I note that there was a similar crowd of 13,000+ today at Leichhardt Oval for the Tigers match with a non-Sydney team that there was for the blockbuster between two Sydney star sides, the Dogs and Manly at Hombush. Is 70,000 empty seats really want you want, NRL? Is a no-atmosphere stadium really what you want? Do you really want to rid NRL of the great suburban grounds?
It's not just the large stadiums that are keeping the crowds away, it's the scheduling as well, the Friday night game at either Allianz or Homebush is always a disaster, just too awkward to get to for 7.30 start.
Rain impacted the Dogs v Manly ha g. manly not going well either . Souths V Dogs got 35k plus. Agree the atmosphere is not the same, but we struggle to get 18,00 even when we're flying and against a Sydney team.
Big stadium policy is ****, proven so time and time again. Last year Brooky got a bigger crowd than SFS on the same ****ty rainy night, the absolute optimum opportunity to prove the big stadiums are better but the worst maintained ground still upstaged them.
Lose that local connection and you slowly dwindle the supporter base. Souths is an exception. People love the battler thing. Never been in redfern but likes the Underdog. Cheers on the bunnies at home bush then heads home to the hills district in their 4wd suv's. Other teams don't have that support. Nrl have looked at afl's plan and thought that it would work up here. Dumbasses.
We should play at Leichhardt, if the sand pit isn't fixed. Great atmosphere, the hill area looked brilliant.
