How to make Brisbane City vs Queensland Country the best it can be

I’m guessing this comment was meant for my one above Baz? The reality is, I don’t believe a third tier concept such as the NRC is going to really attract fans for overnighters. As I said above to Rock, it appears Queensland Country will be a travelling road show taking games to the people. Their home grounds from year to year will change in order to spread the games around the rugby faithful across the state. The exception will of course be the Gold Coast being their primary hub always getting one game due to their sponsorship from Bond Uni. Not to mention the history (that I have above and to you previously) that the Queensland Country name has in Gold Coast rugby. This year they had a second game on the coast with the test at cbus which was a great idea but poorly executed from a marketing perspective. As a side, the Gold Coast is very easy to get to for fans across the state. Coolangatta might only serve Cairns and Mackay but the largest airport in the state that services every nook and cranny is only an hour up the road. Jump on the train which leaves right out the front of Brisbane’s domestic terminal and get off at Robina to be at the doorstep of cbus or a 5 minute cab ride from Bond. What do you want to do otherwise? Play Country games in Brisbane? If Country fans will show up from 'everywhere' across the state, what's an extra 45 minutes to their commute?

Agree Rock, a home game in T-ba makes sense. I guess the thing about this team is they'll be a bit of a traveling roadshow so next years 'home' games will be different again. I'd say the GC getting 2 home games is through the fact that one will always be played at Bond due to the sponsorship arrangements and the 2nd was a result of the test at cbus (which obviously won't happen every year). I thought playing it there as a curtain raiser was a really good idea but it needed to be plugged. The ARU sat on their hands when it came to promoting the Puma test so the NRC curtain raiser didn't really stand a chance. As for Ballymore, I support taking as much high standard rugby back to the spiritual home of QLD rugby as possible so I don't mind it. Aren't NSW Country playing a home game at Coogee? But I agree some smarter decisions around scheduling and marketing need to be made. For example, that Queensland Country game at Bond was played at the same time TSS was playing Churchie. I drove past TSS and the place (obviously) was chockers. That's a lot of GC rugby fans (parents and old boys) tied up with other commitments. I do understand though that it's hard in a competition that's run over such a small window.

and not be playing home games at Ballymore.

Saddos.

Thanks for the article. I think most clubs struggled just to get the teams going. venues, players, coaches training, in time. Other critical areas such as marketing, broadcast, merchandising, sponsors seemed to have taken a back team because of the short turnaround I hold a belief that Qld and NSW will have better idea on how to tap grassroots in the next round. But only if they are $ sustainable.

Rob that's a fair comment, however by the very nature of the QRU naming the team 'QLD Country' you would think that the QRU would host games in regional areas which will be sure to draw crowds and promote the NRC. That's fine having a game at the GC, I have no problems whatsoever, whoever I see no point of having a second there when they will struggle to draw a crowd of 2,000. Why not have the game up here on top of the range? They would no doubt draw close to 5,000 if not more and there be bugger all difference in travel costs. And don't even get me started on the ballymore 'home' game.

Great article Stu. Don't let any naysayers stop you. Hopefully you can bring some of these great ideas to fruition.

Bands at games are awesome. The French do it beautifully.

There's one lad from Cairns. That's a start.

The ironic thing is Rob9, that for Qlders who fly to the GC, it is a difficult place to get to. I fly out of Rocky, but to get to the GC I need to fly via Sydney( at great expense). Whether the GC is Qld country or not is really irrevelant, the real story is that if you turn up at a rugby test match at suncorp it could well be country week, we fly in from everywhere , but your not gunna see us on the GC for an overnighter, it's just too hard.

I’m not sure why this is such an issue for people. The Gold Coast has been part of Queensland Country (the actual QLD Country) for 30+ years and the development pathway from the GC&DRU club competition flows into that rep side from the Cyclones and South Queensland. I have to concede, I’m still not completely sold on the NRC concept (although it has my support) and I don’t think the teams make much sense. Ideally the Gold Coast/South Queensland would have its own team in a third tier model. But if there’s to be a team that roams the state outside of the capital, I have no problem with it being called Queensland Country and I think it makes perfect sense for its primary hub to be the largest centre in the state outside of Brisbane and an area that has been a part of Queensland Country Rugby Union since 1978. If you’re going to make the argument that the Gold Coast isn’t ‘really’ country (which I completely agree with), the same argument could be made for places like the Sunshine Coast, Townsville and Cairns. All places that have contributed to Queensland Country for many years and also regional cities in their own right with populations in excess of 200,000 people. The Country team in RL is the most high profile ‘Country’ rep team in Australia and includes players from decent sized cities. Newcastle- 500,000 people and 7th largest city in the country and Wollongong- 300,000 people and 10th largest city in the country. It’s a bit of a non-event really and unless you want to play games and only select players from ‘real’ country places like Dalby, Mt Isa etc. then I wouldn’t bother getting too hung up on it. Especially considering the fact that the Gold Coast has been ‘Country’ as far as representative rugby is concerned for longer than the games been professional. At the end of the day, Queensland bar Brisbane doesn’t quite roll off the tongue as easily.

Good stuff Stu. Sitting with 14,200 other rugby supporters in an empty cbus Stadium, it’s become blatantly obvious that we really need to reconsider how we sell the game at all levels in Australia. I welcome this sort of spit-balling on the roar. It’d be nice (wishful) to think someone important is listening or having these sorts of discussions/think tanks at ARU and QRU hq’s. Just to throw something else into the mix to add to the promotional evidence that has gone on, I did get this text message in the lead up to the Rising game: See undefeated Brisbane City take on Melbourne Rising at Ballymore - 3:00pm this Saturday. Buy now and skip the queues. Did anyone else get it? I’m a PE teacher that works closely with QRU DO’s, did a level 2 a couple of months ago, a Reds member and a registered player as recently as last year so I’m not sure what group(s) it went out to. Hopefully they’d be hitting all of the above and more with this sort of stuff.

Mr Hunt will be the next Wallabies captain. Start being respectful.

Yeah, that's OK!

"Also just a note that GC still forms part of the Qld Country Heelers side" Yep, and this is the problem, how can the GC both contribute to Brisbane Premier Rugby and QLD Country Rugby?? Can't have it both ways!