Dragons lock out 30,000 fans - again
Standing room only...Dragons fans at WIN Jubilee Oval. Picture: Gregg Porteous
Source: The Daily Telegraph
Standing room only...Dragons fans at WIN Jubilee Oval. Picture: Gregg Porteous
Source: The Daily Telegraph
AT LEAST 30,000 fans will be locked out of a blockbuster semi-final between the game's greatest rivals, the Dragons and the Rabbitohs, if they meet in the first week of the NRL finals.
St George Illawarra chief executive Peter Doust yesterday announced Kogarah would host the Dragons' home semi-final - even if it means the game loses $500,000 in gate-takings.
The two clubs with the most premiership wins in history are likely to meet in the first week of the finals if Brisbane beat Canberra and Souths beat the Dragons on Sunday night.
It would be the first time in 27 years the traditional rivals have met in a semi-final and by moving the game to the SFS or Homebush, 50,000 fans would attend.
As it stands, most tickets for Kogarah will be snapped up in an exclusive window for St George Red V members and Souths members, meaning thousands of casual fans won't get a look in.
This is the second year in a row the NRL and St George Illawarra have locked out fans - an outrageous and almost scandalous situation considering the game's shaky financial position. Huge corporate opportunities are wasted because of Kogarah's limited space.
Saints kept the home-ground advantage for the semi-final against Parramatta last year but were convincingly beaten anyway.
The Wests Tigers are expected to make a far more professional decision and announce today they will play their home semi-final at the SFS to ensure all their fans get a chance to see the game.