This week I couldn’t make up my mind whether to write about Magic Weekend or the Kiwis – so I’m going to have a bet each way.
It’s fascinating but still predictable to see Australian fans whinging about an entire round being moved to Suncorp Stadium, even when they’ve presumably known about it for almost a year.
Or maybe it’s true that no-one reads the papers anymore. More likely no-one believes them.
With Sydney being given the grand final until 2042, Brisbane had to be assuaged somehow. It’s Brisbane, remember, that pays for all the games Sydney doesn’t want – principally World Cup and Four Nations finals but also double-headers transferred from suburban grounds that would be no more than half full if the events had stayed there.
The Queensland Government basically foots the bill for there being too many teams in Sydney – repeatedly. They deserve something in return.
Now, there have actually been sellouts in Sydney this year – it’s bloody amazing. But Sydney fans don’t really want or need their favourite rugby league team to play anywhere near them because most of them won’t go watch anyway.
The NRL rates great on TV, its pop culture ‘hotness’ reading seems to be slowly but steadily increasing (this happened in the Tina Turner years and immediately after the Super League War because, let’s face it, it was 40-below during that imbroglio) but – as Warrington owner Simon Moran said at the media conference of the ‘other’ Super League last week – empty seats on TV send a terrible message to those thinking of investing in the game.
Is there anything worse than an empty stadium? (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Sydney NRL games are therefore prime candidates to be sold off – as is happening incrementally more often every year – Wellington, Orange, Perth, Adelaide, Mackay, Christchurch. It makes perfectly good sense.
Sydney fans don’t need to be able to go to humdrum home-and-away matches because they don’t take the opportunity when it’s presented.
The clubs have glamorous IP which will have more cache in the marketplace when the stands are full at far-flung outposts while the Sydneysiders watching on TV hardly notice the difference.
There’s no need to relocate these teams – just share them around the country, Australasia and the world and get the perfect combination of sky high TV ratings and full stands.
Toronto have said publicly they intend to play as many as six ‘home’ games on the road next year. They plan to be the Harlem Globetrotters of rugby league while their home town is in deep freeze.
Sydney’s NRL clubs would do well to follow their example. Who knows, if one of gets enough devotees in a new area and gets into enough trouble at home, relocation might happen?
One more thing on this: why not bar club football from every city hosting an Origin match for the duration of the series? Take the entire comp out of Sydney and Brisbane (at a minimum) for six weeks. That way the NRL is promoting Origin in other markets, not competing with it.
Another problem solved.
Now, Kiwi league presenter Sam Ackerman said to me a couple of weeks ago on Trackside Radio that we may be entering an era where players make themselves available for big tournaments and not one-off Tests or tours.
(NRL Photos/Grant Trouville)
Shaun Johnson and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck’s decisions suggest he is right but … is this just a Kiwi thing? And even if it is, is it a pointer to the future for the others?
Certainly the urgency with which England’s NRL players are treating Saturday’s game in Denver suggests the problem is a team-culture issue for Michael Maguire to solve – or a case of some players looking at the pay cheque while others don’t.
But remember – until a few years ago, the Australian team was beset by voluntary withdrawals too, until Mal Meninga came in and focused on making these blokes interested again.
Whether or not all players will eventually go the way of the Kiwis who chose club over country, there’s one way to slow the process: Tonga.
Any game that seems in danger because of participant apathy, just put Tonga in that game. It doesn’t seem to be a problem for them.
I’d be signing them up for Denver 2019 as the Kiwis’ replacements now if I was Jason Moore.
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rugby365
Guest
Don't you worry yourself sweetheart I'll be here sunday.
Rugby365
Guest
Latest update for you Milan from the game caller himself. Currently 18k tickets sold, expect crowd 20k. 20k short of the promoters minimum expectations. Gonna look great with 56k empty seats
Milan
Guest
A big up to rugby365, our roving reporter live from Denver with all the latest breaking news and views from the man on the street on Saturdays test match. Lets meet again on Sunday rugby365 to see if your 14k was accurate or not. That’s if your man enough of course
Fraser
Guest
You know what adds atmosphere to a crowd? People like you, getting off their high horse, getting a few mates together (large assumption there), and getting out to the games to help create the atmosphere! It's such a typical Sydney-centric attitude that the people of Brisbane won't care about games that the Broncos aren't playing in. Of course they will - they want to watch quality rugby league. Let's not also forget the fact that a huge amount of people in Brisbane can't stand the Broncos. If you can't tell, I'm all for the Magic Weekend. I'll be heading home from NYC to be there with my brother and my friends, and I can't wait!
