The Hay Thread

[84 Baby]

I'd like some games at Blacktown Oval. That'd get up the AFL

 

[The Colonel]

so you don't like crowds pete, prefer to only have a couple thousand people not 10's thousand.

Parkes had over 12,000 (ground capacity) for the Australia v France game in the early nineties. Probably a few thousand more than what would turn up in Sydney. The two TRIALS featuring Parramatta, Cronulla and the Roosters at the same venue have drawn more than 10,000 both times. If you put the game on they'll come.

I reckon if Parramatta played a regular season game against the Cowboys, Warriors or Raiders at a country venue of a similar size or bigger they'd draw a bigger crowd then they do on average at Parramatta Stadium.

 

[strider]

how much do they charge to get in at country venues?
how much will it cost to get in at a city venue?

is 10,000 at a city venue more cost effective than 15,000 at a country venue?

not saying thats all that matters - just wondering

 

[JessEel]

only problem with country grounds like the ones Pete mentioned are that they are not up to scratch for NRL quality football. Certain criteria has to be met, and until it is there's no way NRL/Channel 9 would let anything go there

 

[The Colonel]

how much do they charge to get in at country venues?
how much will it cost to get in at a city venue?

is 10,000 at a city venue more cost effective than 15,000 at a country venue?

not saying thats all that matters - just wondering

The trial games at Parkes were around $20 if I remember rightly. Similar to a city ground but they don't have the same overheads really.

only problem with country grounds like the ones Pete mentioned are that they are not up to scratch for NRL quality football. Certain criteria has to be met, and until it is there's no way NRL/Channel 9 would let anything go there

Quite a number of the grounds would need some renovation work to be utilised on a one off basis. Mind you there are plenty of grounds at country venues that would be a lot better than the NSW Cup and Bundy Cup grounds as well and wouldn't need that much work either. Parkes, Tamworth, Gunnedah and Dubbo could run games to an NRL standard with a few months notice.

 

[JessEel]

City Country was played at Dubbo a few years ago without great results. Orange last year from memory had to have some extra temporary seating and lighting hired in, and then was up to scratch.

Unfortunatley though the trend is mostly eastern seaboard country towns have the facilities required to take on an NRL quality game. Places like Wagga and Griffith are so close, but just need a few more years of fundraising before they can be successful. And when they are, no doubt they'll get games.

Don't forget, you have to have areas for selectors/judiciary/video review/coaches boxes/commentators boxes/media area/corporate and sponsors area - enough lighting to meet Channel 9's minumum requirements, enough power - enough accommodation to handle the influx of visitors.... it's more then just the quality of the grass underfoot to take into consideration.

Although, god, you could imagine the uproar if the ground was too hard and you had international players breaking bones in tackles! :crazy:

 

[strider]

The trial games at Parkes were around $20 if I remember rightly. Similar to a city ground but they don't have the same overheads really.



Quite a number of the grounds would need some renovation work to be utilised on a one off basis. Mind you there are plenty of grounds at country venues that would be a lot better than the NSW Cup and Bundy Cup grounds as well and wouldn't need that much work either. Parkes, Tamworth, Gunnedah and Dubbo could run games to an NRL standard with a few months notice.

$20 for all? - would they charge the same for a test match? .... how much is a test match in sydney? I imagine the price range would be $20-$???

 

[MarkInTheStands]

Don't forget, you have to have areas for selectors/judiciary/video review/coaches boxes/commentators boxes/media area/corporate and sponsors area - enough lighting to meet Channel 9's minumum requirements, enough power - enough accommodation to handle the influx of visitors.... it's more then just the quality of the grass underfoot to take into consideration.

Then because 9 and Fox don't "Satellite" there games in you need to talk about appropriate telecommunication infrastructure for all of the above.

Then there is the parking for Two B-Double trailers in close proximity to the commentary boxes, and the need to bring a portable Big Screen to the venue for Replays and Video Ref, which cuts down on at least 40 feet of prime standing room.

So the question comes, has the game outgrown country venues? At the moment it would appear yes, because selling the rights is how the ARL makes money and without the services Jess mentioned there is no chance of any Country NSW venue getting a game.

The next problem is with International games you need at least double the number of commentators boxes, because of the international TV and radio commentary teams.

Interestingly a ground Like Browne Park in Rockhampton, got an elimination game of the Rugby League World Cup, but at least it has a number of facilities and is smack bang in the Middle of Rockhampton, more or less, and most QRL grounds in regional areas are set-up to take TV, as the ABC in QLD broadcast the QRL, unlike the ABC in NSW who have decided the Club Rugby is their local sport of choice, meaning NSWRL grounds are not of as high a broadcast standard.

 

[The Colonel]

$20 for all? - would they charge the same for a test match? .... how much is a test match in sydney? I imagine the price range would be $20-$???

Kids were cheaper but there is only limited grandstand seating at Parkes and the rest of the ground is pretty much hil right the way around. Test match in Sydney? Not sure.... depends where and against who.

The Parkes Test was in 1990. I can't remember how much we paid though.

 

[Springs]

Hey Parra pete, you know where I would really like to see a game? Not a test match, just any game at all.
My hometown, Rankin's Springs. But my hometown team, along with 4 or 5 other teams, were sent to obscurity by a club called Hay, who decided to switch groups and leave the other clubs to die.

Sorry I had to enter these boards with that attack on a damn selfish club, but I really hope Hindy is serious about representing Australia at the end of the year. Hopefully he would return to NSW again, in the role of Captain like he should have been last year.

