Empty stands Humble Sydney

[mick]

There's two others around these parts like that too.

And, before you get defensive Frank and co., exactly what would the game mean to you if SOO was scrapped tomorrow?

 

[mick]

Who cares about the international health of Rugby League anyway? Frank certainly doesnt.

Well, there's 25,000 people already with tickets to the WC final who might...

I'm one of them. Going to be one of the greatest football nights I've ever had.

 

[Woody]

Without a strong international scene rugby league will only go one way (long term) especially with other sports (AFL & football) now taking a hold in traditionally strong league areas.
You only have to look at the upcoming game between Aus and Iraq (hardly a football powerhouse) and it is almost sold out from what I hear. Where as a league game against a near neighbour struggles to get 30k through the door.
If I was a hard core league fan I would be worried but whats the answer? [icon_shru

 

[Coxy]

Yet according to Midgey you seem to watch it and bag everyone that plays it.

 

[Midgey]

Midgey is a ginger nut so the only person Frank bags while hes watching the game with Midgey is Midgey himself [icon_razz1

You're dead right Stu, and you tear me to pieces with your ginger jokes. A sight to behold. [icon_shady

There's two others around these parts like that too.

And, before you get defensive Frank and co., exactly what would the game mean to you if SOO was scrapped tomorrow?

Well I have to point out that I was a Broncos supporter LOOOOOONG before I was a SOO supporter (i.e when I was a little kid I didn't know SOO existed). So if SOO was gone, i'd have to say that I would still be seeing the same about of football as I do now (minus the Origins of course). I'm in a hard position here because you guys are dead on the money when you bitch about QLD'er and Stu's passion for the Broncos. They are both very negative about them and it shits me to tears.

That being said, I would love nothing more then the international game to become more popular then SOO. It's the only thing I'm jealous about RU for. I can say I'm just as proud to be Australian as I am a QLD'er. More so I would think. The reason I'm so passionate about QLD vs NSW is that at the moment, its the best game there is. Nothing beats it in terms of excitement and skill. I want Aus to win just as much as QLD.

To put it another way, I'm more nervous that QLD will lose then I am Aus. For that reason alone, I am more passionate about them winning because there is more at stake. If Aus and <insert any country> were battling it out with trash talk and media hype every year. I'd be the first one to paint the "A" on my chest and turn up nipples hard and ready! [icon_lol1.

 

[Major JW Hochstetter]

Apart from a few small sections of blue, the joint is pretty much full. A great sight. It filled up very quickly between 10 mins before kick-off and the early stages of the match.

 

[mick]

34,500-odd - farking FANTASTIC work, Sydney. [eusa_clap.gi

Very relieved and happy to be proven wrong in these circumstances - let's hope we can build on it all for the world cup later this year.

 

[Ari Gold]

If the international game dies, rugby league in this country dies. State of Origin has, in the past 10-15 years, been the single biggest detriment to international league.

IMO the biggest detriment to international league is the fact that there are only 2-3 other countries in the world who can even hope to lose credibly against the best nation and that in general the world doesn't give a crap about the game. The fact that 3 domestic games each year can actually be a detriment to the international scene really only highlights how poor that stage is.

 

[ningnangnong]

Very good crowd IMO.

On a side note, you wouldn't have seen it on telly but just after full time a streaker managed to run from one end of the field to the other, palming off a security guard on the way before being caught. Stupid security had to march him 100m back the way he came to a standing round of applause from the crowd. [icon_lol1.

 

[schmix]

Haha nnn that was the best streaker I've ever seen. He must have run 130m! When they caught him they put one of their jackets around his waist, but when they got back to the other end of the field the guy managed to shake it off and did a little nudie dance while still being held [icon_lol1. Jeez he would have copped a beating when they finally got him in though.

Also saw 2 people being dragged from the crowd and along the sideline for fighting, one of which was a girl :shock: Both were going absolutely feral.

A really strange crowd in general actually. I would liken it to an Origin crowd in Sydney, in that people seemed to treat it as an "event", or somewhere to get completely sloshed, rather than a game of football. The big difference was that the game was pretty average, as was the view, so it lacked the intensity of an origin game. I spent more time people-watching than game-watching (hard to avoid when everyone in front of you spent 10min standing up watching a fight evolve a few bays over).

 

[ningnangnong]

Haha nnn that was the best streaker I've ever seen. He must have run 130m! When they caught him they put one of their jackets around his waist, but when they got back to the other end of the field the guy managed to shake it off and did a little nudie dance while still being held [icon_lol1. Jeez he would have copped a beating when they finally got him in though.

Also saw 2 people being dragged from the crowd and along the sideline for fighting, one of which was a girl :shock: Both were going absolutely feral.

A really strange crowd in general actually. I would liken it to an Origin crowd in Sydney, in that people seemed to treat it as an "event", or somewhere to get completely sloshed, rather than a game of football. The big difference was that the game was pretty average, as was the view, so it lacked the intensity of an origin game. I spent more time people-watching than game-watching (hard to avoid when everyone in front of you spent 10min standing up watching a fight evolve a few bays over).

[icon_lol1.

That girl was a nutter, she just wouldn't back down. They needed about three cops and two security guards just to subdue her. [icon_lol1.

Where were your seats schmix?

 

[guppy]

That streaker would have made it back to the other end if he didn't slip over too [icon_lol1.
Honestly, the biggest cheer of the night was when he shook those jackets off.

Like schmix, people-watching took up most of my time at the game. Still heaps of fun though.

 

[schmix]

I was up in the O'Reilly stand, opposite the benches and on about the 30m line (closer to the end where the streaker entered and departed). Where were you?

I was hoping he'd keep going, jump the fence, and disappear into the crowd. No doubt people would have helped him hide [icon_lol1.

I also had two 50ish lesbian kiwi-supporters sitting in front of me, who kept whacking each other over the head, forgetting to put their seats down before sitting, and talking about premature ejaculation (in relation to the kiwis kicking early). They then left with about 10min to go, one of them in tears (still not sure why..) [icon_lol1.

 

[ningnangnong]

I was up in the O'Reilly stand, opposite the benches and on about the 30m line (closer to the end where the streaker entered and departed). Where were you?

I also had two 50ish lesbian kiwi-supporters sitting in front of me, who kept whacking each other over the head, forgetting to put their seats down before sitting, and talking about premature ejaculation (in relation to the kiwis kicking early). They then left with about 10min to go, one of them in tears (still not sure why..) [icon_lol1.

[icon_lol1. WTF?

Yeh i was in the O'Reilly as well, smack bang on the 50m line. icon_thumbs_u

 

[Woody]

What is it with Australian males and streaking at sporting events???????
I think the female population need to wake up to the idea! come on ladies step up to the plate YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU! [icon_wink

 

[gUt]

After attending the Broncos-Redcliffe match, I've seen all I ever want to see of the Australian Female Streaker. Thanks.

 

[Scorchie]

THE sharp decline in attendances for Swans games at ANZ Stadium this year looks likely to continue on Sunday with the club anticipating between 40,000 and 45,000 for the game against struggling Essendon.

This is where I want the NRL to be in 5 years, where 40-45K attendances are a "bad day".

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/bonus-anz-game-a-booby-prize/2008/05/12/1210444340174.html

 

[Major JW Hochstetter]

There's talk on another forum that the top deck on the western side of ANZ will be closed for Origin 1 due to poor sales. Never heard of that happening before. Surely sales aren't going that bad?