Origin in Townsville - Game 3 in NSW a "Financial disaster"

[ALX25]

The biggest issue in Tvl now is the lack of water. A bit of rain saved them last week (dam went from 16% -> 22%). The council were on the verge of having to pump water from the Burdekin to help supply the Ross dam. I believe every day they have to pump water it costs the rate payers $35k-ish. Solutions to that will get the state gov re-elected.

Wow, very serious indeed. What solutions have been offered so far?

 

[beave]

A rain dance troupe?

Just kidding mate.

Tvl and the Ross dam catchment area hasn't had a proper wetseason for about 4 -5 years now. It's generally very dry between May-December, so if you don't have the right conditions for bulk rain during that jan-apr period, than you have to wait another 8 months before the conditions for rain come back. That wet season period is just so damn short.

There a 2 dams for the area, Paluma (which is tiny) and The Ross dam (main one). They raised the Dam height in 2005 by putting massive gates on the old spillway, in the old days the dam would just fill and then spill out naturally, this way they can control the flow out (or not at all) whenever the level goes above the spillway. But if you get no rain, well the dam wall can be as high as you like, you need water in it to actually use.

There is another area to the west Townsville (120kms) where 3 rivers intersect and I think that Is going end up being the site of a new dam. They call it 'Hells Gate'.

https://tsvent-web.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/doc_HellsGateDamFeasibilityStudyOverview.pdf

The state gov is/was/has spending 2mil on a feasibility study on it, hopefully there is no bushy nosed platypus species native to only thay area that gets the greenies in a knot and prevents the dam from being built.

 

[no name]

Brisbane struggling to sell out the first origin. It's not likely from a lack interest, it's more due the greedy QRL forgetting rugby league was originally a working class game and charging prices so astronomical that only judges, doctors, and CEO's can only go.

"THE hottest tickets in town have gone cold with the prospect Wednesday night’s State of Origin series opener at Suncorp Stadium may not sell out.

The NRL is scrambling to sell thousands of tickets for the game’s showpiece event.

NRL boss Todd Greenberg last night remained confident the 52,500-seat stadium would be full for Game One despite speculation less than 45,000 tickets had been sold.

There are fears the Maroons could run out at The Cauldron in front of spare seats, a rare scenario in recent years.

The NRL was last night sending text messages to fans alerting them to buy tickets from $87 for adults up to $273.

Greenberg said ticket sales were on track compared with previous years.

“It’s pretty much in line with every other Origin we’ve had here in the last three or four years,” he said.

“In the last 48 hours we sell a lot of tickets.

“I’m very confident when I walk in on Wednesday night it will be a full house.”

The Maroons have never run out in front of a crowd of fewer than 50,000 since the Suncorp Stadium redevelopment was completed in 2003.

In 2014, only 50,155 turned out for the Game Three dead-rubber when NSW had already won the series. In 2013 there was a crowd of 51,690 for the only game in Brisbane.

There was not a spare seat in the house when Queensland trounced NSW 52-6 in the 2015 decider.

The NRL’s ticketing strategy is to sell out as close to kick-off as possible, ensuring they are able to collect a premium price for their No. 1 product.

Tickets have been discounted in recent years for games at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium but Greenberg said that would not happen in Brisbane.

“We’ve got a pretty diligent strategy on how to sell out Origin,” he said.

“I understand why people will always look at our ticket price strategy.

“In saying that, this event is one of the biggest in the country.

“We have to find the balance between affordability for families, which is clearly at the top of our agenda, and also ensure we generate enough income to do things like pay players and invest in grassroots.

“I don’t think we’ll have a problem selling out, I really don’t.

“Everything that tracks in our ticket sales data and strategy tells me we’ll be very close to a sell out.”

Expensive tickets and the fact there is two games in Brisbane this year for the first time since 2014 are believed to be the primary reasons for slow sales.

Animosity between the teams is also seemingly lower than in recent years following the representative retirement of controversial Blues captain Paul Gallen.

