2011 Draw

[Timmah]

This seems a bit odd to me, I understand the logic this year given we played the warriors once, but to play the warriors twice in NZ is a strange call. What makes it even more strange is that it falls in a period (rounds 8-16) where we have 2 byes, 5 away games and only 2 home games. In effect that will change to one home game in 9 weeks if we move the warriors game.

Quite possible they may want to perform rectification works on the SFS? With SFC using it 14 times between Aug and March this year and the Tigers also using it three times in addition to your early home games, SFS will probably need a rest sometime during the winter months to save the turf.

 

[Timmah]

http://twitter.com/Cronulla_Sharks - Cronulla Sharks official Twitter confirms just the one relocated game in 2011 - the R4 Owen Delany Park, Taupo clash against the Warriors. All other 11 games to be played at Toyota.

 

[Timmah]

For my own sense of organisation I'm just bringing together a list of all the clubs and confirmed/likely venues:

Broncos - 12 home games @ Suncorp
Raiders - 12 home games @ Canberra
Bulldogs - 10 home games @ ANZ, 1 @ Suncorp, 1 @ venue TBC (probably Adelaide)
Sharks - 11 home games @ Toyota, 1 @ Taupo
Titans - 12 home games @ Skilled
Manly - 10 home games @ Brookvale, 1 @ Bluetongue, 1 @ venue TBC
Storm - 12 home games @ AAMI
Knights - 12 home games @ EAS
Cowboys - 12 home games @ DFS
Eels - 10 home games @ Parramatta, 2 @ ANZ
Panthers - 12 home games @ CUA
Dragons - 6 home games @ Jubilee, 6 @ WIN W'gong* (to be confirmed)
Rabbitohs - 10 home games @ ANZ, 1 @ Bluetongue, 1 @ NIB, Perth
Roosters - 11 home games @ SFS, 1 @ venue TBC
Warriors - 12 home games @ Mt Smart (some away games in other NZ locations TBC)
Tigers - 3 @ SFS, 1 @ SCG, 4 @ Leichhardt, 4 @ Campbelltown. Exactly which are where, to be decided later.

 

[innsaneink]

Dogs, Roosters, Dragons, Parra at SFS imo with Souths at SCG

 

[Timmah]

You'll only be playing 3 at the SFS...

 

[Tiger_Tim]

On Round 1:
Obviously Titans v Dragons, if Friday night, can't be live in both states due to daylight savings (7.30 kickoff in Qld = 8.30 in NSW) so maybe Souths/Roosters or Dogs/Tigers could be the 7.30 NSW game in that case. Also good to remember that Nine get first two picks, then Fox gets the next (generally for MNF).

On Round 7 (Easter/ANZAC):
Clearly Roosters/Saints is locked in for the Monday arvo...I'm guessing there'll still be a Monday night game as well?
Storm at home on Good Friday arvo again? with just the one Friday night game like this year?

 

[chefman21]

On Round 1:
Obviously Titans v Dragons, if Friday night, can't be live in both states due to daylight savings (7.30 kickoff in Qld = 8.30 in NSW) so maybe Souths/Roosters or Dogs/Tigers could be the 7.30 NSW game in that case. Also good to remember that Nine get first two picks, then Fox gets the next (generally for MNF).

On Round 7 (Easter/ANZAC):
Clearly Roosters/Saints is locked in for the Monday arvo...I'm guessing there'll still be a Monday night game as well?
Storm at home on Good Friday arvo again? with just the one Friday night game like this year?

Roosters Saints won't be Monday arvo. More than likely to be the Sunday and televised.

 

[ByRd]

Roosters/Dragons will be played on the Sunday (also Anzac day), i think the Bulldogs/Rabbits game will be on the Monday as it has been a few times in the past.

 

[IanG]

Interesting how they've put out the fixtures without the venues. Is that to let joint venture clubs to decide which home ground to play those home games at?

Probably also to figure out some of the exhibition games too

 

[Tiger_Tim]

Roosters/Dragons will be played on the Sunday (also Anzac day), i think the Bulldogs/Rabbits game will be on the Monday as it has been a few times in the past.

ANZAC Day is April 25, which is a Monday

 

[Timmah]

Roosters/Dragons will be played on the Sunday (also Anzac day), i think the Bulldogs/Rabbits game will be on the Monday as it has been a few times in the past.

