The NRL has just announced that six stadiums will be used:
Bankwest
Campbelltown
Central Coast
Suncorp
QCB (Townsville)
AAMI Park (Melnbourne)
Will a home ground advantage make a difference to those who play there regularly?
Not as much as normal without the crowd to influence referees and inspire the team through cheering.
Knowledge of most grounds is well known by coaches in terms of camber, level, sun impact, wind etc., so I don't see this as any major advantage. Psychological advantage is probably the only difference and how comfortable and confident players feel about playing on a particular ground. Golfers will know what I'm talking about when there are particular holes on a golf course that you always Birdie or at worse Par and other particular holes that you just tend to 'stuff up'.
Bankwest
Campbelltown
Central Coast
Suncorp
QCB (Townsville)
AAMI Park (Melnbourne)
Will a home ground advantage make a difference to those who play there regularly?
Not as much as normal without the crowd to influence referees and inspire the team through cheering.
Knowledge of most grounds is well known by coaches in terms of camber, level, sun impact, wind etc., so I don't see this as any major advantage. Psychological advantage is probably the only difference and how comfortable and confident players feel about playing on a particular ground. Golfers will know what I'm talking about when there are particular holes on a golf course that you always Birdie or at worse Par and other particular holes that you just tend to 'stuff up'.