Pacific Championships 2024

[Bobby DIGital]

Did Hammer really get the ball down for that first try? There was no slow-mo and I was unable to pause it at the exact moment....

 

[Matua]

I'm going to ruffle some feathers here. This is a copy/paste from a similar thread in NZ section:

Ok, I know the NRL/league media having been trumpeting the PC as a success and especially the crowd numbers, but if we take an actual realistic look at it then all international league really is, is Tongans supporting their team in Oz and NZ. It was embarrassing to see the clear out after the Aus-Tonga game.

Yes, NZ got a decent crowd in Chch, but that's about the only bright spot really.

Tongans madly supporting a Tongan team of heritage players and E Katoa isn't international league making great strides.

 

[Jim from Oz]

Pretty solid TV ratings:

Sunday 10 November 2024 | TV Tonight

National TV Reach: 1. THE BLOCK 3,412,000 2. THE BLOCK -WINNER ANN. 2,371,000 3. 9NEWS 2,369,000 4. ROYAL EDINBURGH MILITARY TATTOO 2024 1,939,000 5. 60 MINUTES 1,938,000

tvtonight.com.au

 

[Perth Red]

Could they have ended the tournament or a more dud game? Kumuls getting smashed in front of an empty stadium with hardly anyone watching on TV. What an anti climax. They need to look at scheduling better.

well done Tonga fans, basically made the attendances look good!

Still great to see IRL making a return and long may it grow and continue.

 

[Last Week]

I'm going to ruffle some feathers here. This is a copy/paste from a similar thread in NZ section:

Ok, I know the NRL/league media having been trumpeting the PC as a success and especially the crowd numbers, but if we take an actual realistic look at it then all international league really is, is Tongans supporting their team in Oz and NZ. It was embarrassing to see the clear out after the Aus-Tonga game.

Yes, NZ got a decent crowd in Chch, but that's about the only bright spot really.

Tongans madly supporting a Tongan team of heritage players and E Katoa isn't international league making great strides.

Couldn't agree more.

Hopefully it motivates the Australian and Kiwi fans to attend games, and also converts the Tongan fans to Rugby League fans.

 

[Bobby DIGital]

I'm going to ruffle some feathers here. This is a copy/paste from a similar thread in NZ section:

Ok, I know the NRL/league media having been trumpeting the PC as a success and especially the crowd numbers, but if we take an actual realistic look at it then all international league really is, is Tongans supporting their team in Oz and NZ. It was embarrassing to see the clear out after the Aus-Tonga game.

Yes, NZ got a decent crowd in Chch, but that's about the only bright spot really.

Tongans madly supporting a Tongan team of heritage players and E Katoa isn't international league making great strides.

Gotta agree with you. The thing with Tonga and Samoa, they be more competitive now but they will probably never play tests in their home countries.

Yeah we got a good crowd to a rinky-dink stadium down here. I can't wait to see what we can do with a 30k stadium. Chch to become the Kiwis stronghold, with Auckland kiwi fans possibly too intimidated by the opposition fans to show up when Tonga or Samoa play there. It's a sad state of affairs. Aus got a taste of being outnumbered in their own country yesterday. I felt they were dodging it by not playing Samoa or Tonga in Sydney until they had to.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

Ok, I know the NRL/league media having been trumpeting the PC as a success and especially the crowd numbers, but if we take an actual realistic look at it then all international league really is, is Tongans supporting their team in Oz and NZ. It was embarrassing to see the clear out after the Aus-Tonga game.

I think you are underestimating how many Oz supporters were actually there. I think the difference was I don`t think there was a single Tongan supporter who wasn`t wearing red and white and many, many were carrying flags and placards.
Of the Aussie supporters I`d say only a fraction had the green or gold on or even either colour on. I can tell you one thing with hand on heart at one point early something happened, maybe Hammer`s try, not sure but there was a very loud roar of approval from the crowd, so loud that I turned to my anglo son (who was wearing red to support Tonga) and said wow, there really are some Aussies here. So don`t necessarily be fooled by what you saw on telly, there were a lot of Aussies there, maybe just not so obvious.

It was embarrassing to see the clear out after the Aus-Tonga game.

It was late, it was NZ v. PNG, people work the next day, that clear out only proved one thing, it should have been in NZ or PNG at an appropriately sized ground.

Yes, NZ got a decent crowd in Chch, but that's about the only bright spot really.

Tongans madly supporting a Tongan team of heritage players and E Katoa isn't international league making great strides.

