Paul Gallen steals show at Suncorp as Magic concept soars first up
How ironic that the first man onto Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night to launch the NRL’s Magic Round was the home state’s most despised footballer.
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How ironic that the first man onto Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night to launch the NRL’s Magic Round was the home state’s most despised footballer.
There weren’t as many boos as State of Origin night when old warhorse and local villain Paul Gallen led the Sharks out but still plenty of atmosphere for a Thursday night game as rugby league fans began arriving in town for the massive weekend of footy.
The contest was never going to be a rugby league showstopper between two of the game’s more unfashionable teams. Yet it was exciting in the closeness on the scoreboard.
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The 37-year-old Gallen finished up as man-of the match.
Without first-half casualties Andrew Fifita and Matt Prior, he carved out 138 metres in 40 minutes.
He finished up with 200 metres, scored the matchwinning try and even kicked the last conversion.
It was Gallen and replacement forward Braden Hamlin-Uele who laid the foundations for another gutsy win without injured stars Matt Moylan, Wade Graham, Shaun Johnson and Aaron Woods.
Then Chad Townsend took over and directed play beautifully to steer the Sharks home.
There is not a more consistent player in the NRL in 2019.
Despite the loss, the Titans were happy to launch magic weekend 90 kilometres up the highway from their home ground. At least from a commercial point of view.
Last year when they hosted the Sharks at Cbus Super Stadium on a Saturday night, the crowd was 12,713 and former CEO Graham Annesley said they made about $70,000 on the gate.
Thursday night’s crowd at Suncorp Stadium on a Thursday night was 17,113. The Titans walked away with more than $200,000 as their share of the $2.5 million the QLD government paid for Magic weekend.
It was the biggest crowd between these two teams since 2008.
For the ‘home’ clubs this round is a win before they even take the field.
If the Roosters had played the Canberra Raiders at their temporary home ground at the SCG this weekend, they would have made $40,000.
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In Brisbane Nick Politis will walk away with a cheque for around $250,000.
That’s why there have been no complaints from any of the clubs.
And when was the last time all 16 of them were collectively happy about anything?
It was the launch of a huge weekend for the game.
The NRL expects merchandise sales to be up 50 per cent on a normal round of football.
They are anticipating at least 10,000 more fans through the turnstiles than for a normal club round.
And the increased TV ratings they always attract for major occasions.
It promises to be a wonderful weekend for the game.
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