{"id":931561,"date":"2026-10-17T14:54:21","date_gmt":"2026-10-17T14:54:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/931561\/"},"modified":"2026-10-17T14:54:21","modified_gmt":"2026-10-17T14:54:21","slug":"nrl-2026-jillaroos-urge-fans-to-support-them-after-poor-world-cup-crowd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/931561\/","title":{"rendered":"NRL 2026: Jillaroos urge fans to support them after poor World Cup crowd"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jillaroos coach Jess Skinner has warned footy fans that they\u2019re going to miss something special in women\u2019s rugby league if they don\u2019t attend games after thousands of spectators left after the men\u2019s World Cup match on Friday.<\/p>\n

It meant there were only a few thousand people at the second game of the double-header where Australia beat a brave Samoa side 40-0.<\/p>\n

While there were epic scenes at Allianz Stadium on Thursday for the tournament opener between Australia and New Zealand, the same can\u2019t be said for what we saw in Parramatta.<\/p>\n

Large sections of the stadium were empty for the men\u2019s match between Samoa and France, although the ends of the ground were packed with Samoan supporters who saw their side run amok.<\/p>\n

But most of them left after the first game which led to a noticeably smaller crowd for the best team in the world. <\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s get around women in sport, right? All women in sport, particularly this Rugby League World Cup,\u201d Skinner said after the game. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got a lot of talented women across all of the teams. The message would be to stay and support the growth. Something really cool is happening in this generation of sport with our ladies, and you\u2019re going to miss it. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere are history-making moments over this World Cup and we want to see our fans, particularly in the green and gold, be a part of that. Just come and have a look.\u201d<\/p>\n

The poor crowd has led to suggestions that the Jillaroos should have played first on Friday, but they are the defending champions, the tournament hosts and deserve to be in the spotlight.<\/p>\n

They will again be the second game of a double-header next week in Perth when they face England, and will then be the first game of a triple-header in Parramatta on November 1 with two men\u2019s games to follow. <\/p>\n

Jillaroos skipper Isabelle Kelly said she didn\u2019t really notice the crowd leaving but said it was unfortunate. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we\u2019re out there, we\u2019re focused on each other and the role we play for one another,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s unfortunate with a lot of people leaving, but at the end of the day, we play rugby league because we love playing it. We\u2019ve never played for the crowds or the outside noise, we\u2019ve just played because it\u2019s something that we\u2019re so passionate about. <\/p>\n

\u201cFor the next few games, there\u2019s going to be some really great, competitive, top-notch games that are going to showcase a lot of talent, so it\u2019d be great for people to be coming and tuning into those games. <\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, we just keep working hard and putting this game on a platform.\u201d<\/p>\n

Skinner said there was some rust in the 40-0 win but that was to be expected in the first game of a tournament where some of the stars hadn\u2019t played for weeks.<\/p>\n

One player who stole the show was debutant Jocelyn Kelleher who set up tries and tormented Samoa\u2019s back three with her booming right boot. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe just celebrated her getting player of the match,\u201d Skinner said. <\/p>\n

\u201cI reckon that\u2019s a dream run for her, and her kicking game was amazing. She took her opportunities when she had them, so it couldn\u2019t get better than that in a World Cup debut for the Jillaroos and becoming part of a legacy piece. <\/p>\n

\u201cReally proud of her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Originally published as \u2018You\u2019re going to miss it\u2019: Jillaroos send strong message to supporters after disappointing scenes in the stands<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Jillaroos coach Jess Skinner has warned footy fans that they\u2019re going to miss something special in women\u2019s 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