Isn't Fiji a rugby dominated country?
In general terms, the indigenous Fijians play rugby, the Indo-Fijians play football.
With both Teams playing in what is described as away strips, can we take it you have pegged this as an away game? (WHODO broken)
A little bit off topic then Brandon, as an outside view, what did you think of Albany in terms of accessibility and facilities etc? I know the Auckland perception might be that it is out the back of beyond, but do you really think so? I'm a little prejudiced as in my last 2 years in Auckland, I lived in Albany and remember how remote it was back in the 70s when I first arrived in Auckland. Except in peak traffic times, I've always found it easy and reasonably quick to get to.
You're asking the wrong person. My view is not an outside view. I lived in Auckland for 30 years, was one of the pretty-much founding members of Bloc 5 for the Football Kingz... so this was far from my first time to The Castle. It was a homecoming. It's not even my first time back there since I moved to Wellington, as I have made the trip up for the Chatham Cup final and other games there.
Having lived in Kingsland from 1999 - 2009 I travelled all over Auckland for sailing and football. I thought nothing of driving to Bucklands Beach, or Gulf Harbour marinas to go yachting... So I came, stayed at mum's place in Stanley Point and knew exactly what to expect driving up to Albany.
Having said that, now that I live in Wellington I will never move back to Auckland. The cost in terms of time and frustration of moving around the big city is too high. It never used to bother me when I lived there but I didn't know what I was putting up with. Now that I live in Wellington life is MUCH more enjoyable. Can't beat walking to Nix games through the Botanic Gardens.
Still recovering from being outed as a David Gallop doppelganger at Foxes last night. I may never be respected again.
#TurfOutGallop
The busway is an absolute boon for games at NHS. I wasn't there on Saturday but have done U20s and All Whites games there and it's really pretty easy to get to, just a bit of a trek from the bus station but the buses go every 10 minutes from Britomart.
Well done to Yellow Fever also. It was good and noisy on TV and a few good banners too. Loved seeing a couple of different versions of "99 problems but the Nix ain't one"!
Thanks for the inspiration.
We're the WELLINGTON Phoenix
And this is our Home
A little bit off topic then Brandon, as an outside view, what did you think of Albany in terms of accessibility and facilities etc? I know the Auckland perception might be that it is out the back of beyond, but do you really think so? I'm a little prejudiced as in my last 2 years in Auckland, I lived in Albany and remember how remote it was back in the 70s when I first arrived in Auckland. Except in peak traffic times, I've always found it easy and reasonably quick to get to.
I can answer this question.
The Auckland motorway is piss easy until you hit Remuera. Then the traffic jams occur. Once you are well over the bridge, the turn off for the stadium in Albany is pretty easy, just have to watch out for merging traffic and wankers that refuse to use indicators. I was lucky, i was given a car park at the stadium as I brougt the banners with me. 8 hours from Upper Hutt to the stadium including traffic jams.
Leaving after the game was dangerous. Took 20 odd minutes from the stadium to the motorway but after that it was all good. Very busy for 10:30 at night, right up to the Bombays. I have had a few days to think over this. It was more straight forward than getting to Eden Park to which I have driven once to for a Nix game. I would love to thank Tom Tom because without him i my car, I actually think I would have been Fudgeed.
What I cant figure out is the traffic has been an issue for years, new roads etc are and have been built, if I was a local, I would be using the lesser routes and avoid the jams but no, everyone goes straight for the motoway and jam time.
Thanks again to Brandon, Liz and co with the banners. I am still in Hastings...don't go there, domestic arguments impending and will drop the banners off to Matt, hopefully tomorrow night.
Doloras is so right on a few of her points here. A game once a year is a special game, so why do t the natives show up? I remember hearing alleged fans on Saturday Sports talk for the last few years telling the radio host that they were waiti g to see what the weather was going to do. This 45 mins before kick off. Good grief. I was at that game in Wellies when the storm hit mid week and the game was on with our lowest crowd. I got soaked and cold but who gives a crap? Its a Nix game and After all these years I am still buzzing that we actually have a profession team in Wellington. This marked my 111th game - anorac wearers please correct me but this game was the 111th A League game the Nix have played in NZ anywhere and including fnals.
Well done to Yellow Fever also. It was good and noisy on TV and a few good banners too. Loved seeing a couple of different versions of "99 problems but the Nix ain't one"!
Thanks for the inspiration.
Does look like Gallop too! Great to have caught up with you there.
The Fox: 3/10 - Once I got in (not easy) the beer was cold, and they had a good range. However, the staff were unhelpful, uncooperative and downright obstructive. Even if the Fever decide to go back there I will not be going back. It was a real downer.
