NRL has 'missed the boat' on Central Coast

[Beaussie]

Whilst the NRL resorts to fudging crowd numbers on the Central Coast as traditional fans shun the game, the A-League team has been embraced by the community. Soccer is killing rugby league in western Sydney and the Central Coast.

Mariners coach Graham Arnold says NRL has 'missed the boat' on Central Coast

Nick Walshaw
The Daily Telegraph
April 30, 2013 12:00AM



Central Coast Mariners players celebrate their grand final win in Gosford. Picture: Peter Clark Source: The Daily Telegraph

GRAHAM Arnold was lunching at the weekend with Johnny Lewis, that famed fight trainer who knows a thing or two about making champions, when talk turned to the A-League premiers.

"Johnny's a mad football fan and was saying that, had this Mariners team played Brisbane in the 2011 decider, we would've beaten them three or four goals to nil," Arnold grins.

"And you know what, I agree with him. I think this is the greatest A-League side we've ever seen. That's why when people talk about rugby league on the Central Coast ... mate, I really believe they've missed the boat."

Call it the secret formula to winning over sports fan.

One without rock bands, jumping castles or elaborate whiteboard formulas that eventually break down to something called E-squared ... just a great bunch of athletes who tonight look to continue their fairytale run against Asian Champions League rivals Kashiwa Reysol.

While a win against the Japanese club will catapult the Mariners into the ACL top-16 - and a shock appearance against global superstars Guangzhou Evergrande - Arnold knows it will also have a huge bearing in their ongoing battle for hearts and minds.

Laughed off when they first arrived in Gosford eight years ago, the Mariners are suddenly threatening league on the Coast like those Western Sydney Wanderers are in that other great league heartland.

On Sunday, a terrible crowd turned up to watch NRL rivals Cronulla and Canterbury at Bluetongue Stadium. Ridiculously, the Sharks posted a crowd in excess of 10,000 (did they really think the ground looked close to half full?).

Then yesterday, on Triple M's The Grill Team, host Matty Johns revealed millionaire ad man John Singleton had agreed to have Wayne Bennett coach his Central Coast bid proposal for 2007.

Instead, the NRL chose Gold Coast.

So while rugby league continues to treat Coast fans like an ugly stepchild, the Mariners are making all tickets for tonight's game $10 while Arnie urges his troops to "create a sporting legacy" for the same region.

Having previously lost all three grand finals contested, including that 4-2 heartbreak against Brisbane in 2011, the Mariners believe this side is capable of competing with the heavyweights of Asia.

"And we're converting Coasties in the process, I have no doubt about that," Arnold says. "I was only listening to Mike Gibson say on Fox Sports the other day how league has missed its big chance up here.

"And I agree with him. When I first arrived here three years ago, the NRL was selling out Bluetongue Stadium. Compare that with last weekend when they got maybe 7000."

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 6631829755

[Rabbit]

Isn't this the team that could only get 10k to a prelim final?

[214Four]

central coast has always liked its league and soccer, always has always will. you would find that most people in that crowd that supported the mariners this summer would also watch RL in the winter

[King-Eliagh]

Of course the Mariners are receiving community support. They're based in their community and an awesome stadium has been made use of.I agree RL seems to have missed the boat here. It's the same as what I've always been saying about expansion.

You cant expect a community to really get behind teams that dont actually belong to the community. Its plain fukking simple logic.

GWS, dont reside or play in GWS. A critical fukk up in the AFL's expansion.

GWS, dont reside anywhere near Canberra. Another critical err in the AFL's expansion. With crowds of 6k rocking up to what is supposednto be a rivalry game the AFL will soon pull the plug on GWS playing in canberra and, in the process disgruntle the meagre few thousand committed fans they have.

My question. Other than a massive pile of mucous, what does the AFL expansion team have inside their skulls?

Now dont get me wrong, I'm not saying the NRL team is much better, but, folks ya gotta acknowledge dumb moves when ya see em.

[eelofwest]

Isn't this the team that could only get 10k to a prelim final?

214 The question was Isn't this the team that could only get 10k to a prelim final?


If you do not want to answer truthfully then i will, yes they could only muster 10k to a prelim final.

Once of your beast threads Beassie keep them coming.

[214Four]

Isn't this the team that could only get 10k to a prelim final?

214 The question was Isn't this the team that could only get 10k to a prelim final?


If you do not want to answer truthfully then i will, yes they could only muster 10k to a prelim final.

Once of your beast threads Beassie keep them coming.

And your point is?...
10k or 100,000 at the preliminary does not take away the fact that the mariners are well supported in thier community

[ParraEelsNRL]

$40+ for a ticket I read at LU.

Sharks would more or less sold shark park out if played there, wtf were they thinking?

20k or near abouts paying the usual costs would've done a lot better than anything up there, plus the local memberships they could've sold, the Leagues club getting it's usual business for a sundays footy, the merchandise sales, food, and the fact you would have a packed stadium of your own bloody supporters helping you home to victory, or at least giving you a massive boost.

WTF is going on at the sharks.

[Rabbit]

Isn't this the team that could only get 10k to a prelim final?

