Nirranda club treasurer Daryl Lyons said the Blues took in an impressive $3200 at the gate when it hosted rivals Timboon Demons on Saturday.

“That’s a very big gate, to get over $3000,” he said.

The Blues always expect a good crowd against Timboon Demons, given the rivalry, and the Hampden bye coincided with a 1977 premiership reunion at Nirranda Recreation Reserve.

But the figures nevertheless exceeded expectations.

“We would’ve been disappointed to not do at least $2500, but that (benchmark) is still $700 less than what we got,” Lyons said. “It’s a little hard to say (what the increase was due to). We were rapt with the crowd; it was a big crowd, a big canteen.

“Because there was the Hampden bye, we might have had some more (spectators) – I think there were some Cobden people that came down that would’ve been at Cobden otherwise.”

Merrivale president John Pulling likewise said a healthy crowd had already been anticipated for the Tigers’ big clash with Kolora-Noorat, but was pleased with figures he noted were “above average”.

“But I’d say yes, (some of the increase) was because of the Hampden league bye,” he said.

East Warrnambool president Justin Balmer said there was a slight increase in the crowd when the Bombers hosted Albert Park neighbours South Rovers.

“We were happy with the crowds,” he said. “You always get that when there’s a Hampden league bye.

“They (the Hampden league) will get that next weekend when we have the bye.”

A blockbluster clash between HFNL flag hopefuls Koroit and Port Fairy is expected to draw plenty of interest on Saturday when the District league has its bye.