New Zealand this time round compared to last year??

[saintwalsh]

Went to the Wellington game last year. Was unable to attend this year due to work. I was wondering for those that went both years was the lead up in the town the same as last year ? Were their a lot more kiwis at the game this time round?? It's a Shame that we lost for the second year in a row because no one likes to support a losing team especially seeing that we are trying to break into a new market. Can you see this New Zealand concept working or do you think it's just seen a novelty over their that will slowly fizzle out??

[ozrulestrace]

It would help if could win these games.

I was talking to a NZ family at the family day. They lived in Perth for a while and the had to google to find out the number of players in a side.

Forget the Craig Willis/James Sherry fluff pieces at the ground. The sound was not good and I think the whole video review of the video review system was even doing my head in. Maybe the club should consider handing out a Q&A fact sheet for those entering the ground.

It's hard to know if the game will pick up in Wellington,

[Schillaci]

There was nowhere near as many people walking around town and waterfront as last year dressed in footy colours...if I had to put a number on it about 1/4 of presence around the town. Far fewer Lions fans than Swans fans in attendance too. Shop keepers, concierge, bus drivers etc all friendly enough and positive about the game being held here. Thought atmosphere at the ground was similar... Numbers down but Saints wing/ flanks area on one side of the ground was vocal enough to make it feel like a home game. I enjoyed it for the second time and am looking forward to going again next year...hopefully a win will have a greater impact on the locals...they're not going to jump on board a losing team...that much I know. They turn on the All Blacks pretty quick after a bad performance. Just as well for them they are few and far between.

[Wayne42]

New Zealand is fast becoming our new Tassie, we hardly one there and bailed as soon as we could. We need the coin so i hope we can stick it out in NZ.

[saintspremiers]

It would help if could win these games.

I was talking to a NZ family at the family day. They lived in Perth for a while and the had to google to find out the number of players in a side.

Forget the Craig Willis/James Sherry fluff pieces at the ground. The sound was not good and I think the whole video review of the video review system was even doing my head in. Maybe the club should consider handing out a Q&A fact sheet for those entering the ground.

It's hard to know if the game will pick up in Wellington,

I can't stand Craig Willis. The Kiwi bloke filling in at times was better. I want to hear a Kiwi accent on the PA a lot being at an NZ match. Welly is a great little city. Everyone must come here at least once in the next 3 years of the deal. You'd be mad to miss out on the experience.

[SaintPav]

Some one at the AFL must really like Craig. Surely, they can do better than that.

[ozrulestrace]

Some one at the AFL must really like Craig. Surely, they can do better than that.

I agree about Barney the ground announcer, far better than Craig Willis and James Sherry. Who hired him for the gig?

I enjoyed the trip to a Wellington, but there has to be a but of improvement n t he marketing.

For example, the ad on Sky television had lots of AFL vision, trouble is more shots of Brisbane players and the only time St Klda was mentioned with vision of our players was right at the end.

Plus one poster in a shop window was Brisbane vs St Kilda, that is hardly pushing the campaign to bring Wellingtonians in as
St Kilda supporters first and foremost.

It's as if the AFL wants to promote the game but they can't quite bring themselves to say "Go Saints" .

[saint6]

would also help if the umpires sent over appeared to understand the rules. what hope have the locals of working things out if the game officials dont appear to consistently understand them.
Far less footy colours around town this time with a lot of people flying in at the last minute. The AFL really need to do a lot more to promote themselves to locals and the new zealand tourism people really need to do a lot more to promote themselves to visiting australians. Wellington is a lovely city but the surrounding area once you get out of town is just amazing. You really need to hire a car while here and get out of town and have a look further afield.

[BigMart]

Maybe we'll cut and run like Tassie because we 'can't win' there?

Leaving Tassie was disgraceful ..... And was a short term weak decision... Which backfired because the players never got enough exposure to a bigger ground, outside tough conditions and were given the excuse of comfort...
It was like buying the toy for the 2yo to shut them up!! they needed to HTFU and work out why they couldn't perform there, rather than running back home to easy conditions... It was a farce

Hawthorn were the beneficiaries of our weak minded gutless lack of leadership and prospered. They embraced, we lost a few games and used the venue as an excuse.

Same with NZ

If we bail from there and make the same mistake twice... Close the bloody doors

[satchmo]

Back on topic...

Wellington is great and the Kiwis are lovely people, but what they really want is to beat Australians. Next best thing would be for a Kiwi to star in the Aussie sport. We will need to fast track NZ talent for this to work.

[BigMart]

Savage?

[citywest]

Maybe we'll cut and run like Tassie because we 'can't win' there?

Leaving Tassie was disgraceful ..... And was a short term weak decision... Which backfired because the players never got enough exposure to a bigger ground, outside tough conditions and were given the excuse of comfort...
It was like buying the toy for the 2yo to shut them up!! they needed to HTFU and work out why they couldn't perform there, rather than running back home to easy conditions... It was a farce

Hawthorn were the beneficiaries of our weak minded gutless lack of leadership and prospered. They embraced, we lost a few games and used the venue as an excuse.

