Bad news for southern saint and his ilk

[gunnamatta bay]

From todays SMH:

It's final, Dragons call the Gong home
By Steve Mascord
August 5, 2005

Telstra Stadium have made a lucrative bid to host St George Illawarra's home final next month - but the Dragons today will turn the offer down and opt for WIN Stadium.

Telstra Stadium chief executive Ken Edwards last night confirmed holding talks with the joint-venture side over having them play a finals series match there in preference to WIN Stadium and Jubilee Stadium.

"We're a stadium, we're in the business of attracting events," Edwards said. "And yes, there have been some discussions about that. We haven't received a final decision yet."

The Dragons have until today to tell the NRL where they want to play their home final should they finish in the top four.

"I haven't told the NRL yet so I can't tell you," Dragons chief executive Peter Doust said.

But it is understood officials have decided to nominate WIN Stadium, which has not hosted a finals series match in the 23 years premiership football has been played there.

The lack of broadcast-standard lighting, individual seating, dressing rooms for lower grade semi-finalists and corporate facilities at Jubilee Stadium meant the Dragons were worried the venue would be rejected by the NRL.

 

[Dragonheart]

If that is confirmed by Doust today.....why is it bad news?

The bad news would be if they accepted the offer to play a home final anywhere but Kogorah, or Wollongong. Any other ground would be a home game in name only, as it would give the opposition as much as the Dragons. At least at either of our 'REAL' home grounds we will have the crowd majority.

I expected it to be WIN anyway.

 

[TDK]

I was a St.George supporter before the merger. Kogarah is also my favourite stadium, I get tingles everytime I see it. However, I now accept that WIN is apart of us. If the home semi is at WIN then I would have no problems.



I think the bigger issue is not where the game is played. I think it is more important that if we get a home semi it then means that we finished in the top 4 and we must be playing well.

 

[Willow]

It's no surprise. Kogarah is still undergoing upgrades and WIN was always the gimme. But we still have to earn a top 4 spot yet.

The only bad news I'm hearing of is coming out of Cronulla.

 

[Ricky Walford]

It is bad news for any Saints fan that can't get a ticket. Both grounds are too small for a final. We would have packed the SFS, which means that there are at least an extra 20,000 people who would like to go but won't be able to.

 

[Southernsaint]

LOL @ my "Ilk"…

 

[Rexxy]

LOL @ my "Ilk"…

 

[Dragonheart]

:roll: That's an Elk Rex.

It's only the same thing if you say it with a 'Warriors' accent:lol:

 

[Rexxy]

LOL @ my "Ilk"…

try again

 

[Dean Moriarty]

No, that's an X

 

[Collateral]

Great news in my opinion. It will be great for the Illawarra region and good for the Dragons. Much greater chance of winning at a real home ground.

 

[Willow]

http://www.ilk-online.org

 

[Southernsaint]

Dissapointing but, it's what me & my "ilk" have come to expect.

In any case, Saints aren't even assured of a home Semi yet.

 

[Rexxy]

Can't work out of that's a shadow, or a really bad case of candida.

No, that's an X

 

[Follow Me Up To Carlton]

If there's one thing more annoying then the actual decision it's the excuses/lies that accompany it.

The lack of broadcast-standard lighting, individual seating, dressing rooms for lower grade semi-finalists and corporate facilities at Jubilee Stadium meant the Dragons were worried the venue would be rejected by the NRL.

 

[Nugby]

Ah wel, a Kogarah semi was always a bit of a pipe dream. Better to have it at WIN that Telstra anyway.

 

[Follow Me Up To Carlton]

A pipe dream?

A recent memory more like it.

 

[dhurga]

the my ilk is a steve southern!m hhaaaaaaaa