Gallen’s replacement, Boyd Cordner, yesterday apologised to the media for not making inflammatory comments about Queensland.

“There is normally something that comes out to hype it up,” he said.

“That’s just not my style. I’ve got a lot of respect for Queensland.

“I’ve got no punchlines for you today, I’m sorry.”

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...r/news-story/44a1cb2cd2f5884d029caae4fa10f20b

Brisbane, the home of Origin.....
Unless they host 2 games, too expensive.
Passion obviously has a price.

 

[RecordBreakingMaroons.]

Brisbane, the home of Origin.....
Unless they host 2 games, too expensive.
Passion obviously has a price.

Thankfully the price of passion is 10 QLD wins from the last 11 series'.

 

[beave]

Brisbane, the home of Origin.....
Unless they host 2 games, too expensive.
Passion obviously has a price.

Titans fans (both of them) know all about passion......

 

[davi]

Brisbane, the home of Origin.....
Unless they host 2 games, too expensive.
Passion obviously has a price.

Its a lame comment. People have short memories pre-2014 where tickets would be sold out from Queensland fans in a couple of hours whether it was one or two games. QRL then jacked up the prices in 2014 in such a opportunistic and money grab way that people were burnt by the mere opportunism of the QRL's greed. Families couldn't afford to go and it spoiled any goodfeelings from fans to origin with the QRL's blatant attempt to rip people off.

 

[no name]

Even that weakest of bait gets bites when you question Qld passion.
Lucky Suncorp is only 52k. If Qld had a real 80k stadium, all those empty seats would look terrible on tv.

 

[beave]

I personally couldn't give a f$@& about the 'qld passion'. I don't think we're anymore passionate than blues fans. We've just had more opportunity of late to crow about our team due to the whole 10/11 thing.

I personally have trouble really getting behind my state team for 2 reasons.

1) It burns me that I have to cheer for a team containing Broncos players.

2) over half the fans in the stadium that I am cheering with would be Brisbane fans whom I normally wouldn't even spit on.

I will be wearing a cowboys cap with my qld jersey tonight as Suncorp, just to differeniate myself from the 'other half'.

 

[simmo05]

It's already been promised, designed and prelim earthworks about to start. Adani stalling isn't going to hasten the build process mate. Whatever pork barrelling the stadium has had for state labor will have already had it's effect on the voting populace.

The biggest issue in Tvl now is the lack of water. A bit of rain saved them last week (dam went from 16% -> 22%). The council were on the verge of having to pump water from the Burdekin to help supply the Ross dam. I believe every day they have to pump water it costs the rate payers $35k-ish. Solutions to that will get the state gov re-elected.

Yes, watpac is the principle contractor, construction to start next half of year. The water situation is bad, however there is plentiful water in the burdekin dam. This is why it was built, however in a typical qld decision, the pipeline was sold, hence the 30 grand a day cost to pump water.

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

It's almost as stupid an idea as selecting Mitchell Pearce as your Origin halfback.

Hardly looks stupid now, you goose.

 

[Vee]

Wow, very serious indeed. What solutions have been offered so far?

A new footy stadium. True story.

 

[davi]

LNP could be prepared to pour eight million dollars of tax payers money down the tubes to get the game in Townsville. Thats the compensation package needed to be offered for not playing at the 52 000 Suncorp Stadium venue. All for the sake of a cheap populist election grab.

Also an extra 27 000 fans will miss out seeing the game for the sake of playing at a 25 000 stadium in Townsville. NRL shouldn't be bullied into this, this does nothing in terms of promotion in non-rugby league areas and also takes away from traditional Brisbane and Sydney venues where it's played.

The Melbourne and Perth venues where has been or will be played are 53 000 and 60 000 respectively.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/rug...lf-the-crowd-of-brisbane-20170816-gxx9h4.html

 

[RecordBreakingMaroons.]

Yeah but look at it from the NSW biased NRL hierarchy's view: 25,000 less QLD supporters at a QLD home game. From a NSW point of view; what's not to love about the idea?

