NRL: Broncos push for daylight grand final

[Queenslander]

Broncos push for daylight final
By Evan Schwarten
October 02, 2006 10:29am

BRISBANE Broncos CEO Bruno Cullen has said the AFL grand final was a better spectacle than the NRL decider, which he says needs to revert to its traditional Sunday afternoon timeslot.

The Broncos last night beat the Melbourne Storm 15-8 at Sydney's Telstra Stadium to secure the club's sixth premiership.

But Cullen today admitted he was envious of the Saturday afternoon AFL grand final between West Coast and Sydney.

"I was not embarrassed, but I was certainly very envious when I watched the AFL grand final in broad sunlight and a great pre-match spectacle," he said on ABC radio.

"Last night we went over there, you know it was dark, it was dewy and the pre-game thing wasn't all that good."

He said the club was investigating ways to convince the NRL board to bring the grand final back to Sunday afternoons.

NRL grand finals have been held on Sunday nights since 2001 at the behest of Channel 9.

"We are certainly going to get on the front foot and see if there is something we can do about it," Cullen said.

The move, he said, was a higher priority for the club than securing a home grand final.

"We'd love a grand final in Brisbane but before that we'd love a grand final in the day time," he said.

Cullen praised the Storm's performance but said the Broncos deserved their win.

"The players that have been bagged for being too old and too slow and all that sort of stuff were just too experienced and too tough for the younger Melbourne troops," he said.

"They will be a very good side in a couple of years time but we were a very good side yesterday and we won it."

He said the retirement of veteran front-rower Shane Webcke had helped motivate the Brisbane side, but that there were other factors spurring the players.

"It was very important but it was more important to Shane probably than the rest of the team," he said.

"You couldn't play it for Shane, if you like, because that would mean you lose focus on everything.

"He played a wonderful game and he was very, very happy at the end of the game that the team had delivered him the send-off he really desired."

www.news.com.au

[broncos_cow_girl]

I agree. If it means the conditions are better for the players then it should make a better and fairer overall game, especially when it comes to finals.

[[BroncosGirl]]

I dont know, I dont really care, if you love league you shouldnt really care when it is.
But I guess work wise and stuff, day is better.

[Steelers]

For once I agree with the Broncos

[Luke]

Im not to fussed when its played day or night. Although i would much perfer to watch a Daytime game. I find it more fun and exiting to watch.

[DeeGan]

Sunday night grandfinals are all about the all important dollar apparently - for mine, the AFL Grand Final was a much better spectacle and low and behold, IT WASN'T DAMAGED BY BEING PLAYED ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON!

The sooner we get back to the Sunday afternoon 2.30pm or 3.00pm kick off, the better. Some traditions should not be played with, this is one I want to come back in.

I was at the game last night and whilst I had a great time, I would have loved to have been leaving the ground at 5.00pm instead of 9.00pm. That's just me.

[Social Loafer]

IMO Night Games > Day Games...

Atmosphere under lights just adds so much to the feel of a stadium, it really helps get the place pumping... Also Night times have much more pleasent conditions, thanks to global warming (can discuss if this is a myth somewhere else) we are getting warmer days, and for some people the mix of grog and heat is not a good combination..

Another thing to remember is that Sunday Night is the time when most people are at home/ not at work...

Sunday afternoon Grand Finals means a lot of people missing it due to work, it's not 1960 anymore, people work on Sundays and the city doesn't come to a standstill..

So shouldn't we be playing our biggest event at a time when the most people are likely to watch it??

Anyway that is my 2 Cents on the matter, but going by previous threads I'm in a complete minority...

[TitansFan]

I would prefer to see a return to daytime grand finals. It just doesn't seem the same when the GF is at night

[jenny]

We always loved Sunday afternoon Grand Final...The whole day was all about footy.... BBQ's... and and a great day was had by all! Would love to see it back! But hey, thats me!

[Grimmace]

The night games are far better as i live a couple hours out from Sydney it doesnt bother me that much but i have a feeling im going to be in the minority here.
This just sounds like a typical thing of how its on to late as people would get home later which is fair enough but i have been to a sunday arvo and a sunday night GF but i much prefer the sunday night GF its got a far better atmosphere.

[shavenjas]

What about a Friday Night Grandfinal.

[TitansFan]

What about a Friday Night Grandfinal.

Yes thats a good idea. I'd prefer Fri night to Sun night

[qld power]

well with daylight savings starting here yesterday the game didnt kick off to 1015pm which is crap if they want to get as much exposure go bak to day games

[Social Loafer]

Friday Night would be a terrible idea for a Grand Final, a lot of people finish work 5 or later, it would be a logistical nightmare to have 85% of the crowd trying to get in the same time, then there would be increased traffic with both people returning from work/ going to telstra stadium..
The Sunday night with 3 grades means people can gradually come into the ground and the crowd will slowly build up...

It would also make it much harder for people interstate to make the match..

[Capital_Shark]

Get over it, its night time grand finals and aslong as that keeps racking in the cash, it ain't gonna change. Who cares what AFL does with theirs.

I'm sick of this same debate every late September early October. Some people caught up in the past complaining the sun isn't up during the Grand Final. However happily watch most of the season at night time.

Next years Grand Final will kick off Sunday night, as will the 2008 GF, and forever more. NSW have a public holiday Monday, so they're not fussed about work the next day. Why doesn't Bruno get Mr. Beattie to do the same for QLD'ers.