2017 Draw

[Walt Flanigan]

Channel 9's share of viewership for games is dipping anyway, with Fox simulcasting all games. Not a huge deal.

For me it's not a huge deal but not everyone has Fox. Plus Channel 9s concious decision not to show higher quality games doesn't do much for the sport.

 

[Timmah]

You can add in the 2 ANZAC Day games and the Good Friday match too

I'm just listing what's been made official by clubs today - those are givens obviously.

Also:

 

[Timmah]

Also appears as though Round 1 has been finalised with the Dragons v Panthers game at Kogarah on Saturday, Warriors v Knights Sunday 2pm (4pm NZ)

 

[TheFrog]

Plus Channel 9s concious decision not to show higher quality games doesn't do much for the sport.

To Channel 9, ratings = quality.

 

[BuffaloRules]

Just had a look at the full draw...

Plenty of Channel 9 games for the Tigers which I predict will go down well here...

 

[Diesel]

I thought Sydney weren't getting any 6pm games?

Why haven't the Broncos been given any 6pm Friday games. (I know the answer but that question should be asked by media)

 

[juro]

Had to laugh at Greenburg saying that there would be games in every state and territory this year. Tasmania isn't part of Australia, is it?

 

[undertaker]

I see Newcastle have been the laboratory guinea pig for the Friday 6pm match, 6 matches in the first 20 rounds. Have back-to-back home games in that timeslot in rounds 6/7 vs Bulldogs/Roosters.

Matches at Allianz and in more isolated places such as Brookvale will be lucky to get over 5k in that timeslot.

 

[Usain Bolt]

The Broncos are playing the top 4 teams in the first 4 rounds

 

[Cumberland Throw]

Wow I can see 3 Allianz 6pm games scheduled in draw... that is suicide..

Especially Roosters v Knights..

I think swans have a fair few friday night games as well.. that start at 7.45pm..

Could see 4k at allianz v 40k at sfs... will be an awesome look..

 

[undertaker]

List of Friday 6pm games in the first 20 rounds (games highlighted in bold technically don't count as they are 8pm kickoffs in NZ)

Canterbury vs Melbourne at Belmore
NZ Warriors vs Melbourne at Auckland
Canterbury vs NZ Warriors at Dunedin
Penrith vs Newcastle at Penrith
Syd Roosters vs Manly at Allianz
Newcastle vs Canterbury at Newcastle
Newcastle vs Syd Roosters at Newcastle
Canberra vs Manly at Canberra
South Sydney vs Manly at Allianz
St George/Illawarra vs Cronulla at Kogarah
NZ Warriors vs St George/Illawarra at Waikato
Melbourne vs Newcastle at AAMI Park
Manly vs Newcastle at Brookvale
NZ Warriors vs Canterbury at Auckland
Gold Coast vs St George/Illawarra at Gold Coast
NZ Warriors vs Penrith at Auckland
Sydney Roosters vs Newcastle at Allianz

 

[Nice Beaver]

I see Newcastle have been the laboratory guinea pig for the Friday 6pm match, 6 matches in the first 20 rounds. Have back-to-back home games in that timeslot in rounds 6/7 vs Bulldogs/Roosters.

Matches at Allianz and in more isolated places such as Brookvale will be lucky to get over 5k in that timeslot.

Not trying to be a snob or stereotype an entire town, but Newcastle is a mining/tradie town for the most part isn't it?

I would imagine that would mean a 3pm knockoff on a Friday for a lot of them which gives them time to get to the 6pm game?

Not trying to shit stir at all, and have never been to Newcastle, that's just my understanding of the demographic of the place.

A hell of a lot more office worker types in Sydney and Brisbane who knock off at 5pm. So I can see the timeslot working better in Newcastle over the bigger cities.

 

[undertaker]

Wow I can see 3 Allianz 6pm games scheduled in draw... that is suicide..

Especially Roosters v Knights..

I think swans have a fair few friday night games as well.. that start at 7.45pm..

Could see 4k at allianz v 40k at sfs... will be an awesome look..

You think Roosters vs Knights is bad....how about Manly vs Knights at Brookvale? Anything over 5k in that game is a Godsend. Torrential rain that day and two teams out of form, and I hate to think what the crowd could be.

Unless you are not working that day, it's impossible to get from the city to Brookvale via public transportation in time after finishing work as traffic on Pittwater Rd is atrocious in peak hour.

As Diesel said, so much for Sydney teams not having to host those matches when the proposal for Friday 6pm matches was accepted. Excluding the occasions when the Warriors play at home (which is 8pm over there), the only time a Friday 6pm would've worked is on Good Friday.

In this farcical situation, the NRL would've been better off going back to the 2 x 7:50pm Friday night matches.

 

[BuffaloRules]

Newcastle v Roosters at Newcastle is Good Friday so probably a benefit to be playing then I reckon...

Its going to be a struggle for Brookvale, Penrith, Kogarah Friday at 6pm...

Allianz might be Ok with the crowds turning up straight from work...

 

[Valheru]

Good to see the roosters trying something different with the sharks, can't beat them at SFS or Shark Park, may as well give Gosford a try.

 

[Cumberland Throw]

No thursday night game before good friday... ?

 

[azza29]

I'll be interested to see how many turn up for Storm/Knights at 6pm, AAMI Park is close enough to the city for people to easily wander down after work. I don't like this timeslot but it's better than 7pm Monday night.

 

[Tommy Smith]

I see Greenberg has pulled a few strings to give the Bulldogs the easiest draw.

 

[yobbo84]

Friday 6pm kick-offs in Sydney is about the worse idea in a long line of stupid ideas that the NRL has produced recently.

 

[yobbo84]

I see Greenberg has pulled a few strings to give the Bulldogs the easiest draw.

They have 8 day games in the first 20 rounds. Unfortunate to waste all that dry weather footy on such a boring football team.