New Zealand 2 will deal a massive blow to NZ rugby

[Wb1234]

EVENING HIC

Have one for me I’m not supposed to drink loll

 

[Dark Corner]

To be honest, NZ is just showing how poor crowds in Sydney are historically.

I mean Cairns has been underwater for weeks and still got 7k for a trial featuring QCup players.

Is not that Sydney is spoilt for choice when the season starts/kicks in and these trials are best served outside NRL venues.

 

[Wb1234]

To be honest, NZ is just showing how poor crowds in Sydney are historically.

I mean Cairns has been underwater for weeks and still got 7k for a trial featuring QCup players.

But there clearly is a pattern of NZ announcing sell outs but not everyone turning up.

Maybe the cowboys should’ve given cairns more attention before png showed interest ?

Nz three times cairns lol!

 

[Matua]

What's doing here? Crowd announced as 23k+, but large swathes of that grandstand empty, I recall that happening last year to.

Is there cashed up Kiwi fans that buy tickets, but don't bother going?

That happened a lot last year (not really cashed up Kiwis just low prices), but the stand on opposite of the camera looked pretty full for this match, just the ends. I didn't see any shots of the main stand though to know how full that was.

Maybe the cowboys should’ve given cairns more attention before png showed interest ?

Nz three times cairns lol!

There are roughly 2m people within 1 1/2 hours drive of Hamilton, it's not really a fair head to head comparison.

 

[Wb1234]

That happened a lot last year (not really cashed up Kiwis just low prices), but the stand on opposite of the camera looked pretty full for this match, just the ends. I didn't see any shots of the main stand though to know how full that was.


There are roughly 2m people within 1 1/2 hours drive of Hamilton, it's not really a fair head to head comparison.

Cowboys country is league heartland with zero other teams

I wouldn’t say Hamilton is a league heartland just yet and wasn’t the super rugby season on

The crowds I’ve seen including the Waratahs “tba” weren’t even half this

Should’ve played the all stars game in nz too not sure the 21k they claimed was genuine

With their popularity now if the wahs had 24 home games with 12 outside Auckland they would likely all sell out too

Their popularity is off the charts

 

[Canard]

That happened a lot last year (not really cashed up Kiwis just low prices), but the stand on opposite of the camera looked pretty full for this match, just the ends. I didn't see any shots of the main stand though to know how full that was.


There are roughly 2m people within 1 1/2 hours drive of Hamilton, it's not really a fair head to head comparison.

Not to mention, the Storm and Warriors game featured actual NRL players.

The biggest star in the Cairns game was Jake Averillo.

Not to mention, this little issue affecting people up North

 

[Gobsmacked]

Is not that Sydney is spoilt for choice when the season starts/kicks in and these trials are best served outside NRL venues.

That's my take also. Actually pisses me off.
Mudgee, Bathurst, Coffs harbour.. the list goes on... each team would be wise to adopt one of these regional cities and run their trials out of there, run clinics to build anticipation and participation. Instead we are left looking stupid with empty stadiums in an entertainment saturated city..

The NRL could incentivise this or even a step further by a prerequisite that team play trials in non serviced areas.

Supposed to be growing the game ffs.

 

[Canard]

That's my take also. Actually pisses me off.
Mudgee, Bathurst, Coffs harbour.. the list goes on... each team would be wise to adopt one of these regional cities and run their trials out of there, run clinics to build anticipation and participation. Instead we are left looking stupid with empty stadiums in an entertainment saturated city..

The NRL could incentivise this or even a step further by a prerequisite that team play trials in non serviced areas.

Supposed to be growing the game ffs.

I feel like Vegas has detracted from this, it's certainly not like there wasn't lots of regional games pre-season before

 

[Wb1234]

Not to mention, the Storm and Warriors game featured actual NRL players.

The biggest star in the Cairns game was Jake Averillo.

Not to mention, this little issue affecting people up North

Redirect Notice

Did you see the storm side lol

And the warriors had quite a few playing all stars game

That's my take also. Actually pisses me off.
Mudgee, Bathurst, Coffs harbour.. the list goes on... each team would be wise to adopt one of these regional cities and run their trials out of there, run clinics to build anticipation and participation. Instead we are left looking stupid with empty stadiums in an entertainment saturated city..

The NRL could incentivise this or even a step further by a prerequisite that team play trials in non serviced areas.

Supposed to be growing the game ffs.

