Why would the absence of a Cronulla player discourage a Bulldogs fan from attending? If anything, it would improve your team's chances of winning and therefore giving you greater incentive to turn up. I'll remember to use that an excuse the next time the Tigers host an opposition missing a few players.
I never disputed that the Bulldogs were the highest drawing club in Sydney. You've held that mantle for the last four years. I was only pointing out the illogicality of your comparison between the Souths v Canberra crowd and the Bulldogs v Cronulla crowd.
BTW as a side point, have the Bulldogs managed any decent crowds against Canberra over the years apart from the 16k you drew last year? How about the Dragons? From memory the Tigers have had 4 x ~18k crowds against Canberra but the scheduling of the games at our traditional home venues has helped in that regard.
Not sure where you got the Bulldogs fan thing from in your first paragraph, I was referring to the Carney/Gallen absence resulting in a decrease of AWAY fans (i.e. SHARKS fans).
As for Canberra, haven't most of the games you've hosted against them been at Campbelltown? In which case, you're their closest neighbour and it's much easier for away teams to attend...?
We got 38k to the Souths-Dogs game earlier in the year. I reckon it'll be around there this time.
Seeing as Souths members get in for free the Rabbitoh army will be out in force.
Even I will be at the game.
Winning this match would go a long way to making round 16 against the Broncos be "the battle for 2nd place" because after the Dogs game we have 4 certain ponts (bye, eels).
Lots of Souths fans will be there next week to sing Glory Glory To South Sydney as all the Dogs fans have a cry and leave our house.
I estimate 37k.
Two issues here.
1. It won't get anywhere near the 35k that attended the last match. It's a cold June Saturday night and it doesn't have the benefit of Good Friday.
2. Our house? If Souffs have to play at ANZ that's fine - but we've been playing there since 1999 (minus one or two years around 2001-2002 I think)... it's been "our house" for a long long time. But have fun claiming a ground in WESTERN Sydney as part of SOUTH Sydney territory :lol:
Yes, that's why I predicted a similar crowd to the earlier game. Just in reverse proportions.
I reckon at the 1st Souths-Dogs game (I was there) it was 23k Souths fans, 15k Dogs fans.
15k Souths will come to the game on Saturday.
For going to the game I'd say our fixtures against the Dogs have become our #1 game in terms of importance, even ahead of Easts/Dragons/Tigers. Because unlike against those teams, being in the big stadium and with reciprocal member rights 30k+ is becoming the norm.
Noone is bagging Bulldogs crowds. Noone is arguing they are the best in sydney. We're bagging one particular Bulldogs fan for comparing apples and oranges and having a shit attitude towards other teams crowds.
:lol:
I'll pay that. Even I lold.
The thing is, as a fan who turns up to every Bulldogs home game (and all away NSW games), I reckon I've earned the right to bag the crowds of your club. Yeah, the odd game here or there we don't draw brilliant crowds - Monday an example - but we've shown consistently, despite only one good season in the last five, that we know how to put bums on seats.
Only took the dogs 15/20 years to average 20k after Parramatta first done it ;-)
Difference being you haven't averaged 15k since. We're now doing it in consecutive seasons.
without being negative just reporting the facts
Most famous team in RL one game in Sydney, local rival, - 12k
GWS no one knows them in a shitty showground - 11k
We either need to sign up their marketing team, or worry
Without being negative? LOL
Try:
"out of form team with big injury list vs dead last" - 12k
VS "new AFL club opening their newly renovated home ground" - 11k.
Just sayin.
