World Club Series

[langpark]

Will the Aussie clubs play any warm-up matches in the UK beforehand?

 

[langpark]

St Helens vs Rabbitohs has already sold out.

 

[hutch]

Langtree only holds 18k, maybe they should have been more ambitious and moved to a bigger stadium.

 

[Big Sam]

Langtree only holds 18k, maybe they should have been more ambitious and moved to a bigger stadium.

Anfield was free that weekend. Pretty sure there was a WCC there in the 80s.

 

[langpark]

I think they made the right choice. Maximise profits rather than renting an expensive soccer stadium (and risking not filling it), plus a full house will create an electric atmosphere!
I hope the other two can pull decent crowds too.

 

[Big Sam]

I think they made the right choice. Maximise profits rather than renting an expensive soccer stadium (and risking not filling it), plus a full house will create an electric atmosphere!
I hope the other two can pull decent crowds too.

I paid £22 for my ticket. Was surprised at how cheap it was even with the ex. rate factored in. They could have made a lot more because it was always going to sell out.

 

[JasonE]

It will look great with potential capacity crowds at each venue and all 3 games should be pretty close. Over time they can expand into bigger stadiums but i think they have got it right with this being the first series.

 

[Tigers1986]

I think a lot more people would treat this series as legitimate if the 'invitation' nonsense that allowed 8th placed Brisbane and the Dragons who didn't even qualify for the finals to play in the series.

Top 3 from both competitions square off (regular season finish to determine final finishing order, eg. finish 3rd but lose prelim final you end 3rd).

 

[langpark]

I think a lot more people would treat this series as legitimate if the 'invitation' nonsense that allowed 8th placed Brisbane and the Dragons who didn't even qualify for the finals to play in the series.

Top 3 from both competitions square off (regular season finish to determine final finishing order, eg. finish 3rd but lose prelim final you end 3rd).

Definitely! But I think the NRL teams need to commit for that to happen.

 

[langpark]

Wigan and Warrington have been pretty tight-lipped about their ticket sales.

Based on the article below though, I'm guessing Warrington must be somewhere around the 10,000 mark and based on the interactive ticket sales button on the Wigan website (where you can see in the graphic exactly which seats are sold and unsold), I'm guessing their at about half capacity (12,500). Might see a lot of empty seats at these two matches, hope not though.

http://warringtonwolves.com/smith-declares-war-as-last-hundred-remain-7755

 

[deal.with.it]

Just had a look at the Wigan Stadium graphic.
I think it's probably closer to 2/3 - 3/4 full at the moment.
So maybe closer to 16,000 so far. Should be able to crack the 20k by game day.

 

[Heritage XIII]

Anfield was free that weekend. Pretty sure there was a WCC there in the 80s.

Widnes v Canberra WCC was played at Anfield with just on 30,000 plus in attendance from memory. 1989?

 

[CC_Roosters]

Wigan and Warrington have been pretty tight-lipped about their ticket sales.

Based on the article below though, I'm guessing Warrington must be somewhere around the 10,000 mark and based on the interactive ticket sales button on the Wigan website (where you can see in the graphic exactly which seats are sold and unsold), I'm guessing their at about half capacity (12,500). Might see a lot of empty seats at these two matches, hope not though.

http://warringtonwolves.com/smith-declares-war-as-last-hundred-remain-7755

i am not suprised as they are basically inter comp friendlies and i dont think the notion of playing the 8th and 11th best sides in 2014 would make me enthusiastic to go. Tbh would rather see a 4 or 8 team straight knock out in the post season. you might find that the 14 games on a season ticket at super league clubs will satisfy most peoples appetitie for the year?

 

[langpark]

Just had a look at the Wigan Stadium graphic.
I think it's probably closer to 2/3 - 3/4 full at the moment.
So maybe closer to 16,000 so far. Should be able to crack the 20k by game day.

What made it harder to calculate is that they have their away stand 'unavailable' so you cannot click on it. I do not believe unavailable means sold out though, so I made my guess on the assumption that that stand was also half full. So who knows...

i am not suprised as they are basically inter comp friendlies and i dont think the notion of playing the 8th and 11th best sides in 2014 would make me enthusiastic to go. Tbh would rather see a 4 or 8 team straight knock out in the post season. you might find that the 14 games on a season ticket at super league clubs will satisfy most peoples appetitie for the year?

The problem with having it post-season would mean we lose our international matches, which I think should be our absolute top priority right now.

I like this current format, though it would be much better if next season they can ensure it's 1st vs 1st, 2nd vs 2nd and 3rd vs 3rd. Just the one match means teams cannot complain about it disrupting their pre-season etc.

 

[deal.with.it]

There's no problem with the NRL "sending" the teams they have (though we know why these teams are actually the ones playing) if the whole World Club Series was built on the NRL v SL premise, rather than 3 separate matches (trial/friendlies).
It should be stated that the World Club Series winner will be the Competition whose teams win the majority of matches. If we have a draw in one match, it should be based on for and against in the other 2 matches.
Ideally it would be teams 1, 2 and 3, but I can understand that in the future it might be beneficial to send the Warriors or a new NRL expansion team.
The bottom line is the NRL should send 3 teams they believe can win the 3 match series and have the NRL crowned best Comp in the world. It shouldn't just be the teams of those on the working party that participate.

 

[Evil Homer]

The RFL tried this exact same format with the Championship-French Elite series a few years ago and it was a disaster. No idea why they felt the need to use it once again, or why they expect anyone to be interested in what in reality are just two glorified exhibition matches two weeks into the season.

 

[CC_Roosters]

What made it harder to calculate is that they have their away stand 'unavailable' so you cannot click on it. I do not believe unavailable means sold out though, so I made my guess on the assumption that that stand was also half full. So who knows...



The problem with having it post-season would mean we lose our international matches, which I think should be our absolute top priority right now.

I like this current format, though it would be much better if next season they can ensure it's 1st vs 1st, 2nd vs 2nd and 3rd vs 3rd. Just the one match means teams cannot complain about it disrupting their pre-season etc.

I dont see the value in 3rd v 3rd as a one off game tbh. my suggestion of playing after the gf is probably too far fetched. Its hard to call this one, the one off game for the trophy has worked well but we need to expand the concept and maximise both competitions potential.

 

[langpark]

Well I think if they had have sent the true top 3 (based on playoffs, more so than final standings) then it would be Rabbitohs, Bulldogs and Roosters going over.

I'm not going to say Bulldogs and Roosters are bigger drawcards than the Broncos (probably equal?), but definitely bigger than the Dragons.

Homer, surely you cannot expect St Helens vs Carcassonne, for example, to be as successful as St Helens vs Rabbitohs, there's no comparison!

 

[Evil Homer]

Homer, surely you cannot expect St Helens vs Carcassonne, for example, to be as successful as St Helens vs Rabbitohs, there's no comparison!

Huh? What are you talking about?

 

[langpark]

Huh? What are you talking about?

I mis-read your comment: The RFL tried this exact same format with the Championship-French Elite

Thought you meant Super League vs French Elite.

But, are you talking about when Toulouse competed in the Championship?