If ARLC chairman Peter V’landys is successful in extracting money from the NSW Government to refurbish suburban stadiums and ensure the venues are filled for TV, he must negotiate for everyone to have a seat.

That’s the message from 60 years of attendance data at grounds where NRL games are played. The nostalgic affection for suburban venues, such as Leichhardt, Belmore and Kogarah ovals, may be built on an illusion.

The romantic notion of standing beside the fig tree at North Sydney Oval with a can of beer, in the company of mates, watching a McKinnon graze his knees and elbows on the sun-baked cricket pitch, might nourish the memories but didn’t make the turnstiles click.

Of rugby league’s 435 fixtures at North Sydney Oval, the average crowd was 7855 - lower than the average of 9397 at Campbelltown Sports Stadium, which is bottom of the 21 grounds shown on the accompanying table.