2025 Crowd Watch

[BuffaloRules]

Saints should bring the Sharks in for a triple merger … I hope the old Illawarra Steelers fans still get to see their socks run around each week though …

 

[drcmuch]

Looks like for finals we'll get 2 in Melbourne (50k+ total), 2 in Canberra (50k total), 1 at Suncorp (50k), 1 Dogs at Accor (50k+), 1 in Auckland (25k), 1 Sharks at Cronulla or Allianz (13 / 20k). Including the GF, total around 325k. Right in line with the last couple of years.

 

[Dark Corner]

Time for these grounds to be put in the belmore category and only be used once a year for nostalgia.

Replace them with allianz, the dragons have the potential to at least double their sydney average, look at the 'no fans' roosters since the redevelopment.

The sharks? Well the fans say they won't 'travel' (pissweak), but if they're at shark park full time they will die and if their fans boycott allianz they will die. So a win-win situation.

No Sharks to Central Coast and Dragons can leave Sydney for goo and go to Wollongong full time as why bulid a stadium just to be used 4-6 times a yeat that is insane.

 

[Dark Corner]

Saints should bring the Sharks in for a triple merger … I hope the old Illawarra Steelers fans still get to see their socks run around each week though …

That was suggested back in 2000.

 

[SLRBRONCOS]

21 single seats left to Broncos vs Storm - this will be the second sold out Thursday night game this year.

Geeze.

 

[kurt faulk]

Since Dragons & Sharks are neighbours, the only way we could fix depleted crowds is for these two to merge end of story

This just might be the worst idea ever proposed in the history of the world.

.

 

[newc18]

The Dragons are interesting to me. I used to think they were one of the big Sydney clubs but maybe that's just not true anymore.

They are currently:
-17th in crowds (12,285)
-16th in social media (Dolphins are the only team behind them)
-Average membership numbers (20,251)

Is this really a case of winning will bring the fans back, or do they need to consider their future at Kogarah?

 

[Wb1234]

The Dragons are interesting to me. I used to think they were one of the big Sydney clubs but maybe that's just not true anymore.

They are currently:
-17th in crowds (12,285)
-16th in social media (Dolphins are the only team behind them)
- Average membership numbers (20,251)

Is this really a case of winning will bring the fans back, or do they need to consider their future at Kogarah?

I know loads of dragons fans

None goes to games anymore

Spoiled for past success so they just watch games from home

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Since Dragons & Sharks are neighbours, the only way we could fix depleted crowds is for these two to merge end of story

St George-Illawarra-Cronulla-Sutherland Dragon Sharks?

 

[titoelcolombiano]

21 single seats left to Broncos vs Storm - this will be the second sold out Thursday night game this year.

Geeze.

Because we are the best fans in the game

 

[i0Nic]

A radical idea would be demerge St George and Illawarra, merge Cronulla and Illawarra into Illawarra Sharks based at WIN with a couple games at shark park. Move St George to Allianz with a couple games at kogarah. This isn’t really viable anymore though and the junior nursery of this Illawarra sharks merge would be massive and st george would struggle big time.

However it’s been too long now and the dragons brand has got a whole generation of supporters in the gong so think that ship has sailed.

What will actually fix issues at the dragons:
- Kill this culture of mediocrity. There’s nothing the saints have done in the last decade that’s been inspiring. Just mid results, mid results off field as well when other clubs are innovating more.
- Move and promote event games at Allianz. Saints should move a few games there and promote them accordingly. draw 30-40k crowds to these match ups like vs Souths, Roosters, Cronulla, Canterbury.
- More community engagement. Dragons don’t do much here. They’re almost invisible.
- Win. Be a contender in finals. Win a premiership. Dragons fans every year are sick of constant disappointment.

Saints have a latent fanbase that could quickly re-emerge with the right circumstances.

 

[newc18]

A radical idea would be demerge St George and Illawarra, merge Cronulla and Illawarra into Illawarra Sharks based at WIN with a couple games at shark park. Move St George to Allianz with a couple games at kogarah. This isn’t really viable anymore though and the junior nursery of this Illawarra sharks merge would be massive and st george would struggle big time.

However it’s been too long now and the dragons brand has got a whole generation of supporters in the gong so think that ship has sailed.

What will actually fix issues at the dragons:
- Kill this culture of mediocrity. There’s nothing the saints have done in the last decade that’s been inspiring. Just mid results, mid results off field as well when other clubs are innovating more.
- Move and promote event games at Allianz. Saints should move a few games there and promote them accordingly. draw 30-40k crowds to these match ups like vs Souths, Roosters, Cronulla, Canterbury.
- More community engagement. Dragons don’t do much here. They’re almost invisible.
- Win. Be a contender in finals. Win a premiership. Dragons fans every year are sick of constant disappointment.

