Waratahs 2016

[TOCC]

Did the Tahs really draw 5-10k more at ANZ? I'm not saying it isn't true but I'd like to see figures.

Yes..
Mind you they were typically high drawing games against the Brumbies, Reds or Crusaders, but it certainly happened. Over the past 4 years, the highest regular season crowds has been at ANZ.

 

[cyclopath]

Yes..
Mind you they were typically high drawing games against the Brumbies, Reds or Crusaders, but it certainly happened. Over the past 4 years, the highest regular season crowds has been at ANZ.

This is really the salient point. That data never compared apples to apples. Obviously they were never going to send Tahs v Lions or some such there. Doesn't sound like Roger is likely to grow those numbers either!

 

[Quick Hands]

This is really the salient point. That data never compared apples to apples. Obviously they were never going to send Tahs v Lions or some such there. Doesn't sound like Roger is likely to grow those numbers either!

Not really, because old Roge was saying that the Waratahs couldn't draw a crowd in Western Sydney - nobody would go, we'd all be rooned etc.

Clearly not the case.

 

[fatprop]

Not really, because old Roge was saying that the Waratahs couldn't draw a crowd in Western Sydney - nobody would go, we'd all be rooned etc.

Clearly not the case.

Well I think it is, there is a goodly load of Tahs supporters (including me) that simply won't head out to Homebush for a super rugby game with 15,000 people there, the place is a soulless hell hole dearth of any redeeming features.

The view is shit, the atmosphere is shit, there is nothing to do nearby, there is no where to go nearby. You get there watch the game and f*ck off home

So you have an underlying crowd that doesn't travel well (the previous excursions to Homebush are clear evidence) and you then live in hope that you can "grow" a new crowd in the Western Suburbs to get back to the crowd levels you had in Moore Park.

So who covers the costs in those interim years while they build a new crowd base?

 

[barbarian]

That's the thing. It wasn't that Davis didn't have a point, it was just the way he chose to make it.

He could have said 'this decision shifts us away from the bulk of our Sydney fanbase for three years, and whilst it presents us with an opportunity to play in a new location it does present significant professional and financial challenges.'

But he didn't. He decided to go full retard, and put the boot into Western Sydney, to a journo who works for a paper whose readership is mainly in Western Sydney.
.

 

[fatprop]

That's the thing. It wasn't that Davis didn't have a point, it was just the way he chose to make it.

He could have said 'this decision shifts us away from the bulk of our Sydney fanbase for three years, and whilst it presents us with an opportunity to play in a new location it does present significant professional and financial challenges.'

But he didn't. He decided to go full retard, and put the boot into Western Sydney, to a journo who works for a paper whose readership is mainly in Western Sydney.
.

Being the terror, he could have said that, but their interpretation sells more copies

 

[Pfitzy]

Largest Super Rugby crowd ever: ANZ. Followed up by a season where the crowds were barely above average, and decidedly shit compared to 15 years ago.

If Davies wants to fire shots at Western Sydney, that's on him. But don't let's pretend that the "rugby people" are flocking to Allianz for their game. A tick over 20k to a beautiful Sunday afternoon against the Rebels? Fucking pathetic.

The SFS needs new seats, new lighting in the concourse, new paint in the concourse, a complete cleanout of the catering setup, new bathroom amenities, demolition and rebuild of the end boxes and seating, a fucking ROOF, and a completed overhaul of the access pathways outside the ground.

Anything short of that is a waste of money. And it should be more

 

[fatprop]

Largest Super Rugby crowd ever: ANZ. Followed up by a season where the crowds were barely above average, and decidedly shit compared to 15 years ago.

Homebush is a special occasion ground, Bleds, Super rugby finals etc.

But being part of a 30,000 crowd watching the Tahs vs Brumbies via the big screen because they are so far away, faaark

 

[barbarian]

The SFS needs new seats, new lighting in the concourse, new paint in the concourse, a complete cleanout of the catering setup, new bathroom amenities, demolition and rebuild of the end boxes and seating, a fucking ROOF, and a completed overhaul of the access pathways outside the ground.

Surely though you see there is a MUCH greater need for a change at Homebush than there is at the SFS.
.

 

[barbarian]

Being the terror, he could have said that, but their interpretation sells more copies

If this was just a standard Tele beat-up then I'd sympathise with Davis far more. But it wasn't, his quotes were atrocious.