 

[RecordBreakingMaroons.]

Hardly looks stupid now, you goose.

I agree. It doesn't look stupid picking Mitchell Pearce: It looks idiotic.

QLD. The geese which lay golden eggs.

 

[davi]

Townsville a chance of holding the state of origin? Apparently its been considered if Melbourne fell through with the fear of covid for Game 1 this year. Realistically though if you had a choice between Townsville, Canberra, or Adelaide. You would think Adelaide would have bragging rights as it fits the bill of being a neutral venue and its got a higher capacity.

The only thing is this is special circumstances and it may be the only chance Townsville ever gets to hold up there. It would be pretty special for the fans of Townsville if it happened.

Townsville is in the frame for a historic State of Origin game as the NRL scrambles to save the series following Victoria’s latest Covid crisis.

With locked-down Melbourne’s chances of hosting next month’s blockbuster series opener falling by the hour, Townsville has emerged as one of three potential alternatives.

But the rugby league-mad Cowboy capital bizarrely faces competition from dreary Canberra and boring Adelaide with the NRLkeen to maintain a “neutral” venue if the Victorian city is ruled out.

However, Maroons mentor and premiership-winning North Queensland coach Paul Green labelled that argument “crap” - pointing out the Melbourne clash was technically a “home” game for Queensland anyway.

“It was our turn in the calendar to have two home games, we had the pick of the dressing rooms and we had to supply ball boysas if it was our home game,” he said.

“If that is the case, then the game can’t be held in Canberra. If they toss that up as a neutral venue that’s just crap.”

Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) Chairman Peter V’landys confirmed Townsville was an option.

“The problem with that is it is not a neutral venue but it would be a huge boom for them too,” he said.

“We’ve got a good relationship with the Queensland government as well.

“It’s all in the mix.

“The first priority is to have it in the MCG. If we can’t, we have all these options available to us.”

The Victorian Government was last night understood to be keen to hold onto the game at the MCG.

https://www.couriermail.com.au/news...d/news-story/573ada76609c16dceae1e3dbe82fcb1c

 

[Desert Qlder]

Queensland just wants to help out.

 

[pennywisealfie]

Townsville? Ewww. Absolutely anywhere else please.

 

[big hit!]

i hate to say this... but perth's new ground would be perfect

Take it to Adelaide Oval as it shouldve been last year. They'd love it!

 

[GongPanther]

So whose game was this transferred from? If it was to be a game to be rostered from a NSW ANZ game, then it should be played in NSW. Some Qlders in the media seem a bit hard fast in pulling the wool over ppls eyes by saying how great it would be to have the game played at the Cows ground.

I'd agree if it was origially going to be a Qld based game, I wish someone in a officail capacity would confirm whose game it is if they can't find a neutral ground.

 

[jim_57]

So whose game was this transferred from? If it was to be a game to be rostered from a NSW ANZ game, then it should be played in NSW. Some Qlders in the media seem a bit hard fast in pulling the wool over ppls eyes by saying how great it would be to have the game played at the Cows ground.

I'd agree if it was origially going to be a Qld based game, I wish someone in a officail capacity would confirm whose game it is if they can't find a neutral ground.

Is it really either any more? The last 2/1 split was in 2017 and it will be 2024 before it’s a possibility again. For the record 2017 was a Queensland 2 game year, so is it odd years Queensland or should NSW get it because QLD had the last 2 home game series?

This should be the 4th straight year of the neutral venue with 2022, 2023 & 2025 confirmed for Perth, Adelaide & Melbourne. Don’t be surprised to see 2024 go to Auckland judging by that schedule. I’d say it’s here to stay and probably for good reason as well. One team getting a 2-1 home ground advantage every year should be left in the past, not to mention the $ the neutral venue makes the NRL.

In saying that I wouldn’t mind Townsville getting it this year due to the circumstances then Newcastle getting one in 2024 as a one-off to square it up.