I bet those membership figures are fudged.

NRL dodges crowds, ratings bullet

David Beniuk
September 18, 2011 - 6:54PM

The NRL and Melbourne Storm have dodged a bullet with crowds and ratings for Saturday night's final against the Warriors unlikely to be decimated by the AFL.

With only 86,000 viewers tuning in to watch the Storm beat Newcastle last Sunday, the NRL was staring down the barrel of more poor figures.

This weekend's Storm-Warriors preliminary final was originally scheduled to go up against an All Blacks Rugby World Cup match and an AFL final.

The All Blacks-France clash, which could draw Warriors supporters' eyes away, kicks off at 6.30pm (AEST) with the NRL final overlapping at 7.45pm.

But the Geelong versus West Coast preliminary final will start at 2.20pm to cater for the Eagles' travel back to Perth.

If Carlton had won the right to face the Cats, that game would have been played at night just a short distance from AAMI Park.

The Nine Network televised the Storm-Knights game live in Melbourne but the broadcaster's website was showing "to be advised" in the 7.30pm timeslot for this coming Saturday.

The battle for ratings comes with rugby league's incoming independent commission readying itself to negotiate a new broadcast deal the game hopes to earn as much as $1.4 billion.

Crowds have also been an issue at the NRL finals, with less than 15,000 attending the Knights' visit to AAMI Park, while more than 90,000 packed the MCG for a Carlton-Essendon final.

The league will use AAMI Park and the Sydney Football Stadium over larger venues for next weekend's grand final qualifiers.

NRL boss David Gallop is confident the NRL will hold its own in tougher markets than its eastern seaboard stronghold.

"When you look at the way Billy Slater, Cameron Smith, Feleti Mateo and Krisnan Inu play the game, you would have to think that sports fans will want to tune into this game and we should fare fairly well against our competitors," he told AAP on Sunday.

Gallop said the Warriors' timing in becoming surprise preliminary finalists, as the Rugby World Cup raged, was good.

"The Warriors have built a huge following in New Zealand, particularly in the last five years, and no doubt they will have even the most diehard rugby union fans paying attention to Saturday night in Melbourne," he said.

Gallop is celebrating the NRL's final four sides coming from NSW, Queensland, Victoria and New Zealand.

But he could face an awkward situation if Manly and Melbourne meet in the grand final after well publicised run-ins with both clubs.

"I've got no problem with it," he said of a match-up that would revisit the 2007-08 deciders.

"Hopefully, though, grand final week would concentrate on their achievement in 2011 and nothing else."

© 2011 AAP

http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-sport/nrl-dodges-crowds-ratings-bullet-20110918-1kfub.html

I am now officially ignoring anyone who says they're going for Manly now because "Oh they're the only Sydney team left". Those people are dead to me. Would rather anyone but them win. Hoping the Warriors get up against the Storm tomorrow.

THIS. OH SO MUCH THIS

I can't help but laught when Manly fans go "Oh you just hate us because you're jealous". No fuckhead, I think it's more to do with your cunt of a club, your cunt fans, cunt players and cunt of a coach.

Manly Warringah-New Zealand Warriors NRL decider a sell-out

From: AAP September 28, 2011 10:57AM

SUNDAY's grand final between Manly and the Warriors is officially a sell-out, ensuring a crowd of more than 80,000 people, the NRL announced today.

Remaining tickets to the decider at ANZ Stadium were snapped up this morning, the league said.

A crowd of more than 80,000 is expected to watch the first grand final to be fought between the clubs.

AAP

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/manly-warringah-new-zealand-warriors-nrl-decider-a-sell-out/story-e6frg7mf-1226148963090

Scales tip in Sea Eagles' favour on Sunday because Manly pack outweights Warriors

by: Tyson Otto From: The Daily Telegraph September 30, 2011

THE giant Warriors forwards bashed and crashed their way past the Wests Tigers and then the Storm, but on Sunday the scales are tipped in favour of Manly

The Daily Telegraph can reveal it is the Sea Eagles not the Warriors that will have the size advantage - a 20kg advantage over the Warriors when the likely 17-man sides are measured head to head.

The Sea Eagles tip the scale at 1675kg, the second biggest side in the NRL finals series, while New Zealand weigh-in at 1655kg the seventh heaviest side of the play-offs.

The Warriors earned their grand final berth on the shoulders of their big men, but Sea Eagles forwards Brent Kite and George Rose, believe they can nullify their opposition's strike power.

"Definitely [we can] meet them in the physical and hopefully beat them," Kite said.

"We're a side that prides ourselves on limiting that go forward and I think our stats hold up pretty good there. That's a real focus point especially in finals where field position is so vital. We definitely think we can."

The Sea Eagles forward pack and bench will have a 33kg advantage over the New Zealand pack.

The Warriors only size advantage is in the outside backs where they will carry an extra 17kg.

Despite being told of Manly's size advantage, Rose said the Warriors reputation for being the biggest and baddest team in the competition was well earned.

"I am [surprised] because you do look at them and they are huge," Rose said.

"They are a big team, they are definitely a big team. That's what Des [Hasler] is sort of losing sleep about, he's got to come up with the game plan to counteract it. We just sort of do what he says and it usually comes off."

But the Manly mammoth, who admitted to telling fibs about his weight earlier in his career said Manly's size advantage may be much more significant than it seems on the surface.

" I reckon if you actually did a proper weight check we'd be a little bit more," he said.

"T-Rex always lies about his weight. Everyone lies about their weight anyway. Will Hopoate's got some big glutes, he carries a lot of weight in his glutes. Him and Manu [Vatuvei] are probably about the same weight and Will carries all of it in his glutes."

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/scales-tip-in-sea-eagles-favour-on-sunday-because-manly-pack-outweights-warriors/story-e6frexnr-1226153992353

Stoked about the mini Warriors :D ! What time is kick off for the final?

5:15 I think

So in about an hour?

yeah

Gotta feel sorry for the kid, but fuck me that is an epic choke.