A good side game makes watching Rugby League more fun without making everyone miss the match. Keep the scoring simple and choose one activity, not a schedule of interruptions.
Below are four options for an NRL viewing night. The homemade prediction and bingo rules are suggestions for your gathering, not cards or official instructions from The Local. They can all be played for points without alcohol, an entry fee or betting.
1. Lock in three predictions before kick-off
Give each person a piece of paper and ask for three answers: the winner after regular time, the team leading at half-time and the final winning margin after regular time. Allow a draw for the first two questions.
Award two points for the correct regular-time result and one for the correct half-time result. For the margin, write a team as well as a number. βHome team by eightβ and βaway team by eightβ are opposite predictions, not equal guesses.
An easy way to score the margin is to award two points to the closest prediction among people who picked the correct regular-time result. Tied closest guesses receive the same points. For a draw, everyone who predicted a draw receives the margin points. Agree on this before play starts, and keep extra time outside this particular house game.
This suits people who care about the match and do not want to track a list of events. It also gives casual viewers three understandable things to follow.
2. Make a small Rugby League bingo board
Use a three-by-three grid with a different arrangement for each person. Choose a mixture of routine events and less common moments from this suggested list:
- The home team scores a try.
- The away team scores a try.
- A conversion is successful.
- A conversion is missed.
- A penalty goal is attempted.
- A knock-on is called.
- A forward pass is called.
- A player is sent to the sin bin.
- A captain's challenge is shown.
- A field goal is attempted.
- The lead changes after the opening score.
- A try is reviewed on the broadcast.
Count only events occurring after the group starts. Replays of the same moment do not count as new events. A square can be marked once; one match event can satisfy more than one square when the descriptions overlap.
Award three points to the first completed horizontal, vertical or diagonal line. When two people finish from the same event, both receive the points. Stop there or reset at half-time. Do not require every square to happen: some matches will never produce the rare events.
Use the referee's decision or what the broadcast clearly shows to settle uncertain calls. If nobody can verify a square, leave it unmarked rather than pausing the evening for an argument.
3. Bring a ready-made live-match card game
For an adult group that would rather open a deck than draw boards, there is The Local Rugby League drinking card game. This is our product, not an independent review. The edition contains 100 game cards and follows events during the match.
The practical difference from homemade bingo is the ready-made cards. Use the instructions included with the deck for its full rules and scoring; do not mix the prediction system above into it unless your group deliberately agrees on a separate house variation.
The Local is for ages 18 and over. Make joining in optional, respect anyone who does not drink and avoid speed-drinking or finishing-drink challenges.
4. Keep the quiz at half-time
One person writes down five facts as the first half happens: who scored first, who led at the break, whether a conversion was missed, which team used a captain's challenge if either did, and the half-time margin. Pick questions only from events that actually occurred.
At the break, everyone writes their answers before the host reads out the correct ones. Award one point per correct answer. Remove any question whose answer is unclear. Finish before the second half so the quiz does not compete with the match.
Set the room up for the game
Check the broadcast before guests arrive, leave space for cards and put food where people can reach it. Choose one person to keep score. Late arrivals can join a half-time reset rather than being handed a score they cannot catch.
For a large gathering, paper predictions are easier to run across the room than expecting everyone to use one deck. For guests who simply want to watch, leave space to do that.
Buying for the person who always hosts? Explore Rugby League gifts or our Christmas gift guide for NRL fans. Switching sports? Try cricket watch-party games or Aussie Rules game ideas.