NRL: Schedule clash takes some heat off Storm

The Storm have been under intense scrutiny. Photo / Getty Images

The Warriors' home match last night was not scheduled by the NRL to afford the visitors some respite in the salary cap storm engulfing the Storm.

The strange scheduling of a Warriors match at the same time as the All Blacks-Boks test in Wellington was treated with disappointment by local broadcasters and ambivalence by the Warriors club. The most that can be said about the NRL's atttitude is that it was a blessing in disguise.

Viewer numbers were expected to be down as Sky Television were competing against themselves in the local market, given they had the rights to both fixtures.

However, the crowd was 13,000 last night - better than average.

The decision on the time was made by the NRL in association with Channel Nine in Australia - whose audience does not have the same affinity for rugby. Across the Tasman the match was shown on Fox Sports, the station that shows games Channel Nine passes up.

Sky Television's league producer Dean Pooley says Sky does not get a say on the scheduling of Warriors games.

"The NRL decides. Obviously neither us nor the Warriors are keen on a head-to-head with the All Blacks. You can indicate to the NRL you want to avoid those types of clashes at the start of the season but they pretty much do what they want. The one bright spot - for us and the Warriors - is that at least both matches aren't in Auckland."

Ironically, the NRL could well be thanking rugby union. The test may have deflected some viewer attention away from the Storm, who struck another spot of turbulence this week with the release of an audit report showing them 80 per cent over the salary cap.

NRL chief operating officer Graham Annesley says the coincidence was beyond their control: "We try to avoid clashes with other events but had a request to consider the Warriors for more Saturday night games. Consequently they received this game and my understanding is their pre-match and corporate sales were some of the best this season, given they're making a charge for the finals."

Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah says that was the case: "We know our fans want variety; they don't want Sunday games all the time so we're keen to play Friday and Saturday nights when we can. A night game creates a different atmosphere; it's great for corporate and adult attendance. Sunday is more of a family day.

"From a broadcasting perspective, having the All Blacks playing at the same time is not ideal, but people can choose their favourite code and MySky anything else on the telly. The test was played in Wellington too, so as far as a live audience goes we're not going against them. We're just delighted to get a Saturday night game."

Annesley was keen to put conspiracy theories to rest: "We weren't taking on New Zealand's best-viewed sport by design. It was meant to help the Warriors get better figures, otherwise we try to avoid clashes with other major events.

"Clubs make requests for their preferred scheduling but often there's a conflict and we can't satisfy everyone. We also liaise with Channel Nine and Fox Sports, who get a say in scheduling as part of their contractual rights."

Pooley is keen to downplay whispers of contrived scheduling which may have taken some heat off the Storm - giving them a weekend across the Tasman, where the public microscope is less invasive.

"I doubt the NRL would've taken that into consideration. Primarily they work their schedule around what Channel Nine want and everyone else fits in."