Finals schedule

[adamkungl]

Another inconsistency.
Raiders can't play at home because their stadium isn't big enough.
Storm and Warriors can play at home in similar sized stadiums to Canberra and don't even have to move up the road to the readily available 50k stadiums.

It makes no sense whatsoever that Canberra are forced 250km "just up the road" while Warriors and Storm don't even have to cross the bloody road.

 

[Diesel]

You can't compare regular season games to prelim finals. As I posted well up thread, since the formatzion of the NRL in 1998, the lowest attendance for a preliminary final in Sydney was 27,555 in 1999 when Parramatta played the Melbourne Storm at the SFS.

May be im used to big crowds with Suncorp just down the road but under 40k for a preliminary is poor. Doesn't help that Nine dictate the 1st game be played on a Friday night when it should be a Sunday arvo game. If you can't prepare for a GF in 7 days, you shouldn't be in the comp

 

[Diesel]

Another inconsistency.
Raiders can't play at home because their stadium isn't big enough.
Storm and Warriors can play at home in similar sized stadiums to Canberra and don't even have to move up the road to the readily available 50k stadiums.

It makes no sense whatsoever that Canberra are forced 250km "just up the road" while Warriors and Storm don't even have to cross the bloody road.

It's the suits at HQ that haven't been to a game all season, let alone one in Canberra for years, that make these decisions. No wonder we're not surprised

 

[Cumberland Throw]

Wouldnt this be a cracking week 1

Storm v Raiders - 27k
Sharks v Dogs - 40k
NQ v Penrith - 27k
Bris v GC.. - 52 k

 

[Cumberland Throw]

Not sure why NRL is so pig headed with this finals schedule... they seem to make every other decision on the fly...

I agree with Paul Kent on this one, just announce at start of year, a right game right venue strategy...

If sharks get drawn against NQ, screw it go to Shark Park, if they draw dogs go to Allianz..

 

[DiegoNT]

Qualify high and you get the right to host finals. Every other competition's in the world does this. Champions league, the biggest sporting comp in the world, has had semi finals in a 18k seat stadium because that team earnt it's right

 

[fourplay]

I think the NRL are underestimating the flow on effect of having a semi in Canberra. If you want to capture the cities imagination and get them to support the team for years to come, you host the game in Canberra.

 

[Raiderdave]

I think the NRL are underestimating the flow on effect of having a semi in Canberra. If you want to capture the cities imagination and get them to support the team for years to come, you host the game in Canberra.

Absolutely there's some big picture stuff in play here.
An opportunity.
I'm sure the other clubs would understand & agree that fair is fair & if the Raiders earn it, we should play the prelim down here.

It would be the biggest sporting event this region has ever seen , & we've hosted super rugby finals.

 

[Timmah]

Another inconsistency.
Raiders can't play at home because their stadium isn't big enough.
Storm and Warriors can play at home in similar sized stadiums to Canberra and don't even have to move up the road to the readily available 50k stadiums.

It makes no sense whatsoever that Canberra are forced 250km "just up the road" while Warriors and Storm don't even have to cross the bloody road.

My understanding is that the Warriors would play any potential prelim at Eden Park.

Agree the Storm playing at AAMI is ridiculous but I'm told that's a contractual issue.

 

[Paullyboy]

I just refuse to believe that the NRL can't see the potential benefit for the game if a Prelim were to be held in Canberra (if it were to eventuate).

Surely they'll see this. Surely?

 

[Cumberland Throw]

if its canberra v Nq at ANZ in front of 14k ... surely the NRL would have lost plot

 

[Captain Apollo]

And the lowest prelim attendance involved a Sydney side & so did every other example you put up for prelims in Sydney.

A Raiders v... any of the below
Storm
Cowboys
Titans

Would set a new low attendance record for an NRL prelim.
By a mile.

It will look horrendous too
& there's no need for it , play it in Canberra & it gets a bigger attendance at a packed out venue.

Simple really.

You really have no idea do you. "every other example"?! I posted the crowds of every NRL Preliminary Final from 2010 to 2015, and of those listed not all of them were held in Sydney. 2011, Melb v NZ was at AAMI Park; 2012, Melb v Manly was at AAMI Park; 2015 both were not in Sydney.

Also I can only put up what is available. Not my faulty if no Prelim Finals have involved 2 x Non-Sydney based teams since the NRL was formed in 1998. Can only provide the data that is available, not out of the figment of you imagination.