I had a GREAT weekend.
This does not surprise me given they have been absolutes cods in previous years
We really need to find a home in Auckland with low cod factor, A half decent d-floor and convenient to the city.
We really need to find a home in Auckland with low cod factor, A half decent d-floor and convenient to the city.
I think that might be quite difficult.
If you are old and wise you were probably young and stupid
Disturbngly I think you are right Leggy. Might need someone to open an Electric Ave Auckland.
Haven't had much chance to get on here since the game due to catching up with family in Auckland on Sunday etc.
Really enjoyed the game. Great atmosphere, especially being slightly closer to Yellow Fever than we usually are (Block 2 compared to aisle 24) and was good to look across and see the whole lower section full. Was great having a rectangular venue and being a bit lower and closer to the pitch. Entertaining game and an excellent result. Shirt colour issue was weird and difficult enough to tell the teams apart live so imagine it must have been a nightmare on TV.
Few gripes with the venue, as no doubt others have already said (without going back through the thread). Pitch itself doesn't need anymore said. Only 1 toilet facility in the lower section meant a longer queue at half time than at Westpac and found the area behind the seats really squashed at half time which I've never really found at Westpac even with a large crowd. Not sure the venue was really up to a crowd of that size. Also it may not affect many but extremely limited food options for vegetarians - my other half ended up getting the nachos without the beef, but that's more to do with the caterers than the venue itself.
Getting to and from was simple given we stayed with the in laws who live on the shore and lent us a car. Looked around the shops and had a game of mini golf nearby in the afternoon, then parked in the $5 carpark across the road from Lone Star. Took a while to get out which is to be expected but no hassle.
Disturbngly I think you are right Leggy. Might need someone to open an Electric Ave Auckland.
www.britomartcountryclub.co.nz
Lol. What does Leggy know? How many decades since he last sashayed on an Auckland d-floor?
"At the end of the drive the lawmen arrive...
I'll take my chance because luck is on my side or something...
Her name is Rio, she don't need to understand...
Oh Rio, Rio, hear them shout across the land..."
Hey Leggy, throw some shapes -
Or maybe you'd prefer Lenin Bar, or 1885, or Cassette No 9. But I suspect for a Saturday night Danny Doolans at the Viaduct would do it for you.
The band does requests.
"At the end of the drive the lawmen arrive...
I'll take my chance because luck is on my side or something...
Her name is Rio, she don't need to understand...
Oh Rio, Rio, hear them shout across the land..."
Disturbngly I think you are right Leggy. Might need someone to open an Electric Ave Auckland.
www.britomartcountryclub.co.nz
Lol. What does Leggy know? How many decades since he last sashayed on an Auckland d-floor?
My main comment was on the cod factor.Large cities are renowned for this.
If you are old and wise you were probably young and stupid
A little bit off topic then Brandon, as an outside view, what did you think of Albany in terms of accessibility and facilities etc? I know the Auckland perception might be that it is out the back of beyond, but do you really think so? I'm a little prejudiced as in my last 2 years in Auckland, I lived in Albany and remember how remote it was back in the 70s when I first arrived in Auckland. Except in peak traffic times, I've always found it easy and reasonably quick to get to.
You're asking the wrong person. My view is not an outside view. I lived in Auckland for 30 years, was one of the pretty-much founding members of Bloc 5 for the Football Kingz... so this was far from my first time to The Castle. It was a homecoming. It's not even my first time back there since I moved to Wellington, as I have made the trip up for the Chatham Cup final and other games there.
Having lived in Kingsland from 1999 - 2009 I travelled all over Auckland for sailing and football. I thought nothing of driving to Bucklands Beach, or Gulf Harbour marinas to go yachting... So I came, stayed at mum's place in Stanley Point and knew exactly what to expect driving up to Albany.
Having said that, now that I live in Wellington I will never move back to Auckland. The cost in terms of time and frustration of moving around the big city is too high. It never used to bother me when I lived there but I didn't know what I was putting up with. Now that I live in Wellington life is MUCH more enjoyable. Can't beat walking to Nix games through the Botanic Gardens.
Without Being Creepy where do you live?? We also do the walk through the botanic (Live on Glenmore st)
We really need to find a home in Auckland with low cod factor, A half decent d-floor and convenient to the city.
What about O hagans? It is a little bit similar to electric avenue!
There are plenty of good venues in Auckland that would do the trick. Close to Britomart I'd think The Britomart Country Club would fit the bill. Lots of space and right at the back door to the train station. There are a few pubs around there but on the smaller side. I don't think you are going to find cheap booze tho' heart attack material for those of us that don't get out much.