Same with NZ

If we bail from there and make the same mistake twice... Close the bloody doors

I agree with everything you said in this post 100%. Were you at the AGM the year we bailed Tassie? That was me during Q&A that stood up and told BUTTHEAD exactly what you just posted but he just brushed me off and went to the next question without answering my question. The decision to leave Tassie, transfer our home games to Etihad and relocate to Seaford were catastrophic and have brought our club to its knees (financially).

[satchmo]

Savage?

He is the first attempt.

A good one might inspire a generation of them.

[saintdooley]

went to both. Last year i had a car and drove down from Auckland, stayed in Lower Hutt for a few nights. This year i arrived late Friday morning and was home by late Saturday arvo, in and out.
Saw a lot of saints fans walking around the city on Friday but not as many as last year, plus half of them last year were swans fans, this year i dont think i saw a lions fan until inside the stadium.
As saint6 said, you really do need to hire a car. I had a much better time last year driving around out in the suburbs and seeing the real Wellington. The city is great, but a lot like Adelaide, you can see it all within 60 minutes.

[ace]

Went to the Wellington game last year. Was unable to attend this year due to work. I was wondering for those that went both years was the lead up in the town the same as last year ? Were their a lot more kiwis at the game this time round?? It's a Shame that we lost for the second year in a row because no one likes to support a losing team especially seeing that we are trying to break into a new market. Can you see this New Zealand concept working or do you think it's just seen a novelty over their that will slowly fizzle out??

The AFL tried their best to give us win in NewZealand by scheduling an easy beat Brisbane as our opponent.
However our players took it too easy in the first half and were not good enough to finish over the top of them in the second half.

[remboy]

went to both. Last year i had a car and drove down from Auckland, stayed in Lower Hutt for a few nights. This year i arrived late Friday morning and was home by late Saturday arvo, in and out.

Very impressive Dools. Just in case I'm tempted next year is the ground easy to get to?

[WellardSaint]

"The Club made more $$ in the NZ game, than 8 games at Etihad in 2013."
What is the source of this strange rumour?
And how long will the club be bankrolled, before the AFL and the Kiwi govt decide to stop giving handouts?

[QuestionOfAccuracy]

Maybe we'll cut and run like Tassie because we 'can't win' there?

Leaving Tassie was disgraceful ..... And was a short term weak decision... Which backfired because the players never got enough exposure to a bigger ground, outside tough conditions and were given the excuse of comfort...
It was like buying the toy for the 2yo to shut them up!! they needed to HTFU and work out why they couldn't perform there, rather than running back home to easy conditions... It was a farce

Hawthorn were the beneficiaries of our weak minded gutless lack of leadership and prospered. They embraced, we lost a few games and used the venue as an excuse.

Same with NZ

If we bail from there and make the same mistake twice... Close the bloody doors

I agree with everything you said in this post 100%. Were you at the AGM the year we bailed Tassie? That was me during Q&A that stood up and told BUTTHEAD exactly what you just posted but he just brushed me off and went to the next question without answering my question. The decision to leave Tassie, transfer our home games to Etihad and relocate to Seaford were catastrophic and have brought our club to its knees (financially).

+1000

[saintdooley]

went to both. Last year i had a car and drove down from Auckland, stayed in Lower Hutt for a few nights. This year i arrived late Friday morning and was home by late Saturday arvo, in and out.

Very impressive Dools. Just in case I'm tempted next year is the ground easy to get to?

Very easy, if you stay anywhere in the city it's walking distance. I stayed On the opposite side of the city and still only a 20 min walk.

[ozrulestrace]

We stayed in Featherstone Street towards the Civic Centre and it was straight down Featherstone Street, and along the concourse outside the stadium. About a 20 minute walk. No getting lost trying to find your way.

[saintbrat]

AFL take on the weekend- mark Evans
https://soundcloud.com/#sen1116/mark-ev ... run-home-6

addresses NZ game at about 3 min mark

[saintbrat]

and president's view
http://www.saints.com.au/news/2014-04-2 ... -president

[saintbrat]

and the new CEO's take

New St Kilda chief executive Matt Finnis has declared his support for the club's New Zealand expansion strategy, and has mooted playing its Anzac Day match before the Collingwood-Essendon blockbuster to assist its growth.

The Saints' loss to Brisbane on Friday marked the second year of an initial three-year phase of its deal with Wellington City Council to host a match there.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/s ... z30H9CVDhp

[Jacks Back]

I noticed we had a (slightly) bigger crowd than the two expansion teams got on the Gold Coast.

[spert]

I think it would be very very important to win our next game over in NZ- we don't want to be selling a dud product..people are not going to jump onto losers.