As the bulldozers are prepared to start demolition work on the 30-year-old venue, the Roosters and Rabbitohs are expected to exceed the NRL's Allianz Stadium record of 41,620 for the St George Illawarra-Wests Tigers preliminary final in 2005.With Allianz Stadium now boasting a 45,000 capacity, the game could also better the biggest rugby league attendance of 42,482 for the 1997 ARL grand final between Manly and Newcastle.The anticipated sellout contrasts with the 19,211 crowd for last Friday night's semi-final between Cronulla and Penrith at the same venue. That match left many asking after the Sharks gripping 21-20- win why there hadn't more fans in attendance.The match was one of three 2018 finals games decided by a field goal –
equaling the record for one point results from the 2014 finals and bettering the 1946, 1948, 1969, 1978, 1994 and 2015 play-offs, which each had two matches with one point margins.However, the attendance was the second lowest for a finals match between two Sydney teams since the NRL scrapped the policy of allowing teams hosting play-offs at suburban venues in 2011, with only last year's Manly-Penrith clash at Allianz Stadium (15,408) drawing a smaller crowd.The fact that the Sea Eagles, Panthers and Sharks also dominate the list of lowest crowd figures for finals matches at Allianz Stadium and ANZ Stadium against non-Sydney teams highlights the challenges faced by clubs on the edges of Australia's largest city.Cronulla and Penrith are Sydney's newest stand-alone clubs - having been admitted to the competition in 1967 - and many fans who live in those areas grew up supporting more established teams favoured by their families, or have moved there and taken their allegiances with them.
No comments:
Post a Comment