League: Sales slow but NZRL keen to keep staging tests

North Queensland prop Jason Taumalolo is bound to put on a bruising display for the Eden Park crowd, whatever its size, in tonight's Anzac league test against Australia. Photo / Greg Bowker

The New Zealand Rugby League may have no problem breaking even from tonight's Anzac test, but chief executive Jim Doyle is unhappy with sluggish ticket sales.

A day out from the one-off test at Eden Park, the first in New Zealand since 1998, ticket sales had reached more than 25,000 but Mr Doyle was underwhelmed.

"A lot of people are saying for a rugby league game it's actually quite good but, from my point of view, we've got the top two teams in the world and the Kiwis are back to full strength and we've not had an Anzac test in New Zealand for 14 years," he said.

"We budgeted conservatively but it's certainly lower than we were expecting and hoping for."

The NZRL yesterday released 2600 discounted tickets on the voucher website GrabOne, something which had been long planned, and they sold in 28 minutes. Mr Doyle hoped that promotion and a significant walk-up crowd would boost gate receipts.

"Tickets are picking up, they're not going too bad. The weather is forecast to be really positive so hopefully there will be a walk-up crowd.

"We're hoping to exceed that 30,000 mark and get closer to 35,000."

Breaking even was not an issue, according to Mr Doyle, but he hoped sales would eventually reach 35,000 so the NZRL could turn a profit.

"It's not just about breaking even, it's about making money so we can invest it back into the grassroots and grow the game in the country."

Regardless of the final attendance, New Zealand is ready to continue alternating with Australia in hosting the Anzac test - even if playing the game in Australia is a more lucrative prospect.

"We're certainly hopeful that we have this test match here every second year," Mr Doyle said. "We could have the game every year in Australia and make more money. But if we did that - and obviously it's happened for the last 13 years - you can't grow the game because you haven't got high-profile games held in the country."

Another way to boost the game in New Zealand while increasing revenue was to take the Anzac test to other venues in this country.

"If you have an opportunity to make money somewhere else because the cost of the stadium is less to hire than Eden Park, then you're happy to have less of a crowd because you're making a profit," he said.

"It doesn't always have to be at Eden Park, it doesn't always have to be in Auckland. If we had the opportunity to go to Dunedin, Wellington or Christchurch, and we could make that realistic, it also helps us grow the game."

Earlier in the week, Australian coach Tim Sheens bristled when asked about Australian television not covering the game live, and said he would like to see a full house at Eden Park.

"It's not for me to worry about what the TV stations are doing and how they schedule their games. I think there's plenty of interest and I would like to see the stadium here full, too. You haven't sold that yet."

A crowd of 40,000 watched the Warriors open their NRL campaign at Eden Park in March and 44,000 turned up the last time the Kiwis played there in 2010.