2026 Crowd Watch

[Valheru]

Dragons had 60k fans at the 2010 GF. Hard to not see that scenario flipping if that were to be the GF anytime soon.

There is lots of reasons to not go to their games but they didnt seem to take advantage of their success in the 09-11 period and create a new generation of fans.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

The fans are all still there. But they won't be attending games in large numbers anywhere until things improve on the field.

 

[newc18]

It is very sad to see. But to be honest, the days of the Dragons being a big Sydney club are gone. They have been too bad for too long and demographics have not been their friend.

With the new COE in Wollongong, they should just base themselves there permanently and put all their effort into upgrading and packing out WIN.

Have 1 event game at the SFS each year (Anzac Day or another on off years), and maybe use Kogarah for trial games or WNRL. Even trials are wasted at Kogarah (I'd rather them be in rural or expansion areas). Pity as the Stadium itself isn't bad.

Outside of the Bulldogs games, majority of thier games at Kogarah have been terrible for years now. Could a reason maybe that their fans simply don't live in the area anymore?

Would playing thier Sydney games in a more central location help?

 

[Cumberland Throw]

Every suburban ground having a Renaissance

Except kogarah

 

[Wb1234]

Outside of the Bulldogs games, majority of thier games at Kogarah have been terrible for years now. Could a reason maybe that their fans simply don't live in the area anymore?

Would playing thier Sydney games in a more central location help?

Nah their fans are jaded

I have three different friends who are dragons fans who never go to games anymore

Sad to see what happened there after Bennett left but they are unwatchable now

Even if they’ve moved out of the area that was 30 years ago it’s still easy to get there from much of this side of Sydney

 

[T-Boon]

I think the Dragons could be huge again if they moved to SFS for the bigger crowd potential of 42,000 take on the Roosters and meanwhile maintaining the St George history by playing 3 games there a year.
Wollongong should be left to the Sharks.

 

[glockers]

Funny, Tigers have been out of the finals for years and the crowd numbers didn't drop off that much.

 

[storm1999]

Wollongong should be left to the Sharks.

St George is the Illawarra Steelers in all but name though?

 

[reanimate]

Our southern Sydney teams are shitting the bed, it’s an all-round dour situation down there. The Sharks are boxed in by St George’s two territories and are getting terrible crowds despite having success on the ladder in recent years. St George should be bigger than what they are, but have just been disappointing for ~15 years now.

If you were starting the NRL from scratch, you definitely wouldn’t have the two southern Sydney teams set up how they are. It’s a mess.

 

[PARRA_FAN]

It is very sad to see. But to be honest, the days of the Dragons being a big Sydney club are gone. They have been too bad for too long and demographics have not been their friend.

With the new COE in Wollongong, they should just base themselves there permanently and put all their effort into upgrading and packing out WIN.

Have 1 event game at the SFS each year (Anzac Day or another on off years), and maybe use Kogarah for trial games or WNRL. Even trials are wasted at Kogarah (I'd rather them be in rural or expansion areas). Pity as the Stadium itself isn't bad.

Didnt Flanagan want them to train more at Kogarah and bring back that St George culture that was apparently missing? Whatever he tried to do hasnt worked and if theyre mainly based in Wollongong, maybe playing more games there will eventually happen.

 

[Cumberland Throw]

Seeing hardly any saints fans seem to live in the area anymore .. surely 4 big Sydney games at Allianz and 8 in the gong has to be the plan

 

[kurt faulk]

.

8,491 more people attended that game than that putrid team deserves.

.

 

[Cumberland Throw]

Give Stg these 4 home games every year at allianz .. all rest at gong .. give kogarah to Sydney fc

Roosters Anzac day
Dogs kings birthday
Tigers in August
Sharks sat night September

 

[st george dragons]

First game back at Kogarah for this season, to only get 8.5k is poor. I understand how crap they are playing, but there should be a 10k minimum no matter what. Shame shame shame.

 

[glockers]

Next time we get a move a Sydney club discussion they have to be the obvious candidate.