Roosters Saints won't be Monday arvo. More than likely to be the Sunday and televised.

:? Roosters v Dragons is always afternoon on ANZAC Day, regardless of the day of the week it is. Therefore, it will be played at either 3pm or 4pm on Monday and televised on FOX. There will also, like Easter Monday this year, be MNF that night as well, more than likely Storm v Warriors as they have an ANZAC Day thing happening. Dogs v South Sydney probably Good Friday I imagine.

Interesting how they've put out the fixtures without the venues. Is that to let joint venture clubs to decide which home ground to play those home games at?

Probably also to figure out some of the exhibition games too

The fixture is always put out without the venues, every year, without fail. Teams who know where their fixtures will be generally state where they'll play in their draw release. As mentioned a few posts back, teams like Souths and Cronulla have confirmed when/where they'll take games on the road, while Canterbury and Manly are yet to lock in alternate venues for 2 of their 12 home games. Then, as you say, Saints and WT are still to lock in their home-game-split.

NFI what you mean with exhibition matches - are you talking about trials pre-season, or neutral venue games where a team takes a notional home game to a different city/town?

 

[IanG]

NFI what you mean with exhibition matches - are you talking about trials pre-season, or neutral venue games where a team takes a notional home game to a different city/town?

I'm referring to NRL matches taken to a different city. eg Adelaide, Perth, Gosford, Taupo etc

 

[Timmah]

Well they're called notional home games or neutral games. Never heard them called exhibition games...

 

[Tiger_Tim]

There will also, like Easter Monday this year, be MNF that night as well, more than likely Storm v Warriors as they have an ANZAC Day thing happening.

Surely they'd take advantage of the lack of Good Friday AFL like they did this year and schedule the Storm game for either the Friday afternoon or night?

 

[Timmah]

The problem is that with ANZAC Day the Storm v Warriors clash is gaining momentum much like the Dragons/Roosters one. Melbourne would have preferenced it.

 

[Timmah]

http://www.mwse.com.au/default.aspx?s=article-display&id=31096&title=sea-eagles-2011-draw-announced

This article indicates Round 3 Manly v Knights will be back at Brookvale for the first time in five years.

This will therefore mean that Manly v Brisbane straight after Origin I will be played at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane as part of the a double header with Canterbury v Gold Coast. The match remains a Manly home game and the Brisbane v Manly game at Suncorp later in the year won't be moved.

Additionally, it also appears Manly will be moving the Round 21 match against the Wests Tigers to Bluetongue Stadium at the end of July, just as they did in 2010.

 

[cleary89]

When do they announce the dates for round 1? A month or so in advance?

 

[Timmah]

Rounds 1 - 5 should be released early/mid November. Venues should also be confirmed by most clubs by that point.

 

[LeagueNut]

Roosters not going to Christchurch in 2011 ... link

NEW ZEALAND league fans might have the Anzac Test in their backyard next year but a scheduling issue has caused the Sydney Roosters to pull their NRL ''home'' game from Christchurch's AMI Stadium next June.

The Roosters, who played the Warriors at the venue as one of their home games in round 16 this year as a chance to profit from a bigger crowd than they would normally get in Sydney, were set to return to Christchurch in June next year.

The NRL handed them a home game as requested but trips to Townsville and Melbourne either side of the proposed Christchurch date meant the Roosters have decided to change their plans. Vbase runs the stadium and general manager of business development, Aland Garner, said it was disappointing but understandable.

Advertisement: Story continues below ''The game had been scheduled for the first weekend in June,'' he told Sunday News. ''The Roosters had requested a home game from the NRL and they obliged. But what happened, and it's really just unfortunate, is that the Roosters had a game scheduled in Townsville the previous weekend and in Melbourne the following weekend.

''Roosters CEO Steve Noyce contacted us with some concerns around the club's travel during that time. It was going to be something like six weeks in a row where the Roosters would not be playing at home.

''He said that having thought through that, they needed to play that game at home in Sydney instead. While that's disappointing, we understand the reasons why the Roosters are going to play in Sydney and not Christchurch.''

 

[Timmah]

The question becomes then where will the Roosters play home game #12?

Bluetongue?