Is there a bit of creative accounting taking place, all the money goes to the RFL for a share out after the GF, I reckon there was 20k in there at least, if you remember the first 'friendly' there, the gate was 16k or so and it was nowhere near as full that day as it was last night.

Think Wigan had the same matchday accountants. Highest attendance overall in the league this season and they don't get 10k at home. Taxman should feel cheated this weekend.

I was surprised how many empty seats there were at the game. West Lower was pretty empty, South had a lot of seats spare and there were a few empty in the East. We comented at kick off about it. I thought it was about 19k ish but thats still pretty shoddy for a derby match of such importance.

Highest of the play-offs so far though...

Maybe but I think most of us expected another 5k on what it was.

5000+ Kings fans there so all down to fickle Thunder fans IMO.

Thought it was an abysmal turn out myself. I did wonder to myself why there weren't more people there. KR sold the 5,100 tickets they had been allocated and on the Saturday morning was handed another 700. So this leads me to believe that FC were struggling to sell. I don't go for none of this "freedom festival" nonscence either. It should have made no difference to rugby fans.

I bet it did though, think about it - you're a kid at school or college with a limited amount of money, do you spend £15 going to a rugby game that you can Sky+ and watch later, or go watch a load of your favourite bands and groups for sod-all? At that age I'd rather go to the game, but can understand a lot of children and families choosing the festival instead, esp considering how much it must cost for a family of 4 or 5 to go to the KC.

Derby or McFly? Yeah I can see the attraction....

Know exactly what you mean, but again you've got to lot at it from other perspectives. I would gladly have paid £100 to be part of that atmosphere and experience on Sat night, but £15 to a kid might be several weeks pocket money, or whatever.

I'm still convinced as well that Sky showing it keeps a lot of people away. A friend told me that the pub he was in was full of Hull fans. This pub is less then 3 miles from the ground.



Okay it was a disappointing crowd, but who would have dreamt 10 years ago (or even 5 years ago) that the two teams would be meeting in the SL play-offs, and drawing more then two other play-off games combined (Wigan's and Hudd's matches).

Translated to real world, a 16 year old girl would get her dad to pay for the ticket then go to the freedom festival after and do both for sod all... must say she thought the rugby was far better than the festival and was thoroughly pleased she decided to spend my cash..