That really is an overly jaundiced view.
This is how it will grow, what people saw on tv, they will want to be a part of it in the future, it`s in it`s second year and looks like becoming a much anticipated part of the League calendar.

I`ll tell you something amusing, where we were sitting was directly and on the same height opposite the NRL corporate box, you could quite clearly see Abdo and V`landys standing on the "balcony" at the front of the box watching the totality of both games that we were there for. He didn`t miss a minute, in fact often it was only him and Abdo, either watching the game or deep in discussion, dare say they were thinking now how do we improve this next year.

 

[Wb1234]

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

That`s a 50k game easy right there, can you imagine the number of neutrals that game would attract, brilliant family experience or for anyone.
Mind blowing the same games were played at Penrith and Campbelltown twenty years ago. How far we`ve come and it`s being said on here international League isn`t making great strides.

 

[RedVee]

What concerns me is if the heritage teams have a future. Surely the numbers of those eligible will reduce going forward for the Island nations as well as Ireland, Italy, Lebanon etc.

Maybe we worry about that in 20 years?

 

[taste2taste]

What concerns me is if the heritage teams have a future. Surely the numbers of those eligible will reduce going forward for the Island nations as well as Ireland, Italy, Lebanon etc.

Maybe we worry about that in 20 years?

They’ll change the laws to keep them competitive

 

[taste2taste]

Play the game in NZ

 

[Billythekid]

There is a lot of truth in this discussion but I see this as a bit of a kicking off point. There is no question that IRL has reached a real low point and needed something to light a fire under its ass. I think right now the NRL is going through a boom period and that seems to be impacting the hole region. The popularity and success of Samoa and Tonga is a way to kick start the international game and grow more interest from there.

As more people see the awesome crowds and atmosphere and the high quality games on display you can start growing interest from there.

I agree that generally the Tongan fans have carried this tournament but it’s still a starting point. Hopefully we can get more regular international games and actually start pushing it some more so that interest can grow.

 

[taste2taste]

Tongans madly supporting a Tongan team of heritage players and E Katoa isn't international league making great strides.

It made great strides because ppl actually cared about international footy for the first time in many years. Itll continue to grow year on year.

 

[Perth Red]

What concerns me is if the heritage teams have a future. Surely the numbers of those eligible will reduce going forward for the Island nations as well as Ireland, Italy, Lebanon etc.

Maybe we worry about that in 20 years?

Arent PI'ers still emigrating to NZ, NSW and Qlnd? Why would the next generation of immigrants and their kids not be playing RL?

 

[Perth Red]

Play the game in NZ

Surely that game in Auckland and the Kiwis games in Christchurch and Wellington?

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I'm going to ruffle some feathers here. This is a copy/paste from a similar thread in NZ section:

Ok, I know the NRL/league media having been trumpeting the PC as a success and especially the crowd numbers, but if we take an actual realistic look at it then all international league really is, is Tongans supporting their team in Oz and NZ. It was embarrassing to see the clear out after the Aus-Tonga game.

Yes, NZ got a decent crowd in Chch, but that's about the only bright spot really.

Tongans madly supporting a Tongan team of heritage players and E Katoa isn't international league making great strides.

How much would you expect NZ v PNG to pull in Sydney? Not much

As far as Tonga and Samoa goes, it is what it is. The crowds are way bigger in Auckland, Brisbane and Sydney then they'll ever be in Tonga or Samoa.

Would you like the game to turn that sort of atmosphere down yesterday and a bunch of kids that live and play in Tonga get lapped by 200 by the Kangaroos in front of 5k in Tonga? Would that make it feel right for you?

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

They’ll change the laws to keep them competitive

The great-grandparent and the great-great grandparent rule. Bring it on.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

What concerns me is if the heritage teams have a future. Surely the numbers of those eligible will reduce going forward for the Island nations as well as Ireland, Italy, Lebanon etc.

Maybe we worry about that in 20 years?

Tonga pop 150k maybe more reason to be concerned.

Samoa 250k, with competitions, academy`s and pathways and the countries proclivity towards the sport maybe more likely to be sustainable long term.

If we are lucky. any weakening in Tonga`s strength as a national team, I`ve no doubt they will still provide players, will be offset by the coming of age of New Guinea and the development of Fiji.

 

[RedVee]

Arent PI'ers still emigrating to NZ, NSW and Qlnd? Why would the next generation of immigrants and their kids not be playing RL?

They will, but there will be many more that are Australian or New Zealand born with parents and eventually grand parents born here as well.

It's the natural way of things. Look at the wave of post war European migrants. Those that came here in the 50s & 60s have local born grandchildren now.