Canterbury are closing in on the Sydney Swans as Sydney’s best-attended football team, with the resurgent NRL club attempting to smash its home ground record for a second time this season.
The Bulldogs are hoping to break the record attendance of 65,305 fans at the 32-0 Good Friday win over South Sydney when they host arch rivals Parramatta in the King’s Birthday weekend clash on Monday. The blue-and-white army has made its presence felt as coach Cameron Ciraldo’s side has rocketed to top spot on the ladder at the halfway point of the season.
The Bulldogs are averaging 29,578 through five home games. It’s a figure that would be higher still if Belmore Oval had a larger capacity and if monsoon conditions hadn’t resulted in just 10,412 turning up for their last match, a 44-8 loss to the Dolphins.
The Swans are still the gold standard for attracting Sydneysiders, averaging 37,570 fans for home matches at the Sydney Cricket Ground this season – but should the Dogs’ crowd on Monday pass 65,000, their average will jump to over 35,000.
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon recently took a swipe at the NRL’s claim it is the most-watched Australian sport, declaring: “We only really worry about ourselves, and we measure ourselves on traditional metrics like people turning up to games.”
The AFL remains ahead in this area – although the Bulldogs are closing the gap on the Swans, who slumped to 14th spot following a humiliating 131-41 loss to Adelaide. If both clubs continue on their current trajectories, Canterbury’s numbers through the turnstiles could outstrip the Swans’ by the end of the season.
The Bulldogs could overtake the Swans as Sydney’s best supported club this year.Credit: Getty
“There’s no doubt in my mind that Bulldogs fans are the most passionate in Sydney,” said Canterbury chairman Adam Driussi.
“What we’ve seen this year has been nothing short of extraordinary. Our Good Friday game against Souths drew 65,000 people, and the overwhelming majority were wearing blue and white. That’s the most Bulldogs fans to ever attend a single game – we wouldn’t have had that many Bulldogs supporters even at a grand final.
“We’re on track to exceed 60,000 again for our game against Parramatta. Our hope is to break the record we just set against the Rabbitohs. The response from our fan base has been phenomenal, and we’re working hard to reward that loyalty with a better game-day experience and an improving team on the field.”
The Bulldogs, who will make their Las Vegas debut against the Dragons next year, have borrowed from the NFL and college football to improve their game-day experience. That includes initiatives such as lighting up the tunnel in blue and having the players pause before they run onto Accor Stadium.
Fans have also shown they are prepared to travel to watch their team; Canterbury currently average a crowd of 27,889 for away matches, the most in the NRL. The “Family Club” is also doing a good job of converting fans into members, exceeding the 30,000 mark for the first time in its history.
“We’ve identified other marquee games this year where we believe we can break 40,000 fans, including our matches against the Sea Eagles and Warriors,” Driussi said. “The atmosphere our fans create is becoming a genuine advantage for our team.”
Monday’s clash with Parramatta will hold intrigue for both sets of supporters. The Bulldogs pipped the Eels in the race for the signature for Lachlan Galvin, with Ciraldo indicating training form will dictate whether he makes the final 17.
Even if he misses out, fans will be able to watch Galvin in the 1:40pm curtain-raiser at Accor Stadium, when their NSW Cup team takes on the Magpies.
“Monday’s game against Parramatta is our first since announcing the signing of Lachie Galvin,” Driussi said.
“Whether he takes the field or not, it will be a great opportunity for Lachie to experience the passion of the Bulldogs fan base firsthand. There’s nothing quite like the atmosphere when we face our traditional rivals in the Eels, especially with what’s shaping up to be another massive crowd.”
The combination of the Bulldogs’ ladder position, interest in derby opponents Parramatta, a public holiday and the release of cheap tickets has raised hopes of a huge crowd.
“Our fan base has been through some tough years, so we’ve worked hard to ensure everyone can be part of this resurgence,” Driussi said.
“That’s why we’ve introduced $10 tickets in certain sections of level 6 at Accor Stadium. We understand the cost-of-living pressures families are facing, and we want to make attending games as accessible as possible.”
NSW minister for sport Steve Kamper said: “The King’s Birthday match between the Bulldogs and the Eels is set to deliver another crowd of over 60,000 at Accor Stadium.
“Not only are NRL fans creating a great atmosphere at Accor, they’re making history and Monday’s crowd will go close to the largest regular season attendance at an NRL match, set over the Easter Long Weekend when the Bulldogs-Rabbitohs match drew 65,305 fans.
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