Fans feast on NRL Magic Round

More than 125,000 rugby league fans will go to Suncorp Stadium games this week at the NRL’s first Magic Round promotion. WHAT TO EXPECT

MORE than 125,000 rugby league fans will go to Suncorp Stadium games this week at the NRL’s first Magic Round promotion.

All 16 NRL clubs will play over four days in Brisbane, starting on Thursday night, when Gold Coast play Sydney club Cronulla.

NRL Magic Round Brisbane: What you need to know

The poor form of Queensland’s three NRL clubs, with North Queensland’s 11th placing the highest of the battling trio, may prove a slight detraction from the success of the inaugural Magic Round at the turnstiles.

The NRL says ticket sales had been strongest for Saturday’s triple header, which features six teams from outside Queensland.

But the State Government has been delivered success in its wish for it to be a tourism driver, with the NRL saying 25 per cent of all tickets sold had so far been bought by patrons who do not live in Queensland.

The Magic Round, which finishes on Sunday with two games, including a clash between North Queensland and South Sydney, is the subject of a three-year contract between the NRL and the State Government for it to be in Brisbane.

“Magic Round is a first for the game in this country and it is clear that supporters both inside and outside of Queensland have embraced it,” NRL chief commercial officer Andrew Abdo said.

“We are expecting more than 125,000 people to go through the gates at Suncorp Stadium over the four days.”

The NRL said it was projected that more than 40,000 would attend on both Friday and Saturday at the 52,500-seat stadium.

The Friday night double-header includes a match between Manly and the Broncos, who are wired in 13th place with two wins from their first eight matches.

The Saturday triple-header includes a match between the Melbourne Storm and Parramatta Eels, with Melbourne’s Darling Downs product Brodie Croft proving to be a one-man tourism driver.

“I know it will be close to something like 20 friends and family going to our game,’’ Croft said.

“I’m doing my best to get some of them tickets. A lot of them already have tickets to go.

“It’s a great chance for me to play in front of all of them in Queensland when we play the Eels.

“My mum and dad live in Highfields, which is 20 minutes from Toowoomba, up the range. I spent most of my childhood there and a lot of my extended family live out that way.’’

MAGIC ROUND AT SUNCORP

THURSDAY

7.50pm TITANS v SHARKS

FRIDAY

6pm: TIGERS v PANTHERS

8.05pm SEA EAGLES v BRONCOS

SATURDAY

3pm BULLDOGS v KNIGHTS

5.30pm WARRIORS v DRAGONS

7.35pm STORM v EELS

SUNDAY

2pm ROOSTERS v RAIDERS

4.05pm RABBITOHS v COWBOYS

Originally published as Fans feast on NRL Magic Round