When you tuned in to Thursday’s evening NRL recreation between Penrith and South Sydney, you’ll be forgiven for questioning the place all of the followers have been.
Of their first recreation since Jason Demetriou’s midweek sacking, the Rabbitohs shot out to a 12-0 lead with two tries within the first 10 minutes of the sport.
However it was all Penrith from then, because the three-time reigning premiers reeled within the Bunnies and demolished them with seven straight tries to win 42-12.
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It was a formidable efficiency by the Panthers, who confirmed they’re nonetheless the crew to beat in 2024 they usually can maintain it collectively whereas Nathan Cleary’s hamstring harm is managed.
On prime of Souths accidents to Jye Grey and Dean Hawkins, a unfavourable be aware was the official crowd determine at Accor Stadium of 8,155 — the second lowest of any recreation to this point this season.
Whereas Sydney’s Olympic Stadium is mostly solely full for State of Origin video games, NRL Grand Finals and FIFA World Cup — Thursday evening’s crowd quantity was meagre and disappointing.
In fact, there are a couple of caveats.
The climate in Sydney has been depressing and followers understandably may need higher issues to do on a Thursday evening than sit in fixed drizzle watching Souths get torn aside in Homebush.
Cleary’s late withdrawal on account of harm, Latrell Mitchell lacking with suspension and Demetriou’s sacking meant the vibe wasn’t precisely excessive for the sport.
However the sight of swathes of empty blue seats at Accor Stadium wasn’t nice and did little to debunk the argument the venue is a soulless graveyard for normal season soccer video games.
Followers have been restricted to the underside degree on the stadium and the Rabbitohs banner on the higher deck lined extra seats than the spectators under.
Whereas TV broadcasters did their finest to deal with the motion, pictures of Dylan Edwards and Hawkins kicking conversions into empty grandstands at each ends of the sphere did little to get the juices flowing.
It was a house recreation for the Rabbitohs, regardless of the membership’s iconic roots in Redfern and South Sydney being who clearly far away. The Canterbury Bulldogs additionally play most of their house video games at Accor Stadium.
It was simply the fourth NRL recreation this season with an attendance of lower than 10,000. The others are:
— Dragons vs Cowboys at Kogarah Oval, 9,252
— Bulldogs vs Roosters at Accor Stadium, 7,169
— Knights vs Dragons at McDonald Jones Stadium, 9,448
The largest crowd to this point for an NRL recreation at Accor Stadium was 35,275 for the Good Friday recreation between the Rabbitohs and Bulldogs.
The small crowd is sure to immediate all types of sizzling takes and theories, together with:
— Panthers and Souths followers ‘don’t journey’
— The Rabbitohs ought to play their house video games at Allianz Stadium in Moore Park
— Smaller stadiums are the heartland of rugby league
— The NRL has numerous work to do to achieve AFL’s crowd numbers
Information.com.au’s readers had some robust suggestions on social media after photographs of the gang have been posted to the information.com.au sports activities Fb web page.
One individual wrote: “One benefit NRL has is entry to a number of smaller venues. Use these for decrease drawing groups. The ambiance is all the time higher.
“Additionally the sport is on Thursday. Hi there? Don’t tradies and college children work on Fridays? Evening video games + chilly can also be a catastrophe.
“PS Why evening video games are scheduled is Canberra (minus one thing) is not sensible. However after all the NRL executives and TV moguls are of their comfy lounges.”
A second stated: “Wow, Australia’s #1 sport? AFL will get {that a} coaching. Central Coast (Mariners) had 6,200 in torrential rain on the Wednesday.”
A wise punter stated: “The best way Souths have been on and off the footy subject no shock.”
One individual commented: “When you’re not going to get a good crowd on a Thursday evening at a big stadium, why not transfer these to the house floor smaller venues and get some ambiance in there.”
“Ought to transfer the entire comp to QLD,” quipped one commenter.
“I wager the gang at Suncorp tonight will probably be as many as NSW video games get of their entirety this weekend.”
The shortage of a direct practice service exterior main video games and occasions definitely doesn’t assist followers get followers to Olympic Park. — nobody desires to listen to the phrases “Change at Lidcombe”.
It’s price noting the precinct can nonetheless entice first rate crowds.
The Swifts and Giants practice at Olympic Park and play their Tremendous Netball house video games at Ken Rosewall Area, whereas the Sydney Kings had report crowds nudging 15,000 at Qudos Financial institution Area for his or her NBL video games.
The bottom line is filling smaller venues.
Sturdy turnouts in Campbelltown are promising for the Wests Tigers because it seems more and more seemingly the membership’s days of taking part in on the run down Leichhardt Oval is likely to be numbered.
Any NRL fan will let you know watching a recreation on the hill at Leichhardt or Brookvale Oval is a quintessential rugby league expertise.
Penrith is renovating its stadium to create extra room for his or her native followers who can’t get sufficient of their house video games.
Newcastle’s McDonald Jones Stadium is one other good sized stadium that was pumping when Kalyn Ponga and the Knights have been on a roll final 12 months.
Allianz Stadium in Sydney’s Moore Park is the house floor of the Sydney Roosters and is the one NSW venue that may entice crowds of greater than 40,000 like Broncos video games at Suncorp Stadium can do.
Friday evening’s conflict between the Broncos and Roosters might draw greater than 50,000 followers.
Relying on the climate, the AFL derby between the Swans and GWS Giants ought to draw a crowd of greater than 35,000 on the SCG on Satuday afternoon.
The Rabbitohs bid farewell to Redfern Oval final 12 months and now practice at a brand new facility known as the Heffron Centre in Maroubra.
South Sydney have an settlement to play house video games at Accor Stadium till the top of 2030 — one thing they aren’t precisely comfortable about.
“Our place hasn’t modified: if there isn’t a funding in Accor Stadium, we want to return to Allianz Stadium,” South Sydney chief govt Blake Solly stated.
“I do assume Souths must be taking part in on the new taxpayer-funded stadium (Allianz Stadium at Moore Park),” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated final 12 months.
The Rabbitohs haven’t known as Allianz Stadium (also called the Sydney Soccer Stadium) house since 2005, when the membership determined to uproot and transfer to Olympic Park and develop its membership.
That transfer was spearheaded by Shane Richardson, Souths’ longtime CEO normal handle of soccer who departed in 2020.
Richardson is the brand new CEO of the Wests Tigers and is reportedly seeking to strike a take care of Venues NSW to discover a new house for the Tigers from subsequent 12 months.
The Tigers stated stories of a transfer to Accor Stadium have been inaccurate however a call could be made by June 30.
