@ crimsoncrusoe

Speaking on behalf of my fellow man and woman kind, who are 6’ 5” and over, that’s just bullshit.

In fact it’s plane and simple height-ism !!!

We tall people could point out plenty of short people e.g. Corey Gameiro that are always injured. But we won’t, short people have feelings too!!!

Did you mean tall people ?

The fact is babalj scoring record is terrible a league. Show his true issue. He doesn't score enough for a striker. He no longer a prospect, unlike DWH is, and scoring. 

surely you'd look at bringing back Harrison Sawyer before giving Eli Balbaj a contract

Babalj is a way better footballer than Sawyer, so it depends on how you look at it:

Do you sign Sawyer based on his youthful age and potential he might be one a good player?

Or do you sign Babalj ignoring his recent form and run of injuries in the hope he can rediscover his form of 6-7 seasons ago?

Both signings would come with a fair bit of “hope” right, Babalj has proven he has the talent but he’s been out of form almost as long as anyone can remember, Sawyer hasn’t proven he’s got the talent but age is on his side and after a successful spell in Hong Kong, maybe he’s worth a go?

A-League boss Greg O’Rourke has encouraged Brisbane Roar to play at least one home match away from Suncorp Stadium next season as part of a push for more games at boutique venues.

Details about the 2019-20 season remain unknown, with the Australian Professional Football Clubs Association calling for “an orderly transition” to an independent A-League.

Regardless, Football Federation Australia is working with chief executive officers from five A-League clubs to work out next season’s fixture make-up.

The Roar are next season set to play 13 home matches, the majority of which will be at Suncorp Stadium as part of their contract with the Milton venue.

But there’s no doubting the 52,5000-capacity stadium is far too big for the Roar.

Brisbane’s average home attendance this season is 10,396, with their past four Suncorp Stadium crowds failing to crack the 10,000 mark.

The Courier-Mail has learnt the Roar are keen to take at least one of their home games to a smaller venue next season.

It’s a move that has been applauded by O’Rourke, who has been heartened by the crowds and atmosphere generated this season at Sydney FC home matches at Jubilee Stadium and Leichhardt Oval.

“It’s a good idea,” O’Rourke told The Courier-Mail.

“If they can play one or two home matches at smaller stadiums, it’s shown that it’s good for the A-League.”

Redcliffe’s Dolphin Stadium, which has a capacity of about 12,000 and has hosted FFA Cup matches as well as a W-League semi-final, looms as an alternate home venue for the Roar.

Herston venue Ballymore, which has also hosted FFA Cup games and W-League finals, and has a capacity of about 18,000, is another option.

Meanwhile, such is the depleted state of the Roar’s defensive stocks , whiz-kid Isaack Powell has stayed in Brisbane rather than represent the Australian under-17 squad in a youth tournament in Turkey.

Powell was due to leave for Europe this week with a Joeys squad that also included Roar youth-team player Jordan Courtney-Perkins.

But the Roar asked Football Federation Australia if the 17-year-old left back – who last month became the youngest player to represent the club in an A-League match - could remain at home following further injury blows.

Central defender Luke DeVere (knee) and utility Dane Ingham (broken foot) have joined right back Jack Hingert (knee), left back Connor O’Toole (broken leg) and attacking midfielder Stefan Mauk (groin) as players who won’t be seen again this season.

Left back Jacob Alexander, who plays for Bentleigh Greens in the NPL Victoria competition, joined former Socceroos striker Eli Babalj in trialling with the Roar this week.

Brisbane are back in action next Friday night (MARCH 8) when they host Western Sydney Wanderers at Suncorp Stadium.

Suncorp will be the eventual death of the Roar. Imagine if we had 2 or 3 seasons straight like this season. Crowds would be 6-7k in a 55k stadium. Completely unsustainable.

@ clockwork

Agreed. But of course the state government has decided that we don’t need any more boutique stadiums in QLD/Brisbane (but of course then funds an AFL boutique stadium in Springfield because, err, you know ...).

It’s an absolute joke made worse because Roar can’t make a profit out of playing at. Suncorp. The only stadium that’s an alternative is Dolphin Oval though, it’s a great stadium but a bugger to get to if you’re on the south side.

Not to mention the new NRL stadium in Townsville's CBD that a lot of locals didn't really want! 
  
