Who said the SCG was a great ground for league?
Roar Guru By Steve Kaless, 6 Aug 2010 Steve Kaless is a Roar Guru
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- NRL, Rugby League, SCG, Sydney Roosters
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There are some things in rugby league that I just don’t get. One of them is the attraction of playing games at the SCG. That the place has a history is used to silence dissent and to question it is akin to spitting in a Digger’s beer on ANZAC day.
Well, Henson Park has history, and I don’t see NRL teams forming an orderly queue to play out there. Sure we used to play heaps of games at the SCG, but that was almost exclusively before we had decent grounds to use instead.
I’ve spent plenty of time watching rugby league from the cheapest seats available and those at the SCG are some of the worst around to watch rugby league.
That more people would attend a match at the SCG instead of rolling up to the SFS is for me for one of the great mysteries of our time.
I can appreciate that the Roosters battle to get decent crowds but find it simply staggering that they will improve things by moving their game against the St George Dragons to a worse venue to watch the match.
You are miles from the action and ground level seats are far too low. Okay, the members stand has a certain charm, but if you are in it, you stare at the Brewongle Stand, which is hardly an architect’s dream.
The history argument is also pretty overdone.
Yes, yes, the two teams have played each other, but that is what tends to happen when both have been playing in the same competition since 1921 (which, of course, omits the fact that one club is now a new entity and has only been in existence since 1999).
If we want to get fair dinkum about these historic fixtures, let’s make the players play with leather balls and wear cotton jerseys, knee length shorts and ankle high boots.
Games such as the one on Sunday shouldn’t need such naff promotions.
Sure enough, we’ll have shots of fans as Phil Gould waxes lyrical about Sunday afternoon footy and the SCG, but the game should have enough attraction without relying on Gould’s ramblings.
Two of the best teams in the competition going at it with the chance of a minor premiership dangled in front of them. Surely an easy sell.
All the subplots are there: the Dragons suffering annual late season jitters, while the Roosters play this season’s role of the bad boys come good.
Wayne Bennett carries the clipboard into his 600th game, a tremendous achievement for the man who is probably the greatest ever rugby league coach.
Still despite his milestone, Bennett has challenges: how to return the Dragons to form, and in particular, how to “fire up” Mark Gasnier and blend him into a team which seems to have clocked off since he clocked back on.
It will be a great game and I’m looking forward to it. I just wish it was at a better ground.
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August 6th 2010 @ 10:08am
Corey said | August 6th 2010 @ 10:08am | Report comment
I think whatever gets the crowds is in important. I’m sick and tired of seeing 7k-12k turn up for a Roosters match. Its disgraceful. We had 26.5k turn up for Monday nite footy @ Suncorp for those guys and I would say there were more Roosters fans there than at home. It’s a disgrace. Either start turning up to your team’s games or move the team. The sharks aren’t doing well at all yet they seem to be getting the same crowd as the Roosters who are in the hunt for the minor and major premierships.
The Roosters need to get fans to their games or relocate to Perth or Tennant Creek!!
August 6th 2010 @ 10:09am
The Link said | August 6th 2010 @ 10:09am | Report comment
A couple of games a year seems to be the way to go, seems to bring more punters through the gates and makes more coin for the clubs involved.
Its not like we’re bringing back the match of the day or anything (although I have heard some rumbling……..)
August 6th 2010 @ 10:20am
Crosscoder said | August 6th 2010 @ 10:20am | Report comment
No doubt the nostalgia plays a big part in matches such as these(and of course the Tigers V rabbitohs).there is soomething baout this ground that every now and agin a match is played ,you want to be part of tradiion.if this were a weekly occurence,it would die a natural death.
the trouble is I have memories of a 38 to blot thrashing of the dragons at the SCG.White boots anyone?
I want to see the roosters continue to throw the pill around as they do,and want to see the Dragons unleash the shackles and rid themselves of their robotic defensive game,with attack as a by product.