Saints have a latent fanbase that could quickly re-emerge with the right circumstances.

I'm of the belief that the Illawarra region deserves its own full time team. Unfortunately I don't ever see that happening while they are merged with the Dragons. I guess the second best option would be the majority of games at Wollongong, and select games against big Sydney teams at Allianz. Similar to what Geelong do in the AFL.

With the Sharks I have no idea. I guess if they can't get their stadium situation sorted over the next couple of decades they either move to Allianz or relocate? I hope they are able to secure funding for a 20k modern stadium but I'm not sure how they convince the government to spend that money.

 

[Steel Saints]

How 'bout, demerge St.George Illawarra Dragons. Illawarra Steelers return as a regional team. Win stadium, as part of Venus NSW gets funding. Steelers could sell one or two games at Allianz, just like many other teams selling a home game. Possibly follow the Geelong model in Fumbleball.

Cronulla and St.George merge because they are two Sydney sides. Where they play, who knows. Who will fund Kogarah or Shark Park?

On a more serious note, if Kogarah oval doesn't get any funding, then all of the Sydney games move to Allianz.

As for the Sharks, finally re-open the leagues club. Have a period of five to ten years where they take two or three home games to Allianz stadium on condition that it is scheduled on the weekend against Sydney teams. In the background, figure out a long term home ground location. Is it Shark Park, somewhere in the Shire, Allianz stadium, wherever?

 

[eels4lifee]

St George-Illawarra-Cronulla-Sutherland Dragon Sharks?

Should call it stgoerge cronulla no shows

 

[Lakemba Dragon]

Saints will have to come up with a stadium strategy similar to what Tigers are doing.
Main stadium will be Wollongong 8 games 3 or 4 at upgraded Kogarah, 2-3 at Allianz.
George’s river council are currently doing a jubilee stadium master plan, with a future proof plan.
Above all, a strong team winning games will bring the fans back.

 

[Raiders_Premiers]

I know loads of dragons fans

None goes to games anymore

Spoiled for past success so they just watch games from home

What past success?

 

[Wb1234]

What past success?

You could start with the fact they have won the comp when the nrl was formed

Some nrl clubs can’t even manage that

 

[RedVee]

A radical idea would be demerge St George and Illawarra, merge Cronulla and Illawarra into Illawarra Sharks based at WIN with a couple games at shark park. Move St George to Allianz with a couple games at kogarah. This isn’t really viable anymore though and the junior nursery of this Illawarra sharks merge would be massive and st george would struggle big time.

However it’s been too long now and the dragons brand has got a whole generation of supporters in the gong so think that ship has sailed.

What will actually fix issues at the dragons:
- Kill this culture of mediocrity. There’s nothing the saints have done in the last decade that’s been inspiring. Just mid results, mid results off field as well when other clubs are innovating more.
- Move and promote event games at Allianz. Saints should move a few games there and promote them accordingly. draw 30-40k crowds to these match ups like vs Souths, Roosters, Cronulla, Canterbury.
- More community engagement. Dragons don’t do much here. They’re almost invisible.
- Win. Be a contender in finals. Win a premiership. Dragons fans every year are sick of constant disappointment.

Saints have a latent fanbase that could quickly re-emerge with the right circumstances.

I have no idea why Saturday afternoon at Kogarah is such a deserted slot. I personally find it quite a decent time.

My first thought yesterday was “less than 12k”, but later I took a good look around. The stand where I was was quite full and quite a lot on the main part of the hill. I figured prob 4K in the stand, 4K on the hill. few on the north end, less on the south and the ‘family hill’ was pretty empty. So the listed crowd seems accurate to me.

I saw mentioned 3 sub 10k crowds, but we have also had a few sell out crowds. So it has been an odd year. It has been an odd year on the field as well.

We need to get our act together at board and management level, and on the field as well. Then the fans will re engage, hopefully. But I fear we have burnt an entire generation of fans by the club’s acceptance of mediocrity over the last decade.

 

[drcmuch]

At times in the past the Dragons have done even more house-sitting than the Tigers. Here's their home game sequence from 2015 -- Kogarah, Wollongong, Accor, Kog, Wol, Kog, SFS, Wol, SCG, Kog, Wol, Accor -- all of which resulted in an average of 13,651. Seems a likely way to discourage attendance to me, but they stuck with it for a few years.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

South Coast Dragons or Sharks