Finally have a look at my other posts. I said it was anomalous Canberra could not host a final in week 3, yet you have a go at me. As such, go suck a lemon ya dick wad!

 

[Raiderdave]

You really have no idea do you. "every other example"?! I posted the crowds of every NRL Preliminary Final from 2010 to 2015, and of those listed not all of them were held in Sydney. 2011, Melb v NZ was at AAMI Park; 2012, Melb v Manly was at AAMI Park; 2015 both were not in Sydney.

Also I can only put up what is available. Not my faulty if no Prelim Finals have involved 2 x Non-Sydney based teams since the NRL was formed in 1998. Can only provide the data that is available, not out of the figment of you imagination.

Finally have a look at my other posts. I said it was anomalous Canberra could not host a final in week 3, yet you have a go at me. As such, go suck a lemon ya dick wad!

Lol

Every example of every prelim held in Sydney you put up
Has involved a Sydney side you twat. So
Your data means shit in this argument when we're talking about would a prelim get a poor attendance if there was no Sydney sides playing.
That was my point. But you still put up completely irrelevant data.
And I have no idea do I ? Lol

 

[adamkungl]

If they force Canberra to play at 'home' in Sydney and it draws less than 30,000 Greenberg should lose his job. (Along with the various other reasons Greenberg should lose his job)

 

[PARRA_FAN]

This wasn't a problem years ago, I remember Canberra was a popular team in the 90s and didn't matter if they were playing the likes of Norths, Penrith, Brisbane, always at the SFS. I guess the prices back then were cheaper and they promoted it pretty well back then.

Now lets say the top 8 in order is: Storm, Sharks, Raiders, Bulldogs, Cowboys, Broncos, Panthers, Titans.

You have: Storm vs Bulldogs at AAMI
Sharks Vs Raiders at SFS??
Cowboys vs Titans at 1300smiles
Broncos Vs Panthers at Suncorp

Lets say Storm and Raiders win those games, they advance to week 3, and then lets say Cowboys and Broncos win the other two. Am I right that the matches in week 2 would be Sharks Vs Cowboys, Bulldogs Vs Broncos??

 

[Raiderdave]

This wasn't a problem years ago, I remember Canberra was a popular team in the 90s and didn't matter if they were playing the likes of Norths, Penrith, Brisbane, always at the SFS. I guess the prices back then were cheaper and they promoted it pretty well back then.

Now lets say the top 8 in order is: Storm, Sharks, Raiders, Bulldogs, Cowboys, Broncos, Panthers, Titans.

You have: Storm vs Bulldogs at AAMI
Sharks Vs Raiders at SFS??
Cowboys vs Titans at 1300smiles
Broncos Vs Panthers at Suncorp

Lets say Storm and Raiders win those games, they advance to week 3, and then lets say Cowboys and Broncos win the other two. Am I right that the matches in week 2 would be Sharks Vs Cowboys, Bulldogs Vs Broncos??

Years ago the NSWRL made all teams play finals in Sydney
Not just some ....

 

[adamkungl]

Exactly. The problem is the inconsistency. Playing in Sydney would be fine if such things weren't decided on flimsy justifications per club.

 

[Timbo]

I think the whole 'Raiders fans can just drive up due to the proximity' argument is a bit bullshit too.

If you've got kids, spending seven hours in the car that day is hardly realistic. And if its on a Saturday night you probably have to pay for accomodation because who wants to do that drive at night after a long day?

We have a 26,000 seat stadium which capacity can be expanded with a weeks notice (the Brumbies have done it for a Super Rugby grand final). It's bloody ridiculous that the NRL tell us that we could potentially be hosting a 'home' grand final qualifier against the Bulldogs at their own stadium!

 

[Billythekid]

I think the NRL are underestimating the flow on effect of having a semi in Canberra. If you want to capture the cities imagination and get them to support the team for years to come, you host the game in Canberra.

This to me is the most important reason. If the NRL is serious about having a strong presence in places like Canberra and Newcastle these are the sort of games that should be played there. A sold out prelim final in other city would be huge for the local teams. Maybe it would bring in quite as much money on the day (which is a dubious claim at best) but long term there is no comparison.

 

[Cumberland Throw]

If gold coast made a PF , would they have to play at suncorp... ??