 14%

Des Hasler 8%

Michael Maguire 7%

Geoff Toovey 4%

Paul Green 3%

Ivan Cleary 2%

Shane Flanagan 2%

Brad Arthur 1%

Ricky Stuart 1%

Paul McGregor 1%

Jason Taylor 0.5%

Neil Henry 0.4%

Andrew McFadden 0.1%

12 Who is the toughest player in the NRL?

Paul Gallen 18.5%

Johnathan Thurston 15%

Cameron Smith 7%

David Klemmer 6%

Martin Taupau 5%

Steve Matai 5%

Issac Luke 4%

Matt Scott 3.5%

Kieran Foran 3.5%

Shaun Fensom 3.5%

Sam Thaiday 3%

Beau Scott 3%

Nate Myles 3%

Aaron Woods 2%

Robbie Farah 1.5%

Ryan Hoffman 1.5%

Simon Mannering 1%

Justin Hodges 1%

Glenn Stewart 0.5%

Other 12.5%

13 If Jarryd Hayne makes it to the NFL will more players follow him?

Yes 56%

No 44%

14 Will we see Jarryd Hayne in the NRL again?

Yes 37%

No 63%

15 Do the video referees take too long to make a decision?

Yes — I agree with Wayne Bennett, they should have a shot clock 80%

No — as long as they get it right they can take as long as they want 20%

16 Would you prefer that two referees controlled the game or one referee?

Two 41%

One 59%

17 Is the NRL right in reducing the number of interchanges from 10 to 8?

Yes — it will open up the game 55%

No — it should have been reduced to 6 30%

No — they should have left it as is 15%

18 Who is the player you most love to hate?

Paul Gallen 18%

Justin Hodges 17%

Michael Ennis 10%

Josh Reynolds 8%

Billy Slater 7%

Cameron Smith 6.5%

Greg Bird 6%

Mitchell Pearce 5%

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 4.5%

Jamie Soward 3%

Sam Thaiday 2%

Steve Matai 2%

Anthony Watmough 1.5%

David Klemmer 1.5%

Nate Myles 1%

Josh Dugan 1%

Benji Marshall 0.5%

Other 5.5%

19 Who is the best value recruit of the season?

Blake Austin 42%

Jake Granville 18.5%

Anthony Milford 13%

Michael Ennis 9%

Blake Ferguson 5%

Jack Bird 4.5%

Curtis Rona 3.5%

Josh Hodgson 2%

Blake Green 1.5%

Iosia Soliola 1%

20 Who is the worst value recruit of the season?

Anthony Watmough 39%

Ben Barba 25%

Martin Kennedy 14%

Dane Nielsen 9%

Luke Burgess 5%

Tariq Sims 3%

Adam Blair 3%

Feleti Mateo 2%

Anthony Milford in action for the Broncos. Picture: Mark Evans

21 Who is the best player under 21 in the game?

Anthony Milford 33%

Bryce Cartwright 18%

David Klemmer 14%

Jack Bird 13%

Dylan Walker 8%

Luke Brooks 5%

Alex Johnston 3%

Kane Elgey 3%

Tuimoala Lolohea 2%

Solomone Kata 1%

22 Should all lifting tackles be penalised to increase player safety?

Yes 50%

No 50%

23 Do you agree with Thursday night football replacing Monday night football under the new TV rights deal?

Yes 71%

No 29%

24 What is your favourite footy television program?

Monday Night with Matty Johns 34%

NRL360 19%

The Footy Show 16%

Sunday Footy Show 14%

Sterlo on the Couch 8%

Matty Johns Big Weekend 6%

NRL Super Saturday Full Time 3%

25 Will Sydney still be supporting nine clubs in 10 years?

Yes 39%

No 61%

26 Do you think referees are unfairly criticised?

Yes 44%

No 56%

27 Where should the next expansion team be located?

Perth 27%

Central Coast 17%

Brisbane 15%

Central Queensland 11%

No Expansion 9%

Ipswich 8%

New Zealand 7%

Port Moresby 4%

Logan 2%

28 Which social media platform do you use most to engage with and chat about the NRL?

Facebook 46 %

Don’t use social media 29%

Twitter 13%

Instagram 3%

WhatsApp 2%

Snapchat 0.5%

Other 6.5%

29 When checking live NRL scores online, what is your priority?

Team scores 61%

SuperCoach scores 15%

I don’t check live NRL scores 9%

Match report 7%

Player stats 3%

Live blog 3%

Team stats 2%

30 Who do you think will win the 2015 NRL grand final?

Roosters 35%

Cowboys 22%

Broncos 21%

Rabbitohs 7%

Bulldogs 5%

Sea Eagles 3%

Sharks 3%

Storm 2.5%

Dragons 1%

Raiders 0.5%

31 Would you like an AFL-style draft introduced at the end of every season?

Yes 59%

No 41%

32 Do you think your club can contend for a premiership in the next three years?

Yes 86%

No 14%

33 Should State of Origin eligibility rules be changed to allow players like Semi Radradra to play for Fiji and NSW?

Yes 31%

No 69%

34 What was the best era for rugby league?

1990s 28%

1980s 25%

Now 21%

2000s 19%

1970s 7%

35 Should the Holden Cup be scrapped for reserve grade?

Yes 68%

No 32%

36 Which young gun will be the next to play for Queensland?

Ben Hunt 52%

Anthony Milford 20%

Corey Oates 8%

Andrew McCullough 5%

Ethan Lowe 4%

Dale Copely 3%

Lachlan Maranta 2%

Kane Elgey 1%

Other 5%

37 Who should be the next Queensland captain after Cameron Smith retires (presuming those over 30 have retired, too)?

Greg Inglis 57%

Matt Scott 13%

Michael Morgan 6%

Daly Cherry-Evans %5

Aidan Guerra 3%

Josh McGuire 3%

Other 13%

38 Who should be the next Queensland halfback?

Ben Hunt 65%

Daly Cherry-Evans 18%

Michael Morgan 12%

Kane Eldgey 1%

Others 4%

Johnathan Thurston in action for the Maroons. Picture: Peter Wallis

39 Which member of the Maroons’ dynasty should be crowned a rugby league “Immortal”?

Darren Lockyer 56%

Johnathan Thurston 30%

Cameron Smith 11%

Greg Inglis 2%

Billy Slater 1%

40 Will you even forgive Daly Cherry-Evans for reneging on his Titans deal?

No 59%

Yes 41%

41 Is this the greatest Qld Origin team of all time?

Yes, nine series in 10 years proves it 83%

No, the Wally Lewis-led teams of the ‘80s were better 17%

42 If Billy Slater is fit next year, what do you do with the Qld team?

Billy at fullback, GI to centres 52%

GI fullback, Billy on wing 30%

GI fullback, leave Billy out 18%

43. Who is your favourite current Qld player?

Johnathan Thurston 40%

Corey Parker 16%

Greg Inglis 10%

Cameron Smith 8%

Cooper Cronk 8%

Billy Slater 5%

Justin Hodges 5%

Sam Thaiday 2%

Matt Scott 2%

Other 4%

44 Is this year the Cowboys’ last chance to win an NRL premiership?

No, they have a great nursery and can be strong for years 59%

Yes, players such as Johnathan Thurston aren’t getting younger 41%

45 Are you surprised by how well the Broncos have performed this year?

Yes, thought they would be mid-table 52%

No, knew Bennett would make a difference 41%

Yes, thought they would go backwa5rds under Bennett 4%

No, not surprised, totally shocked 3%

Originally published as NRL 2015: How you voted in Fans Survey