The Wallabies have emerged from a challenging year both on and off the field with a significantly stronger connection to their fanbase, according to new research, while the Matildas remain Australia’s most relatable national sports team.
Rugby Australia’s strong stance on Israel Folau, whose contract was terminated in the wake of his anti-gay social media posts earlier this year, contributed to a significant improvement in the men’s side’s BenchMark score – a ranking devised to gauge the respect, enjoyment, trust, pride and bond held by those familiar with Australian sports teams.
In the attribute “taking an authentic stand on important issues”, the Wallabies rose from 35th out of 62 teams to second in the latest survey conducted by True North Research. Under coach Michael Cheika, the team struggled on the pitch all year and could get no further than the quarter-finals at the recent Rugby World Cup in Japan, but they still managed to grow their supporter base among women and those aged between 16 and 24.
The Wallabies came in sixth overall on the ladder, while Sam Kerr’s Matildas held onto their position at the top, six months on from the last release, despite their own disappointing on-field results that included a penalty shootout defeat to Norway which eliminated them from the World Cup at the last-16 stage. On an individual level, captain Kerr scored highly and continues to be a major force driving connection to the team.
“The Matildas’ heartbreaking early exit at the World Cup hasn’t made Australians any less committed to backing them,” the True North Research director, Georgie Maynard, said. “We all shared their disappointment, but we also buy into their resolve to come back stronger. Australians’ support for the Matildas is resilient, and as fans, we want them to turn it around.”
Australia’s women’s rugby sevens team, which topped the ladder in the original survey 12 months ago, were second this time around with the Socceroos third. The Wallaroos, the women’s rugby union team, were ranked fourth.
The men’s national Test cricket team, itself attempting to slowly rebuild a reputation severely damaged by last year’s ball-tampering scandal, continued to rise up the rankings, having propped up the ladder six months after the infamous events of Cape Town. Tim Paine’s team now sits seventh, behind the Wallabies and the men’s Twenty20 team in fifth.
Basketball’s Opals, rugby league’s Kangaroos and netball’s Diamonds round out the top 10 but conspicuous by their absence are the all-conquering women’s cricket side, led by Meg Lanning and featuring stars such as Alyssa Healy and Ellyse Perry. They came in 11th.
Domestic winter sports teams were also surveyed, with Geelong rating the highest of all AFL clubs, just ahead of Hawthorn, and Melbourne Storm retaining top spot in the NRL. Parramatta Eels and Manly Sea Eagles, two teams that struggled in last year’s results, saw significant improvement.
“The new Bankwest Stadium has helped the Eels create an aura around the team and their inclusive approach, bringing in their community has had a big impact,” Maynard said. “The return of Des Hasler as coach of Manly and his visionary leadership, alongside the team’s resilience have been key drivers of the improvement to Manly’s score.”
Of the representative teams, the men’s State of Origin teams came out worst in terms of emotional connection, with the Maroons propping up the table behind the Blues, while Cronulla, Gold Coast and Penrith ranked worst for NRL teams. Another Gold Coast team, the Suns, were the bottom-ranked AFL club, behind North Melbourne, while Collingwood were eighth of eight Super Netball teams. Those six clubs were the only to register a “below par” score.
