playing "her", who is she?

excellent post but you say the spectacle isnt as good as it was.. compared to when? ive been watching OGG since the 70s and compared to then its far more entertaining in my view prop forwards in them days would go out and have 15 pints night before a match would you have us go back to this? players today are toned athletes, and yes i agree with some of what you say im not keen on holding down and laying on at the ptb but if you notice the ones who are good at it are having the most success. there is a lot of aussie influence in the game now prob due to the fact we have more oz players over here than ever some entertaining and some not so.

I have edited it sir. No detention please

have you watched any Aussie rugby? I defy you to find a faster more skilful game any were in the world. As for wrestling and winning the tackle, every team does it, it just that some teams are better than others.

I used to find SL more entertaining in the 2000-2005/6 i thought we had a higher quality of outside backs e.g. Lyon, Vainokolo and more games which finishing closer and a quicker game.

I agree it is more skilful but i still don't think there is a speed around the PTB which makes the game entertaining with broken field play.

spot on!
if i am correct every club's away support at the galpharm has gone down from last year, maybe now people just cant afford rugby matches in the current economic climate?

Totally agree. Bags of skill in the NRL and their play the ball is so much quicker, no players with their hands in at the play the ball, few players waving their arms about to get a penalty, few loose carries to try and get a penalty when they are tackled. A superior product to ours--I wish we were copying it!!!

Afraid I can't agree with your reasoning here

With the referees allowing more of a wrestle in the tackle, the defensive lines are set and the obligation is on the attacking team to break through the line

If we return to the 'fast' game you wish for, we will see the likes of Eastmond and Tomkins scooting from dummy half and teams rolling forward from 6 scoots at a time. For me, I would rather see my half backs breaking down a defence with clever, inventive plays. Remember, the game in Australia your bemoaning brought us talents like Johns and Lockyer who were weren't exactly boring to watch

For me price is one of the major factors, £20 for 80 mins of rugby is not cheap. I fall into that awkward 'bridge' gap where I am no longer a student to get good priced tickets but not necessarily "rich" enough to justify £20 a ticket. Especially when you add in I no longer live in Hull, add in train fares, beer, food etc then I'm looking at easy £60 - £70 for a game of rugby. Don't get me wrong this w/e's game is priceless I'd pay £100 a ticket but certain games are just not worth the expense. I'm sure like many fans who've had to cut back they'll be an element of picking and choosing matches.

Nail on head.
Ive said it before.

Teletext says that 10 teams posted a decrease, and 4 clubs posted an increase.

Saints have posted a loss by 4 people.

2009: 11,195
2010: 11,191

According to SL Stats.

Making the tickets too cheap undermines the competition though.

I pay £20 a game to watch Oldham in the 3rd tier of football. That, I consider to be too expensive, especially considering the garbage served up by them in the last few years.

I don't see how £20 to watch the top tier of rugby league can be deemed to be too expensive.

I think some people wouldn't be happy unless they were getting let into games for free.

Do you pay to go in twice to Oldham games? Because its only £10 for me.

For me it is not price but the hassel getting tickets, I am a season pass holder at Craven park in the East stand. I can no longer take the wife who would attend the odd game. She would come to the game but it would allways be a spur of the moment thing, the same with my sons (as they live away from the area) I also used to take the odd mate from work. it may only be ten or so attendances a year but multiply that by the 5000 or so season ticket holders & it soon adds up to a few percent decrease in the average. Also the away games are not as easy to get in as a lot are asking you to buy tickets & I like a lot of others may only decide to go at the last minute. At Rovers it should ease a bit as the ground is slowly improved, but I think the number of walk up fans has droped off dramatically due to ticketing. I dont know how we could change but it needs looking at.

Because people simply do not have the money..
I dont see how thats so hard to grasp.
To quote a guy whos just been made redundant here "I probably have 25 spare quid a week, do I take myself to the game or do I take the whole family out for a meal on a sunday afternoon".

I've got Saints as having a 2009 average of 11471, that's fro the Super League website.

Wakefield up 1.31% plus the 4 others mentioned I think.

Saints (courtesy of superleague.co.uk) 2009: 11281, 2010: 11191

Im sorry but £20 for play off rugby is not too expensive. Its funny how many who complain will spend more than that on a night out. If money is that tight then dont spend so much on beer at games. We all have a choice what we spend our money and have our priorities and theres nothing wrong with rugby not being the highest, but that doesnt make it too expensive, thats just live im afraid. I have a season ticket but have only managed 7 away games, and for most of them I had to forgoe other things. Unfortunately I cant go to every game due to bills, rent etc, like everyone but I dont complain that its too expensive when I cant go. If people dont have the money then thats their problem, if they are unemployed then paying for rugby matches should by the last thing their thinking of.

EXACTLY.
No ones said otherwise.
The point was made that people simply do not have the money to pay £20 for a rugby match. Whether its fair or not is totally irrelevant, people just do not have the money and that is why attendances have dropped.

Totally agree, its just ive read on a few threads now where people are complaining saying the price is too high, which it isnt. I agree that peoples circumstances play a big part in whether they can go, but thats the same throughout the year.

the difference throughout the year is that your season tickets paid for, often in installments whereas come playoff footie you dont know on a week to week basis, when, where or who you're playing. Ive just had to stump out 46 quid then for ticks and many cant afford that just on a whim.
Mostly ive seen people call for rewards to season ticket holders by offering discounted tickets, I can see the logic on both sides of the argument but while we've still got empty grounds I would be tempted to

Havent you guys got a discount? We only got a £3 discount, but that makes tickets work out at £14 which is pretty dam good imo. I do think season ticket holders should get some sort of discount in the 1st play off game. Just as a reward for season long loyalty.

Noo, £17.50 it was for the Saints game. Unless ive missed a trick

It's £20 to pay-on-the-day at Boundary Park. Do you get in as a student?

Games arranged at short notice is the main culprit, I think. People's work/family situations often mean a significant minority of fans can't make games at 5 or 6 days notice. If 10% of your 10K fans can't swap shifts, sort out a babysitter, or whatever then your crowd is down vs a normal fixture.