I support the argument for playing the majority of games at the bigger stadiums if we are to progress as a club. In my view we need to play 6 games at either the SFS or Homebush and two each at LO and CSS. CSS and LO are simply not up to NRL standard but having 2games their each may satisfy the factions.
@tiger5150 If you care to go through the annals I think you’ll find differently.We have drawn big crowds,and sellouts at that,at CSS.The capacity of the ground had since been reduced.
Essentially the greatest problem has been our parlous form over the last decade.Not great inspiration to get bums on seats anywhere.
In the Benji/Robbie heydays the Campbelltown crowds were healthy as we were always a winning chance.
Im not getting your point TS? Are you saying we do have 20K ticketed members? I dont see it. Im not talking about crowd sizes. Im talking about members.
EDIT: I assume you are talking about my point that Im nervous about the lack of crowds and success at CSS.
I know this opinion is not popular but from a geography point of view and proximity to COE why wouldn't the club look at Accor stadium if souths leave.
Accor 5
CSS 4
LO 3
Give Magic round and Tamworth the flick.
From my point if view I've been a member since we started I am a season ticket holder at LO and CSS and would probably still go to all games if it wqs a 50/50 split. If we went fulltime to CSS I probably would not bother renewing.
IMO its not a popular opinion for a reason. I hate Accor. Was there for the Parra game at Easter. 30K there and less atmosphere than 10K at LO.
I know this opinion is not popular but from a geography point of view and proximity to COE why wouldn't the club look at Accor stadium if souths leave.
Accor 5
CSS 4
LO 3
Give Magic round and Tamworth the flick.
From my point if view I've been a member since we started I am a season ticket holder at LO and CSS and would probably still go to all games if it wqs a 50/50 split. If we went fulltime to CSS I probably would not bother renewing.
Accor shouldn't host any NRL regular season games outside of special event games.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
@garry if it is not Accor then the club should look at
5. SFS
4 CSS
3 LO
No Tamworth and no magic round
@garry if it is not Accor then the club should look at
5. SFS
4 CSS
3 LO
No Tamworth and no magic round
I don't think we should be considering 3 grounds.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
@tiger5150 Yes 5150,I appreciate the points you made re membership and ratio.I was indeed referring to your nervousness about Campbelltown.I agree we’ve never had sustained success out there,but my point being that when we won the fans would follow with their feet.
I still believe that to be the case,only problem is there’s been precious little of it for too long.
@garry if it is not Accor then the club should look at
5. SFS
4 CSS
3 LO
No Tamworth and no magic round
I don't think we should be considering 3 grounds.
Agree with this.
Thing is, Leichhardt and Campbo aren't up to it in most measures. We can't really commit to either long term until there are serious upgrades made, which is obviously a hard sell with public money at the moment.
That said, the AFL appear to be getting a stadium for free in Tasmania despite already having two grounds with decent facilities. We need to hire their lobbyists.
I personally really hate that we take a game to Tamworth. I get that Tamworth enjoys an NRL team coming to town and I’m sure it’s good for the local economy but there is literally zero connection between WT and Tamworth. Penrith has claim over Mudgee/Bathurst so it make sense that they take a game there but we have zero connection as a club with the area and it is the NRLs responsibility to encourage participation in north western NSW. WT’s responsibility is to the MacArthur and to the Balmain/Ryde area and it would be 10x more logical to play an extra game at CSS.
Overall the problem I have with a 6/6 or 4/4/4 split is that you are only in that individual community maximum once per month and I just don’t think that is enough compared to a normal club that is there once a fortnight.
a 9/3 CSS/LO provides a commitment to the Southwest and being in the community on average once every 3 weeks whilst also offering some games at our spiritual home.
with regard to the juniors situation it’s pretty clear the best of the next generation is coming out of the Magpies pipeline at the moment. Perhaps that is a coincidence but given the focus the club is putting into pathways out there my assumption is that they have a lot more data supporting it.
the Penrith system is extremely strong because it gives the best chance to get to first grade but there is no reason why we would not compete for kids that are in traditional Penrith catchments or perhaps more likely keep kids in our catchment that might have gone to Penrith in the recent past because it was perceived as being a more likely better system to develop in. Western Sydney is the population growth engine of the state and not all will be from traditionally non-rugby league backgrounds. We have aligned with St Greg’s in Campbeltown but I also believe we have some of our best juniors coming through Westfield Sports High which isn’t technically part of our catchment. Basically my point is that western Sydney is a massive rugby league junior nursery and that whilst our catchment is only part of it, our proximity to the whole region makes it attractive for kids and parents to choose us when they are looking at getting their kids into an elite system
I was on the CS/LO only camp - but that was on the provision we got CS redeveloped into 30k stadium (which I can't see happening now)
It's true the big clubs play out of decent stadium while the small clubs play out of suburban stadiums.
I think we need a presence in both our inner east and south west footprints and we need to be playing out of a modern stadium
So I would suggest:
5 games in SFS (serving inner west)
6 games in CS (serving south west)
1 nostalgic game at LO
I'd be playing Souths, Roosters, Dragons, Parra, Bulldogs from SFS - all on event days I.e same day every year
Every other game at Campbelltown as our home - pushing for a redevelopment for at least 22-25k
This obviously means only 1 nostalgic game at LO. Which probably no one agrees with - but if we want to ne a big club and when we actually start winning we can't play out of a ground of the standard of LO and be taken seriously
Top 8 2023
@frullens this idea has a lot of merit also but the club has been very explicit. LO and CSS only next year (plus Tamworth and magic round presumably).
@frullens this idea has a lot of merit also but the club has been very explicit. LO and CSS only next year (plus Tamworth and magic round presumably).
I think the club have been well meaninged in going with a LO/CSS strategy, as they are trying to build DNA which is code for identity.
My question is, what if we go on a run next year and are running in top 4 all year?
We'd have at least 25k+ wanting to attend each game, but can only fit in 15-17k.
The LO/CS strategy works in 2 scenarios:
1. You get funding to redevelop CS to 30k in next 5 years (which I no longer see that happening with new state gov)
2. You don't expect to make the top 8 and draw decent crowds
Top 8 2023
@frullens this is my belief as well. Leichhardt and Campbelltown works only if we want to be seen as the battler/underdog club. It lowers expectations for everyone inside and outside the club.
I can’t see any chance of significant upgrades to Leichhardt or Campbelltown happening. The club might want it to happen but it’s almost zero change in the next 10-15 years.
