Titan player Jarrod Wallace backs more Gold Coast State of Origin games
The push is on for the Gold Coast to host an annual “neutral” State of Origin fixture as Cbus Stadium management predict a full house for tonight’s Game III clash. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW >>>
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THE push is on for the Gold Coast to host an annual “neutral” State of Origin fixture as the tourism capital prepares for its first “mate on mate” match tonight.
Gold Coast Titan Jarrod Wallace said the city should be an option for deciding a drawn series: “It is a great opportunity if they ever needed a third game to be a little neutral.”
More than half the 27,000-plus tickets to the Cbus Stadium fixture sold within two hours of going on sale yesterday.
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The stadium manager Michala Higgins said: “We’re expecting a full house. We’ve got 1000 staff, including 700 hospitality staff who we expect will sell 4000 pies, 12,000 chips and 14,000 litres of beer.”
“Having it somewhere like the Gold Coast just allows a few other people who wouldn’t normally be able to get to the games the opportunity to go.”
Even though the series is a sure win for NSW, the Gold Coast Titans supporter said that would not stop her kids from cheering on their beloved Maroons.
“I get into trouble if the footy’s not on,” she joked.
Her two boys – Jaylaan, 15, and Kian, 7, – play for the Burleigh Bears Junior Rugby League Club and are looking forward to watching some of their favourite players like Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and AJ Brimson try to stop the Blues clinching a series clean sweep.
Ms Higgins said although she understood the NRL preferred to use bigger stadiums in capital cities for games like Origin she hoped it would consider hosting more games in the regions.
Match expected to inject $3 million into Coast economy
THE Gold Coast is scrambling to take advantage of the huge promotional opportunity and economic boost kicked its way with Origin III’s last-minute relocation to Robina.
But after the decision was formally made on Saturday to move Wednesday night’s final dead State of Origin rubber from Newcastle to the Gold Coast, a huge street party similar to the one organised by Townsville for Origin I is off the cards, Mayor Tom Tate confirmed.
Civic and tourism leaders are grappling with the logistics of staging the biggest game in the city’s history with a handful of days notice - but highlighting the positives with sold out hotels, hospitality venues primed for an influx of revellers and promotional opportunities aplenty.
A sellout crowd of more than 27,000 people are expected to descend on Robina’s CBUS stadium with extra buses and train services to be put on to ferry the throngs of rugby league fans to and from the venue.
The match, expected to inject at least $3 million into the economy, is already proving to be a major boom for surrounding businesses, with the 80 rooms fully booked out in the Quest Robina hotel tower.
It sits next to the stadium and the last of the accommodation nearby the venue was snapped up on Monday morning.
Meanwhile, hospitality operators across the city are bracing for an influx of crowds eager to take in the game on the big screen.
Southport Sharks marketing general manager Andrew Zurca: “We have got 50 cent wings all night, a pizza special and a huge 5.25m screen in our sports bar as well as various TVs around the club broadcasting the game.”
“We are extremely excited to be hosting the event in the Gold Coast.
“Wear your favourite team colours - we will have our bar staff dressed up as well.”
Tourism bosses are salivating at the thought of leveraging the game, which normally secures more than two million viewers and is among the year’s most-watched television broadcasts, with emergency plans to promote the city to an audience across the nation.
But Mayor Tate said – with the deal to relocate from Newcastle to the Gold Coast only locked in after a 45-minute meeting last Saturday – there was no time in a handful of days to create a food and drink festival outside Townsville’s stadium during the first game in the series played in June.
“This will be the pinnacle of rugby league events that the city has seen,” he said.
“It will mean a huge top-up for our bars and restaurants and accommodation in a week where we were going to be running low.
“As for a Caxton street-style precinct with parades, it was just too short notice to be able to do it - this decision was literally back-and-forth over 45 minutes on Saturday.”
Pre-sale tickets for Gold Coast Titans and Broncos members will be available from 11am Tuesday. All other general admission tickets will be available from 2pm.
A mammoth logistical operation is underway to ensure the night goes ahead, with organisers borrowing from planning done for the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast to ensure it can move crowds in and out with ease. Queensland police will be brought in to co-ordinate the security and movement in and out of the Robina stadium precinct.
Transport Minister Mark Bailey said the transport plan included an extra 80 buses and six more trains to cater for an expected sellout crowd.
“It’s been successfully implemented many times before.”
Free travel would extended from a normal “four hours prior to four hours post event” to “from noon until last scheduled service”, he added.
Destination Gold Coast (DGC) held emergency meetings with the NRL and Gold Coast City Council on Monday morning to determine how to market the city to Australia during the game. Spot TV advertising is among the plans.
DGC CEO Patricia O’Callaghan said the game would inject millions into the economy and help cushion the $33 million hit the city took following last month’s snap three-day lockdown.
That latest lockdown hit right at the start of what was shaping to be a bumper school holidays fortnight.
“This week was looking really soft but we are seeing a spike in interest and economically it’s a long way from where we were just 24 hours earlier,” she said. “There are significant opportunities around Origin and even though it is a tight turnaround we are going to make the best of it.”
