THE LEFT FIELD | NRL Game of Thrones Round Alternatives

In one of the grape cross promotions between entertainment and sport Fox Sports launched their NRL Game of Thrones Round this week.

Just in case you weren’t aware that Foxtel have Game of Thrones exclusively from the thousands of ads over the last week, they tried to crowbar it into a Knights v Dragons clash, in a clever little piece of PR. You know, Dragons, Knights. Pffft.

But the NRL Game of Thrones Round is just the start of it, surely there’s a bunch of TV Shows that can be cross promoted with the NRL for later in the season.

As ever, we offer up some suggestions for NRL Game of Thrones Round Alternatives.

OUR NRL GAME OF THRONES ROUND ALTERNATIVES

IT’S A KNOCKOUT ROUND

Having hypothetically brought the rights to recreate It’s a Knockout, or at least show the old Billy J Smith era reruns, the NRL would go hand in hand with the feel good family antics of It’s a Knockout.

Teams would have to play in a choice of one of the four original colours which represented he states back in the day. And nicknames changes to pay homage to the old nicknames used in the show. Kingaroy Peanuts being our favourite.

Then to bring the NRL – It’s A Knockout theme crossover round, each game would feature a loving recreation of one of the It’s A Knockout games at half time. Participation from players involved in the game would be mandatory.

Who wouldn’t want to see the Storm take on the Rabbitohs in the Penguin water catching game, or the Warriors and Broncos going head to head in the game that uses that strange paddle bike contraption.

What a tribute to the recently passed Billy J Smith who hosted the original show and also called rugby league.

WALKING DEAD

Players could don the makeups and special effects and go full zombie for just one theme round.

What better way to combine Foxtel drama and rugby league then by having players look and play like the cast of the Walking Dead.

The Broncos did a decent job of a rehearsal for this against the Roosters in Thursday night.

If rugby league players looking like Zombies doesn’t get people queuing up to pay the extra $20 for the drama pack, nothing will. Or should.

THE SIMPSONS

Is there anything more Foxtel than The Simpsons, which currently occupies 35% of the Fox8 channel.

That’s not a bad thing, before Series 14 that is, but it also means it is prime to be at the heart of the next NRL Theme Round crossovers.

Of course a special round needs a special jersey, and the Simpsons round could see each team play in a specially designed jersey based on one of the famous characters.

Any team who chooses Sideshow Mel wouldn’t even need a jersey. 

Who couldn’t see the enjoyment of the Canberra Raiders turning their lime green into the dark green and pink of Flanders, or the Gold Coast breaking out the Rhinestones for their jersey in honour of Disco Stu.

AMAZING RACE ROUND

Not that many people care about the Amazing Race these days, but an NRL theme round crossover could be just the tonic.

How it would work is that each team is dumped off at a secret location two days before kick off, and must answer clues and organise their own transport to get to the game on time.

All of it being filmed live and streamed via the NRL website. 

The highlights of the day’s action to air in prime time of Foxtel.

ESCAPE TO THE COUNTRY ROUND

The NRL have dabbled in taking a few games to the Country, but they copy the Intrust Super Cup in Queensland and do it for an entire round. And get Foxtel to support it by using one of their flagship Lifestyle shows Escape to the Country as the theme for the round.

Just make sure it isn’t on a weekend where the Broncos are at home of course.

And is the Olympic Stadium classed as country for the Sunday afternoon game?

HE MAN ROUND

To promoted some of the cartoons, why not have the NRL theme round based on He Man.

Then all the players could get around in the strapped vest and underwear with long socks and boots. And perfect man bob haircuts too.

One for the fans of 1980’s cartoons.

SHAMELESS ROUND

The edgy UK/US drama features loads of alcohol, sex, cheating, drug taking, breaking the law, violence.

Actually, perhaps there’s no need for an NRL-Foxtel theme round crossover, as it sounds like an NRL off-season.

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