Anyone interested?

The greatest surprise about the expected low turn-out at Friday Centenary's Test is that league officials are genuinely surprised about the lack of interest.

As of Tuesday - three days out from the game - just 7500 tickets had been sold for the historic SCG encounter.

At this stage a crowd somewhere in the mid-20,000s is expected.

But don't blame the punters - they've been voting with their feet for years.

International rugby league hasn't been a big seller in Sydney since Tommy Bishop and his coat-hanging Poms terrorised the Aussies in the 1970s.

Sydney's football fans are a discerning lot - they just won't hand over good money at the gate because there's a footy match on.

It's got to mean something and there's got to be a better than even-money chance it will be a contest.

Especially when it will set the average punter back at least $120 for tickets, beers, food and parking.

Would you fork out that sort of freight when the game is live on television?

Fans have a lot to weight up in coming months as they consider how best to spend their sporting dollar.

Consider that there are two State of Origin games in Sydney this year, a possible Super 14 semi-final and final to come and a couple of big Socceroos matches.

The wallet can only be pulled in so many directions.

Something has to give and it seems the SCG Test is the victim.

The league's publicity machine has done a good job promoting this match, embarking on an unprecedented outdoor advertising blitz.

We've even got a villain in black to boo - New Zealand's Australian-born assistant coach Wayne Bennett.

But Australia v New Zealand just doesn't get the blood pumping.

We see most of the Kiwis in action each week in the NRL, so there is no novelty value.

And the last time the teams met, Australia racked up a record 58-0 win.

Yawn.

Queensland Rugby League boss Ross Livermore is suggesting Brisbane should be awarded more big games before fans north of the border support the rep games in large numbers.

It's all yours, Ross.

It seems Sydney has better things to do.