Last weekend’s crowd aggregate of 100,975 was the lowest opening weekend attendance total for elite-level rugby league in Australia since the ARL’s ill-fated round one in 1996. Just four games took place that weekend, with the Super League-aligned clubs all forfeiting their games.

Horrendous weather conditions played a big part in keeping fans away from the footy last weekend; the weather gods are expected to be a little kinder to the 13-man game for round two, with less rain forecast for Sydney.

Helping to lift the aggregate first up will be the Brisbane Broncos hosting their state cousins the North Queensland Cowboys on Friday night. The last time these two teams met at Suncorp Stadium a massive crowd of 46,176 flooded through the gates. With both teams last-start winners, a similar crowd figure this weekend wouldn’t surprise.

Doing their bit to boost crowd numbers will be last year’s high achievers, Canberra. Early ticket sale reports suggest the Raiders are on track for their biggest opening home game crowd since 2002. The last time they hosted their opposition for this weekend, the Cronulla Sharks, the Raiders posted an attendance of 25,592 for their qualifying final blockbuster in 2016.

Also playing its part will be the match scheduled for Campbelltown on Sunday afternoon featuring the flashy Wests Tigers and the equally mesmerising Penrith Panthers. The Tigers attracted 16,783 for their last home game at the venue, which was Jarryd Hayne’s second game back since returning to rugby league via the Gold Coast Titans.

Wollongong’s WIN Stadium should also be jumping this weekend, with St George-Illawarra hosting fellow last-start winners the rejuvenated Parramatta Eels. When they last met in the Illawarra back in 2013, a whopping 17,458 packed in to see the Steel-Dragons beat the Eels 32-12.

NRL CROWDS – ROUND 1, 2017
Sharks vs Broncos: 11,493
Bulldogs vs Storm: 8,712
Souths vs Wests Tigers: 16,976
Dragons vs Panthers Crowd: 7,283
Cowboys vs Raiders Crowd: 17,548
Titans vs Roosters Crowd: 13,933
Warriors vs Knights Crowd: 13,712
Manly vs Parra Crowd 11,318
Total: 100,975

THE LAST TIME THEY MET AT THIS WEEKEND’S VENUES
Roosters vs Bulldogs 7,741
Warriors vs Storm: 16,214
Broncos vs Cowboys: 46,176
Knights vs Titans: 10,960
Sea Eagles vs Rabbitohs: 9,603
Raiders vs Sharks: 25,592
Wests Tigers vs Penrith: 9,715
Dragons vs Eels 17,458
Total: 143,459