Latest news with #MarriedatFirstSight
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Origin of the AFL's great challenge: What AFLW can learn from the NRL
Those numbers are impressive – not quite Married at First Sight level, but large enough that if a single AFLW game came within cooee, the AFL would be doing cartwheels (as distinct from customary backflips) and telling us all about it. So, herein lies the nub of one of the AFL's greatest challenges/problems, which will prove more important to the code's future prosperity than the tribunal's travails, Tom de Koning's call or whatever Smith posted on Instagram. The AFLW's lack of marquee events. The AFL is more successful than the NRL on most fronts – crowds, sponsors, participation and relative spread of tentacles. The AFL has clubs that make the NRL look like minnows, on the measures of bums on seats and intensity of followings. But the broadcast ratings is one facet that is heavily contested, in which the omnipresent Peter V'landys can spruik that 'rugba league' has the edge. Whatever one makes of the competing claims regarding TV audiences, it is clear that State of Origin represents the NRL's greatest advantage – and point of product differentiation. This has become even greater due to the rise of women's State of Origin. Further, the ratings for each code's 2024 W grand finals show that the AFL is some goals behind and kicking into the wind. The AFL just released a meat-and-three-vegetables fixture for the AFLW last week. Highlights? A reprise of Carlton v Collingwood as the season opener, some double-headers, and little else that garnered media attention. If the AFLW fixture was an election campaign by a political party, it would be labelled a small target strategy. To avoid continued stagnation in the growth of the women's league (as distinct from growth in grassroots women's footy, which has boomed), the AFL has a desperate need for events that would be a rejoinder to rugby league's Origin franchise. So, what are the options – bearing in mind that the AFL needs at least two major event games for women? TELEVISION AUDIENCES FOR AFLW AND NRLW AFLW grand final, 2024 Total national reach (peak): 1.048 million National average: 379,000 BVOD (Broadcast Video on Demand): 17,000 NRLW grand final 2024 Total national reach (peak): 1.473m National average: 697,000 BVOD: 102,000 *The NRLW grand final was a curtain-raiser before the men's grand final at night. NRLW State of Origin 1 Total national reach (peak): 1.897m National average: 992,000 BVOD: 189,000 NRLW State of Origin 2 Total national reach (peak): 2.079m National average: 1.088m BVOD: 203,000 1. A grand final curtain-raiser Some months ago, Essendon president and television executive David Barham proposed to the AFL that they consider playing the AFLW grand final as a curtain-raiser to the men's grand final (as the NRL/W does). This would ensure the season climax an automatic peak or even average audience of more than two million viewers, and build the occasion; naturally, it would also mean pushing the opening of the W season earlier, to around the bye period of rounds 12 to 14. Both Seven and Fox Footy stand to gain from two or three marquee 'W' event games. 2. Grand final during the bye before men's grand final If that curtain raiser concept faces opposition from those who contend that the AFLW cannot be subsumed by the men, and that their grand final must stand alone, an alternative that this column has proposed is to play the AFLW grand final in the middle of a bye weekend between the (men's) preliminary finals and grand final. This would mean scrapping the pre-finals bye and replacing it with a fortnight's break before the grand final, which would also reduce the risks of gun players missing the grand final via concussion protocols. 3. All-star representative games State of Origin originated with the native game, but the NRL stole the franchise (from the then VFL) and produced an improved and superior product. Apple didn't invent the smartphone, but look where they've taken it. NSW v Queensland, of course, works in a way that the more geographically diverse AFL cannot emulate. South Australia and Western Australia aren't anywhere near Victoria's football size or depth, and, as Queensland's grassroots grows, a reprise of State of Origin is difficult. Too many players are excluded from a state v state, mate v mate Origin framework in the modern AFL. But the AFL can still trial an All-Star game, pitting two teams of elite players against each other. It might be Daisy Pearce's team versus Erin Phillips'. Or East versus West. Seven could televise the selection of the teams, as if this was a reality TV show. Such a game would allow the elite players to show their skills, raising the standard of footy and the horizons of the entire competition that expanded too rapidly; for those knockers of the AFLW and fans who don't follow their own club closely, this would be a glimpse of the future. 4. International rules: Australia versus Ireland This has been mooted as a potential event for the AFLW, and it would be easier than the men's version because there are so many Irish players scattered among the AFLW cohort (33 at last count); you wouldn't need many to travel out from Ireland. It's conceivable that they could compete in a game that is entirely Australian rules – which would be groundbreaking, and more so if the Irish managed to beat the Aussies at our own game. Whichever option is most feasible, the goal must be to maximise the audience and to grow interest in the women's game. Women's tennis reached parity with the men and became the most commercially successful women's individual sport globally by dint of historical quirks, and pioneers such as Billie Jean King.
