Michael Brown on Venues, Growth & Crowds

[ucantseeme]

RLWC Final deserves a proper rectangular stadium. No compromise even for the chance to see a few more tix.

 

[PaulyTom]

If Lebanon make it they should play all their games at Belmore.

Imagine the atmosphere for that one. They would need to shut down Belmore and Bankstown for the day.

 

[PaulyTom]

I would imagine 1 semi will be in Auckland and the other one either in Brisbane or Sydney.

The bid for the final will be huge. Possibly 4 candidates Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne or Auckland.

 

[BuderusIsaBeast]

Assuming all the favourites make it through the qualifiers I'd like to see the Pools looking like this.

Pool A
Australia
England - The old enemy, given.
France - Legitimate team full of French born players. Hard for the Aussie press to deride, might backfire if France disappoint on the big stage again.
Lebanon - Plucky underdogs with a groundswell of ex pat support in Australia. Unlike the 2000 world cup team they have the domestic comp in Lebanon to legitimise the team as well. An Australia v Lebanon game at ANZ has the potential to be huge.

Pool B
New Zealand
Samoa - 4N qualifiers so should be in a super pool. NZ v Samoa rivalry sells itself to the pacific island community in NZ.
Tonga - Again with the pacific island community in NZ this should be an easy sell.
Scotland - 4N qualifiers so should be in a super pool. Plucky underdogs so should resonate with NZers with Scottish heritage. Would do well in Christchurch, Dunedin or Invercargill.

Pool C
Papua New Guinea
Ireland - Won't have much travelling support so makes sense to stick them in PNG and a guaranteed sell out.
USA - Again not much travelling support so sticking them with PNG will negate that. Could have the Ireland v USA game in Townsville....there is a US base army base around there no?

Pool D - Had trouble with this pool but with the heritage and expat communities from Fiji and Italy in Australia they should be able to get some decent crowds.
Fiji
Italy
Wales

Again assuming all goes to plan we should end up with a quarter finals comprising:-

Australia v Tonga
New Zealand v France
England v PNG
Samoa v Fiji

This is perfection my opinion. I am really like that the winner of the super groups play 3rd ranked team instead of the winners of group C or D. This will atleast give them a chance to win instead of being hammered by Australia or New Zealand.