Shame the games aren't at EP, the Thirsty Dog on K Road is immense.
Express Football Special Calling At
Fratton Park - Champion Hill - Kiwitea St
And all away grounds inbetween.
I think the key to Auckland is the day and timing of the game. It is much more important then Wellington due to travel/other priorities.
I seem to recall the 20k at Eden park was a Satuday at 3pm? That in my view is prime time 20k potential.
Sunday is a right off, we are all stressing about our high power jobs the following day (it's the private sector driving Auckland you see, not the public and we need to go to work)
Friday is to difficult due to us working hard all week and then having to negotiate the traffic.
Saturday is the day, after we drive our big vans round Auckland dropping the kids off at soccer (yes they call it that at kids games)
7pm is far too late, fudge if 20k turned up at Albany, getting out of there at that time would mean we wouldn't get home till 11pm
It's all about timing, If we had the perfect time and the perfect day I am sure the crowds would rock. If only we were two hours behind of Ausi rather then ahead.
So next time David, give us your best time/date and you will reap the rewards.
the 20K was a 5pm game. But there was also a 18K game that was at 7:30pm.
Interestingly we have the most attended game of the round Football: A-League crowd numbers take massive hit
CENTRAL COAST MARINERS V MELBOURNE CITY
Crowd: 4514
Previous home game: 10,519
Lowest ever home crowd (Regular season): 4508, Feb 7, 2015 v Adelaide United
Highest ever home crowd (Regular season): 17,514 Dec 22, 2007 v Sydney FC
SYDNEY FC V NEWCASTLE JETS
Crowd: 9155
Previous home game: 9253
Lowest ever home crowd: 4012, Dec 1 2010 v Wellington Phoenix
Highest ever home crowd: 41,213 October 18, 2014 v Western Sydney Wanderers
WELLINGTON PHOENIX V MELBOURNE VICTORY
Crowd: 10,852 (QBE Stadium in Auckland)
Previous home game: 13,654
Lowest ever home crowd: 4025, Feb 27, 2013 v Newcastle Jets
Highest ever home crowd: 18,345, Nov 30 2007 v Adelaide United
WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS V BRISBANE ROAR
Crowd: 9680
Previous home game: 14,426
Lowest ever home crowd: 6755 Dec 9 2012 v Brisbane Roar
Highest ever home crowd: 19,484, Feb 28 2015 v Sydney FC
ADELAIDE UNITED V PERTH GLORY
Crowd: 6205
Previous home game: 10,048
Lowest ever home crowd: 5898, March 1, 2012 v Perth Glory
Highest ever home crowd: 16,504 October 18, 2013 v Melbourne Victory
But No one seemed to be watching on tele?????
http://www.throng.co.nz/2015/12/tv-ratings-5-december-2015/
Most watched on SKY Sport 1
Most watched on SKY Sport 2
Most watched on SKY Sport 3
the 20K was a 5pm game. But there was also a 18K game that was at 7:30pm.
3pm and it will be 25k then
Next time there is a decent number of away fans at the pre-game pub, we should rally round and sing our songs, not retreat or stay inside the pub, because they're singing too well/too loud. The Victory fans owned the Merchant Bar. If we do get out-sung again, then the effort of the away fans should be respected/acknowledged rather than the pathetic chant in the ground "Can we hear the Victory Sing?", when the Victory fans were far away and more importantly, not chanting as a protest against the FFA rather than walking out!
From what I could gather, the ref wanted to have a word to the offender about the foul. Others more au fait with the laws can tell us if that is legitimate or not,
BTW, our bus driver got lost on the way back to town! We ended up in Newmarket and had to take the slow way back.
Sounds like you were on my bus - there were a couple of girls on deck having a ball singing Christmas carols opera-style in the seat behind me! :-)
That driver didn't have the first clue. He should have joined the bus lane at Constellation to begin with, but he was all at sea after missing the Fanshawe and Cook Streets turn-offs. I had to guide him after he went down Gillies Ave - he literally didn't know where he was.
Ref hadn't okayed the quickie. They just took it instinctively while Melbourne's defenders were playing silly buggers arguing the point.
For mine, the 'can we take quick free-kicks?' question is among those which a captain should clarify with the referee before any match, either when the team sheet is being handed in, or the boots are being checked in the dressing room, or even at the toss. Just so you know where you stand beforehand should the opportunity present itself.
i'm sure i will be corrected but i thought the only reasons for not allowing a free kick to be taken quickly were:
- not on the right spot
- Attacking team has asked for 10 meters
- Referee wants to book someone in the defending team
none of those seemed to be applicable in this case?
