2026 Crowd Watch

[Belmore Dog]

Cowboys v Sea Eagles
Thursday night is always a hard timeslot for the Cowboys, though this one isn't selling too badly. Trending slightly ahead of the Cowboys v Titans game which was 16,999, so will possibly land in 17-18K territory.

View attachment 111939

Rabbitohs v Dragons
Games at Accor never look great on TV, this is on track to look horrible. There is a huge number of seats still unsold in the TV, with most Rabbitohs members on the other side of the ground. Its a shame how far this fixture has fallen, what use to be able to draw 20K+ for a pre-season game comfortably, now is struggling to sell at all. I'd be expecting maybe 13-14K.

View attachment 111940​

Roosters v Knights:
Reserve seating is pretty much exhausted in the lower bowl, just down to the GA areas selling out. Hasn't been a huge amount of movement in the north-east corner on Level 2, which is not a great indicator. People may be waiting for Level 2 south to come on sale. Looking around 16-18K realms.

View attachment 111941

Eels v Bulldogs:
Sales have unfortunately slowed for this one, especially in the Bulldogs corner in the south-east corner.

View attachment 111942

Just for some perspective regarding the Parra vs Dogs game … prices are $50 each for a GA ticket, and $75 each for the bulldogs away bays (bays 207-209).

I went to the Dragons/Eels game a few weeks ago with a friend who follows the eels, and we paid $35 each for a GA ticket.

 

[ouwet]

Just for some perspective regarding the Parra vs Dogs game … prices are $50 each for a GA ticket, and $75 each for the bulldogs away bays (bays 207-209).

I went to the Dragons/Eels game a few weeks ago with a friend who follows the eels, and we paid $35 each for a GA ticket.

Yep it's ridiculous!

On the kennel a few people who were going to buy tickets are now not going.

 

[yakstorm]

Just for some perspective regarding the Parra vs Dogs game … prices are $50 each for a GA ticket, and $75 each for the bulldogs away bays (bays 207-209).

I went to the Dragons/Eels game a few weeks ago with a friend who follows the eels, and we paid $35 each for a GA ticket.

So same prices as Easter Monday. Disappointing by the Eels, especially after the start they've had.

 

[Warriors Fever]

Yep it's ridiculous!

On the kennel a few people who were going to buy tickets are now not going.

Nrl need to come down on this and make sure there’s a basic ga ticket for most grounds that doesn’t go over a certain limit.

 

[Warriors Fever]

Instead of a Suncorp triple header on the Saturday, why not play one of the games at Cbus Stadium? That would add 20k to the total aggregate.

You can’t seriously think that’s a good idea. One thing our weekend has over other codes is that it is first a more original concept in terms of rugby league starting it and two we play all games in one place for all fans to attend and get amongst it. If you’ve ever been you’ll know the most fun is outside the stadium at the pubs, probably the most social sporting event I live been to.

 

[Steel Saints]

Time to add a Thursday game once the Bears enter the comp.

Thursday - Rabbitohs vs Broncos - big numbers of Rabbitohs fans are already in QLD and this game boosts the Rabbitohs average

Friday - Roosters vs Cowboys, Sharks vs Bulldogs - Eels & Bulldogs have bigger fanbases in QLD, with 50000 total these matches will average 25,000 each, which more what they'd get at Shark Park and SFS.

Saturday - Titans vs Perth, Sea Eagles vs Warriors, Raiders vs Storm - at 16,600 average each, these games would get more than what they'd get at home. Allows furthest travelling fans (WA, VIC, ACT, NSW) to fly in.

Sunday - Panthers vs Dolphins, Tigers vs Knights, Dragons vs Eels - same again, they'd get more than what they would for those home games, plus you have the Dolphins fans buying 20k of the seats straight up anyway.

200k round total = 22k average

Rabbitohs recently did a deal with VenusNSW and NSW government where from 2027-2030, they will play out of Accor and Allianz stadiums. Only one home game will be played away from Accor and Allianz next year. But from 2028-2030, Souths will play 7 home games at Accor, 5 at Allianz.

2027: Accor 7, Allianz 4, one game away.
2028-30: Accor 7, Allianz 5

Rabbitohs to Call Allianz and Accor Stadiums Home from 2027 – South Sydney Rabbitohs

The South Sydney Rabbitohs, Venues NSW and the NSW Government have reached agreement on a split of home games for the Club over the next four seasons which will see the Rabbitohs return to our heartland in South Sydney in a graduated manner whilst maintaining a foothold at Accor Stadium in...

www.rabbitohs.com.au

 

[yakstorm]

With regards to Magic Round, whilst the Bulldogs and Eels do have decent supporter bases in South East Queensland, the Warriors' would be the largest of the non-Queensland teams, whilst the Storm would also be in the mix.