Nat
Roar Guru
You know what people do notice. Another ill informed and sarcastic comment with no basis in fact by someone with a different name every month. Do you have that dog yet Jeff/Matt/Force/Geoff et al? I promise it will make you a happier soul.
Nat
Roar Guru
Those weather stats are a little deceiving. Late Oct - Dec is more afternoon thunder storms that roll over and out in an hour. They're intense with hail and flash flooding but gone just as quick. Late Jan to early April is the rain period. 400mm sounds like a lot but we can get 200mm+ in a few hours. This year was a bit of an anomaly though as we had quite a bit of steady rain. One of the wettest for a long while and no guarantees it won't happen again. Along with that, they scheduled a concert there 2 weeks before that game. The issue with Suncorp in Winter is the change of sun position which means that the Caxton St end gets very little sun so with the wet and the show had the ground in the state we witnessed. If it's prepared right it should be ok but I 100% acknowledge that 8 games on one field is a tough ask.
Nat
Roar Guru
Yeah of course those there for the event will not cheer as loud as specific team supporters but they will/should appreciate good footy.Big hits and fast backs will get a reaction from footy fans but no where near the ESL singing and chants (TBH, I sat in the chookpen with a mate a last year and I was impressed with the constant chants that doesn't get picked up on TV) Plus with the configuration of the roof over the stands the sounds seems to resonate with even a decent cheer. Obviously I can't make promises but I'm confident it will be supported well.
rugby365
Guest
with the team the kiwis are take over I seriously doubt it will be anywhere near that game. Mind you if it was the all blacks it would have been sold out.
Birdy
Guest
Thanks Jamie, Looks like I will have to get Foxtel on again
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Well if they get a game like the 2013 RLWC semi at Wembley between these 2 countries then I think they'll get over it not being the All Hacks!
BA Sports
Roar Guru
I don't doubt there is plenty of support for non Brisbane clubs in Brisbane. But when 6 teams are playing in one day, that dilutes those numbers. ' And I don't doubt they will get good numbers to the game - I just think between having no vested interest in at least 2/3 of the games they are watching and the attention span of humans; there will be little atmosphere created by the crowd. Hope I am proved wrong.
Don
Roar Rookie
Yep. Thanks. Meant to say that. My mistake. It’s why I have such issue with them complaining about facility rents. They are a public company with News Corp as a major shareholder yet the Newman Government gifted them half of the Ithaca TAFE campus across the road at $1 a year peppercorn rent for 99 years. All because they threatened to relocate their club to Logan. They were never going to leave Brisbane...
Big daddy
Guest
The main problem with the NRL is sydney crowds. By taking the magic round to Brisbane really doesn't solve that problem. If they get sellout crowds in Brisbane the only thing it does is inflate the NRL stats. If they get 100k over 3 days/nights I will be pleasantly surprised. As far as international matches why aren't we taking this weekend s matches to Fiji/Samoa/ Tonga . I'm not concerned about the crowds in this instance as it gives the home fans an opportunity to see their national side play and gives the NRL an opportunity to promote rugby league in the Pacific island's.
dayer
Guest
they should have made the event "The Magic REP weekend" instead of the NRL clubs..
Geoff Dustby
Guest
its a fallacy that Brisbane get great crowds. 30k average as the only team in a city of 2 million? thats not great anyone else notice that they dont get thr usual thursday or Friday night prime time game straight after origin? their players get extra time to recover, the NRL does everything to serve the Broncos
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Apparently on Foxsports RL channel. In England it will be on at 9.30pm BBC 2 live which is a coup for the game & a nice tie on TV to pick up non regular RL watchers.
Paul
Roar Guru
Nat, the ground was in terrible condition earlier this year and that was with only one first grade game on it. I seem to recall a couple of tries being gifted because players completely lost their footing. The Brisbane rainfall has two distinct periods - October to March with an average of 800mm and April till September with an average of 400mm. The maths says there's a 33% chance of rain, even in the driest time of the year. There are only 2 contingencies of it does rain (I'm talking about enough to seriously affect the surface); cancel the bulk of the games and play later in the year when sides should have a bye or play the games across a number of grounds. Either option is a financial disaster and a seriously unprofessional look. Maybe this is a non-issue, after all the NRL has a ground double booking for that weekend with Super Rugby. http://enviro-friendly.com/information/average-rainfall/brisbane-rainfall/
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Ditto. In the UK its used to promote the game in non RL areas. In Brisbane you're preaching to the converted.
Jaime O'Donnell
Guest
Agree Birdy... need to do something, and if it doesn't work... try something else. Denver test is on Fox 502 at 5:30am Sunday Can't wait, I hope they put on a good show
Toth
Guest
Broncos are actually a public company. Only public sporting team in Aus.