NRL 2020: Cardboard fans make debut during Roosters v Rabbitohs clash

NRL fans were back in the stands at Bankwest Stadium on Friday night to witness the Sydney Roosters take on the South Sydney Rabbitohs. 

But don't worry about social distancing - they were just cardboard cutouts of real-life fans. 

Following in the footsteps of Bundesliga clubs in Germany, the NRL has launched  a website called 'Fan in the Stand', where supporters can upload a photo of themselves in fan gear, for it then to be printed out and placed at their favourite team's home stadium for just $22. 

Crowd figures showed that there were 515 cutouts to watch the Roosters' 28-12 win over their arch rivals.

An Eels fan watches the Roosters v Rabbitohs match at Bankwest Stadium.
An Eels fan watches the Roosters v Rabbitohs match at Bankwest Stadium. Photo credit: Getty

The initiative follows one from NRL broadcasters Fox Sports and Channel 9 to pump fake crowd noise into the coverage, which received mainly positive reviews during the Parramatta Eels'  34-6 win over the Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night. 

Some people decided to have a little fun with the cardboard cutouts, with Sydney Morning Herald journalist Matt Bungard getting one of his dog, while  a cardboard cutout figure of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's embattled chief aide Dominic Cummings was also spotted in the stands.

The NRL will be played out of six venues until at least round nine, with each fans' cutout to be placed inside their respective team's home ground.

The cardboard cutout initiative can be expected to be rolled out across all venues over the rest of the weekend and in coming week

How long the cardboard cutouts remain at games is unknown, with Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V'Landys hopeful of allowing actual fans into stadiums from July. 

NRL 2020: Cardboard fans make debut during Roosters v Rabbitohs clash