Broncos arguably can sell out any day on their own, you could let someone like the Sharks host that game.

 

[yakstorm]

Encouragingly for Sunday's Eels v Bulldogs games, both GA areas are now at capacity.

 

[Speedy Gonzales]

Supposedly less than 750 tickets left for Tigers vs Brisbane, according to the socials

 

[SLRBRONCOS]

Broncos arguably can sell out any day on their own, you could let someone like the Sharks host that game.

Agree. Just give us a home game with full member entitlements on the Thursday against a low drawing club and we'd likely sell it out.

 

[drcmuch]

Crowd history of Cowboys hosting on Thursday

16,685 -- 2015 Rnd 23 Cowboys v Rabbitohs
8,099 -- 2016 Rnd 03 Cowboys v Roosters
11,620 -- 2016 Rnd 20 Cowboys v Bulldogs
23,321 -- 2017 Rnd 26 Cowboys v Broncos
11,907 -- 2018 Rnd 04 Cowboys v Panthers
19,663 -- 2018 Rnd 22 Cowboys v Broncos
17,530 -- 2019 Rnd 21 Cowboys v Broncos
15,141 -- 2019 Rnd 24 Cowboys v Bulldogs
6,478* -- 2020 Rnd 09 Cowboys v Roosters * COVID
11,208* -- 2021 Rnd 11 Cowboys v Knights * COVID
17,318 -- 2023 Rnd 25 Cowboys v Sharks
20,787 -- 2024 Rnd 26 Cowboys v Storm
__,___ -- 2026 Rnd 07 Cowboys v Sea Eagles
__,___ -- 2026 Rnd 22 Cowboys v Roosters

 

[Cumberland Throw]

I honestly think 25k has to be the benchmark capacity for an NRL fixture.
The NRL should just state that as of 2030 all NRL fixtures not played outside of major capitals require a minimum 25k capacity.
Leave it to government and councils to scramble and get there stadiums up to scratch or miss out on fixtures.

And Perth and PNG and AKL are all dead

 

[Gobsmacked]

And Perth and PNG and AKL are all dead

Huh? Auckland can hold 30k, the ground PNG are going to be playing at is 25k. Perth would need an upgrade but that's the point!

 

[Gobsmacked]

Just checking on the ANZAC day clash of Warriors v Dolphins in Wellington is all but sold out( just disabled places left (35k)

 

[t-ba]

That is an insanely long time for stadium deals.

 

[yakstorm]

Less than 100 tickets left for Campbelltown on Sunday. I imagine the sold out announcement will go out sometime tomorrow.

Southern GA section is now sold out for Raiders v Storm tomorrow night. Not much left in the lower bowl, about a third of Bay 65 and then whatever is left in the Northern GA section.

Swarm supporter bay is now sold out for Eels v Bulldogs. It would be nice if the Eels could re-categorise some of the categories, especially Bays 207 & 208. Clearly people are prepared to spend $50 for behind the post at CommBank, but $70 is a stretch.

 

[Speedy Gonzales]

Less than 100 tickets left for Campbelltown on Sunday. I imagine the sold out announcement will go out sometime tomorrow.

Southern GA section is now sold out for Raiders v Storm tomorrow night. Not much left in the lower bowl, about a third of Bay 65 and then whatever is left in the Northern GA section.

Swarm supporter bay is now sold out for Eels v Bulldogs. It would be nice if the Eels could re-categorise some of the categories, especially Bays 207 & 208. Clearly people are prepared to spend $50 for behind the post at CommBank, but $70 is a stretch.

Campbelltown is on Saturday night mate

I think this crowd will have a few thousand more than last weeks game, the club seems to have released more tickets than the knights game in the GA areas

Still will be too small for the current Tigers hype, but will look good on TV atleast

 

[RedVee]

Campbelltown is on Saturday night mate

I think this crowd will have a few thousand more than last weeks game, the club seems to have released more tickets than the knights game in the GA areas

Still will be too small for the current Tigers hype, but will look good on TV atleast

Yeah they said they will be able to fit in a couple of thousand more on the hill/s by requesting everyone stand up

 

[League Unlimited News]

 

[Gobsmacked]

Great crowd for a Thursday