2025 Crowd Watch

[parrawentyfan]

So why keep it if it's only going to used part time.

Well at the end of the day they are meant to represent Wollongong and the Illawarra. If they play all their games in Sydney it sort of kills the joint venture.

 

[Steel Saints]

Well at the end of the day they are meant to represent Wollongong and the Illawarra. If they play all their games in Sydney it sort of kills the joint venture.

If all games are in Sydney, then it would represent a huge setback to the code in the Illawarra region. I guess it would be the same for any team who is relocated or leaves an area vacant for other codes to benefit.

With Win Stadium, the one tier southern grandstand is the oldest and smallest out of the three stands. It opened in '92. They could demolish it and build a new two tier grandstand and possibly increase capacity by another 2 or 3,000. The record crowd at Win is 19,608.

There has been talk about a new stadium on another site. Thomas Dalton Park has been mentioned. It is 4km north from Win. A bigger site and yes, it is located next to the beach as well. Towradgi train station is 1.5km to the ground. Wollongong train station is 1.3km to Win.

The two advantages Win has over the Sydney suburban grounds like Kogarah, Leichhardt, Campbelltown,
Brookvale and Shark Park is that Venus NSW owns and operates it and is in a regional location. Two disadvantages of a new stadium is obviously the cost and a lack of content. We need the Wolves in the A League.

 

[RedVee]

If all games are in Sydney, then it would represent a huge setback to the code in the Illawarra region. I guess it would be the same for any team who is relocated or leaves an area vacant for other codes to benefit.

With Win Stadium, the one tier southern grandstand is the oldest and smallest out of the three stands. It opened in '92. They could demolish it and build a new two tier grandstand and possibly increase capacity by another 2 or 3,000. The record crowd at Win is 19,608.

There has been talk about a new stadium on another site. Thomas Dalton Park has been mentioned. It is 4km north from Win. A bigger site and yes, it is located next to the beach as well. Towradgi train station is 1.5km to the ground. Wollongong train station is 1.3km to Win.

The two advantages Win has over the Sydney suburban grounds like Kogarah, Leichhardt, Campbelltown,
Brookvale and Shark Park is that Venus NSW owns and operates it and is in a regional location. Two disadvantages of a new stadium is obviously the cost and a lack of content. We need the Wolves in the A League.

It disappoints me that Venues NSW don’t put the money into WIN that they did in Newcastle. No Wolves / A League to share the ground hurts I guess. Plus I get that they are hesitant to build an Eastern Stand to replace the hill as it will remove the iconic view.
Replacing the Sthn Stand was talked about a few years ago but nothing seems to be happening there.

The ground that the Wolves used to play at got absorbed into the Uni’s tech area up on the way to Towradgi didn’t it? Or is that forming part of the Dragons CoE?

WIN is the best current option in the region though.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Kembla Grange, plenty of space here. Plus a train station across from the race course.

 

[Steel Saints]

It disappoints me that Venues NSW don’t put the money into WIN that they did in Newcastle. No Wolves / A League to share the ground hurts I guess. Plus I get that they are hesitant to build an Eastern Stand to replace the hill as it will remove the iconic view.
Replacing the Sthn Stand was talked about a few years ago but nothing seems to be happening there.

The ground that the Wolves used to play at got absorbed into the Uni’s tech area up on the way to Towradgi didn’t it? Or is that forming part of the Dragons CoE?

WIN is the best current option in the region though.

Yep, Wolves used to play at Brandon Park, now it's an Innovation Campus, part of Wollongong University. Dragons will have their high performance centre at the location. Less than 4km away from Win. The eastern hill, replace it with seating but without a roof, so that the views are not obstructed. But yeah, if Wolves did come in, it would help Win get an upgrade.

 

[Perth Red]

Win gets used a lot by NSWRL. Every time I stay in the hotel there its full of people in NSWRL tracksuits!
Its a great location in town and just needs the east stand building to get it to around 22-23k and its perfect.

 

[RedVee]

Yep, Wolves used to play at Brandon Park, now it's an Innovation Campus, part of Wollongong University. Dragons will have their high performance centre at the location. Less than 4km away from Win. The eastern hill, replace it with seating but without a roof, so that the views are not obstructed. But yeah, if Wolves did come in, it would help Win get an upgrade.

Yeah, thought that was the place. I went to a Save the Wolves concert there way back when. Jimmy Barnes played touring his first solo album.

 

[Wb1234]

It disappoints me that Venues NSW don’t put the money into WIN that they did in Newcastle. No Wolves / A League to share the ground hurts I guess. Plus I get that they are hesitant to build an Eastern Stand to replace the hill as it will remove the iconic view.
Replacing the Sthn Stand was talked about a few years ago but nothing seems to be happening there.

The ground that the Wolves used to play at got absorbed into the Uni’s tech area up on the way to Towradgi didn’t it? Or is that forming part of the Dragons CoE?

WIN is the best current option in the region though.

Dragons need to commit there properly

 

[titoelcolombiano]

It disappoints me that Venues NSW don’t put the money into WIN that they did in Newcastle. No Wolves / A League to share the ground hurts I guess. Plus I get that they are hesitant to build an Eastern Stand to replace the hill as it will remove the iconic view.
Replacing the Sthn Stand was talked about a few years ago but nothing seems to be happening there.