The Age
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Age
Origin of the AFL's great challenge: What AFLW can learn from the NRL
Those numbers are impressive – not quite Married at First Sight level, but large enough that if a single AFLW game came within cooee, the AFL would be doing cartwheels (as distinct from customary backflips) and telling us all about it. So, herein lies the nub of one of the AFL's greatest challenges/problems, which will prove more important to the code's future prosperity than the tribunal's travails, Tom de Koning's call or whatever Smith posted on Instagram. The AFLW's lack of marquee events. The AFL is more successful than the NRL on most fronts – crowds, sponsors, participation and relative spread of tentacles. The AFL has clubs that make the NRL look like minnows, on the measures of bums on seats and intensity of followings. But the broadcast ratings is one facet that is heavily contested, in which the omnipresent Peter V'landys can spruik that 'rugba league' has the edge. Whatever one makes of the competing claims regarding TV audiences, it is clear that State of Origin represents the NRL's greatest advantage – and point of product differentiation. This has become even greater due to the rise of women's State of Origin. Further, the ratings for each code's 2024 W grand finals show that the AFL is some goals behind and kicking into the wind. The AFL just released a meat-and-three-vegetables fixture for the AFLW last week. Highlights? A reprise of Carlton v Collingwood as the season opener, some double-headers, and little else that garnered media attention. If the AFLW fixture was an election campaign by a political party, it would be labelled a small target strategy. To avoid continued stagnation in the growth of the women's league (as distinct from growth in grassroots women's footy, which has boomed), the AFL has a desperate need for events that would be a rejoinder to rugby league's Origin franchise. So, what are the options – bearing in mind that the AFL needs at least two major event games for women? TELEVISION AUDIENCES FOR AFLW AND NRLW AFLW grand final, 2024 Total national reach (peak): 1.048 million National average: 379,000 BVOD (Broadcast Video on Demand): 17,000 NRLW grand final 2024 Total national reach (peak): 1.473m National average: 697,000 BVOD: 102,000 *The NRLW grand final was a curtain-raiser before the men's grand final at night. NRLW State of Origin 1 Total national reach (peak): 1.897m National average: 992,000 BVOD: 189,000 NRLW State of Origin 2 Total national reach (peak): 2.079m National average: 1.088m BVOD: 203,000 1. A grand final curtain-raiser Some months ago, Essendon president and television executive David Barham proposed to the AFL that they consider playing the AFLW grand final as a curtain-raiser to the men's grand final (as the NRL/W does). This would ensure the season climax an automatic peak or even average audience of more than two million viewers, and build the occasion; naturally, it would also mean pushing the opening of the W season earlier, to around the bye period of rounds 12 to 14. Both Seven and Fox Footy stand to gain from two or three marquee 'W' event games. 2. Grand final during the bye before men's grand final If that curtain raiser concept faces opposition from those who contend that the AFLW cannot be subsumed by the men, and that their grand final must stand alone, an alternative that this column has proposed is to play the AFLW grand final in the middle of a bye weekend between the (men's) preliminary finals and grand final. This would mean scrapping the pre-finals bye and replacing it with a fortnight's break before the grand final, which would also reduce the risks of gun players missing the grand final via concussion protocols. 3. All-star representative games State of Origin originated with the native game, but the NRL stole the franchise (from the then VFL) and produced an improved and superior product. Apple didn't invent the smartphone, but look where they've taken it. NSW v Queensland, of course, works in a way that the more geographically diverse AFL cannot emulate. South Australia and Western Australia aren't anywhere near Victoria's football size or depth, and, as Queensland's grassroots grows, a reprise of State of Origin is difficult. Too many players are excluded from a state v state, mate v mate Origin framework in the modern AFL. But the AFL can still trial an All-Star game, pitting two teams of elite players against each other. It might be Daisy Pearce's team versus Erin Phillips'. Or East versus West. Seven could televise the selection of the teams, as if this was a reality TV show. Such a game would allow the elite players to show their skills, raising the standard of footy and the horizons of the entire competition that expanded too rapidly; for those knockers of the AFLW and fans who don't follow their own club closely, this would be a glimpse of the future. 