2026 Crowd Watch

[Yosemite Sam]

Roosters home game at the SFS. They don't need to move anything.

 

[yakstorm]

Perth's first home game will be in Perth. Almost guaranteed it will be Sunday afternoon so it can be shown live at 6:15pm back into Sydney.

Unfortunately all the talk from the club & media has been that they'll play all their Perth home games at HBF, with Optus not even in the mix. That doesn't mean they won't move a game, but it's not encouraging.

At least for the NSW match, Allianz & Central Coast Stadium have both been mentioned as alternatives to North Sydney Oval. The NSW game has been talked about as a mid-season fixture.

 

[yakstorm]

Don’t know why but the chiefs are actually playing at santos now which is only 15k ?

Chiefs will only play at Santos/NFS if Sir Hubert Murray Stadium is still under construction come 2028.

Hopefully construction does start this year, though construction in PNG isn't renowned for sticking to timelines.

 

[t-ba]

The Bears opening game should be an emotional home coming of sorts game in Sydney ...
V their traditional rivals Manly & at Allianz to house the 40K who will attend the historic event.

round 3 their first game in Perth
V the Warriors at Optus which will also get 40K plus

It absolutely should not be.

This needs to be a Perth team with Sydney Roots, not a transplanted Sydney team in Perth.

I say this as someone with a very soft spot for the Bears, who will absolutely be at the first game wherever it is.

 

[Barney Stubble]

There’s stuff on Twitter where loads of people have cancelled soccer World Cup tickets

lefty pinko propaganda no doubt

 

[Barney Stubble]

It absolutely should not be.

This needs to be a Perth team with Sydney Roots, not a transplanted Sydney team in Perth.

I say this as someone with a very soft spot for the Bears, who will absolutely be at the first game wherever it is.

It is a Perth team,
with Sydney origins ... anyone denying this is clueless

 

[t-ba]

It is a Perth team,
with Sydney origins ... anyone denying this is clueless

A Perth team opening in Sydney is the dumbst shit imaginable.

A Perth team should open in...wait for it...Perth!

 

[Barney Stubble]

A Perth team opening in Sydney is the dumbst shit imaginable.

A Perth team should open in...wait for it...Perth!

Nope,
Sydney , most of their fans in Perth won't mind that much either...
They didn't pluck the colours or logo out of thin air afterall.

 

[t-ba]

Nope,
Sydney , most of their fans in Perth won't mind that much either...
They didn't pluck the colours or logo out of thin air afterall.

Alienating the locals, who are pretty f**king suspicious of East Coasters, by clearly preferencing the Sydney part of the club with opening in Sydney is how you make an uphill battle even harder.

They can have their 'homecoming' after that, the fans in Sydney won't mind that much either.

This can't be thought of as a Sydney club. It's not.

 

[Gobsmacked]

Nope,
Sydney , most of their fans in Perth won't mind that much either...
They didn't pluck the colours or logo out of thin air afterall.

This could be the record for the most obvious troll account ever.

 

[t-ba]

This could be the record for the most obvious troll account ever.

I know more than a few Bears old heads who think exactly like this.

Like, it's great to have that connection but this is not primarily the North Shore's team.

 

[Wb1234]

Chiefs will only play at Santos/NFS if Sir Hubert Murray Stadium is still under construction come 2028.

Hopefully construction does start this year, though construction in PNG isn't renowned for sticking to timelines.

I asked Brad Walter a few months ago that’s what he said

He works for the nrl

There’s been no talk about stadium upgrades starting either

Hope you’re right 15k is way too small

 

[Gobsmacked]

I know more than a few Bears old heads who think exactly like this.

Like, it's great to have that connection but this is not primarily the North Shore's team.

I think it's a bad idea to comment on such rediculous statements.
You're giving it more attention than it deserves.

 

[t-ba]

I think it's a bad idea to comment on such rediculous statements.
You're giving it more attention than it deserves.

And yet here you are lol.

 

[Billythekid]

I think it's entirely possible that we see crowds stagnate or even drop a bit. I think 25K crowd average is very optimistic right now but I would love to see it. A lot just boils down to how things go with Perth and PNG. The dolphins entry into the comp has been incredible and has just massively lifted the game (especially in SEQLD). There is no guarantee things go quite as well with the next expansions.

 

[Gobsmacked]

I think it's entirely possible that we see crowds stagnate or even drop a bit. I think 25K crowd average is very optimistic right now but I would love to see it. A lot just boils down to how things go with Perth and PNG. The dolphins entry into the comp has been incredible and has just massively lifted the game (especially in SEQLD). There is no guarantee things go quite as well with the next expansions.

Yeah you're right. The expansion teams even if they're successful are limited with their stadiums.
They will likely offset modest gains elsewhere.
A good scenario is actually crowds maintaining their current averages.
It would be interesting to see some numbers or charts to show the overall attendance figures though.

Does anyone have those numbers?
Perths entry may not see a record average but with the 9 games and solid crowds, 2027 could be still the most attended?

 

[drcmuch]

Yeah you're right. The expansion teams even if they're successful are limited with their stadiums.
They will likely offset modest gains elsewhere.
A good scenario is actually crowds maintaining their current averages.
It would be interesting to see some numbers or charts to show the overall attendance figures though.

Does anyone have those numbers?
Perths entry may not see a record average but with the 9 games and solid crowds, 2027 could be still the most attended?

This one? (Red line includes finals games)

 

[Perth Red]

The Bears opening game should be an emotional home coming of sorts game in Sydney ...
V their traditional rivals Manly & at Allianz to house the 40K who will attend the historic event.

round 3 their first game in Perth
V the Warriors at Optus which will also get 40K plus

Perth wont, or they better not!, play their first ever game 'at home' in Sydney!

 

[parrawentyfan]

This one? (Red line includes finals games)
View attachment 109214

What a glorious graph to see. Great to see us doing so well

 

[BuffaloRules]

It is a Perth team,
with Sydney origins ... anyone denying this is clueless

It’s a Perth team … correct … so play their first game there ..