When the Roosters held out the Cowboys on Friday night history was re-written.
The Roosters and Rabbitohs, the game’s two oldest clubs, booked their first finals meeting since before World War 2 began.
The last time Easts and Souths met in finals football was in 1938, the Roosters emerging victorious 19-10.
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The Rabbitohs and Roosters traditionally draw massive crowds to their matches, with 30,000 attending a Thursday night game on a couple of weeks ago. The fact that these two sides haven’t met in finals in 76 years could add a big total on top of that.
This mixed in with the game being the grand final qualifier, they might not get the full house of 83,000, but they could easily get 65,000 or 70,000.
When the two sides met in Round 26, 2013 in the battle for the minor premiership they drew nearly 60,000.
Despite the heart-threatening prices, many thousands of Rabbitohs, Roosters and even neutral fans will get out to the game and possibly break the non-grand final record crowd.
As full as the ground will be on Friday night, it will be chock-a-block on Saturday night as well. Canterbury and Penrith, two massive underdogs, are also doing battle at ANZ Stadium for a place in the big dance.
Penrith and Canterbury brought fans in their thousands to their away finals in the last two weeks. The Panthers have the ‘home’ game and the week off. They have been one of the few clubs to continuously play for 80 minutes and are a reason to excite Panthers and neutral fans. They will bring a large crowd in.
ANZ Stadium is Canterbury’s home ground though, and many fans will be used to the journey from Belmore to Homebush Bay. This game could easily attract between 45,000 and 55,000.
The winners of these two games will make the grand final, but there may not be enough seats there for the fans of the two lucky teams.
Knightblues
Guest
unfortunately only about 1 in 20 people like rugby league in Sydney, in Melbourne I hear its 1 in 3 likes AFL
Knightblues
Guest
the book of feuds omg what was Russell on?
Bocking
Guest
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Newsltd has wheeled out the threat to take the GF from Sydney. The NRL has better things than use that to sell a game. I'm sure 60,000 who attended the last game between the two will remember what an entertaining nite of footy it was, and given the do or die nature of this match, a big crowd is assured. Just hope the weather is kind!
Roarsome
Guest
Of course it's a beat up to sell tickets. They've also wheeled out the threat to take the GF out of Sydney in 2020 after the current agreement with the NSW government expires. Nothing but an attempt to sell tickets. I'm sure it'll work though. It seems Sydneysiders like having games in Sydney, they just don't like going to them. All this hype though is sure to save the day........ enter Gus Gould, 'Rugby League is alive and well in Sydney'
fiver
Guest
have you not read the book of feuds, commissioned by the great Russel Crowe?? (has anyone?)
MAX
Guest
Editorial Bias? at which DT lead the pack untouched, but the Sydney Swans are in the GF! A comparison of space devoted to the 4/16 Sydney teams in the RL finals may be interesting. Is the DT circulation a reliable measurement for the popularity of each of the 4 codes?
Knightblues
Guest
First why is there so much hate and rivalry supposed anyway, between these 2 clubs? Its all just a media beat up, they haven't met in a final for 70 years! What rivalry???? I expect around 65,000 for the souths game and 55,000 for the panthers, and YES those two will meet in the GF
bilbo
Guest
The daily telegraph true to form have Buddy Franklin on the front of paper
mushi
Guest
Where is my hover board! I blame the changes Marty made in BTFIII for altering history and putting back the development of hover technology.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
that put a dampener on things. I was waiting for Doc to start up the Delorean :)
MAX
Guest
The Barry is one of the Roar's clearest and productive thinkers as evidenced on this Monday. If Canterbury- Bankstown RLFC can start and maintain in the same fashion it will be great.
RT
Guest
I don't think history will be re-written. We are not going to alter previous history are we? Records might be broken, new history written etc but re-writing history indicates an attempt to change something that has already occurred. Sorry to be a stickler.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
If the child is born early in the day, bring them along. haha
Terry
Guest
lol unless its your first kid.........HARDEN UP!!!
Terry
Guest
As a Souths fan, it really is quite bizarre that they have not played a finals game for so long.
Eden
Guest
Nrl needs to be all over this. Media saturation in Sydney...this is a chance to put a major highlight on this season and wipe away the months of negative news. Something Tells me they won't be up to the challenge. I can't make it as my wife is having a baby on Friday...anyone want my members code for cheap tix?
The Barry
Guest
In a code where scheduling is based 100% on what's most convenient for TV I'm not sure that crowds are the right barometer of success or failure. Having said that it would be nice to see a couple of huge crowds.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Any less than 120k combined has to be considered a bit of a failure.
Rugby stu
Guest
Battle of the West and the Battle of the East, its great isn't it! And I'm a Queenslander but I've really enjoyed this final series and am looking forward to both these games. As long as both games are bigger then the Swans final they the NRL might feel better about all the doom and gloom.