214 The question was Isn't this the team that could only get 10k to a prelim final?


If you do not want to answer truthfully then i will, yes they could only muster 10k to a prelim final.

Once of your beast threads Beassie keep them coming.

And your point is?...
10k or 100,000 at the preliminary does not take away the fact that the mariners are well supported in thier community

Well you would think that a club that was well supported would be able to attract more than 10k to a prelim final

[ParraEelsNRL]

The Soccer has its place on the CC, they get what they get and good on them.

What the CC don't need, much like Tas for the victorian code is the continued lip service and shoving it in your face year after year whilst ripping your hard earned off in the process instead of your own bloody team.

[King-Eliagh]

Actually no i dont think the nrl has missed the boat on the CC. If they set up a team there, rather than sending random clubs to showpony up there, then that team would be successful. They love their league up there.

[Drac]

Perth and Bribane are basically a lock for the nRL's next expansion, CC will be a soccer region when this happens.

[Raiderdave]

the NRL does not want a team relocated or started from scratch on the CC

if they did it would have happend by now
the fact they have the best soccer team in the land & can't attract 10K to games .. shows long term it would not be viable
the place is too close to Sydney & does not add any value to the competition .. similarly the midgets & thuns in the VFL ... oh hang on ..
the VFL included them didn't they

so there is no boat , to be missed


Perth & Brisbane II
thats where we are going in 2018

2 strong sides viable & competitive from day one
wow , what a change from a certain other cluster fuck we're all seeing ATM
lock it in eddie

[214Four]

the NRL does not want a team relocated or started from scratch on the CC

if they did it would have happend by now
the fact they have the best soccer team in the land & can't attract 10K to games .. shows long term it would not be viable
the place is too close to Sydney & does not add any value to the competition .. similarly the midgets & thuns in the VFL ... oh hang on ..
the VFL included them didn't they

so there is no boat , to be missed


Perth & Brisbane II
thats where we are going in 2018

2 strong sides viable & competitive from day one
wow , what a change from a certain other cluster fuck we're all seeing ATM
lock it in eddie

I hope that the NRL in the future look at another NZ team for expansion. recent years NZ has had very strong participation and audience figures and continually growing.

PNG have shown strong interest in an NRL team, RL is their national sport, they have a long history of good tough players, unfortunately i cant see the NRL taking serious consideration of their bid. due to PNG's security issues and economic problems alot of the NRL community believe a PNG team will have severe trouble attracting players and major sponsors and thus failing. but what about a cairns/PNG based team? its not that far between the two by plane.
They could split the home games between the two, have the playing staffs main base in cairns, this would be more attractive for players to the club if their family can live in cairns rather than PNG, including cairns would also help get big sponsors on board, and it would be beneficial economically for cairns and PNG, based in cairns alleviates any concern of PNG government interference/corruption and it would bring unimaginable benefits to the people of PNG.

Perth and Brisbane are 'hands down' the best choices for the next expansion, i just hope the NRL commission has the foresight and balls to do it sooner rather than later. Brisbane needs a second team for obvious reasons and perth well it is bound to became a RL and union state just as long as those minerals keep coming out of the ground...

The mining boom has bought wealth to the west and a sense of increased power for the once ignored state. the wealth has also bought ever increasing eastern states and NZ workforce, and these migrants will bring to the west a RL and less so Rugby Union culture, LoL gradually altering WA's one eyed AFL sporting culture. it will be done by sheer numbers and also generational change bought on by intimidation of local Rugby League(but also both rugby codes) fans/players over the local AFL ones, due to league people being bigger, stronger and more brutal than their AFL counterparts. its like all introduced species lol the native ones just cannot compete.

[eelofwest]

the NRL does not want a team relocated or started from scratch on the CC

if they did it would have happend by now
the fact they have the best soccer team in the land & can't attract 10K to games .. shows long term it would not be viable
the place is too close to Sydney & does not add any value to the competition .. similarly the midgets & thuns in the VFL ... oh hang on ..
the VFL included them didn't they

so there is no boat , to be missed


Perth & Brisbane II
thats where we are going in 2018

2 strong sides viable & competitive from day one
wow , what a change from a certain other cluster fuck we're all seeing ATM
lock it in eddie

Dave just watched the CCC vs KASJIWA ACL game on Fox all the crowd was on the far side of the stadium, the camera side had no fans in it at all.

Probably 8k if they are lucky.

Also

So while rugby league continues to treat Coast fans like an ugly stepchild, the Mariners are making all tickets for tonight's game $10 while Arnie urges his troops to "create a sporting legacy" for the same region.

Read more: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/football/ ... z2RwtNDSyJ

Tickets were $10 and they could not even get 10k to the game...............

Yes Aleague on the coast looks like a viable business model, lets go there immediately..............................

Soccer is miles ahead of RL in Gosford they say..........................

[Beaussie]

Actually no i dont think the nrl has missed the boat on the CC. If they set up a team there, rather than sending random clubs to showpony up there, then that team would be successful. They love their league up there.

They just don't show up and the crowd has to be fudged when NRL games are played there.