Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson has called on the NRL to do more to help grow the World Club Challenge after the tricolours were crowned world champions on Saturday night.
After leading Wigan 18-0 at halftime the Roosters withstood a spirited fightback from the Super League champions in the second stanza to emerge 36-14 winners at Allianz Stadium.
The victory added the World Club Challenge title to the NRL premiership the Roosters won last year and was the club’s third win in the international club showpiece, after victories in 1976 and 2003.
Superstar centre Michael Jennings led the way for the Roosters with three tries, while tricolours hooker Jake Friend was named man of the match.
The Roosters-Wigan clash was the first time the game had been held in Australia for 20 years and Robinson, who spent two years in the Super League coaching Catalans Dragons, supported calls for the game to be held every second year Down Under.
But Robinson said clubs needed support from the NRL to make it a marquee event as the game’s governing body did with last week’s hugely successful Auckland Nines.
“How much time and effort did we put in to preparing this as a competition?,” Robinson asked.
“Our focus was on the Nines. There wasn’t a huge amount of advertisement about it, there wasn’t a huge amount of preparation as far as the event, the week and all that and 31,000 fans turned up.
“We underestimated the crowd and we underestimated the occasion for Australian fans. We could easily make this a huge event. We need to support our code. That should have been 42,000 or 43 if we had marketed it well.
“Souths and St George were at WIN Stadium 2 hours before we played. Have a stand alone game, make it a big thing and you will fill the stadium. We need a better effort than that.”
Robinson also said he would like to see the concept expanded to include other sides from both the NRL and Super League, an idea that is gathering momentum.
“Have more teams and have it Friday, Saturday, Sunday, it would be great for the game,” he said.
“Our pre-season is all over the place at the moment. Some teams play one game, some teams play three games. Expanding the World Club Challenge would give our pre-season some clarity.”