Redcliffe is not the solution for a team that currently plays in the CBD and whose training facilities are based on the southside. 

@Proud Dad

It’s intetesting O’Rourke made the comments, that sounds like someone “testing the water” to me. But if Roar are to take one away Dolphin is the only option in Brisbane.

Personally I never want to see C Bus again (and no one turns up anyway), and elsewhere in the state is unfair to members.

They do need to get away from Suncorp and Dolphin is just right, I just think it's too far north. Likewise, the GC is too far south. I thought Western Pride were going to be involved in that Springfield facility?

Yeah, I think we’re talking about a game or two next season

It is far north brisbBri but with the Gateway upgrade finally done it's super quick. It took 35min from my Gravatt the other day. Far better than the hike that is Cbus. Plus there is ample parking in the area. As long it's not raining or an afternoon game as there is not much roof cover dolphin was good facility.

@waz,Loooolololol.
My comments were not about height.Just bulk and weight.Babalj always looked a big unit.You just dont see many strikers that big.
If he isnt that big then ,i need to get my eyes tested.
:)

😁

I'd love a few games at Dophin stadium as a north sider myself, great little stadium and I'd bet you get more people travelling there than you would at Cbus stadium. 
Could always pick the teams that don't attract the biggest crowds for those games as well.

@ Mr. B

We got more people at Dolphin for a midweek cup game than we did to a Saturday HAL game at Cbus

Damn.

Such a shame that a 15k - 20k stadium can’t be built at Richlands. Next to a station and halfway between Brisbane and Ipswich ..... oh and most importantly five minutes from where I live. 😉

@ clockwork

A stadium could be built at Richlands, obviously it would need cooperation between Roar and Lions but the possibility is definitely there.

And dont forget just 7 wins in a row and we cruise into the finals as the form team.
Meaning we are just 10 wins from the premiership.
Also, our great coaching team has just this year turned Taggart from an out of form striker into a goal a game star in the highly rated K league, after they had him on track for the golden boot despite a poor start which saw him miss about 20 sitters.
Our team is so good and in such good form this year that a former Danish national team Midfielder struggles to make the side.(Tobi Mikkelson)
And a long standing French first division player is considered not much of a loss if he leaves next year.(Eric Bautheac)
The coaching team appear to have unearthed and nurtured a guy who if he keeps his current goal scoring strike rate on a minutes played basis will be on track to be close to a golden boot winner next year (Dylan Wenzall Halls).
Anything else?

Powel has signed for next year. Good that the club has locked him down. he has looked very good with the minutes he has had.

Great news.  I hope the young fella kicks on, he seems to have the skill for this level and beyond.

Dolphin is a venue to look at seriously.

I know it's not ideal for Sth siders but ot can't be all that much problem for them to get to.

You can by pass the city traffic. That's got to be a good thing.

And you'll get loads more people coming down from SCoast.

dolphins is good for a one off game like the ffa cup or a one off "suburban ground" game. however it would be a disaster for any regular games. for every fan you draw down from the sunny coast you will loose 2 from anywhere west or south of the city. it is more than an hour by train from central station, and 40 minutes by car from the middle of the city. anyone south or west of that is not going to go regularly. 

You do realise it takes us north siders an hour by train to get to Suncorp. Seriously should not be complaining about an hour or 40 mins to get to a venue, we have been doing it for over 10 years. 

Dolphins stadium will not be a diasaster on regular basis, i see the opposite effect.

A good move even if its so far away as a southsider.
If its full every time we play there then that can only be good
Any crowd will instantly be a profit and Suncorp Stadium can join Succubus Stadium as summer turf farms.

just stating it as i see it. (and for context i have been to every Cbus game and that 1h40 ride to get there, i would most likely still go to dolphins stadium as well) but the facts are that at suncorp 90% of the Brisbane population is within an hour of the stadium on public transport ( ~60% of Queensland population is within 1 hours drive of the stadium) that number about halves if you play at dolphins. 

i would say that regular season attendances would halve as well if you played at Dolphins.

This is all ignoring the facts that Dolphins does not meet the minimum standards for a stadium for the a-league so it is a mute point. Suncorp will be our home for the foreseeable future. 

Then i guess roar are stuffed, they are never going to grow playing out of an overpriced, oversized, empty, soulless stadium.