Customers will not take an intermediate stopover if another airline is flying non-stop. Some will, but most won't, making a viable route non-viable. You're correct about no one wanting to transfer via Sydney. The 787 is a hub-buster, taking out the need for intermediate stopovers. It also allows increased frequency of flights. One A380 per day with a lot of passengers on a route by one company can be more than matched with 2 or 3 flights per day in a 787. Other options being equal, customers will vote with their bums to less crowded terminals and multiple travel time options.