NRL 2024: Time for rugby league to finally beat AFL’s grandiose grand final entertainment | Bulldog’s Bite
It’s the biggest week in Australian sport and rugby league always feels small fry compared to AFL. But after running rings around them in 2024, its time for the NRL to finally win the grand final entertainment war.
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Not this year, Katy. It’s time to bury Perry.
Those cocky AFL types get us every season. The biggest week in Australian sport and rugby league always feels small fry.
And it gives me the you-know-what's.
I’m tired of feeling inferior when it comes to the AFL and their grandiose grand final entertainment.
Now is the time for the financially potent NRL to step forward, flex some muscles and embarrass the AFL by signing the biggest band in the world to perform at rugby league’s October 6 grand final.
It’s time for AC/DC to rock rugby league on our biggest day.
The AFL will outlay around $5 million to have global superstar Katy Perry perform at this year’s grand final.
Let’s match and conquer Katy — no one stands over the NRL or Angus Young.
The NRL has the cash, drive and ambition to shoot for the planet’s biggest entertainers. And we are all acutely aware when Peter V’landys wants something, he goes hard, very hard, and with vigour.
Perhaps it’s unfair but I always feel the AFL gets the global stars, we get the domestic leftovers.
The NRL has enjoyed all the running over Australian rules this year.
It started with the Las Vegas extravaganza before State of Origin blew our minds yet again. Two events the AFL cannot match.
The NRL is flying higher than ever before in the game’s 116-year history through finances, TV ratings, player toughness, skill, crowds and hype.
It’s only grand final day that makes us feel subordinate.
AFL management has pulled some big acts for their grand final spectacular, including Perry, Robbie Williams, INXS, Sir Tom Jones, Bryan Adams, Michael Buble, Ed Sheeran, KISS, Lionel Richie, Eskimo Joe, Black Eyed Peas, The Killers, Meatloaf (although that crashed). Even Muhammad Ali did a lap of honour at the 1998 AFL grand final.
We lured Billy Idol here in 2002 but a power failure saw the volatile Englishman fail to sing a song before punching a hole in the stadium dressing room wall.
NRL management has boldly tried to pull other big names to their grand final but have always been restricted by cash.
Well, the money is now here there so let’s shoot for the best.
Angus Young grew up around rugby league at Burwood – in the heart of Wests Tigers territory – and attended Ashfield Boys High, the same school as South Sydney’s Keaon Koloamatangi.
Young once did an advertisement for Fox League.
AC/DC are in the midst of a world tour which takes a break in August before embarking on an Australian visit in 2025. The band has played to sold out crowds this month at London’s Wembley Stadium.
What better way for Angus and the lads to promote their upcoming tour than by playing at the NRL grand final?
Imagine rugby league fans rocking to Back in Black, Highway to Hell, You Shook Me All Night Long, Thunderstruck and TNT?
If not AC/DC, what about Bruce Springsteen? Bon Jovi? It would cost some but let’s think and aim big.
Let’s not be intimidated or overshadowed by the AFL.
We have finally gone past the AFL on and off the field so the NRL cannot allow the pesky southerners to outclass us at their September 28 MCG grand final.
Remember, it’s a Long Way to the Top of the podium but the NRL must stay there.
DOG TREATS
Newcastle has parted company with respected recruitment manager Adam Doyle after an alleged fallout with club mystery man Blake Cannavo.
The pair had been close before Doyle was spotted having breakfast with Kalyn Ponga’s father, Andre, and former Knights and current Roosters recruitment manager, Clint Zammit.
Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien and football manager Peter Parr were supporters and asked Doyle to stay but others at the club wanted the recruitment guru gone.
Cannavo isn’t a Knights official but wields power and influence around the club through his friendship with club CEO Phil Gardner.
Doyle had a contract for the rest this season but has decided to walk immediately. He will no doubt be picked up by a rival club.
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Allegiant Stadium’s social media platforms have already started heavily promoting the NRL’s four-game extravaganza on March 1, 2025.
The promo includes photos of Nicho Hynes, Nathan Cleary, Tohu Harris, Hudson Young along with Warrington’s Matt Dufty and Wigan’s Bevan French.
It reads: “Featuring stars Australia, England and New Zealand. Eight teams, four games, one epic ticket.”
Around 2000 English fans travelled to Vegas this year — even though it was an all NRL-affair — but that number has already doubled for next season given the Warriors play the Wolves.
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Henry Paterson, the son of former Easts player Trevor, was a member of Australia’s Olympic 7s team in Paris. Trevor played 69 games between 1986 and 1991 and two Origin games for Queensland in 1983.
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Our spies reckon NSW coach Michael Maguire was hounded for selfies while watching the Eels-Storm game with his family at CommBank Stadium last weekend.
‘Madge’ didn’t reject one request and was enjoying lapping up the spoils of victory.
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On Tuesday, Stefano Utoikamanu couldn’t split which club he would join next season – either Melbourne or Canterbury.
Now I reckon Utoikamanu is 60-40 to head to Belmore.
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Newcastle fans should drop off calling out coach Adam O’Brien. The club has extended O’Brien until the end of 2027 and have enormous faith in him.
And because of that confidence, Newcastle didn’t include safeguard clauses in his deal, meaning any early dismissal would cost the club a small fortune.
Meanwhile, the good oil suggests Newcastle may have a crack at Storm halfback Jonah Pezet, a player the Storm want to re-sign.
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Which NRL club sent a talent scout to the PNG NRL bid tournament in Goroka, PNG, last week?
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Which former premiership-winning Test forward had a social media swipe at a current NRL player who is about to move to a prominent Sydney club?
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Gladstone Regional Council has chosen former Parramatta, Brisbane Broncos and Catalans utility player Casey McGuire to head-up a marketing campaign aimed at attracting skilled workers to the Queensland coastal region.
Originally published as NRL 2024: Time for rugby league to finally beat AFL’s grandiose grand final entertainment | Bulldog’s Bite
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