Want to know how big?
The Highlanders have a staff of just over 20, with 40 players.
The Canterbury Bulldogs?
They have 70 fulltime staff, 30 plus part-time staff and 120 contracted players.
And how much interest is there in them?
Lots. As in lots and lots.
"Along the eastern seaboard you’ve got 100 journalists writing content about rugby league every single day," the Bulldogs chief executive said, "so the desire and hanker for information is just unbelievable."
She described that as challenging.
"You only have to sneeze, with the Bulldogs, who are a high-profile team, then you’ll find yourself on the back page of the paper.
"But it comes with the territory. It comes all the time. We’re fortunate to get that sort of profile. Many sports would give their left arm to have that type of profile, so that is really fortunate [for us]. But when you find yourself in a difficult situation, it can be difficult."
Castle has been in the job for three and a-half years and has another year and a-half to go on her contract. It was a busy but rewarding job.
Formerly a Netball New Zealand chief executive, Castle said the Sydney sports market was a tough and tight one.
"To put it in context, you’ve got six million people in New South Wales with 20 professional sporting franchises . . . it is just crazy.
"You’ve got 80,000 seats in ANZ Stadium . . . and you’ve only got a chance to get one-eighth of that population as you’ve got Saints, Tigers, Knights, Rabbits...
"It is what it is. But it is the commercial reality and overlay of the professional Australian sporting environment."
Bulldogs coach Des Hasler’s deal is coming to an end at the end of the season. Castle said the Bulldogs were working through the issue and hopefully both parties would reach a satisfactory outcome.
She said DVML had put a competitive tender to get the game in Dunedin — the Bulldogs had previously been in Hamilton and Wellington — and the players had enjoyed the stadium at their training run yesterday.
The first woman’s chief executive in the game said her gender had never been an issue.
"I’ve been asked that question a million times. But I cannot describe how fantastic people have been. They have been so supportive, so welcoming. Gender . . . has never been discussed."