The ground that the Wolves used to play at got absorbed into the Uni’s tech area up on the way to Towradgi didn’t it? Or is that forming part of the Dragons CoE?

WIN is the best current option in the region though.

Can the Dragons get the NRLW team playing there full-time? I don't actually know if they already do or not. At least it's some extra content

 

[yakstorm]

Can the Dragons get the NRLW team playing there full-time? I don't actually know if they already do or not. At least it's some extra content

If the NRL can find a way to get more standalone NRLW games into fan friendly time slots (not 10am on a Saturday) and build the competition crowds, then suddenly the economics become easier to justify.

It's not like the NRLW games aren't already producing some commercial value, it's why Hamilton has bid for Warriors games, Cairns for Cowboys and Granville for Eels. Ideally you'd want to get it closer to the 6K+ average for games though.

 

[Valheru]

Assuming Roosters continue to be in the hunt for the eight, it's fair to say the Bulldogs and Rabbitohs matches should comfortably get 38K+. Looking at the other games, it's realistic that the Roosters could draw a comparable crowd to what they got for the Storm on a Thursday night last year (17K), whilst I would imagine the Wests Tigers match would draw similar at 2pm on a Sunday (they got 14.8K last year on a wet Sunday night).

That leaves the Emergency Services Cup match against the Cowboys. At a minimum, the match should get 20K considering the effort the Roosters & NSW Government are putting into it. That would give a 26K average for the final five and put the club in reach of the 25K average.

Ideally the Bulldogs & Rabbitohs games push into the 40K zone and the Emergency Services Cup pushes more towards 25K.

The tigers game should get 20k with decent weather (A tigers win or two before then would definitely help).

The emergency services game got 27k in the same slot last year against the Raiders. The Raiders are only slightly better historically as a draw at the SFS than the cowboys so 25k should be the goal here. The fact it's honouring the health services should illicit a sympathetic reaction from fans as well. Of course, decent weather helps here too.

The storm one - If we get 15k I'd be very happy.

 

[RedVee]

Yep, Wolves used to play at Brandon Park, now it's an Innovation Campus, part of Wollongong University. Dragons will have their high performance centre at the location. Less than 4km away from Win. The eastern hill, replace it with seating but without a roof, so that the views are not obstructed. But yeah, if Wolves did come in, it would help Win get an upgrade.

The Southern Stand upgrade I heard was basically a replica of the western, so two levels - and I believe they would have a wrap around to join them up.
I guess that might get them up to 23 - maybe 25k. But importantly it would increase the number of under cover seats. I’d hope that a similar Eastern stand would take it to 28-30k which would allow an increase in crowd avg (assuming the teams form improves).

The point is that it is the major stadium for quite a large area in the State.

 

[Brutus]

Do these public holiday games as a double header at Stadium Australia to try for 75k plus.

Nah

 

[jim_57]

The Southern Stand upgrade I heard was basically a replica of the western, so two levels - and I believe they would have a wrap around to join them up.
I guess that might get them up to 23 - maybe 25k. But importantly it would increase the number of under cover seats. I’d hope that a similar Eastern stand would take it to 28-30k which would allow an increase in crowd avg (assuming the teams form improves).

The point is that it is the major stadium for quite a large area in the State.

Wasn’t there talk of rebuilding the arena and the Northern stand as well or have I imagined that?

2 tier stands on North & South to match the West and a one tier stand on the east with concourse to keep the iconic view. All 4 corners filled in. That would surely get it close to 25k?

 

[It's Been Done]

Warriors putting up Travel packages for the Canterbury game. Wish more clubs and the NRL in general did this for more than just Magic Round/Vegas and Finals

 

[RedVee]

Wasn’t there talk of rebuilding the arena and the Northern stand as well or have I imagined that?

2 tier stands on North & South to match the West and a one tier stand on the east with concourse to keep the iconic view. All 4 corners filled in. That would surely get it close to 25k?

I’m not sure of that, but there is room for something around the gate A entrance area. But the North stand is attached to the entertainment centre so I’m not sure if that is an issue. It would be nice if the N/E curved area was roofed - they might get more people in there.

probably

 

[Lakemba Dragon]

Wasn’t there talk of rebuilding the arena and the Northern stand as well or have I imagined that?

2 tier stands on North & South to match the West and a one tier stand on the east with concourse to keep the iconic view. All 4 corners filled in. That would surely get it close to 25k?

Be good to have some standing areas on a new east stand. Much prefer to stand watching the game and not squeezed into a seat. A big concourse up the back to take in the views.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Warriors putting up Travel packages for the Canterbury game. Wish more clubs and the NRL in general did this for more than just Magic Round/Vegas and Finals

Auckland v Canterbury what a rivalry

 

[T-Boon]

I know it's a long way off but Dolphins v Raiders in the final round is set for Kayo. Do they have an option to change that, because if the Dolphins are a still in finals contention then that'd surely draw 30k at Suncorp.

NRL has to step in there and tell em no way.

 

[Dark Corner]

Yep, Wolves used to play at Brandon Park, now it's an Innovation Campus, part of Wollongong University. Dragons will have their high performance centre at the location. Less than 4km away from Win. The eastern hill, replace it with seating but without a roof, so that the views are not obstructed. But yeah, if Wolves did come in, it would help Win get an upgrade.

And that would be a Win Win situation.