Tickets sold for as low as $49
STATE of Origin fans will be able to score tickets to the series’ final game and the first-ever to be held on the Gold Coast for as little as $49.
More than 27,000 people are expected to attend the game at Robina’s Cbus Stadium on Wednesday night, with tickets going on sale Tuesday morning for the general public from as low as $49.
Broncos and Titans members will be given early access to tickets in a “exclusive selling window.”
NRL head of football Graham Annesley said he expected a full house despite the Blues having already wrapped up the series with two decisive victories over the Maroons.
“It’s a short sales period but people of the Gold Coast and Southeast Queensland, we know what mad rugby league supporters they are. This is rugby league heartland,” he said.
“We’re very confident that given good weather, we’ll get a full house here on Wednesday night.
“Although the series has already been decided, this is a good opportunity for a Queensland to restore some of the pride and passion that goes with origin.”
While the state border between Queensland and New South Wales for now remains open, Tourism Minster Stirling Hinchcliffe said he “couldn’t guarantee” this would be the case between now and Wednesday’s game, adding that State Government did not pay to secure rights to the game.
“We’re in a situation at the moment where things are moving rapidly in New South Wales,” he said.
“The decision by the NRL to make the shift (to Queensland) is evidence of that.
“The reality is the reason why this game is going to be happening here at Cbus on Wednesday night is because of the arrangements that we’ve had over a long period that’s been able to provide hosting events like this.”
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate was all smiles on Sunday, claiming to have manifested the city’s first-ever game city after he lobbied for it to be moved as Sydney’s Covid outbreak worsened: “I’m looking forward to a real battle as all origin fans are, I don’t know if the Minister is a betting man but we might put a bottle of a scotch on it,” he joked.
“If he wins I can get him a bottle of Johnnie Red and if I win a bottle of Johnnie Blue,” going on to congratulate NRL officials on a snap decision to move the game.
Though stopping shy of revealing an expected dollar-figure, Destination Gold Coast CEO Patricia O’Callaghan said the game would help overcome a “heartbreaking period” for the city after much of its school holiday tourism was impacted in the recent lockdown.
“It’s come at a really critical time to have this event on the Gold Coast, after what’s been a very heartbreaking and challenging time,” she said, revealing occupancy to hotels had dipped as low as 40 per cent at the time.
“We were really relying on that period to help us through this softer period, we know that these games can bring millions into the local economy; we saw what it did for Townsville and Brisbane.”
GOLD COAST TO HOST STATE OF ORIGIN III
THE Gold Coast will host Game three of the 2021 State of Origin series in a stunning coup.
The game will be played at Cbus Super Stadium on Wednesday night after the Australian Rugby League Commission was advised by the NSW Government on Saturday afternoon it would not allow a major event with a crowd to be held at Newcastle because of its out-of-control Covid-19 outbreak.
It will be the first time a State of Origin game has been played on the Gold Coast and the first series to be entirely played within Queensland.
NRL Chief Executive Andrew Abdo said: “We are disappointed not to be able to give Newcastle the city’s first State of Origin, but we must operate within all State Public Health Orders and not having a crowd in Newcastle negates the opportunity for our fans from the region,’’
Mr Abdo said relocating to the Gold Coast presented a low risk option and would not impact either camp.
“The Gold Coast has a very low infection rate and both Origin camps are currently located within driving distance of Cbus Stadium. It means neither team will be disadvantaged by travel,’’ he said.
“This is an exciting outcome for the Gold Coast. It will be the first time in history that the Gold Coast has hosted State of Origin.
“The Gold Coast is an important market for us and in the current circumstances presents a safe outcome for the community and a great outcome for our fans in southeast Queensland.
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“It does mean all three games are played in Queensland, but our priority is ensuring the safety of the community and the continuity of the competition.”
The Bulletin understands the Palaszczuk Government did not pay any money for the game.
It is understood the ARL approached the state government to find a home for the game as the out-of-control Sydney outbreak of the highly contagious Delta strain made a NSW game unviable.
It comes just weeks after Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate lobbied for the game to be moved to the city after Sydney’s Covid outbreak worsened.
A jubilant Cr Tate welcomed the announcement saying: “We fought for it and we got it.”.
“I applaud the NRL for the decision and know it will be a cracker game,” he said.
“This is another historic chapter in our city’s sporting history and a further chance to showcase the coast’s amazing facilities.
“Being a Blues supporter, I’ll be only too happy to sit back and enjoy a 3-nil whitewash.
“Gold Coasters ... get your tickets and get to C-Bus.”
CEO Patricia O’Callaghan said securing the game was a significant win for the city.
“We are excited to work with the Queensland Government, the City of Gold Coast and the NRL to bring this opportunity to our City after what has been a really heartbreaking and challenging period for our tourism industry,” she said.
“We know that the bumper school holiday period that we anticipated did not eventuate, so to be able to host the third game in the State of Origin series could not come at a more critical time to try and boost visitation.
“This is also an incredible marketing for the Gold Coast and we will be making the most of it.”
Originally published as Titan player Jarrod Wallace backs more Gold Coast State of Origin games
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