Not now that Gaz is back!

Has anyone else noticed that I'm asking a lot of questions lately?

Predictions time

Premiers: Melbourne
Runners Up: Daylight - or North Queensland
Wooden Spoon: Canberra
Most improved on 2007 spot: St George Illawarra followed by Sydney Roosters
Biggest drop on 2007 finish: NZ Warriors

Best steak sandwich: Henson Park

Premiers: Melbourne - Agree Jeffles, cant go past them
Runners Up: North Queensland/Para
Wooden Spoon: Canberra
Most improved on 2007 spot: Titans/Roosters
Biggest drop on 2007 finish: Bulldogs/Sharks

Most expensive beer: Suncorp stadium

Winnahs: Melbourne
Runners Up: North Queensland or Parramatta
Wooden Spoon: Newcastle
Most Improved on 2007: Penrith or Canberra
Worst Improved on 2007: Bulldogs

Best cheeseburger: Mt Smart Stadium

ben ross got tw@tted tonight

What a bloody good hit!

What was I no when I tipped St George?

How long before Nathan Brown gets the boot?

I'm calling shenanigans on the crowd figure from last night's Storm v Warriors match.

Bearing in mind that I'm a stadium and a crowds nerd I reckon I'm a good judge. The bottom deck of Docklands was about 80% filled. The middle deck was about 80% on the side opposite the cameras but the other 3/4 of the deck had about 10 people per bay. The top deck was closed off.

Also, compared it in my head with the MV game from last wednesday which pulled 23k with both wings of the top deck almost full.

My estimate was 13 - 14,000. Well under the announced 20k.

Stadium and crowd nerds rule!

Did they bring in the seating at pitch level last night?

Actually I reckon 20k is about right.

Pretty much the entire bottom deck was full (that includes both ends and the camera side wing) and a fair majority of the second level was full.

The top deck was closed off (smart decision as it forced everyone into the one area). The top deck would hold about 30k. The stadium capacity is 56,000. So take 30k from 56k and you're left with 26k.

I reckon 20k was about right. It was definitely more than the 13-14k you estimate, that I can guarantee.

well we need to sort out the capacities of each deck.

Storm got:

Bottom 80%
Middle 25%
Top 0%

and then work backwards once we know the relevant capacities.

I was at the game, and I estimated about 20k before the figure came up on the screen. Honestly! As Dasher said, the bottom level was just about full, I'd say over 90% (MV last week, it was less that half full, mainly due to the fact the way the AFC set up the advertising boards, most seats were restricted viewing!), so these people plus the additional 3-4k were on the top level. I'm still waiting for answers from the crowd figure released for the South Sydney game last year in the rain at Telstra Stadium!

Played dogshit awful and managed to largely hang with Melbourne.


I'm not happy, but i'm not heartbroken

It has been pretty good rugby league in the first 2 rounds. I think that lowering the number of interchanges to 10 has been a success.

The first 2 rounds have also confirmed to me that Manu Vatuvei is my favourite player in the game of rugby league. You never know what will happen next with that guy.

Handling problems are overrated. But the guy is a motherfucking legend, i don't care if he occasionally gives away a try to the other team, he's just so destructive.

Good win yesterday. I'm quietly confident.