jim_57

Dragons Gong/Kogarah crowds this year, back to a 6/6 Sydney/Gong split but Anzac Day @ SFS. Wollongong: R4 Vs Sea Eagles, Sat 5:30pm (16,215). R7 Vs Warriors, Fri 6pm (13,111). R14 Vs Tigers, Fri 8pm (9,969). R21 Vs Panthers, Sun 2pm. R24 Vs Titans, Sun 2pm. R25 Vs Sharks, Sun 4pm. Kogarah: R3 Vs Cowboys, Sat 5:30pm (9,252). R10 Vs Rabbitohs, Sat 5:30pm (7,517). R17 Vs Dolphins, Sun 2pm (8,052). R23 Vs Bulldogs, Sat 7:30pm. R27 Vs Raiders, Sat 3pm. SFS: R8 Vs Roosters, Thu 4pm (40,727) (Anzac Day). Averaging 13,098 in Wollongong & 8,274 at Kogarah. Draw admittedly looks better for Wollongong this year.

Averages in black and white don’t tell the full story. Taking the draw in to account: Wollongong: R5 Vs Dolphins, Sat 5:30pm (16,472) R9 Vs Bulldogs, Sun 4pm (16,678) R17 Vs Warriors, Fri 8pm (9,275) R19 Vs Raiders, Fri 8pm (9,319) (No Origin players). R21 Vs Tigers, Thu 8pm (7,241) R22 Vs Sea Eagles, Sat 5:30pm (14,872) R25 Vs Storm, Sat 7:30pm (8,326) Kogarah: R2 Vs Titans, Sun 4pm (8,538) R4 Vs Sharks, Sun 4pm (15,126) R12 Vs Roosters, Fri 6pm (9,007) R15 Vs Rabbitohs, Sat 3pm (17,357) R27 Vs Knights, Sat 7:30pm (10,137) Both very hit/miss but I’d say Kogarah gets the better draw there, 3 daylight games, 3 big derby games, a couple of games with the early season optimism etc. Wollongong only got one daylight game, a Thursday game and most of their game’s condensed in to a period of the season affected by Origin and where any optimism was long gone, 3/7 Vs 4/5 NSW team opponents as well. Main point is Wollongong is where they are based and the best chance of getting upgrades for the stadium in the future due to it being regional, they should lean in to that and play at least 8 games there IMO. Their Sydney fans can get 3-4 home games (preferably at SFS) plus any number of away games they can get to in Sydney. Similar model in Geelong works for the AFL team which is a good example of how I think it could work, a lot of similarities.

Dragons should be playing 9 games at Wollongong & 3 at Allianz. Kogarah obviously isn’t drawing them in despite them having an OK year. From what I’ve read the areas around Kogarah have changed demographics so there aren’t as many fans close by these days anyway. If fans are spread out play games at the new world class stadium that’s more accessible for most of Sydney. 9 games at Wollongong and push for upgrades there to get it to 25k. 3 big games Vs Roosters/Rabbitohs/Bulldogs/Tigers/Sharks at SFS. Sydney fans can go to plenty of away games plus the 3 home games at SFS. Allianz is clearly the best stadium in NSW, should have Rabbitohs there as well.

Across the road from Eden Park. Wouldn’t surprise me if they look to take a game or 2 there each year.

Sold out now, needs 26,430 to break the record that figure was incorrect. Unless a heap of members are no shows it should be a record.

Depending on what the Olympic upgrades for Suncorp involve they could get their chance. They’ll have some competition though, even though I think they’d be the next best fit after Brisbane.

You have to wonder if the respective stadiums are part of the reason 2 bids have popped up in Christchurch but no Wellington bid has come forward this time or since the 2007 bidding process. Wellington is still a decent option and hopefully will get a team eventually but playing at an Oval isn’t ideal.

I’ve asked around elsewhere and searched the internet and I’ve never got a clear answer on what the plan is or if there is one regarding the stadium. I’m certainly no construction expert but it looks like they’ve boxed themselves in so not sure how much it could realistically get to with upgrades. Maybe 18-20k at best? The NRL have purchased a hotel next door and V’landys has said he wants to help them get funding for an upgrade so wait and see I guess.

There is room for both. Perth should surely get one of the next 3 licenses if it goes to 20, they probably should get 18 but the NRL seems set on PNG. Adelaide needs more work so are unlikely to get 18-20, but if it ever goes beyond that they’re a fair chance. Assuming for a minute the next 3 teams are PNG, Perth & South Island that leaves Adelaide, Brisbane 3, Wellington, Sunshine Coast & Central Queensland on the table, even Melbourne or Auckland 2 depending how things play out. Comparing to AFL. They will have 20 teams, all from Australia with much larger squads, talent drawn mainly from Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia with a handful from the rest. Based on that the NRL having 22-24 teams with 3-4 from outside Australia and drawing talent from across the Pacific with smaller squads isn’t unreasonable.

I think it’d be good if each of the 5 major capitals in Australia plus Auckland had an ‘event’ each year. Sydney has the Grand Final, Brisbane has Magic plus both get an Origin each. That leaves Auckland, Melbourne, Perth & Adelaide, one of the latter 3 will get the neutral Origin and Auckland should join the hosting cycle soon. The 3 of those that aren’t hosting Origin that year should get double headers at the big stadiums (Marvel/Optus/Adelaide Oval/Eden Park).

That 2019 total has magic included. Their regular season average in Melbourne 2019 was 16,014. Hopefully they can get that even higher this year. Last year 2 games at Marvel/Docklands drew pretty good crowds to boost the average. Their average at AAMI will still their highest ever there I believe.

That’s not correct. Storm averaged 18,264 from 11 games in Melbourne last year (20,924 if you include Magic). Far higher than pre-covid crowds.

You said he wasn’t in the squad which hadn’t been name yet at the time. He was named in the extended squad btw, could still play. More likely to start in NSW Cup though by the looks, named at 6 for them.

And the answer is…. Both! Well maybe not Wembley but somewhere in the 40-60k range could work for an NRL/SL double header. Play the same weekend as Vegas. The more big events the better.

Mentions of triple header might point towards some English involvement next year. I think the WCC in Vegas might be the push, one more NRL team and some English fans to boost the crowd, “meet in the middle” type deal. While the NRL has an odd number teams the premiers can have the bye round 1 to make it work. Personally I’d prefer the WCC in England followed by an NRL/SL double header in Manchester or London the same weekend as Vegas, the more ‘events’ the better.