 

[Desert Qlder]

Too many teams in Sydney. Sick of slumming it in that backwater.

 

[Jonno]

The Commbank Stadium dilemma for the Eels is an interesting point raised.

When Parramatta stadium was rebuilt in its current form, the 30 000 capacity seemed to be the sweet spot for both the Eels and Wanderers. The Eels had been shite for years but have always had huge potential if success ever came their way. The Wanderers were pushing capacity and/or selling out regularly for many of the bigger matches.
30 000 just seemed like the perfect figure.

However, since (and just before) the rebuild, a lot has changed.
Parramatta (the team), although still mostly shit with results on the field, still probably have the most growth potential of any team in Sydney for attendances. If the Eels had the success the Panthers have had over the past 6 years, they'd be pushing capacity of the stadium already for averages.
The city itself has grown enormously, with so much more to come. Transport infrastructure has as well with the Light Rail and will improve even further when the metro opens in 2032.
It is becoming a city in its own right.

The game of RL itself has increased attendances enormously during the past 3 - 4 years. The growth has been impressive.

It begs the question. Was CommBank rebuilt a little under capacity?
Should Sydney's 2nd city have had a 2nd Allianz?
My original thoughts back in 2016 was that Parra should be at least 35 000 capacity. Maybe even 40 000, to allow for future growth. I was disappointed when they went with 30 k.

Anyway, probably a discussion for the stadium thread rather than here.

Redevelop Accor Stadium the way it was planned and it would complement Parramatta when crowds exceed 30,000.
75,000 Capacity
Intimate modes x 2 (35,000 and 50,000)
Rectangle field and new roof.
and just 5 minutes from Parramatta metro station to Sydney Olympic Park Metro.
(But yes,topic more for the stadium thread)

 

[Warriors Fever]

Give Stg these 4 home games every year at allianz .. all rest at gong .. give kogarah to Sydney fc

Roosters Anzac day
Dogs kings birthday
Tigers in August
Sharks sat night September

1 they could only get that game once every two years.
2 dogs have a king’s birthday vs eels which will keep getting big crowds
3 agree but early in the season
4 maybe but I doubt it would draw much as both clubs aren’t popular

 

[Iamback]

The Commbank Stadium dilemma for the Eels is an interesting point raised.

When Parramatta stadium was rebuilt in its current form, the 30 000 capacity seemed to be the sweet spot for both the Eels and Wanderers. The Eels had been shite for years but have always had huge potential if success ever came their way. The Wanderers were pushing capacity and/or selling out regularly for many of the bigger matches.
30 000 just seemed like the perfect figure.

However, since (and just before) the rebuild, a lot has changed.
Parramatta (the team), although still mostly shit with results on the field, still probably have the most growth potential of any team in Sydney for attendances. If the Eels had the success the Panthers have had over the past 6 years, they'd be pushing capacity of the stadium already for averages.
The city itself has grown enormously, with so much more to come. Transport infrastructure has as well with the Light Rail and will improve even further when the metro opens in 2032.
It is becoming a city in its own right.

The game of RL itself has increased attendances enormously during the past 3 - 4 years. The growth has been impressive.

It begs the question. Was CommBank rebuilt a little under capacity?
Should Sydney's 2nd city have had a 2nd Allianz?
My original thoughts back in 2016 was that Parra should be at least 35 000 capacity. Maybe even 40 000, to allow for future growth. I was disappointed when they went with 30 k.

Anyway, probably a discussion for the stadium thread rather than here.

Of course CommBank was.

As Penrith is being done way under, Government has predicted this population boom but does stuff on the cheap. So when they are built they are already close to being too small.

M7 is another case in point

 

[kurt faulk]

Too many teams in Sydney. Sick of slumming it in that backwater.

I'm going to tell you some hard truths. Without the Sydney teams this comp would be nothing. It would turn back into stupid league, a comp nobody cared for or watched any games. That's why they had to rejoin back with the Sydney teams. So stop crying.

.