New Zealand 2 will deal a massive blow to NZ rugby

[Gobsmacked]

All the best ones aren’t from the warriors pathways

No. That'll change though with all the development clubs and pathways they've added in this year...first year.
It is but a sapling mate.. in time..

 

[Wb1234]

Lol ... who? Surely not the Pathers who are stacked with Kiwis and Samoans..?

Most of the team comes from Penrith pathways plus areas they have identified like Bathurst

That’s just one small satellite city on the western edge of Sydney

Warriors have the whole of nz

Penrith plus Bathurst 300k ppl vs nz warriors 5.2 million

 

[Wb1234]

No. That'll change though with all the development clubs and pathways they've added in this year...first year.
It is but a sapling mate.. in time..

So once the pathways pay off then more or the team will be kiwi lol

 

[Gobsmacked]

So once the pathways pay off then more or the team will be kiwi lol

Not necessarily.. Auckland is a multicultural city. The strong pathways system allows them to acquire the likes of Jet Cleary for another example.
But it certainly will help.
Does Penrith have more Australians now or before their pathways were rectified?

 

[Wb1234]

Not necessarily.. Auckland is a multicultural city. The strong pathways system allows them to acquire the likes of Jet Cleary for another example.
But it certainly will help.
Does Penrith have more Australians now or before their pathways were rectified?

What do you mean by Australians ?

 

[Gobsmacked]

What do you mean by Australians ?

Born and raised in Australia, with parents the same that want to sing the anthem and where the green and gold.
Australians.
What a weird f**king time to be alive.
What do you mean Australians

 

[Wb1234]

Born and raised in Australia, with parents the same that want to sing the anthem and where the green and gold.
Australians.
What a weird f**king time to be alive.
What do you mean Australians

That’s the answer I expected

Vote one nation

 

[Gobsmacked]

That’s the answer I expected

Vote one nation

Actually f**k right off.

 

[Matiunz]

I’m sure they will do the market research on the name … just giving my personal preference ..but there was a bid this time around known as the Southern Orcas ?

Im hoping they aren’t saving Orcas for the Wellington team … that’s likely decades away if Christchurch gets the second NZ team in the near future

It’s also likely that Wellington people will support this new team over the hated city of Aucklands team right?

Southern Orcas original bid was a split Christchurch and Wellington bid based in Wellington, after the bud went to the Titans the local team adopted it.
Wellington would likely stick with the NI team over a SI team, particularly given it’s essentially a Canterbury team- those aren’t well liked in Wellington.
Personal view wise I grew up across the lower North Island and lived in Wellington for 6 years, if nz2 came in as ‘southern’ id support them alongside the Warriors but if it was ‘South island’ I’d be pretty ambivalent to it

 

[Matiunz]

“Something like”…. ? its only around a million people on the South Island right?

It would be helpful to the NRL and the new team if NZ2 could get Wellington behind them to at least try to close the gap …this would mean playing at least 1 game a year there I would assume

Is the rivalry between the two islands a ”big deal “ in NZ? Doesnt seem anything like the rivalry between the States over here ... but I’m a long way away …I also realise that you can’t manufacture this ”hatred” regardless of how much money or effort you put in …

From my experience the rivalry is a little one sided from the “little brother” side. I’ve got no problem with SI except a dislike of Canterbury teams but I’ve had SIs unleash on me just for being a NI. Although it does seem a little region specific moreso Canterbury &Southland I guess with Otago being largely made up of non local uni students

 

[Matiunz]

Lower population hasn’t stopped the crusaders dominating super rugby

Wellington stadium is crap

They should play zero games there

Wellington will become a battle ground if NZ 2 come in and I don’t see them nor the Warriors ignoring it because you don’t like their stadium.
Can I assume you’ve never actually watched a game there? Although a circular stadium isn’t ideal it’s on the smaller side as far as cricket stadiums go and seating isn’t that far from the ground. Watched plenty of league there fine and found it a better viewing experience than watching league at SCG,MCG,Optus. There’s only about 4 strictly rectangular stadiums of any decent size in NZ so you wouldn’t want to limit your options.
They should have games in both Dunedin and Wellington but at the same time it’s much easier for a Dunedinite to drive 5 hours a couple of times a year than a Wellingtonian to Ferry/Fly

 

[Wb1234]

Wellington will become a battle ground if NZ 2 come in and I don’t see them nor the Warriors ignoring it because you don’t like their stadium.
Can I assume you’ve never actually watched a game there? Although a circular stadium isn’t ideal it’s on the smaller side as far as cricket stadiums go and seating isn’t that far from the ground. Watched plenty of league there fine and found it a better viewing experience than watching league at SCG,MCG,Optus. There’s only about 4 strictly rectangular stadiums of any decent size in NZ so you wouldn’t want to limit your options.
They should have games in both Dunedin and Wellington but at the same time it’s much easier for a Dunedinite to drive 5 hours a couple of times a year than a Wellingtonian to Ferry/Fly

15k in that stadium looks awful

It will kill the club or any club based there that’s not union

Nz has loads of good rectangular ground all over

The oval in Wellington isn’t it

 

[Wb1234]

And watching nrl at the scg is awful

There isn’t one good seat in the ground given its shape

 

[Wb1234]

Actually f**k right off.

 

[Gobsmacked]

A fine Australian. What of it?

 

[Wb1234]

A fine Australian. What of it?

He’s not singing the Aussie anthem when he plays for those other nations

 

[Gobsmacked]

He’s not singing the Aussie anthem when he plays for those other nations

I don't know what your point is?

 

[Wb1234]

Born and raised in Australia, with parents the same that want to sing the anthem and where the green and gold.
Australians.
What a weird f**king time to be alive.
What do you mean Australians

I don't know what your point is?

 

[Gobsmacked]

What?

 

[flippikat]

Wellington will become a battle ground if NZ 2 come in and I don’t see them nor the Warriors ignoring it because you don’t like their stadium.
Can I assume you’ve never actually watched a game there? Although a circular stadium isn’t ideal it’s on the smaller side as far as cricket stadiums go and seating isn’t that far from the ground. Watched plenty of league there fine and found it a better viewing experience than watching league at SCG,MCG,Optus. There’s only about 4 strictly rectangular stadiums of any decent size in NZ so you wouldn’t want to limit your options.
They should have games in both Dunedin and Wellington but at the same time it’s much easier for a Dunedinite to drive 5 hours a couple of times a year than a Wellingtonian to Ferry/Fly

You're right in that the Wellington stadium is as good as an oval stadium can be for footy - the oval is pretty small, after all.

When I've been there for lower-pulling games, they try and mitigate that by putting the crowd on one side of the stadium only (usually the side the TV cameras point at, logically enough).. and that kinda works to build an atmosphere.

Thing is that for the foreseeable future, we have to make do with it, given it's a reasonably recent build