A topsy turvy NRL season obviously agrees with the fans.

Far from frustrated by the unpredictable results, fans have flocked to the first six NRL rounds in record numbers.

Each of the first six rounds of 2005 has attracted higher crowds than the corresponding round of last year's record-breaking season.

The current average per game is now at 17,638 - almost 2,000 a game higher than at the same time in 2004.

That trend is not expected to end at Friday night's Test clash between Australia and New Zealand in Brisbane.

"Current sales suggest a crowd of around 35,000 for the match which would be the highest Australian Test crowd since Australia versus England in Sydney in 1992 (40,141)," an NRL official said.

The last Brisbane rugby league Test to draw more than 35,000 was the 1970 encounter with Great Britain (42,807).

The record for Australia v New Zealand in Brisbane is 31,000, set in 1993.

"It's been an amazing start to the year," NRL CEO David Gallop said.

"After setting record crowds for the last two years, it was always going to be a challenge to keep breaking records."

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