: Mon Feb 23, 2009 7:32 pm  

Dave Lister wrote:

I reckon there were 4000 easily. They probably outnumbered Brits 10 to 1 in the bar after the game.

"Crowd full of Aussies, we've just a crowd full of Aussies..."

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 8:52 pm  

I was very impressed with Manly in the second half. And just a little disappointed with some of the errors we made for a couple of tries. Not sure they really needed any help as the speed of play and passing was excellent. We failed during second half really to hit them and put thenm on their back. Too often they dominated the collision or managed to land on their front despite two or three tacklers thus speeding up their play.

Thought we got penalised a lot in second half which was probably more being outsmarted than a dodgy ref. Still feel we look very passive at the ruck. Other teams seem in attack to make far more effort to suggest they are being slowed down than we do.

Would have thought a lot of the fringe players will have learnt what standards they have to aspire to and Brian will have learnt more about what work is required to support those players development.

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 11:37 pm  

Southern Reiver wrote:

Thought we got penalised a lot in second half which was probably more being outsmarted than a dodgy ref.

Interesting comment.

During the regular season, we don't really see it. Yet, when we play a team who are the current Australian champions, so some would expect them to be better, that makes it the case. ie. Not the ref, but the others being better in the ruck.

: Tue Feb 24, 2009 12:07 am  

Dave Lister wrote:

An incredible number of Australians there today. Those who have slagged the club off re: lack of marketing should hang their heads in shame and admit they were wrong. A cracking turn out and a huge success.

But its not about marketing a friendly game to 400 Aussies, its about the numbers that come week after week to SuperLeague games

I would be fascinated to know how the club plan to turn this success into bums on seats week after week

: Tue Feb 24, 2009 8:45 am  

Rooster Booster wrote:

Interesting comment.

During the regular season, we don't really see it. Yet, when we play a team who are the current Australian champions, so some would expect them to be better, that makes it the case. ie. Not the ref, but the others being better in the ruck.

I think we do see it but we are perhaps penalised evenly across a game say against Leeds or Saints. My comment is the contrast between the first and second half of this game. The ref was not inconsistent in his approach to what was happening but the difference in how we coped with the increased ruck speed when they had their first string on was.

: Tue Feb 24, 2009 9:02 am  

Jeff in Devizes wrote:

"Crowd full of PAYING Aussies, we've just a crowd full of PAYING Aussies..."

Edited

: Tue Feb 24, 2009 9:15 am  

I had an Aussie lass and Kiwi lass behind me for the duration of the match. Both girls loved it, the atmosphere, band, etc and said they would come again. Of the 2 newbies I brought, one will definitely come every home game once the football season has finished and the Aussie guy can't make the Wigan match but will try and come to various home games. Interesting point, the Aussie guy lives in Twickenham and didn't know about the game, saw nothing in his local paper. Only picked it up by chance by seeing a banner outside the ground whilst he was driving past a couple of weeks ago. Also noticed that not one of the pubs had a poster on the outside door as we used to when we played 1997-1999. Maybe the pubs are not allowed to advertise yet I am sure they have a poster up advertising the union games on the Cabbage Patch door from time to time.

: Tue Feb 24, 2009 10:55 am  

Chris Brown wrote:

But its not about marketing a friendly game to 400 Aussies, its about the numbers that come week after week to SuperLeague games

I would be fascinated to know how the club plan to turn this success into bums on seats week after week

Perhaps you could play friendlies every week and do away with the drag of having to take part in Super League altogether? That should do it.

: Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:05 am  

debaser wrote:

Perhaps you could play friendlies every week and do away with the drag of having to take part in Super League altogether? That should do it.

ooh, touchy

: Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:21 am  

Chris Brown wrote:

But its not about marketing a friendly game to 400 Aussies, its about the numbers that come week after week to SuperLeague games

I would be fascinated to know how the club plan to turn this success into bums on seats week after week

The result of the Manly game is that a point has been proved. If you spend cash wisely and badger the press and media insesantly you, WILL get a return on investment. Lessons have to be learnt from this episode. We have had a marketing Guru from the RFL helping out for a while and as a result of the RFL paying for the marketing (and reaping the rewards I may add), he has been able to demonstrate that with a bit of smart planning and a massive effort from those staff we do have backstage, we can get a result.
Data was collected and Nigel and Brian managed to run out of forms. Alison is entering these onto a database and these people will be contacted and invited back.
The key is data...........in every business. Tesco embraced email nearly 10 years ago and look at where they are.
Chris built the facebook group, which now has 430 members. If each of these people were asked to bring a mate and they did....430 extra fans. Capture their data, ask them back and to bring their friends...etc...etc..etc..
Ady built the events page...900 odd respondees.......same again...Data is key.
It doesn't always work (as the Fundraiser on Thursday showed) but it can be done on a shoestring. Believe me, if we start getting 8,000 to every game, the London press will be calling US