Crowd Watch 2014 part 2

[Timmah]

25,429 from memory - all in all not a terrible crowd. Lots were expecting sub-20k so in that respect it's not too bad.

TBH I think it stems from an oversupply of footy in Sydney and the rep schedule not respecting the sanctity of international footy. Test needs to be played AFTER Origins IMO

 

[The Voice of Reason!]

25,429 from memory - all in all not a terrible crowd. Lots were expecting sub-20k so in that respect it's not too bad.

TBH I think it stems from an oversupply of footy in Sydney and the rep schedule not respecting the sanctity of international footy. Test needs to be played AFTER Origins IMO

In a perfect world I would love three Tests in July, alternating, every three years. Bliss. Like in the old days when the oversupply of NSW staff on the Australian tour team would drop the King etc.

But I digress.

The "ANZAC" Test has been out ANZACed by the great round of footy we have just seen. It is no more than a footnote, and that is wrong. A single Test in, say, July would also attract just as much derision because it would impact on the post-Origin run to the finals. I am sure that everyone here can imagine the DT headlines that could be generated to undermine that scheduling. (Or any scheduling for that matter.)

My ideal rep time, for crowds, would be along the lines of what a previous poster has suggested. Pac Cup played alongside the Origin weekends, no mid-season Aus v NZ Test, and the winner of the Pac cup in the 4 Nations down under. Play the Pac Cup as a round robin, winner from the top of the table with no final.

That said, what Pac Cup teams do we need? Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, PNG, Cooks? That leaves two teams out of the round robin. Maybe the bottom Pac Cup team drops out, and during the 4 Nations the two not in play off for the last spot.

Food for thought, but I think interest could be generated around all of this, and Aus v NZ Tests would be put in a much better context than the ANZAC afterthought that we currently have.

ALL of that said, I actually enjoyed the game last night, and the crowd wasn't dire. Isn't that the main thing?

 

[beave]

Im not gonna bag off the Sydney crowd for last night but it's a little disappointing when regional cities can get similar if not better numbers. IMO if they want to keep this as a big city game, spread the love and put it in either Perth or Melbourne. Play it on a Sunday arvo if need be to avoid any other sports, would be good to see a day test again like when I was a kid. Play city country on the friday night.

Done.

 

[Saint Doc]

Im not gonna bag off the Sydney crowd for last night but it's a little disappointing when regional cities can get similar if not better numbers. IMO if they want to keep this as a big city game, spread the love and put it in either Perth or Melbourne. Play it on a Sunday arvo if need be to avoid any other sports, would be good to see a day test again like when I was a kid. Play city country on the friday night.

Done.

Yes, because channel 9 has no say in scheduling and CvC rates just as well as test matches.

 

[Kurt Angle]

To be fair, they have been spreading the love.

Newy, Townsville and Canberra have also had tests in recent times yeah?

They are going all right with this policy and I would suspect the scarcity of tests in Sydney probably lifted the attendance by 5k.

I think however a major review of rep footy is necessary.

We used to play a post-origin test up to 10 years ago but there is no way NZ could prepare to be equal to guys hardened from just playing an origin series. Also NZ nows uses this test to blood rookies so Qld/Australia can't get their hands on them.

Either we treat this weekend with respect, and get Tonga v Samoa and PNG vs Fiji, as well as CvC and U20's SOO and make it a festival of 5 games of rep footy over the weekend, or we can the thing all together and only play internationals post season.

A half hearted approach does nothing but risk injury in front of half full stadiums.

 

[Western_Eel]

I Dont think ticket prices are an issue, the only reason i dont go is because its too hard to get to games with traffic and timing, i know a few mates that are in the same boat

 

[hutch]

To be fair, they have been spreading the love.

Newy, Townsville and Canberra have also had tests in recent times yeah?

They are going all right with this policy and I would suspect the scarcity of tests in Sydney probably lifted the attendance by 5k.

I think however a major review of rep footy is necessary.

We used to play a post-origin test up to 10 years ago but there is no way NZ could prepare to be equal to guys hardened from just playing an origin series. Also NZ nows uses this test to blood rookies so Qld/Australia can't get their hands on them.

Either we treat this weekend with respect, and get Tonga v Samoa and PNG vs Fiji, as well as CvC and U20's SOO and make it a festival of 5 games of rep footy over the weekend, or we can the thing all together and only play internationals post season.

A half hearted approach does nothing but risk injury in front of half full stadiums.

I agree, there needs to be more thought and promotion into the weekend. I would definately be keeping it, it is an important weekend on the calender. I would play the games you mentioned, I would also have a NZ v pacific islands under 20's game. It would be great if super league could also suspend for a week to have a rep weekend as well.

 

[WaznTheGreat]

Kick Australia out of the comp

 

[undertaker]

Im not gonna bag off the Sydney crowd for last night but it's a little disappointing when regional cities can get similar if not better numbers. IMO if they want to keep this as a big city game, spread the love and put it in either Perth or Melbourne. Play it on a Sunday arvo if need be to avoid any other sports, would be good to see a day test again like when I was a kid. Play city country on the friday night.

Done.

Australia vs NZ test crowds in Canberra, Townsville, Newcastle and Gold Coast over the past 3 years or so all got larger crowds than last night. What a joke.

The SFS won't be getting another test match before the 2017 World Cup.

In a perfect world I would love three Tests in July, alternating, every three years. Bliss. Like in the old days when the oversupply of NSW staff on the Australian tour team would drop the King etc.

