Phil Rothfield says low rugby league crowds in Sydney's west a big worry

RUGBY league is in trouble in Sydney's west when not even a traditional local derby can attract 10,000 fans. LIVE BLOG

Paul Gallen

RUGBY league is in trouble in Sydney's west when not even a traditional local derby can attract 10,000 fans. Look at the two photographs that accompany this column. One is an A-League game, the other an NRL match between two fierce rivals.

Both at Parramatta Stadium, both on the northern terrace of the stadium.

Who would have thought the round-ball game could provide so much more atmosphere than a Parramatta Eels game, remembering this was the ground that used to be full to capacity during the footy season to watch Sterling and Kenny, Price and Cronin, Grothe and Ella.

Right now the Parramatta Eels are on the bottom of the scrapheap and as low as you can get.

They've fallen from an average home crowd of 17,000 in 2010 to 13,000 this year.

Saturday night had everything going for it. No rain, perfect Sydney weather. Plus it was school holidays.

We couldn't even blame State of Origin because these two teams weren't missing anyone who will be playing on Wednesday night.

There was no AFL or any other competing sport in Sydney, not that we regard GWS as genuine opposition anyway. The Lions tour is done and dusted, the trophy back home in the UK.

You can't even blame the Ashes cricket because the 5.30pm kick-off at the footy allowed you plenty of time to get home for the first over from Trent Bridge on Fox Sports.

Western Sydney Wanderers

There was nothing you could blame apart from the fact this Parramatta Eels side can't play.

They've got nothing in attack and are embarrassingly bad. No direction, no options, little or no skill.

How could they possibly be spending the full $5 million salary cap? Certainly, many of their players are paid far more than they deserve.

This Eels side is even worse than last year's team under Stephen Kearney in a number of key areas.

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In 2012 they averaged 18 points a game. This year it's just 14.

Last year they averaged 4.6 linebreaks a game. This year it's 3.1.

In points, tries and linebreaks conceded, they are ranked at No.16 in each category this year.

At the Panthers, it's hard to be critical of anything they are doing this year.

They are without doubt the overachievers of the competition and probably eight places higher on the ladder than I thought they would be.

Still, there are a couple of recruitment decisions even their most ardent fans are rightly questioning.

Two of the players most instrumental in the Panthers' revival, Kevin Kingston and Luke Walsh, won't be there next year.

It's highly unlikely they would have beaten Parramatta without them. Both were outstanding. Walsh engineered two tries and Kingston scored one.

Obviously salary cap pressure has forced them out.

Salary cap pressure that was created by the signing of the "marquee player", St George Illawarra five-eighth Jamie Soward.

There is not a better leader or more reliable player on the open market than Kingston.

Clubs must be reimbursed for providing Origin players 

Paul Gallen

COMPENSATION for providing Origin players is something the NRL needs to look at right now.

Paul Gallen will probably miss eight games from an injury suffered playing Origin and then standing down before Blues matches.

That's more than 30 per cent of his season and for a player on $500,000 a year, it's a big chunk out of the Sharks' roster.

Surely clubs should be reimbursed, at least in the salary cap.

Why should teams like Melbourne Storm give up Billy Slater, Cameron Smith, Ryan Hoffman and Cooper Cronk over a six-week period.

It can affect their salary cap because they need to being in extra troops, some of whom are on first-grade bonuses.

What if Cronk or Smith were to suffer a season-ending knee injury on Wednesday night?

It would probably end their premiership campaigns. At the same time, Canterbury aren't risking their halfback or hooker. Neither are South Sydney and Newcastle.

You've got to feel for the Cowboys and Broncos. They are both desperately trying to save their seasons without their superstars.

At the same time, some of their rivals are totally unaffected and remain at full strength.

We have a salary cap that is strictly enforced and policed to ensure the competition is played on a level field.

But it's not. And it won't be until clubs are reimbursed for handing over their stars at the busiest time of the season.

HIGHLIGHT

Two sleeps until Origin and one of the biggest upsets in rugby league history.

The Blues by one in golden point. A Fifita man of the match.

LOWLIGHT

Australia’s use of umpire reviews in the Ashes Test at Trent Bridge.

Michael Clarke wasted two reviews and then we all whinge when there are none left for a howler like the Stuart Broad decision. It’s a crucial part of the game we need to improve on.

LOWLIGHT II

Ashes sleep deprivation. Your columnist hasn’t been this tired since his kids were born.

PUNCH DRUNK GUS

Gus Gould is missing the biff according to an article over the weekend. I’d prefer to listen to the medical experts who have quite rightly campaigned to make rugby league a safer game.

THIS DAVE DOES SOMETHING

Panthers winger Dave Simmons is the quiet achiever of the NRL. He’s not as fl ashy, not as spectacular or not as fast as a lot of his premiership rivals.

Just very old school as far as wingers go. Solid, shrewd and smart. He could well finish up the game’s leading try-scorer this year.