Scrum Day: Queensland NRL Footie

In National Rugby League (NRL) games, when a player scores by touching the ball down in his opponent's zone, it's called a "Try." Now, it doesn't make much sense to me to hold up and fanatically wave our "Try" signs after the rugby player has already scored. It seems like it would be more practical to do this as he runs down the field to root him on, but then again, this is Oz. I've accepted that everything is opposite.

Attended my first professional footie game on Friday. The Brisbane Broncos took on the Gold Coast Titans in front of a crowd of about 40,000 at Suncorp Arena in Brisbane. I've always enjoyed Rugby, a sport I describe as a cross between (American) football and ultimate fighting, and a love greater than wife or country for the majority of Australian men. Not an exaggeration, an average newscast will typically allocate at least one-third of its programming to footie coverage. Also, any protective gear above and beyond retaliatory brute force is for wimps and neck and thigh measurements for your typical footie player are the same.

The game was an exciting match, with Brizzy beating the Titans 28-6 in front of a home crowd. Normally at professional sporting events I like to root for both sides, because then you always win, but here I decided to go local, because well, you have to support the local team...and I had concerns about getting my Yank bottom kicked by drunken footie blokes.

The affair decidedly cheezier than your average American pro sports game, the stadium was a swanky place along the likes of the San Diego Sports Arena or the Bay Area Cow Palace. They had a "knight" on a live horse with a felt drape ride around the stadium whenever the Broncos scored, and large signage saying "Quick Beer" pointed the audience in the direction of...quick beer. There was also a neon pink pig mascot that did back flips and I'm still trying to figure that one out.

Preceding the game, we grabbed dinner at a giant footie bar and grill between the stadium and the Four X Beer (XXXX Beer) Brewery. 4X is Queensland's beloved cheapy beer (It's Bud, if you will), and you have to be very careful to specify XXXX Brewery Tour when conducting a Google search to find the place.

I can't remember if I've mentioned this already, but Australian businesses love to use "The World's Best ____" in front of everything. It's like the be all end all of Aussie Marketing is making your (Car, Appliance, Banana Smoothie) the Worlds Best!, regardless of product or if it's true or not. Anyways, I have to admit, I did eat the world's best BLT sandwich at this restaurant, and in record time, as we all downed huge steak and sandwich dinners and 2 rounds of drinks in eight minutes to make kick off.

NRL games are exciting, fairly short and move quick (Quicker than you can say chafing). I suppose the body can only take so much abuse per session. And, like most American pro events, are one part sport, two parts hanging with your mates.

Special thanks to Meg and her little Georgie, Mic, and Amanda for making this the World's Best first footie game.




Did you know??? According to the South Wales Osteopathic Society, Between 5-25% of rugby injuries are head injuries, including concussions, and as many as 1 in 4 rugby players will be injured during the season.


Did you also know??? The minimum age for youth footie leagues is 5, and though modified, they do tackle.