Tickets on sale for Bathurst

The Panthers’ 2025 trip to Bathurst pits them against Newcastle Knights in a Saturday showdown.

www.penrithpanthers.com.au

 

[Matua]

Cowboys country is league heartland with zero other teams

I wouldn’t say Hamilton is a league heartland just yet and wasn’t the super rugby season on

The crowds I’ve seen including the Waratahs “tba” weren’t even half this

Should’ve played the all stars game in nz too not sure the 21k they claimed was genuine

With their popularity now if the wahs had 24 home games with 12 outside Auckland they would likely all sell out too

Their popularity is off the charts

You seem to be deliberately missing the point (what has the Tahs got to do with a discussion about Cairns and Hamiton?), and you've made the usual odd misconceptions about NZ as well.

7K for a preseason game in Cairns is a decent crowd. When considering relative populations it stacks up pretty well with the Warriors match so not sure why you're death riding that match.

Also, the Waikato, especially Huntly and Ngaruawahia are absolutely league heartlands. Plus, what I assume you'd consider the league heartland of South Auckland is an hours drive from Waikato Stadium. Like I said, there's 2m people within an easy drive of Waikato Stadium. It's 4 hours between Cairns and Townsville.

I was at the All Stars game, it looked roughly 21k when in the ground. Looked about a 3rd empty rather than half empty.

 

[Wb1234]

You seem to be deliberately missing the point (what has the Tahs got to do with a discussion about Cairns and Hamiton?), and you've made the usual odd misconceptions about NZ as well.

7K for a preseason game in Cairns is a decent crowd. When considering relative populations it stacks up pretty well with the Warriors match so not sure why you're death riding that match.

Also, the Waikato, especially Huntly and Ngaruawahia are absolutely league heartlands. Plus, what I assume you'd consider the league heartland of South Auckland is an hours drive from Waikato Stadium. Like I said, there's 2m people within an easy drive of Waikato Stadium. It's 4 hours between Cairns and Townsville.

I was at the All Stars game, it looked roughly 21k when in the ground. Looked about a 3rd empty rather than half empty.

North qld = rugby league heartland
Hamilton = rugby union heartland

And the super rugby crowds are relevant since union is supposedly the national sport of nz

And yet can’t get a crowd close to the crowd that showed up for a trial match

You’re missing the obvious point of why people are showing up so much for one rugby code over another

Hamilton is a league heartland lol!

That’s a big load of bs.

 

[Matua]

North qld = rugby league heartland
Hamilton = rugby union heartland

And the super rugby crowds are relevant since union is supposedly the national sport of nz

And yet can’t get a crowd close to the crowd that showed up for a trial match

You’re missing the obvious point of why people are showing up so much for one rugby code over another

Look, I know you're just on the troll, but answer this question:
How many people are within an hours drive of the ground in Cairns? How many people are within an hours drive of Waikato Stadium? Do you really think Cairns should be attracting a similar crowd number?

You responded to a post about two league trial matches, not Super rugby, so not relevant to the actual point I was addressing.

As for the bold, the Blues v Chiefs match got a larger crowd and the cheapest adult ticket was more expensive than the highest price tickets to the trial match.

Also, as it's a new year and we have to keep repeating this stuff - "heartland" is really irrelevant in this discussion as most NZers are fans of both sports. I even had friends who went to both games - although they had to leave the Warriors a bit early to make it up to Eden Park in time.

 

[Wb1234]

Look, I know you're just on the troll, but answer this question:
How many people are within an hours drive of the ground in Cairns? How many people are within an hours drive of Waikato Stadium? Do you really think Cairns should be attracting a similar crowd number?

You responded to a post about two league trial matches, not Super rugby, so not relevant to the actual point I was addressing.

As for the bold, the Blues v Chiefs match got a larger crowd and the cheapest adult ticket was more expensive than the highest price tickets to the trial match.

Also, as it's a new year and we have to keep repeating this stuff - "heartland" is really irrelevant in this discussion as most NZers are fans of both sports. I even had friends who went to both games - although they had to leave the Warriors a bit early to make it up to Eden Park in time.

Same year same old you

Last year when I posted the great trial match crowd you got triggered then too

Seems like league doing well outside of mt smart just doesn’t tickle your fancy lol

23k for a trial match in a non rugby league area is amazing

Heck it’s amazing for a match in a rugby league heartland

How do you have access in nz super rugby crowds? Nobody ever talks about them for some weird reason

Here’s the only thing you can find about nz super rugby “crowds”

 

[Matua]

Same year same old you

Last year when I posted the great trial match crowd you got triggered then too

Seems like league doing well outside of mt smart just doesn’t tickle your fancy lol

23k for a trial match in a non rugby league area is amazing

Heck it’s amazing for a match in a rugby league heartland

How do you have access in nz super rugby crowds? Nobody ever talks about them for some weird reason

Here’s the only thing you can find about nz super rugby “crowds”

Bahahaha, the only comment I made about it was arguing against you unfairly death riding another league trial match (and now you've pivoted away from that because you know your point is silly). You were the one who brought the Super rugby angle into a discussion about Cairns and Hamilton. The only reason we're discussing it now is because of you.