"
Those men across the ditch, Wellington Phoenix, dominate Tom Stelzer's A-League Team of the Week in a round marked by empty stands as active supporters boycotted games.
"http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/toms-league-team-week-1#:b6-MG6X6SuMHBA
Moss, Durante, Roly, Roy
sweet
I'm unsure how they can get the desired block-buster crowd to a Nix game in Auckland
Phoenix are playing exciting, attacking football
The access to NHS was great, the bus journey has really improved.
The weather for the day and evening was fantastic,
Therefore staging a game in Albanya with an evening kick-off on a Saturday night doesn't attract a lot of Aucklanders, whether they're football fans or the occasional fan who forms the mystical walk-up crowd on a sunny day
An expectation of a headline grabbing huge crowd is unrealistic unless there's a match with free admission in the Auckland Domain (a venue which attracts a huge number of families with very young children to events despite the late finish) or on a platform in the Waitemata Harbour surrounded by yachts or we win the toilet seat two seasons in a row and then apply one of the two previous options.
This is not an anti-Auckland stance, I believe that efforts to increase attendance should be directed at the people of Wellington, rather than the visitors to a once a season game in Auckland
Delpierre's leap in that clip is terrible. Lucky Roly did pull that move otherwise he could be looking at a broken foot.
I'm unsure how they can get the desired block-buster crowd to a Nix game in Auckland
Phoenix are playing exciting, attacking football
The access to NHS was great, the bus journey has really improved.
The weather for the day and evening was fantastic,
Therefore staging a game in Albanya with an evening kick-off on a Saturday night doesn't attract a lot of Aucklanders, whether they're football fans or the occasional fan who forms the mystical walk-up crowd on a sunny day
An expectation of a headline grabbing huge crowd is unrealistic unless there's a match with free admission in the Auckland Domain (a venue which attracts a huge number of families with very young children to events despite the late finish) or on a platform in the Waitemata Harbour surrounded by yachts or we win the toilet seat two seasons in a row and then apply one of the two previous options.
This is not an anti-Auckland stance, I believe that efforts to increase attendance should be directed at the people of Wellington, rather than the visitors to a once a season game in Auckland
Without sounding like an Auckland-hater, the simple answer is that there is little buy-in.
Aucklanders probably do not feel sufficiently "related" to the Nix, which is why attending a one-off game competes with other potential attractions on the day. Those of us who are Nix supporters and live in other cities than Wellington (like me in CHCH) will attend a game when it arrives in our town no matter what simply because we already are committed to the cause. I am not sure how large that kind of core audience for WPX is in Auckland at present. If anyone can draw parallels with Auckland City FC "core" numbers, please speak up.
Actually, getting outplayed quite a bit these days
Without Being Creepy where do you live?? We also do the walk through the botanic (Live on Glenmore st)
Rawhiti Terrace, before that lived on Upland road at the viaduct end.
I'm unsure how they can get the desired block-buster crowd to a Nix game in Auckland
Phoenix are playing exciting, attacking football
The access to NHS was great, the bus journey has really improved.
The weather for the day and evening was fantastic,
Therefore staging a game in Albanya with an evening kick-off on a Saturday night doesn't attract a lot of Aucklanders, whether they're football fans or the occasional fan who forms the mystical walk-up crowd on a sunny day
An expectation of a headline grabbing huge crowd is unrealistic unless there's a match with free admission in the Auckland Domain (a venue which attracts a huge number of families with very young children to events despite the late finish) or on a platform in the Waitemata Harbour surrounded by yachts or we win the toilet seat two seasons in a row and then apply one of the two previous options.
This is not an anti-Auckland stance, I believe that efforts to increase attendance should be directed at the people of Wellington, rather than the visitors to a once a season game in Auckland
Without sounding like an Auckland-hater, the simple answer is that there is little buy-in.
Aucklanders probably do not feel sufficiently "related" to the Nix, which is why attending a one-off game competes with other potential attractions on the day. Those of us who are Nix supporters and live in other cities than Wellington (like me in CHCH) will attend a game when it arrives in our town no matter what simply because we already are committed to the cause. I am not sure how large that kind of core audience for WPX is in Auckland at present. If anyone can draw parallels with Auckland City FC "core" numbers, please speak up.
The emphasis has to be on increasing the Wellington attendance
- don't rely on the argument that attendance is good on a population percentage basis (even though it's true)
- accept that a new or re-vamped stadium is not going to happen
Sadly I suspect that the only way attendance will be regularly in the 10k+ is for the Phoenix to have a great run to the play-offs, win the toilet seat, then do it again