August 6th 2010 @ 10:36am
Happy Hooker said | August 6th 2010 @ 10:36am | Report comment
Steve, if you don’t “get” it, then no-one can explain it to you.
I haven’t heard anyone claiming the SCG is a great venue to watch footy.
But the punters will vote with their feet. Does it matter why they turn up to watch? Surely the fact that they do is enough.
The Administrators cop a lot of criticism, usually deservedly so. But if we are fair dinkum, then we should give credit where credit is due.
With this initiative, the League is on a winner. Well done!!!
August 6th 2010 @ 10:45am
Daz said | August 6th 2010 @ 10:45am | Report comment
Steve you must have not been there to see the “Guru” charge down the wing in 85 (was it ?) to score in the corner as I did when I was a kid. Memories may be a better word than history in looking at the SCG. Memories stay in the heart and histry ends up in books !! That is why there will be over 45000 there ?
Still my greatest memories as a kid were matches there and the “real” city country battles…………particlularly the City Country “Firsts” battles ??
August 6th 2010 @ 11:21am
Squire Gordon said | August 6th 2010 @ 11:21am | Report comment
If its all about the best place to watch rugby league noone would get out and see a game they would stay at home and watch it on their TVs (sound down of course).
August 6th 2010 @ 12:24pm
Hutchoman said | August 6th 2010 @ 12:24pm | Report comment
I always find something strikingly ironic about the “homes” of both rugby league and Aussie rules being cricket grounds.
August 6th 2010 @ 1:18pm
Chris said | August 6th 2010 @ 1:18pm | Report comment
Not really – most Rugby League/Aussie Rules fans follow cricket in Summer and most Cricket fans follow Rugby League/Aussie Rules in the winter depending where in the country they live.
August 6th 2010 @ 1:21pm
Ken said | August 6th 2010 @ 1:21pm | Report comment
Why? What’s ironic about it?
Seems pretty simple history that the cricket grounds were the principal sporting grounds of their respective cities back in the days when the idea of having multiple major stadia wasn’t even considered. Seems natural that they would have been used by the football codes in the winter.
August 9th 2010 @ 12:17am
Cugel said | August 9th 2010 @ 12:17am | Report comment
Actually the SCG Trust weren’t too keen on League being played there, it wasn’t until 3 years in (1911) that they let them on.
August 6th 2010 @ 12:36pm
Dean - Surry Hills said | August 6th 2010 @ 12:36pm | Report comment
I will be strolling down to the SCG to watch the Mighty Saints go round. As I live close to Cleveland Street and a stones throw from Redfern, it is only a 10 minute walk to the ground. I recommend a visit to the Museum inside the grounds for anyone interested in a bit of nostalgia. The game should be a cracker – and those wanting good seats need to get in nice and early – and I mean EARLY !!!! Hopefully a mate of mine will come through with the goods, and produce passes for the members stand – (which means that you can drink full strength beer when the cricket is on), though I’m not sure what the GO is regarding the footy and the consumption of the worlds best drink. Cheers.
August 6th 2010 @ 1:21pm
Brett McKay said | August 6th 2010 @ 1:21pm | Report comment
I’ll be the pedant – Steve, from the Members, you’d be looking at the less-than-impressive O’Reilly Stand and the newer Trumper Stand where the Hill once was. The Brewongle Stand is around to the right, next to the Ladies Stand….
I just hope they’re going to water the centre wicket all day Saturday, so it’s in an appropriately traditional state for the game on Sunday….
August 6th 2010 @ 1:22pm
Nick said | August 6th 2010 @ 1:22pm | Report comment
Not really a fan of hosting rectangular games on ovals … So I agree there BUT it really boils down to the crowd and the game, if its a good game and the crowd is pumping then it will be a great atmosphere regardless of the oval and the seats. AAMI park is a great place to watch league (then again I never have ventured further north then Sydney)