Fair point regarding Illawarra's contribution.

As I have pointed out elsewhere though, St George's heritage is as much a part of St George Illawarra as anything else (including the Steelers).

In fact, St George have always drawn from the Illawarra region - including such champions as Langlands - well before the clubs were merged in the joint venture.

Neither was I for that matter.

Back to the point though, this is a first for British rugby league with the visit of a St George team to England.

Surely that must mean something to the collective rugby league fans resident within Britain???

Or am I giving them too much credit?

wish they played it next week

Nope. Ill be there, i've always gone for St George in the NRL but i'll be supporting British on the day. Anfield definately, OT is far, far too big

I might roll on down and support the Saints. You never know, this might be one we might win.

Gotta think big Dico.

These same arguments were used in Britain circa 1984-85.

Then, you guys got a bit bold...

We saw:

1986 First Test Old Trafford
1986 Second Test Elland Road
1990 First Test Wembley
1990 Second Test Old Trafford
1990 Third Test Elland Road
1992 WC Final Wembley
(1993 First Test NZ Wembley !!! )
1994 First Test Wembley
1994 Second Test Old Trafford
1994 Third Test Elland Road

etc.

And blew the lid off prior to the SLW. Time to get back to the big thinking.

Wigans average is about 15,000. To fill Anfield you'd have to treble it, achievable. But multiplying it by 5 to try and fill OT? Not gonna happen imo and you'd run a loss. This sort of thing needs £10/15 tickets and to hire Old Trafford you simply will not make the money required at those ticket prices.
Also, how many on here have visited Anfield? Im shooting at not many, that's another reason I'd go. COM stadium would be better but as previously stated, they wont have us, awesome stadium too. It was brilliant for GB V Aus in 04

Again, the promotion should be outside of only Wigan fans for the reasons I have outlined.*

You don't need to fill Old Trafford. But aim for a crowd of 50,000 plus and let's all be disappointed if it only draws 45,000 and hopefully ecstatic when it busts the record of 54,220.

Imagine the massive kick to a season such a crowd would give the Super League...

* though nearly every one of them should get along for what is, so far, a once in a lifetime event

Just further to that, it is a matter of the "true once in a lifetime event" factor kicking in.

Certainly, no-one would have expected nearly 30,000 for England v Fiji at Central Park in the RLWC 1995 either. But it happened largely because of that sense of what I (poorly) described above.

I was there in 95 actually but no, its difficult to get saints, wire, widnes fans etc to pay out to watch Wigan. There'll be plenty of neutrals but not enough willing to pay out to get OT, these stadiums cost a lot of money to hire. Most can just watch it on the telly and will, if its £15 ill go, if its £25 ill watch it on telly and head out for a few beers after and 90% of the league paying public will do the same.

I'm a Leigh fan and i'll be there no matter where it's played. This will be a belter.