Footy Developments in NSW and Queensland

[RedV3x]

The NSW premier has put Sydney NRL stadium development on the backburner resulting in the NRL threatening to take the NRL grand final to Brisbane.
The NSW premier says the money is going for flood relief instead.
Is this a rare case of government sensibilities or the usual case of a government change of mind ?
Should be a benefit to Queensland but is this a greater negative to NRL overall ?

 

[Dirty Bird]

The NSW premier has put Sydney NRL stadium development on the backburner resulting in the NRL threatening to take the NRL grand final to Brisbane.
The NSW premier says the money is going for flood relief instead.
Is this a rare case of government sensibilities or the usual case of a government change of mind ?
Should be a benefit to Queensland but is this a greater negative to NRL overall ?

The NRL was playing the NSW government to get everything they wanted.

And the NRL was going to get it, until the government changed their mind.

I agree the Olympic Stadium doesn't need to be rebuilt, and that's just a white elephant waiting to happen. So good on them for backing out of there, but I feel they needed to make the SFS 10-15k seats bigger, so in the long term they can look at disposing of the olympic stadium and relocating inner Sydney clubs there. Parramatta have their own modern stadium, and Penrith can share with them if they need to rationalise grounds (Though, that'd be like Essendon playing at Princes Park, so it may not be popular)

I feel the NSW Government has actually ****ed up by making the SFS so small.
They cant justify the OS being rebuilt.
But the SFS is too small to take on the GF. (Albiet, only about 7k less than Suncorp)

If the NRL has a brain though, they'd split it. By moving to Brisbane full time might give the game a shot in the arm up there that helps moving forward. But it could be a middle finger to Sydney and NSW, and some clubs like Wests could struggle even more. But if they can split it between the 2 states, it could strengthen interest in the game and make the market harder for the AFL to crack.

 

[RedV3x]

I feel the NSW Government has actually ****ed up by making the SFS so small.

Just the opposite. There was no need to make it the same size as it was always half empty at best.

 

[Rob]

Just the opposite. There was no need to make it the same size as it was always half empty at best.

I think the point was to turn it back into Sydney's major venue. You are right though, without all the big events that are currently held at the Olympic stadium, the New SFS has about 25000 too many seats. I'd be surprised if it's over half full more than 5 times a year.

 

[Bjo187]

I think the point was to turn it back into Sydney's major venue. You are right though, without all the big events that are currently held at the Olympic stadium, the New SFS has about 25000 too many seats. I'd be surprised if it's over half full more than 5 times a year.

The NRL have only cracked 30k once this year across the whole season in Sydney.

 

[RedV3x]

The NRL have only cracked 30k once this year across the whole season in Sydney.

And why not build a replica of the Perth Stadium instead ?
The NRL plays at Perth stadium and the SCG without any complaint.

 

[The_Wookie]

I think the point was to turn it back into Sydney's major venue. You are right though, without all the big events that are currently held at the Olympic stadium, the New SFS has about 25000 too many seats. I'd be surprised if it's over half full more than 5 times a year.

40,000 is benchmark for things like FIFA World Cups and such. It would have been built with stuff like that in mind.

It should have just been a clone of Commbank Stadium. Whack one or two more of those around Sydney, upgrade Homebush and your done. Unfortunately they need Homebush to compete against the MCG for events.

 

[The_Wookie]

And why not build a replica of the Perth Stadium instead ?
The NRL plays at Perth stadium and the SCG without any complaint.

No rectangle sport WANTS to play at an oval stadium. They will if they have to or are paid enough.

 

[RedV3x]

The media seem more interested in crap than something like Sunday SELLOUT at the SCG!

 

[RedV3x]

No rectangle sport WANTS to play at an oval stadium.

The NRL plays at Perth stadium and the SCG without any complaint.
They wouldn't do so it was such an imposition.

 

[Bjo187]

The media seem more interested in crap than something like Sunday SELLOUT at the SCG!

Good result, but still somehow it's not on the main channel up in Sydney though. Must be something very important on tv on Sunday afternoon where they can't put the biggest sporting crowd in Sydney for the year on ch7 main.

Take the rights off them i say, at least on 10 it wouldn't be shoved onto a secondary channel.

