Wests Tigers confirm 2018 home game allocation

[Harvey]

China. The biggest region on earth. Do sanctions stop us playing in Pyongyang?

 

[vlad]

China. The biggest region on earth

and play against the dragons …


 

[innsaneink]

The Dragons will be the first club to grant the wish of TV broadcasters and play more NRL games in smaller stadiums, increasing the amount of fixtures at their spiritual bases as the Tigers reduce their matchday presence at Leichhardt and Campbelltown.

St George Illawarra will scrap a permanent home-game presence at ANZ Stadium, increasing their allocation of fixtures at Kogarah and Wollongong to five games each in 2018.

It comes a week after Fairfax Media revealed rights holders Fox Sports and Nine have approached the state government and NRL about prioritising upgrades of suburban grounds and Allianz Stadium to create a more intimate TV product.

The Dragons stressed uncertainty over a timeline for the redevelopment of Sydney's stadiums network was the impetus for the move back to their roots, leaving the option to take one home game either interstate or overseas next year to complement their hosting rights to the Anzac Day clash.

It comes despite their average home crowds for the past four years at Sydney's major venues such as ANZ Stadium, Allianz Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground easily outstripping those at UOW Jubilee Oval and WIN Stadium.

The Dragons' average home crowds at the major Sydney venues between 2014 and 2017 topped 20,000 – inflated by the bumper Anzac Day attendances – while it was just over 11,000 for games at Kogarah and Wollongong in the same period.

But St George Illawarra powerbrokers were unwilling to commit to regular home games at Sydney Olympic Park in the immediate future despite the financial burden of opening the gates at Kogarah and Wollongong.

The squabbling over the $1.6 billion NSW government investment in Sydney's stadiums has delayed confirmation of the ANZ Stadium-Allianz Stadium funding breakdown.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian's cabinet is expected to prioritise the issue at a meeting next week.

**The Tigers will work with the NRL to schedule two home games outside of Sydney in 2018, shaving one match each off their traditional allocation to Leichhardt and Campbelltown.\
\
One of those could be in regional NSW as the NRL pushes to take as many as five games to the bush next year as compensation for abandoning the traditional City-Country fixture.\
\
But the Tigers have no plans to abandon ANZ Stadium, staging four games at the grand final venue in 2018.\
\
And they are working towards long-term agreements to play home games at Leichhardt and Campbelltown beyond next year despite slating just three games for each next year.**

The Bulldogs, Rabbitohs and Eels – before the opening of the new Western Sydney Stadium in 2019 – are already permanent tenants at ANZ Stadium.

The Tigers will be just one of a number of Sydney clubs that have upped their commitment to take home games outside of the harbour city, highlighted by the Sea Eagles, who will play three home fixtures away from Lottoland next year.

Trent Barrett's NRL finalists have added Christchurch to complement existing home games in Perth and Brisbane to offset loss-making fixtures at Brookvale.

The NRL will take control of next year's scheduling and is expected to release the draw later this month.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/st-george-illawarra-dragons-up-commitment-to-suburban-grounds-wests-tigers-open-to-reducing-sydney-fixtures-20171002-gyt5q3.html

 

[Doc_Tiger]

Unfortunately trial games don't count.

We still have to take 2 games elsewhere.

As mentioned before where are Melbourne and Brisbane taking their two games - Oh! they aren't, right.

Why would they? They fill they're stadiums regularly. 2 capital cities with a single team. I don't see a problem there.

 

[Russell]

Unfortunately trial games don't count.

We still have to take 2 games elsewhere.

As mentioned before where are Melbourne and Brisbane taking their two games - Oh! they aren't, right.

Why would they? They fill they're stadiums regularly. 2 capital cities with a single team. I don't see a problem there.

What i was getting at WD is where is their contribution to promoting the game - why don't they take a couple of games to country Victoria or Queensland / maybe they can do their bit in Perth, Darwin, Tasmania etc.

Oh! no - leave that for the strugglers and Sydney teams - and they can have it all their own way as usual.

 

[newtiger]

Unfortunately trial games don't count.

We still have to take 2 games elsewhere.

As mentioned before where are Melbourne and Brisbane taking their two games - Oh! they aren't, right.

Why would they? They fill they're stadiums regularly. 2 capital cities with a single team. I don't see a problem there.

Why don't Storm and Broncos promote the games in the regional areas in their respective states?

 

[vlad]

https://mobile.twitter.com/LeagueUnlimited/status/917093152065961984

1 home ( away ) game is rd 5 at Mt Smart vs Melbourne

 

[innsaneink]

The two home games that will be played outside of Sydney are aimed at growing both the club’s and game’s supporter base through some initiatives.

Pfft…Nice to see us helping the Warriors...

 

[WestsBenTigers]

Not too bad considering that many of our players come from NZ

 

[vlad]

However if our traditional Easter Monday game v the Eels is on again , which would be April 2nd , then that's a 5 day turnaround .

Maybe that'll get switched to a Saturday or Sunday next year .

Or maybe we'll just get the short straw .

 

[jadtiger]

Poor move imo taking one of our home games and making it a warriors home game.I fail to see how that will increase our supporter base or get us 2 points.
I was hoping all the dumb decisions made by our board were over guess not.

 

[Russell]

Poor move imo taking one of our home games and making it a warriors home game.I fail to see how that will increase our supporter base or get us 2 points.
I was hoping all the dumb decisions made by our board were over guess not.

Dumbest decision ever - we owe the Warriors nothing. It has to be the joke of 2018 and the year hasn't even started yet.

 

[NJLM78]

Poor move imo taking one of our home games and making it a warriors home game.I fail to see how that will increase our supporter base or get us 2 points.
I was hoping all the dumb decisions made by our board were over guess not.

Dumbest decision ever - we owe the Warriors nothing. It has to be the joke of 2018 and the year hasn't even started yet.

I thought we were taking games to regional nsw. Now we are the warm up act to a Warriors game.

 

[Geo]

Poor move imo taking one of our home games and making it a warriors home game.I fail to see how that will increase our supporter base or get us 2 points.
I was hoping all the dumb decisions made by our board were over guess not.

You realise we are playing the Storm at Mt Smart not the Warriors right…Warriors play the Cowboys in a Double header ...Wests Tigers v Melbourne..Warriors v Cowboys..

 

[Balmainbred]

Where in the email on the 26 sept 2017 does it state the games will be played in regional NSW I read it as to new locations to be announced in coming weeks

 

[NJLM78]

Where in the email on the 26 sept 2017 does it state the games will be played in regional NSW I read it as to new locations to be announced in coming weeks

My assumption. Thought they were taking the game to a regional venue. Not another teams home ground.

 

[Juro]

I fail to see how playing a game in a city where they already have a fulltime team (and 12 home games) helps to grow the game.

 

[HabboTiger]

This is pretty poor. Christchurch would have been tolerable to an extent but Auckland? Under the context of growing the game this doesn’t count.

Can’t see it being a great gate either.

 

[innsaneink]

This is no different to us playing a home game at Newcastle Townsville Canberra etc… Pretty pointless and a screw you to the loyal fans who attend all home games

 

[innsaneink]

This is pretty poor. Christchurch would have been tolerable to an extent but Auckland? Under the context of growing the game this doesn’t count.

Can’t see it being a great gate either.

It will be split as well, after expenses.
Hopefully the NRL have slipped us a few quid for our troubles