NRLW interest boosted by Women’s World Cup momentum, rugby league boss says

The NRL chief govt, Andrew Abdo, says the Fifa Ladies’s World Cup has boosted curiosity in girls’s sport throughout all codes after greater than 30,000 attended the primary spherical of the expanded NRLW over the weekend.

However he expressed disappointment concerning the ongoing motion by the gamers’ union to keep away from game-day media obligations, which has resulted in fewer journalists masking press conferences.

St George-Illawarra’s NRLW coach, Jamie Soward, complained there was no media to ask him questions in Newcastle on Saturday following his aspect’s 32-16defeat to the Newcastle Knights.

Negotiations for a brand new collective bargaining settlement (CBA) proceed, and the Rugby League Gamers Affiliation (RLPA) has elected to chop down on media appearances because it hopes to deliver the NRL again to the desk forward of an October deadline.

Abdo mentioned gamers will make their very own decisions.

“It’s unlucky for us, we wish the CBA resolved as quickly as attainable, however actually it that is an motion that the gamers affiliation has elected to do,” he mentioned.

“We are able to’t management that, however what we will management is ensuring that we promote the video games as a lot as we will.”

Journalists from Sydney could have travelled to Newcastle in one other week if gamers have been accessible, however on Saturday there was no person round to speak to Soward within the regular post-match media alternative.

Soward mentioned on Twitter: “Powerful after the sport that nobody caught round for the press convention.”

Greater than 30,000 followers attended the 5 NRLW matches on the weekend, which included three NRL/NRLW double headers in addition to two standalone matches that attracted shut to five,000 followers.

It was the primary spherical in an expanded NRLW competitors, which incorporates 10 groups this 12 months.

Abdo rejected the notion the Ladies’s World Cup had created a difficult surroundings for the launch.

“I feel it’s nice for ladies’s sport that we’re seeing such terrific numbers, each by way of dwell attendance and TV audiences for all girls’s sport, and there’s an actual constructive momentum round it,” he mentioned.

“So I truly suppose, to be trustworthy, it amplifies it.”

Each the NRL and NRLW will this week have a good time the “girls in rugby league” spherical.

Megan Davis, an Australian Rugby League commissioner, said there had been a period of cultural reckoning around attitudes towards women in rugby league. But she now describes the environment as “healthy”.

“We did lift the bonnet, and the commission was really committed to improving the broader, wider culture in relation to women and gender,” she said.

Davis said although there had been criticism for the NRLW’s relatively slow rate of expansion compared with the AFLW, the code feels like it has avoided the pitfalls of growing too fast.

“We did a lot of work with the AFL about how they might have expanded too quickly and how many resources are required to run a solid comp that is equal in standard,” she said.

Davis said rugby league had benefited from the no-fault stand down rule, which allows the NRL to suspend players who face serious charges, such as domestic abuse or sexual assault, before a court has decided on the matter.

“Things like the stand down-rule has enabled the game to really flourish, and that’s what you’re seeing today, with a lot of investment coming into the game, and support of companies and corporates for the healthy culture that we have,” she said.

She called on organisations involved in the sport to show faith in those from outside rugby league, especially women, when recruiting.

The proportion of female staff at the NRL is about 34%, and Davis said “we know we have to do better”.