 

[The_Wookie]

The NRL plays at Perth stadium and the SCG without any complaint.
They wouldn't do so it was such an imposition.

The SCG is a historical link to the game, and has been used more due to the SFS rebuild.

They are literally paid millions to play Origin at the MCG, Adelaide Oval and Optus Stadium.

 

[RedV3x]

The SCG is a historical link to the game, and has been used more due to the SFS rebuild.

And the SCG was used prior to the SFS rebuild on many occasssions.

They are literally paid millions to play Origin at the MCG, Adelaide Oval and Optus Stadium.

And they were happy with the crowds.
Yes, a rectangular stadium is preferable, but in all sensibilities it's not an issue when it come to a big stadium.

Every week the NRL play at Homebush right.
Well the majority of the stadium's seats are further away than the equivalent oval stadium.

Besides, Perth Stadium, Docklands and Homebush all have rectangular configurations.

 

[The_Wookie]

And the SCG was used prior to the SFS rebuild on many occasssions.



And they were happy with the crowds.
Yes, a rectangular stadium is preferable, but in all sensibilities it's not an issue when it come to a big stadium.

Every week the NRL play at Homebush right.
Well the majority of the stadium's seats are further away than the equivalent oval stadium.

Besides, Perth Stadium, Docklands and Homebush all have rectangular configurations.

From 1994 to 2017 there was generally 1 match a year. on rare occasions there were 2.

Homebush isnt used every week, and the fans universally HATE it, but clubs are paid to play there and so they still have fixtures.
Docklands hasnt been used for rugby league since 2012 and not for regular season matches since 2010.
Perth Stadium they were literally offered millions to play at in the only viable stadium for Origin in perth.

 

[RedV3x]

From 1994 to 2017 there was generally 1 match a year. on rare occasions there were 2...............

Still they have used oval stadiums and they aren't so problematical that good design can provide a good multi-sports experience.

 

[Dirty Bird]

40,000 is benchmark for things like FIFA World Cups and such. It would have been built with stuff like that in mind.

It should have just been a clone of Commbank Stadium. Whack one or two more of those around Sydney, upgrade Homebush and your done. Unfortunately they need Homebush to compete against the MCG for events.

And no more than 2 stadiums in a city was also the benchmark for the world cup

If the 2022 world cup has taught me anything, it's that FIFA will bend the rules when it suits them

Just like I'll bet they'll bend them if we win it for that rule about seats have to be x distance from the pitch (Which ruled out the MCG, AAMI Stadium etc. back when we bid for 22)

 

[Dirty Bird]

Good result, but still somehow it's not on the main channel up in Sydney though. Must be something very important on tv on Sunday afternoon where they can't put the biggest sporting crowd in Sydney for the year on ch7 main.

Take the rights off them i say, at least on 10 it wouldn't be shoved onto a secondary channel.

And what's the issue with that?
Still on ftatv.
Still has the same reach.
It's not the analog era anymore.

 

[Bjo187]

And what's the issue with that?
Still on ftatv.
Still has the same reach.
It's not the analog era anymore.

The issue is secondary channels get less than half the ratings of games that are on the main channel. A lot of people don't even flick to the secondary channels.

 

[RedV3x]

The sort of feel-good development we like to see.

‘Go sit somewhere else’: Heeney’s road to 150

Isaac Heeney has become one of the AFL’s best and most watchable players but his importance to the Swans runs much deeper than his on-field heroics.

thewest.com.au

From NRL heartland to the SCG: The emergence of the Swans' poster boy

Isaac Heeney always dreamed of playing NRL, but 15 years after Sydney spotted the 12-year-old at a national carnival, he's become a genuine star for the side

www.afl.com.au

 

[RedV3x]

A good advertisement.

 

[The Tilt]

Here's an attendance tidbit some may be interested in. Aggregate home attendances for the four clubs based in NSW and Qld are currently sitting on 793,835. That's just 24,563 shy of the 818,398 in aggregated attendances for the entirety of the most recently completed Aleague season: you'd expect this deficit to be comfortably wiped out by the two games to come in Round 23 (at the Gabba and at the Showgrounds).

Obviously the Aleague had a rough season (lots of fixtures rescheduled etc), but it's another indicator that AFL attendances are holding up pretty well post-Covid.