Just after 5.30pm this Saturday a game of footy will get under way at Campbelltown Sports Stadium.
The NRL round one clash between the home side, the Wests Tigers, and the New Zealand Warriors, may seem just another game of rugby league.
But as anyone who has followed the Wests Tigers knows there will be a lot more at stake.
And we’re not talking about whether coach Jason Taylor’s head will be on the chopping block if the Tigers start the season with a bad loss.
No, this is about the future of NRL in Campbelltown and Macarthur.
And the match on Saturday will be just one pointer as to what will happen in the future.
The size of the crowd, for instance, will be keenly watched.
If it’s low – closer to 5,000 than 10,000 – it will spark a debate whether Campbelltown should continue to host Wests Tigers matches.
On the other hand if it’s a really good crowd, 10,000 or more, it will generate calls for more matches to be played here at Campbelltown.
However it goes, having three home grounds is not a sustainable approach for a topline NRL club aiming to be in the finals every season.
Have a look at all the successful NRL clubs and one of the factors common to them is a single home base where the team trains and plays.
This is one of the things Saturday may help guide: what the club does in the future; where it plays and so on.
But of course all Wests Tigers fans will want the team to win regardless of how many people are in the stands watching this Saturday evening.
