I've watched NRL 360 since it began and am interested in the views of others on the program this year. I find it almost unbearable to watch these days and rarely make it through a full episode.
Putting personalities aside, my concerns are:
1. The show is ridiculously repetitive. The panel must have discussed whether 'Penrith is among the all-time great teams' and if 'Cleary is among the great halfbacks' on at least 50 occasions. West Tigers consumed a third of the overall content this year. The editorial judgement for NRL 360 is almost non-existent.
2. Too much hubris has crept into the program this year. Like or loathe Rothfield, it's grating to see the main hosts (who have spent five minutes in the media) each night lampooning someone who has decades of rugby league experience, and by far offers the most insight on the panel (not hard). The new arrogance in the program is disrespectful and annoying. A embarrassing low was recently reached with that lame, recurring joke on the Sydney restaurant.
3. The lack of diversity is galling. NRL 360 would vastly benefit from a permanent female host on the panel, or at least one woman in its regular experts each week. It's shameful that this show is so blokey. Fox Sports has some excellent female rugby league journos. It's a disgrace they aren't given bigger (or any) roles on NRL360.
4. The format is tired. Repeating the same topics over and over in the first segment, then in the next segment for the player's perspective, is dumb. The show purports to cover 'rugby league from all angles' but overlooks about 348 of them. What about deep dives into a club, an occasional interview with leading NRL sports scientists, physios or dieticians, a bit more 'Xs and Os' in analysis of footage (rather than showing the same limited footage in the background non-stop).
It's a shame that a once great program is now laughably bad. I say this not to criticise individuals on the program, but to lament the program's rapidly declining quality. Fewer ex-footballers stuck in the past and more journos who keep the conversation moving along and add genuine insight, please (although some journos on the program don't add much).
Most of all, some fresh faces and fresh thinking to fix NRL360.
Putting personalities aside, my concerns are:
1. The show is ridiculously repetitive. The panel must have discussed whether 'Penrith is among the all-time great teams' and if 'Cleary is among the great halfbacks' on at least 50 occasions. West Tigers consumed a third of the overall content this year. The editorial judgement for NRL 360 is almost non-existent.
2. Too much hubris has crept into the program this year. Like or loathe Rothfield, it's grating to see the main hosts (who have spent five minutes in the media) each night lampooning someone who has decades of rugby league experience, and by far offers the most insight on the panel (not hard). The new arrogance in the program is disrespectful and annoying. A embarrassing low was recently reached with that lame, recurring joke on the Sydney restaurant.
3. The lack of diversity is galling. NRL 360 would vastly benefit from a permanent female host on the panel, or at least one woman in its regular experts each week. It's shameful that this show is so blokey. Fox Sports has some excellent female rugby league journos. It's a disgrace they aren't given bigger (or any) roles on NRL360.
4. The format is tired. Repeating the same topics over and over in the first segment, then in the next segment for the player's perspective, is dumb. The show purports to cover 'rugby league from all angles' but overlooks about 348 of them. What about deep dives into a club, an occasional interview with leading NRL sports scientists, physios or dieticians, a bit more 'Xs and Os' in analysis of footage (rather than showing the same limited footage in the background non-stop).
It's a shame that a once great program is now laughably bad. I say this not to criticise individuals on the program, but to lament the program's rapidly declining quality. Fewer ex-footballers stuck in the past and more journos who keep the conversation moving along and add genuine insight, please (although some journos on the program don't add much).
Most of all, some fresh faces and fresh thinking to fix NRL360.
