All year we've heard doom and gloom about the impending destruction of the game of Rugby League.
The skies aren't exactly falling, but one thing that has been quite disappointing for many years now is crowd numbers, especially in Sydney.
The Broncos continue to pull big crowds, with numbers in Melbourne and Townsville impressive. Canberra's numbers have been sad, but numbers across the Sydney clubs have been downright worrying.
The Sharks crowds were never going to match the 2016 fairy tale numbers. Souths numbers continue to dwindle, and the Bulldogs, typical powerhouses off the field, had a shocker of a season. Their crowd numbers fell as a result.
The Panthers, Eels, and Dragons hardly set the world on fire either in the stands. Manly's numbers were pretty good but still left a lot to be desired. The Tigers, other than the afternoon Leichhardt Oval game, had fans dressing up as empty seats in big numbers.
The Roosters, despite on-field success, have struggled to record impressive numbers either.
NRL CEO Todd Greenberg has stepped up and has laid out the perfect fix.
Move all games to the central, "super stadiums", i.e. Allianz Stadium, ANZ Stadium and the new Parramatta Stadium.
The thinking is that, like in Melbourne, people will travel to the superior stadiums to create the ultimate atmosphere ... except Sydney NRL fans are not Melbourne AFL fans.
Take for example the downright ridiculous crowd numbers in week one of the finals.
15,000 turned up for an all Sydney semi-final between the Sea Eagles and Penrith.
Manly is one of the sides who will be forced into a move. Don't get me wrong, if they are to move, it will be through force, as no outer Sydney side will want to make the move.
15,000 turned up to an elimination final. Both seasons were on the line. Two Sydney sides with very real finals aspirations and only 15,000 turned up.
What hope do Sydney-based sides have if only 15,000 turn up for a match of this importance?
Why would 20,000 Manly fans make the journey to see the side play a Round 5 Saturday afternoon game against the Warriors?
It's not just the Sea Eagles and Panthers either. The Sharks semi-final the next day drew only 16,115. That seems hilarious seeing as though a semi-final at Southern Cross Group Stadium would have certainly have drawn a sellout of 20,000+.
Even the Roosters, playing a genuine home game unlike the Sea Eagles and the Sharks, attracted only 21,000. A massive semi-final against the Broncos. 21,000.
I can hear the cries now. But, but, but, in Melbourne they blah blah blah.
Has anyone ever visited the Victorian capital during an AFL weekend? It is a different world completely. The papers are 65% AFL, 34% news, and 1% other sport.
The fan bases are much better, the public transport is light years ahead of the Sydney system, and the culture down there is at another level.
NRL fans have proven they won't travel unless they feel like. The usual Twitter take of "be better fans and go to games" is ridiculous and doesn't work.
The NRL has to work out a plan to increase the number of people going to games. Increasing travel time and making it more difficult is not the answer. Not right now anyway.
Dragons fans are already breathing fire (pun intended) about having thirteen different home grounds. Their crowd numbers suffered as a result.
Can anyone really see Sharks fans hoping on at Woollooware Stadium, travelling 50 minutes to Central, and taking a bus or making the uphill walk to Allianz Stadium every second weekend?
How bout Manly fans jumping on the bus from Forestville to Town Hall, then making a similar journey?
Close to no chance.
There will be the die-hards, but the casual fans, the very fans the NRL need to attract to games, aren't going to make the journey if they're not already making the ten to fifteen-minute drive to local stadiums?
Cronulla, St George, Manly, the clubs fanbase is simply too far to move games to Allianz.
If they won't travel for finals, why does anyone think they will make the trip for regular home games?
Habit will eventually see them travel, but right now, the demand just isn't there.
Create that, then float the move. Not yet. It won't work.
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