NRL claim NSW state government's unwillingness to pay for events is the reason for lack of games in Sydney.

What a massive snub from Destination NSW. Disgusted.

I worked it out that England will play a QF in Wellington and SF in Auckland if they finish second in the pool, not a QF in Melbourne?

However the Draw now has removed the placeholder group finish names so its anyone's guess.

As someone mentioned - Perth to NZ is a heck of a way. If I'm right, and England finish second as anticipated, it is a six-day turnaround from the France game in Perth to the QF in Wellington.


BTW, with the amount of footy going over to Perth, its hard not to see an NRL club there in the near future.

The organisers seem to be taking a huge gamble on Lebanon being competitive.
Two games at a 44k seat stadium against England and Australia could either be the showcase games of the group rounds - or a massive flop if Lebanon aren't up to making a decent show of it.
The organisers should probably make sure Lebanon have the best coaches and facilities etc.
Most of their players are Sydney based. I believe even the Lebanon based ones are already in Sydney, playing and training.
Farrah should lead them, and hopefully they have the best prepared team of the competition.

Hasn't Sydney been largely apathetic towards the international game anyway? From what I gather, Sydney crowds in particular seem to loose interest at anything that isn't Origin.

The last ANZAC tests in NSW seem to suggest that anyway:
2016 - Newcastle - 27,724
2014 - Sydney Football Stadium - 25,429
2008 - Sydney Cricket Ground - 34,571
2004 - Newcastle - 21,537

Not including the 2008 game (which IIRC, was marketed as some sort of Centenary game?), every game held outside NSW since regular ANZAC tests were reintroduced in 2004 exceeded those crowds:
2015 - Brisbane - 32,681
2013 - Canberra - 25,628
2011 - Gold Coast - 26,301
2010 - Melbourne - 29,442
2009 - Brisbane - 37,152
2007 - Brisbane - 35,241
2006 - Brisbane - 44,191
2005 - Brisbane - 40,371

Queensland are willing to pay to host the final NSW are not, it's not all about trying to get the highest attendance you can. The Suncorp still fits plenty in at around 50000.

Oh I agree. The NRL are in the fortunate position whereby whatever price they set they'll get enough spectators to make it look good.
So they can prioritise income.

The RFL are in the unenviable position of having to get enough people in so as not to be ridiculed or ignored by the media AND needing every penny possible.

Though I was really responding to the post that said it'd be a third full at ANZ and that we got the stadiums wrong in 2013.