Gould's simple fix to save Jillaroos from Vegas axe
Phil Gould believes the NRL can stick with a four-game schedule in Las Vegas, provided organisers consider these two things.
Moderated by Tomas Kauer 
League legend Phil Gould believes the NRL can stick with a four-game schedule in Las Vegas, provided that the scorelines remain competitive and the game day schedule is well thought out.
The NRL's return to Las Vegas last week for a second stab at the American market was labelled a ratings success, but not every match drew in figures that league bosses would have been hoping for.
The Raiders' 30-8 victory over the Warriors attracted 371,000 total viewers on the FOX free-to-air broadcast network — a huge win for the first NRL game.
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But the numbers reduced significantly for the second NRL match at Allegiant Stadium, with the Panthers-Sharks only attracting 33,000.
While the match between the premiership heavyweights was the type of showcase that would have excited fans, it is thought that the preceding one-sided women's Test match between the Jillaroos and England could have affected the ratings, with viewers switching off during the 90-4 contest.
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The opening Super League fixture between Wigan and Warrington was also a blowout until the Wolves scored a few consolation tries.
Following the event, ARLC chairman Peter V'landys admitted that a quadruple header "was probably too much" and that the festival of rugby league would most likely decrease to three games next year.
With just over 45,000 fans attending, fluctuating crowds were also cited by V'landys as an issue.
It was suggested the Jillaroos would be axed from the schedule following their trouncing of England, which had fans leaving the stadium.
However Gould says the problem could be fixed by simply moving the women's game to earlier in the day.
The Canterbury boss, who was in Vegas making a case for his Bulldogs to feature in next year's edition, said he had no problem sitting through the four games back to back.https://omny.fm/shows/six-tackles-with-gus-1/vegas-dylan-brown-cyclone-alfred/embed
"I think the NRL would have learnt something from the day," he told Wide World of Sports' Six Tackles with Gus podcast.
"I don't know that four games is too many if they're the right games.
"We kind of warned them (the NRL). We said, this is going to be 100-0. They (England) are not going to be able to compete with our girls," Gould said.
"Our girls have been playing in these competitions and rep football games for a few years now, and the UK just doesn't have that for the women's game at the moment. They're very much in the embryo stage. They are going to have to develop that a lot better before they're competitive."
Gould also thinks the timing of the games hurt the overall product.
"Putting the (women's Test) match in between the two NRL games at that part of the day," he said.
While it has been suggested that the NRL present the Vegas extravaganza over two days instead of one, Gould insisted that the fix was not that simple.
"There will be reasons why," he said.
"The cost of opening the stadium, getting everyone in and out and whether or not the crowd would turn up two days in a row.
"They might only be able to get the stadium for one day. We don't know."
