Brisbane to host 'NRL magic round' in 2019

Love this idea there are about 200 of us in my community and even more across the state who are waiting for the date to be confirmed so we can book our accommodations ASAP couldnt care less about you all in other states hahaha to be honest it is being held here because QUEENSLANDERS SHOW UP!! Even when our teams are not winning WE SHOW UP!

By far one of the worst ideas yet to come out of the NRL HQ. It seems the inmates have taken over the asylum.

Mud would be preferable to the churned up sandy thing they end up with aftr a single Super Rugby game up there. The "divot repairing" ground staff will be working overtime during halftime and between games to flatten out the 6 inch speed humps that appear on the field... Will the NRL pay compensation / allow salary cap breaks to teams who lose players to serious injury because of the state of the playing surface? And as for it being double booked witht he Waratahs v Reds match - only the NRL could be so full of its own self importance that it wouldn't bother to check with the stadium owners...

This seems like a crazy idea. Wouldn't it have been better spread across Perth and Adelaide. I just don't think there are that many expats in Brissy that would want to go to an all Sydney game. We like our teams for the most part.

A complete joke and disrespect for club members in nsw , vic and nz ! But everyone so far has missed the point, it is about tv and tv ratings only,

Can’t argue with that mate... I still think they could capitalize by going in a non-traditional market for overall crowds in the short term and fulfill some of their strategies in the long term.

Rene, you raised the 9s as a success, that’s what I was talking about. I’m not advocating for it to always be in the one city either. Riley wants this is non-traditional markets. I don’t think you can trial it there first up. This isn’t a tournament with a winner at the end. It’s a normal round of league. So trialling it first in a top stadium, with great surrounding bars/restaurants in a city that draws exceptional crowds, is why they have gone for Brisbane. I applaud the NRL for trying something new. The game is struggling for crowds so this carnival-like approach could be the way to go. Then move it around once the ROI can be quantified.

Who cares about the surface. In the old days they played in mud. Happy days! We’ve got to get over this

89k in yr 1, half that in yr 2 and half that again by yr 4. I have no problem moving it around and don't doubt that crowds would drop off after a few yrs in Brisbane (although no where near he 9s example). You say Brisbane only got 31k but in atrocious weather conditions, otherwise 47k ave. Perth got 38k with no competing games and a brand new stadium. If you believe fans will travel, Brisbane is by far the better choice - for the launch at least.

Who’s saying do it in the same city every year? That’s not at all what Riley said. The 9s fell off after 4 straight years at the same venue.... same thing happened to the all stars game. The double header attracting 30k in Brisbane this year is also sign of a novelty wearing off... the non-league city of Perth got a bigger crowd without a team of its own in the fixture. Anyways back to Riley’s point, replicating the Super League concept and utilization of hosting it in non-traditional markets is an opportunity lost.

I assume the rugby would be shifted to Ballymore. It still has a capacity of 20k which is about right for the Reds v Tahs at the moment. Not a surprise from Greenberg though, not checking the other codes.

Duco Events freaked in 2016 that the novelty of the 9s had worn off. 22k in 2017 proved them correct. And that’s in league mad Auckland. Putting 8 full NRL games into a non-League city wouldn’t work. They’d turn up for the first couple then not at all. It is completely different to a gimmick like 9s and a silly comparison. I’m not convinced this is a great idea. But if it has to be trialled somewhere, Brisbane with their stadium, and surrounding bars and restaurants is the best spot to try it.

It got 89k over two days at the beginning, conveniently forgotten.... switch the magic around to each of the other cities each year and I guarantee it would be a greater success than Brisbane. Let’s not forgot brissie couldn’t sell out the World Cup final last year.

Gotta win just 1 first ;)

30k over 2 days a success in NZ? If it was a 9s tourny I would be in favour but 8 full games??

You can't make this stuff up - the Reds are playing the Waratahs in Brisbane that weekend. Their home ground? Suncorp Stadium.

Don’t think so, look at the success of the 9s in Auckland.... they could take this anywhere and fans will travel - I agree with Riley.

As many have pointed out, the pitch struggles to stay together for just one game so there will definitely need to be improvements to the surface if it is to host eight matches.

Being a ticketed member of the Bunnies,I say stick the QLD economy. If this turns out to be our home game being played up there,would the NRL be kind enough to pay my air fare and accomodation expenses as I would like to get what I've paid for. Magic weekend my arse....try Tragic weekend!

I'll apologise now to my liver but it'll be a cracker weekend of footy, over priced hot dogs and the oxymoron they call XXXX Gold.