With anything rugby, you've got to do something fucking spectacular to make it onto the backpage of the Tele. If he just gave the regular lines it would be hidden on p65 with all the other rugby stories.
.

 

[Pfitzy]

Surely though you see there is a MUCH greater need for a change at Homebush than there is at the SFS.
.

My eyesight is good, so the distance from ground isn't a huge bother for me.

The comments about it being dead or soulless comes down to the fact that Tahs fans simply don't support their team vocally enough. The 62k for the final weren't merely loud because of their numbers, it was because of their attitude.

If you wanted to get a chant going at the 2014 GF you started, and people joined in. Try that at any game at Allianz, and the fucking elbow patches look at you like you're from another planet.

If we're admitting that it needs to become a rectangular ground because AFL and cricket will never play there again, sure it needs reconfiguration to suit that better.

Does that benefit rugby in any way? Once per year, and maybe not even some years by the look of it.

Look at fp's comments above: nothing to do out there. Changing the ground config won't bring people flocking back, because it isn't just about the two hours of the game.

 

[Pfitzy]

And it will NEVER benefit the Tahs, given the contracts now in place, and the current form of the team.

 

[Sauron]

Rather than moving to ANZ for the three years, surely the Tahs would be better off moving to a brand new Parramatta stadium? Plenty of places to eat on Church street, loads of pubs around.

Hell, there's even a Messina and a Bourke St bakery out here in the wild west.

 

[barbarian]

It's irrelevant, Sauron, they don't have to move now. SFS is just getting a refurb, it won't be knocked down.

 

[fatprop]

It's irrelevant, Sauron, they don't have to move now. SFS is just getting a refurb, it won't be knocked down.

"If" there is any money left

 

[Sauron]

It's irrelevant, Sauron, they don't have to move now. SFS is just getting a refurb, it won't be knocked down.

I assumed they'd still have to move for the period of the refurb. I guess I should read more than the headlines.

 

[Quick Hands]

Rather than moving to ANZ for the three years, surely the Tahs would be better off moving to a brand new Parramatta stadium? Plenty of places to eat on Church street, loads of pubs around.

Hell, there's even a Messina and a Bourke St bakery out here in the wild west.

I was about to say the same thing. But the Waratahs were too busy having a hissy fit to even consider it.

Even if they did one day take a super game to Western Sydney, Parramatta Stadium would be a much better fit than Homebush (even a rebuilt Homebush). Don't hold your breath though, the GPS types on the NSWRU Board would get lost on the way there.

 

[Quick Hands]

This quality rant prompted me to quickly check his bio.
I quickly scanned the bio's of the other 4 directors and ,literally laughed out loud.
Who lists amongst their achievements in 30 odd years of employment, where they went to School?
We have old boys from Kings,Shore & Joeys. Huge diversity !
How Sally Loane got a gig, openly admitting she is not a GPS old boy, I'll never know!

She's a GPS parent and on the Board of SCEGGS Darlinghurst.

 

[Quick Hands]

Well I think it is, there is a goodly load of Tahs supporters (including me) that simply won't head out to Homebush for a super rugby game with 15,000 people there, the place is a soulless hell hole dearth of any redeeming features.

The view is shit, the atmosphere is shit, there is nothing to do nearby, there is no where to go nearby. You get there watch the game and f*ck off home

So you have an underlying crowd that doesn't travel well (the previous excursions to Homebush are clear evidence) and you then live in hope that you can "grow" a new crowd in the Western Suburbs to get back to the crowd levels you had in Moore Park.

So who covers the costs in those interim years while they build a new crowd base?

Western Sydney doesn't mean Homebush.

Parramatta Stadium would have been brand new - but apparently that didn't suit Davis apparently because the Waratahs might draw more than 30,000 .
There was also the option of playing some matches at the SCG.

Anyway, it's now a done deal. I have my doubts that there will be much left to spend at Alliance. So any bleating by the Waratahs about the facilities there, will probably be greeted by a "bad luck" from the government.

 

[Quick Hands]

I assumed they'd still have to move for the period of the refurb. I guess I should read more than the headlines.

Once they have to play games in a building site, they might not think it's such a good idea.

Can't see those spoilt and pampered Waratahs fans going in numbers to games during the rebuild - Swans crowds declined during the SCG rebuild.

It's the old saying "be careful what you wish for"