I've been telling you for at least two years that I want league to be doing well outside of Auckland. The problem with you is doing well for you is a good crowd in a one off match with cheap tickets, whereas I want the game at all levels to be strong.

Your imgur link is coming up blank to me. And to answer your question NZ news sites.

Hamilton is a league heartland lol!

That’s a big load of bs.

I missed this earlier, again you're showing your ignorance of NZ. I specifically mentioned Huntly and Ngaruawahia, which are satellite towns north of Hamilton city.

 

[Wb1234]

Bahahaha, the only comment I made about it was arguing against you unfairly death riding another league trial match (and now you've pivoted away from that because you know your point is silly). You were the one who brought the Super rugby angle into a discussion about Cairns and Hamilton. The only reason we're discussing it now is because of you.

I've been telling you for at least two years that I want league to be doing well outside of Auckland. The problem with you is doing well for you is a good crowd in a one off match with cheap tickets, whereas I want the game at all levels to be strong.

Your imgur link is coming up blank to me. And to answer your question NZ news sites.

Google search shows the link above where nz sr sides average 12 to 14k from nine months ago

And the crowds outside nz for league outside Auckland for a side that came 13th are nothing short of amazing

My comment originally also mentioned crowds for trials in Sydney and hinted at the poor crowd at Gosford yesterday which was around 5k

 

[Matua]

Google search shows the link above where nz sr sides average 12 to 14k from nine months ago

And the crowds outside nz for league outside Auckland for a side that came 13th are nothing short of amazing

It's opened for me now. Those stats were available via all the teams websites and during the NZ media at the time.
Although the Blues are missing from that, unsure why they didn't post theirs as they would have had the largest average, even with them playing a game up in Whangarei (edit: apparently they averaged 21k which included 12k for the Whangarei match). I assume they were too busy winning the comp to be bothered posting their numbers.

And again (for about the millionth time), no one has ever argued that Super rugby crowds are great, they haven't been for years, even before the 2023 Warriors hype train.

But, as noted above, we were discussing two league trial matches when you decided to pivot to this ....

My comment originally also mentioned crowds for trials in Sydney and hinted at the poor crowd at Gosford yesterday which was around 5k

Mate, you seem to have lost all perspective, they're just preseason trial matches. The Warriors have got good crowds in the last couple of years due to the hype train, and the fact that they take games to places who aren't regularly getting Warriors matches. But, they're the anomaly, 5k to 7k is more realistic for trial games, expecting the same crowds in Oz for trials is just silly.

 

[Matiunz]

Cowboys country is league heartland with zero other teams

I wouldn’t say Hamilton is a league heartland just yet and wasn’t the super rugby season on

The crowds I’ve seen including the Waratahs “tba” weren’t even half this

Should’ve played the all stars game in nz too not sure the 21k they claimed was genuine

With their popularity now if the wahs had 24 home games with 12 outside Auckland they would likely all sell out too

Their popularity is off the charts

Chiefs vs Blues Drew just over 25k just up the road a couple of hours later. Good day for crowds all round.
Happy if the all stars gets alternate years between NZ and Aus, it’s only fair

 

[Wb1234]

Chiefs vs Blues Drew just over 25k just up the road a couple of hours later. Good day for crowds all round.
Happy if the all stars gets alternate years between NZ and Aus, it’s only fair

That’s a great crowd for super rugby thought it would be half tbh

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

You seem to be deliberately missing the point (what has the Tahs got to do with a discussion about Cairns and Hamiton?), and you've made the usual odd misconceptions about NZ as well.

7K for a preseason game in Cairns is a decent crowd. When considering relative populations it stacks up pretty well with the Warriors match so not sure why you're death riding that match.

Also, the Waikato, especially Huntly and Ngaruawahia are absolutely league heartlands. Plus, what I assume you'd consider the league heartland of South Auckland is an hours drive from Waikato Stadium. Like I said, there's 2m people within an easy drive of Waikato Stadium. It's 4 hours between Cairns and Townsville.

I was at the All Stars game, it looked roughly 21k when in the ground. Looked about a 3rd empty rather than half empty.

Wow. I dunno what to say to this so I'll shut up. That is until you respond.

You should follow Canberra, only because the Green they represent in your eyes, is envy.

I really can not see anything he said that was wrong.

Stop being a wanna be bully, it's a narcissists first trait.

 

[Wb1234]

Wow. I dunno what to say to this so I'll shut up. That is until you respond.

You should follow Canberra, only because the Green they represent in your eyes, is envy.

I really can not see anything he said that was wrong.

Stop being a wanna be bully, it's a narcissists first trait.

I’ve made my peace with him

He can come up with some good points about the warriors when he’s not defending union

I did give him a lot of grief before too lol