But I digress.

The "ANZAC" Test has been out ANZACed by the great round of footy we have just seen. It is no more than a footnote, and that is wrong. A single Test in, say, July would also attract just as much derision because it would impact on the post-Origin run to the finals. I am sure that everyone here can imagine the DT headlines that could be generated to undermine that scheduling. (Or any scheduling for that matter.)

My ideal rep time, for crowds, would be along the lines of what a previous poster has suggested. Pac Cup played alongside the Origin weekends, no mid-season Aus v NZ Test, and the winner of the Pac cup in the 4 Nations down under. Play the Pac Cup as a round robin, winner from the top of the table with no final.

That said, what Pac Cup teams do we need? Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, PNG, Cooks? That leaves two teams out of the round robin. Maybe the bottom Pac Cup team drops out, and during the 4 Nations the two not in play off for the last spot.

Food for thought, but I think interest could be generated around all of this, and Aus v NZ Tests would be put in a much better context than the ANZAC afterthought that we currently have.

ALL of that said, I actually enjoyed the game last night, and the crowd wasn't dire. Isn't that the main thing?

I too would love to see the return of the mid-year 3-test series Australia and NZ used to have every two years, but I don't think it will ever happen because players will bitch about being burnt out from playing too much football etc. 1995 was the last time a mid-year test series occurred (and there was the World Cup later that year. So, the Aussies played 8 tests that year). Fitness is paramount - the game has become more physically demanding and faster since SL-war, with nearly all of the top 25 players from each club these days being full-time professionals rather than working another job outside of playing RL.

A more realistic proposition that I do agree with is if this one-off Australia vs NZ test is kept during the next tv rights deal (which is when changes in the tv schedule can occur. Hopefully CvC origin will be scrapped), it needs to be shifted until after the Origin series is over, like it was the last time it happened in 2003. Origin series should be moved a little bit forward in the NRL schedule, and the Origin series can be used as selection for the Australian test team rather than the other way around. It makes no sense calling it the ANZAC test as well, given it's no longer on ANZAC day and there were 3 NRL matches on ANZAC day this year.

 

[RUG13Y]

NZ and ENG will never agree to play Australia right after Origin because they will get torched.

 

[Captain Apollo]

NZ and ENG will never agree to play Australia right after Origin because they will get torched.

That was one of the reasons why the mid-season test happens when it does. The NZRL have said they will not play Australian in a test match only a week or two after the Origin series concludes.

 

[Brutus]

NZ and ENG will never agree to play Australia right after Origin because they will get torched.

I think that is a myth.

After an Origin is the right time for the Kiwis to be playing Aus.

Aus players are more likely to be stuffed after an Origin series than before it.

 

[pHyR3]

I think that is a myth.

After an Origin is the right time for the Kiwis to be playing Aus.

Aus players are more likely to be stuffed after an Origin series than before it.

that's true, how many tests have NZ won pre-origin in the ANZAC/transtasman test?

but we've won a few after origin in the RLWC and 4 Nations though.

 

[Glen]

Plus it'd be funny to see the NSW and QLD players who hate each other's guts have to line up together with very little time in between to simmer down

 

[The Voice of Reason!]

9063 @ Penrith last for the record.

 

[The Voice of Reason!]

Plus it'd be funny to see the NSW and QLD players who hate each other's guts have to line up together with very little time in between to simmer down

There'd be no tension, just the singing of the Queensland song post-fulltime a la Townsville. :lol: :sarcasm:

 

[ona2001]

That was one of the reasons why the mid-season test happens when it does. The NZRL have said they will not play Australian in a test match only a week or two after the Origin series concludes.

That shouldn't be a reason if it is - if we let an interstate series in one country take precedence over a test series then we're calling the credibility of international RL into question. The NZRL developing their domestic game (with help from the ARL commission where necessary) to a point where an internal series or meaningful test against local nations gives their test team a similar level of preparation should be the goal. Protecting them from this reality only undermines the reason to hold tests at all.

 

[SLRBRONCOS]

I am in no way a soccer supporter, but am attending the grand final today.

I live in Paddington, about 300m from the Paddo pub, thats where the RBB are meeting before the march etc.

They are absolutely nuts.

Aparently 8-10,000 expected there today, so I guess 5,000 seats will be destroyed.

 

[oikee]

I am in no way a soccer supporter, but am attending the grand final today.

I live in Paddington, about 300m from the Paddo pub, thats where the RBB are meeting before the march etc.

They are absolutely nuts.

Aparently 8-10,000 expected there today, so I guess 5,000 seats will be destroyed.

Good.
Brisbane really has grown overall support for other codes because of the lack of NRL teams in this city.
The longer the NRL leaves Brisbane to fester and rot, the easier it is to lose support to other codes.
I like the Roar as a team, shame Berisha is leaving, but we do have thomas Broich.

If it wasn't for Origin, league in Brisbane would be a struggling mess.

 

[SLRBRONCOS]

Good.
Brisbane really has grown overall support for other codes because of the lack of NRL teams in this city.
The longer the NRL leaves Brisbane to fester and rot, the easier it is to lose support to other codes.
I like the Roar as a team, shame Berisha is leaving, but we do have thomas Broich.

If it wasn't for Origin, league in Brisbane would be a struggling mess.

Oikee...

The RBB is the Red and Black Block - Wanderers fans.

Roar get bad crowds, its only a sell out because its a Grand Final.