I think everyone needs to calm down... I was at the game last Saturday, and I know for the fact that I am a true supporter, I go to away trips, Brisbane, GC, Melbourne and all the closer ones I can manage, I travel to bluetongue and I do my best to make it to every home game.
That said I do miss games. My regular shift at work is a Sat night so that makes it hard to make it every week. That doesn't make me a 'soft' supporter that just means I have to work for a living. Likewise I am not going to judge people who have kids or who have other responsibilities. Life is bigger then football, and its bigger then Manly and some things have to come first : and before you slag me over this I am as passionate as they come.
The truth is a lot of factors are not assisting people in getting to the games, and some of them are fixable and have not been, this is where the club and the NRL are responsible for the low numbers.
Brookie is frankly an unattractive place to go, its messy, the toilets are disgusting, the food horrid and the weather is a major factor. The transport is crap and our games this year have been at bad times. This is even before you factor in children. I stand on the hill and you know what, I couldn't justify having my kids there with me if I had kids. The language is foul the general behavior of the crowd is poor sometimes and the whole atmosphere is inappropriate. While there are stands and there are 'family' areas they aren't always a lot better.
My major grief is the '5' weeks out scheduling, which is truth is always less then 5 weeks. Since my roster can be done some 6 weeks out it means I have trouble telling my work when I can and can't be available - now they would be willing to give me the time off if I could schedule it, but I can't. This is why I tend to make it to the big away trips more often then not but sometimes miss the home games, simply put I can afford to take a whole weekend off if it involves an interstate trip but not just to make sure I make a home game.
Again everyone calm down, what gives you a right to judge people. And on the flip side before you react to what someone else has said, remember they are just a manly fan, sitting behind a computer screen frustrated at the situation - and in honesty if they actually met you they wouldn't want to say the things they say on here.