WARL Results/Fixtures 2009

[Nuke]

I have receieved an e-mail from the WARL today with the Grand Final venue. The 2009 WARL Grand Final will be held at ............





George Burnett Park, South Perth.

A summary of the explanation is that the WARL investigated plenty of alternate venues (including MembersEquity Stadium, Dorrien Gardens, rugby union grounds, soccer grounds, aussie rules grounds), and either the venue couldn't hold at least 2,000 people, or it came down to cost. The WARL felt they didn't want to be propping up other sports by paying them for us to use their ground for our Grand Final. South Perth was the most central ground that had decent fencing and capacity, and South Perth won the minor premiership. It also apparently came down to which team would be the first into the GF, but seeing as Central's Belmont home ground (Centenary) no longer has fencing surrounding it, South Perth was awarded it. Also, apparently, only the grounds used in the Finals Series would be considered, so it came down to Lark Hill (Rockingham), Charles Riley (North Beach), George Burnett (Sth Perth), or Ken Allen (Freo).

I shall update my above post to show this added info.

 

[Nicolas Hart]

I have receieved an e-mail from the WARL today with the Grand Final venue. The 2009 WARL Grand Final will be held at ............





George Burnett Park, South Perth.

Oh gee.

How surprising

 

[Perth Red]

I see it is being held at George Burnett. imo one of the worse grounds in the WARL. Joondalup & Fremantle are both better grounds. Don't know why we don't use Nth Perth oval. decent main stand and facilities and near pubs. The Reds should have played at Nth Perth this year imo.

 

[Perth Red]

ps I was def going but now I will wait to see what the weather's doing and if I can be bothered. It might be cheaper to put the game on in a park but it is hardly going to get people in to watch it, especially if its bad weather.

 

[j5o6hn]

Once again is the League run for the Benefit of South Perth,I don't care where the GF is held whats wrong with Freo or North Beach.
But no South Perth get the advantage as always,the League wonder why people get cynical, unfortunately I will be away in Canberra for the GF,the sooner all clubs get enclosed grounds including mine the better.

 

[jargan83]

What is the financial set up for South Perth hosting the Grand Final? Does South Perth make alot of cash from hosting the Grand Final? (bar takings for example)

 

[albert]

My understanding of the situation is that South Perth pay the WARL a $ value to host the GF and keep all the profits on the day.
We at Armadale a few years ago hosted a semi final and paid the WARL $2500.00 to do so.

 

[Nuke]

Yeah, that's pretty much it. I know that was the case for semi-finals match days this year - hence clubs not initially bidding to host them. I wouldn't be surprised if the WARL had to reduce it's asking price in order to get the clubs to bid.

 

[Perth Red]

They got nearly 4,000 to their GF in the NT last weekend. Doubt we wil get close to that at Sth Perth.

 

[j5o6hn]

Bulldogz to play South Perth in Reserve and 1 st grade after defeating North Beach today 12/09/09 Go the Bulldogz third time lucky,and I,m going to be in Canberra bugger it

 

[Nuke]

That is fantastic! Nothing personal against either North Beach or South Perth, but I -like most people in the WARL community- am sick of Grand Finals every year being South Perth vs North Beach. It is great to see another team in. I'll be cheering for Centrals next Saturday.

In Ladies news, Joondalup defeated Fremantle yesterday afternoon 11-4, so they are into the Grand Final next Saturday against Centrals. Should be a great game, as the last time they met a few weeks ago, Centrals won 2-nil (2 field goals). GO JOONDALUP!!!

 

[Kilmo(SP)]

Not to be one sided, but if other sides were upto the standard of South Perth and North Beach, it would make for a more entertaining competition and less times that we as clubs dominate. It's easy to sit back and whinge and complain about North Beach and South Perth being in GF's all the time, but ask yourselves...why is that ???

Why would the WARL play at George Burnett, I personally think it's detrimental to South Perth on such a day, certainly not advantageous.

Comments like Perth Red's " ps I was def going but now I will wait to see what the weather's doing and if I can be bothered. " Just go to show the lack of support for Rugby League in WA. Regardless of where it was held, if you were to support WA Rugby League, you would turn up.

Comments like "Once again is the League run for the Benefit of South Perth,I don't care where the GF is held whats wrong with Freo or North Beach." <-- So it would be OK if Fremantle or North Beach got benefits from the WARL and noone else....I don't agree with it being played at South Perth, but there is no benefit whatsoever for it being held as South Perth, in fact it turns out to be a break even or loss due to the above attitude such as Perth Red's.

Maybe instead of spending your time on here bagging out South Perth, North Beach and the WARL, perhaps you can spend your time working out how to support Rugby League in WA.

 

[Kilmo(SP)]

Well the boys did it again....South Perth Reserves and Firsts....2009 Premiers....Central played well across all grades taking out the Womens premiership, but losing in tight games to the mens squads.

It was a good year....but bring on the preseason

 

[Nicolas Hart]

Why would the WARL play at George Burnett, I personally think it's detrimental to South Perth on such a day, certainly not advantageous.

My only issue with this, is that I think any Grand Final should always be held on neutral territory.

Irrespective of personal perception (ie: advantageous or detrimental), it seems a conflict of interest for a side in the grand final to host it.

Regardless - such tight games are a wonderful advertisement for the game of Rugby League, in which the match sounded like (from your reports) a sensational spectacle.

I worked yesterday, unfortunately, so missed the game - but I love this time of the year. Finals football across all codes, makes me a very happy man.

Congratulations South Perth.

 

[b0rt]

funny the south perth bloke is the only one who reckons it was a detriment having it at south perth.
i would see it as a positive for them and think it was a bad (if hard to avoid) choice.
either way id expect them to win though.

 

[Nuke]

Personally speaking, I wouldn't want to play a Grand Final at my home venue. This would be due to the fact that -to me- it wouldn't feel like a Grand Final. Grand Finals are special days that you spend 9months a year aiming for, training for, sweating for, bleeding for. To play it at home wouldn't feel that special.

As most/all people here have been saying, a neutral venue would be the prefered choice, but -as this year has shown- that's not always going to be the case.

 

[Perth Red]

There is no reason it couldn't be at a neutral venue if A) The WARL marketed the game better and B) RL fans in perth got out and supported it. You'd only need 2000 fans paying $10 to more than break even with the hire of most grounds in Perth. NT got 4,000 we should be able to get alot more!

 

[Nuke]

That's true, but unfortunately the WARL can't bank on 2-3,000 people turning up for the Grand Final, which is sad.

The big difference between League in WA and League in NT is that NT has very good coverage of the NRL and is, I believe (despite the general consensus of belief being the opposite) that League is more popular than AFL. At least on tv anyway.
I can't help but believe the media -particular Ch9- are very much against League here in Perth. This unfortunately makes a big impact the local comp.

The sooner the public profile of the NRL in particular grows (positively) in WA, the better the WARL's profile will also grow. Then you'll start to see bigger crowds on Grand Final day, and perhaps even get the game shown on tv again (like it apparently used to ... I don't remember this, but several people have told me ABC used to televise the GF). The last time I saw a WARL GF on tv was highlights on Ch9 news of the 2001 Grand Final. I think the following few years, Ch9 had the GF scores up at the end of the sports section of the news, but I don't know if they're still doing that or not.