THE first weekend of finals footy is done and dusted and although we’ve seen some gripping games, there’s a real issue that’s become more prominent than ever before.

While the NRL’s biggest competitor blitzed the turnstiles, with 235,328 AFL fans turning up to support their teams over the weekend, a dismal 75,361 was all the NRL could muster.

The Manly and Penrith clash had the most disappointing crowd of them all with just 15,408 spectators, which is pretty pathetic given it was between two Sydney sides. We could count on the wooden spooner Knights to get more support than that at a regular home game.

It’s time for NRL fans to step up and truly support the game. That doesn’t mean turning on the TV and watching from your lounge room, it means decking yourself out in merchandise, getting into the finals spirit and actually attending the game.

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This was an alarming sight at the Sea Eagles v Panthers final. Source: Getty Images

We have two do-or-die matches coming up this weekend. There’s no doubt the Broncos won’t have any issues getting a decent crowd, however if last weekend’s Sydney crowds are anything to go off, the Eels and Cowboys can expect to play in front of a sea of empty seats at ANZ Stadium.

As an NRL fan, it’s quite confronting to see how much AFL supporters embrace their game compared to the league community.

To them, just a regular match is the most exciting event of their week and you’d be lucky to spot a fan there that wasn’t wearing at least one bit of merchandise.

Ben Ikin, Nathan Ryan and Ben Glover are joined by Cowboys GM of Football Peter Parr to discuss their finals run against the odds and why they’ll be a scary side in 2018.

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We need to take a page out of their book and become more involved. It would be a real shame if the buzz in the air that looms around finals time faded away and those season-defining games merely became like any other regular game.

In terms of what the AFL has that the NRL doesn’t, the answer is nothing. Ticket prices across both codes are pretty well on par, there’s always plenty of pre-game and half-time entertainment at each and both codes have some incredibly talented athletes that are worth paying money to see in action.

However, NRL fans seem to be keener on picking out the negatives in the game rather than appreciating it for what it is; a game that has provided so much entertainment and rivalries over the years whilst bringing people of all ages and backgrounds together.

There’s been plenty of talk on social media of late from fans threatening to boycott NRL games due to referees’ questionable decisions in the hopes that something will be done, but it just doesn’t make sense.

You go to a game to support your team, not the referee, so why abandon your team over something that is out of their control? Take a moment to accept these decisions and then get on with it. Don’t let a couple of calls ruin a passion for you.

Heading into this weekend’s semi-finals, there’ll be only one game played in Sydney, but it’s a game being played by a club with one of the highest number of memberships.

If just half of the Parramatta members attend the game they will almost exceed the total crowd number for last week’s Manly and Penrith clash.

To Eels fans; this is your home game, your team has the advantage so grab it with both hands and make the most of it.

This is the first time your team has played in a finals series since 2009 and just last week they were inches away from beating the premiership favourites. If that doesn’t make you want to be a part of this exciting time for the club then are you even a fan?

You can get a ticket to the game for as a little as $25, or $65 for a family. Getting to and from the stadium has never been easier either, with free travel on a train or on the ‘Eels Express’ shuttle buses, so there’s no excuses, please don’t let the rugby league community down.