The maximum crowd you would get at Griffith Pete is around 7,000. Really worthy of an international.

 

[Parra]

The trial matches at Griffith were a great initiative.

Dropped so the team can play in Perth. Great heartland for the game, Perth.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

imo Id like international football to come to Ron Costello Oval or Thomas Dalton Park tbrh...

I would vote for Ron Costello Oval !!!!

Hopefully they have another trial there like last year between the Shellharbour and the tigers but I don't think I will be so luck

 

[The EELiminator]

I would vote for Ron Costello Oval !!!!

i vote for Abbot & Costello oval! :lol:
the only problem is with double headers how do you work out who's on first? ;-)

 

[Stagger eel]

Hey Parra pete, you know where I would really like to see a game? Not a test match, just any game at all.
My hometown, Rankin's Springs. But my hometown team, along with 4 or 5 other teams, were sent to obscurity by a club called Hay, who decided to switch groups and leave the other clubs to die.

Sorry I had to enter these boards with that attack on a damn selfish club, but I really hope Hindy is serious about representing Australia at the end of the year. Hopefully he would return to NSW again, in the role of Captain like he should have been last year.

The maximum crowd you would get at Griffith Pete is around 7,000. Really worthy of an international.

I'm surprised that you haven't had a response from him yet...

 

[parra pete]

Hey Parra pete, you know where I would really like to see a game? Not a test match, just any game at all.
My hometown, Rankin's Springs. But my hometown team, along with 4 or 5 other teams, were sent to obscurity by a club called Hay, who decided to switch groups and leave the other clubs to die.

Sorry I had to enter these boards with that attack on a damn selfish club, but I really hope Hindy is serious about representing Australia at the end of the year. Hopefully he would return to NSW again, in the role of Captain like he should have been last year.

The maximum crowd you would get at Griffith Pete is around 7,000. Really worthy of an international.

OR was it because Springs blokes (the Richards, Vearings, Schmetzers etc) went and played for Yenda? or was it because the Springs could not supply football for Under 18s 16s and a pathway for juniors?

JUST to clear up a serious misconception to the old mate. At the time Hay went into Group 20, the game was dying here. It had one team which was winless and running last. It was struggling for players, it had no crowds, no visiting teams supporters... and no kids wanting to play, no junior officials were prepared to get involved because when the kids turned 14 they had to play Aussie Rules - or FIRST GRADE LEAGUE because there was no RESERVE GRADE because places like the Springs, Goolgowi, Barellan and Hillston had no interest in promoting the game.
How long would the game have survived here if not for the intervention of CRL and Group 20?

The move to Group 20 was the BEST thing Hay Magpies Club has done in the past thirty years. It should have moved in 1984 when it first made the enquiry.
The Magpies now is a GROWTH Club in the CRL. Fielding teams in Under 7s, 9, 11, 12, 13 and 14 In Group 20 Junior Competition, and League Tag, 16s, 18, and Reserve grade (Premiers in 2009)..and will have the lot in 2011.
Would that be the case if it had stuck to Group 17..Don't think so. The Magpies were propping up a competition that was on its last legs. If it did not move when it did the code would be dead here in town..Dead as a doornail...
Now, I would say that Hay is one of - if not - the best supported Clubs in the competition. Our gate taking average $1500 ---with Pie in the Sky gate takings well over $4000. Not a bad improve of the days when $300 in Group 20 was a huge gate...

If improving the Club so the code survives is being selfish, well yes, the Magpies Club puts its hands up and says yep, that was us.

A crowd of 7,000 at Griffith - or 15,000 at Narrandera, Dubbo, Lavington would be a bigger shot in the arm for the code, compared to 20,000 at SFS...

Why don't you get onto the Richards boys and see if the game between Yenda and TLU; could be switched to the Rankins Springs Sportsground?
Instead of lamenting the situation, get in a do something about it.

 

[Maroubra Eel]

Just as Hay couldn't give a stuff about football in Springs, I don't give a stuff about any country footy.

 

[parra pete]

I'm surprised that you haven't had a response from him yet...

Hay didn't send Group 17 to the wall. The CRL did.....
Rankins Springs should contact Dave Skinner the CRL RAM for Bidgee Region and try and get into the Bidgee Shield competition...which has teams like Narrandera back in the game.
Dave is the MAN..You will get more sense out of him than dealing with Head Office as he (Dave) knows the set up out here..(not meant to be a shot at CRL HO; Dave is the organisation's manager, and if enquiry was sent to HO it would just be directed back to him anyway)

 

[parra pete]

Just as Hay couldn't give a stuff about football in Springs, I don't give a stuff about any country footy.

ME, you are wrong there --- it did give a stuff about the Springs when it was a part of the competition.
The Club had a good relationship with the Springs, and I had, and would like to think I still have, some good friends in the Village.

 

[Maroubra Eel]

Cared about them up until you desserted them. Should be renamed the Hay Desserters.

 

[parra pete]

Cared about them up until you desserted them. Should be renamed the Hay Desserters.

:lol: Good one!!!!

Their juniors (and seniors) could follow the dream and play in Group 20...and that's what they did. Good on em. Dave Woods was an ex Rankins Springs boy...
The Hay juniors, back in those days, had to go to Aussie Rules to get a game of sport after they turned 14..
It has ALL changed now. This is a dominant LEAGUE town...