NRL in Cairns: Bob Manning says fans must vote with feet to support future club hope
Rugby league fans must vote with their feet if Cairns and Far North Queensland is to be home to future NRL content — and the potential base for a new club — according to Mayor Bob Manning.
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Rugby league fans must vote with their feet if Cairns and Far North Queensland is to be home to future NRL content — and the potential base for a new club — according to mayor Bob Manning.
South Sydney Rabbitohs will rekindle its love affair with the Far North on Saturday when it hosts the Bunnies’ crucial Round 24 clash against St George-Illawarra Dragons.
The afternoon game is huge in the context of the Rabbitohs’ season, who enter the weekend eighth and need to put together wins on the run home if they are to feature in the finals.
But for Cairns, the game could mean so much more.
The tropical city has been touted as a potential base of a future NRL franchise involving either Papua New Guinea or the Pasifika region.
It’s a concept Mr Manning has talked highly of for years, but has gained serious traction over the past couple of months with the added public support of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Australian Rugby League Commission heavyweights Peter V’landys (chairman) and Kate Jones (commissioner) talking openly about its prospects.
But the mayor, a rugby league tragic, believes Cairns’ hopes of housing future NRL content or a club could gain some serious support if fans flock to Barlow Park.
“It’s a huge opportunity,” Mr Manning said.
“We will try for (future NRL content). Our success rate has been very good.
“The big prize is the federal government is settling down and making their choices with the NRL and PNG-Pasifika team which Cairns would play a part in that.
“That’s the big prize.
“It is most important to get a crowd over there which sends a strong message to some people in the league who are saying ‘not Cairns’.
“There are some who are saying it should be (elsewhere).
“Cairns is a league city, always has been a league city, so we need to make sure we put on a good performance to show them our spirit, our culture, and what we believe in.”
Northern Pride will play a crucial Hostplus Cup game against the Clydesdales, a game they must win to cement a finals position, as a curtain raiser.
Extra seating will allow for a five-figure crowd to comfortably watch the Rabbitohs, who are led by former premiership-winning Pride coach Jason Demetriou, go to work against the Dragons in the family-friendly 3pm timeslot.
Plenty of tickets are up for grabs and while wet weather has hammered Cairns for the past week, Mr Manning wasn’t concerned it would keep crowds away with rain expected to clear before game day.
The Pride’s clash with the Clydesdales kicks off at 12.30pm, ahead of the NRL game, scheduled for 3pm.
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Originally published as NRL in Cairns: Bob Manning says fans must vote with feet to support future club hope
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