4. International rules: Australia versus Ireland This has been mooted as a potential event for the AFLW, and it would be easier than the men's version because there are so many Irish players scattered among the AFLW cohort (33 at last count); you wouldn't need many to travel out from Ireland. It's conceivable that they could compete in a game that is entirely Australian rules – which would be groundbreaking, and more so if the Irish managed to beat the Aussies at our own game. Whichever option is most feasible, the goal must be to maximise the audience and to grow interest in the women's game. Women's tennis reached parity with the men and became the most commercially successful women's individual sport globally by dint of historical quirks, and pioneers such as Billie Jean King.
9 News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- 9 News
Russell Brand pleads not guilty to sexual assault charges
MAFS star wants to advocate for others after alleged attack Married at First Sight star Lauren Dunn says an alleged attack has ignited a fire in her to advocate for others.
9 News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- 9 News
Wild rampage captured on police bodycam
MAFS star wants to advocate for others after alleged attack Married at First Sight star Lauren Dunn says an alleged attack has ignited a fire in her to advocate for others.
West Australian
4 days ago
- West Australian
Lauren Dunn: Alleged DV victim of former Fremantle Docker Ryan Crowley thankful for police, positive messages
The reality TV star who has accused former Fremantle Dockers player Ryan Crowley of serious domestic violence offences says she has been flooded with support since the alleged incident. Lauren Dunn posted on social media that she had been overwhelmed by the messages she'd received over the past two days. And she vowed to continue to use her voice to advocate for others and change the way domestic violence is reported in the media in Australia. The former Married at First Sight contestant — who is an ambassador for Polished Man, a movement that aims to end violence against women and children in Australia — also criticised how sporting personalities accused of assaulting their partners were 'praised' in reports despite the claims levelled against them. 'This incident has ignited a fire in my belly to continue to use my voice as an advocate for others and to work to change the way Australian media reports on DV in Australia, often praising and listing the accolades of the perpetrator,' Dunn posted. 'Something I have seen done repeatedly over the last two days. In the past when I have called police I have felt like the perpetrator and treated as if I have done something wrong, leading me to never follow through with charges. 'Many years later, finding myself in the same position I knew I had to do the right thing and walk the talk I so often preach. I can say that WA Police have been nothing short of amazing. 'I am doing well, I am OK and its business as usual.' Crowley faced Perth Magistrates Court on Thursday accused of unleashing a torrent of abuse on Dunn which included beating then choking her until she fell unconscious at a house in Claremont on Tuesday and Wednesday. During his bail application hearing, the court was also told the pair had been in an on-and-off relationship for five years, between 2018 and 2023, marred by allegations of domestic violence. It was revealed in court there were six prior incidents involving the pair between 2019 and 2020 where police had been called out regarding allegations of arguments and controlling behaviours including one claim that Crowley was the alleged victim. No charges were laid. Crowley denies the charges with a duty lawyer telling the court on Thursday he disputed the severity of the allegations put before the court and the allegations of assault. He was charged with offences including aggravated assault causing bodily harm and will be back in court in July. Crowley was granted bail but was unable to raise the $20,000 personal bail and $20,000 surety and spent Thursday night behind bars.
