I was a kid that long ago that I can remember riding a bike without a helmet and not getting a trophy just for participating.

I also fondly remember Sundays being the big footy day.

For me it was either live at the ground or glued to the radio listening to the match of the day while awaiting updates from around the grounds.

Nothing got in the way of my rugby league on a Sunday.

It was routine. Tradition.

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That early exposure to the game hooked me for life.

But what about today’s generation?

With games scheduled across four days at eight different timeslots – and home games often moved interstate, overseas, across town or to the bush - there is no set routine.

You can literally go a month or longer without the chance to see your team at home.

Just ask Manly fans who are currently enduring a six-week break between games at Brookvale.

Kids have the attention span of a fruit fly so expecting them to maintain interest is a big ask.

In the space of six weeks, they’ve moved onto something else.

Last Saturday I attended the Manly v Warringah Shute Shield local derby with 5000-odd punters.

My two sons – aged 10 and 15 – went along, as they have for just about every Manly home game since they could walk and talk.

There was no prompting or pushing from me. They wanted to be there.

They’ll probably still be going in their 30s and 40s and taking their own kids, while hopefully shouting the old man a bevy or two.

Tradition. Routine.

My youngest bloke is also keen on the Rabbitohs, but last saw them in the flesh on Good Friday.

And he’s not likely to see them anytime soon.

The Bunnies’ next two Sydney games are a round 13 Friday night clash with the Sharks at ANZ Stadium, both teams minus their Origin stars, and a Thursday night clash with the Eels at the same venue.

The chances of me working all day, dropping back home to get the lad and then punching through Sydney’s peak hour traffic to get to Homebush, especially for the school night Thursday game, are about the same as Kenny Edwards starting up a driving school.

No chance.

So it will be Fox Sports from the couch. Again.

In round 16, Souths take a home game against North Queensland to Cairns.

Where’s that remote?

I get that broadcasters paid over a billion dollars for the NRL rights and dictate when games will be played.

I also accept the scheduling won’t change and the days of playing half a dozen games on the same day at the same timeslot have gone the way of cardboard corner posts and run arounds.

And the NRL will point out crowds are actually up this year, albeit on the back of some rubbery calculations.

But will the current generation grow up to be rusted on NRL tragics?

No routine. No tradition.

No fans?