The NRL Nines tournament is heading to Perth next year
WHAT’S THE BUZZ: NRL Nines tournament is heading to Perth next year, the city that faces the loss of its Super Rugby franchise.
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THE NRL Nines tournament is heading to Perth next year, the city that faces the loss of its Super Rugby franchise.
The tournament has been dying a slow death in Auckland as the novelty of the short version of the game wears off and becomes a financial and promotional flop.
Governments around Australia are eager to take over the last year of the tournament and capture the economic boost of having so many players, fans and officials in their city at the same time.
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Perth is the clear favourite because the Nines would be perfectly suited to a city which is rugby league crazy but starved of matches. There is every chance the games will be played at Perth’s soon-to-be-opened 60,000-seat stadium, which is said to be the best facility in the southern hemisphere.
Fans packed out the trans-Tasman Test last year and are already inquiring how to get tickets for the State of Origin match to be held in Perth in 2019.
The Nines is seen as the one opportunity to bring all 16 clubs to the city, giving WA fans a chance to see every club play on the same weekend.
DRAGONS STILL IN THE RED
LUCKY that St George Illawarra are firing on the field because the club still owes the NRL $6.6 million and is required to pay the first loan instalment of $800,000 in October.
The hefty repayment couldn’t come at a worse time considering it’s the Roosters’ turn to pocket the huge gatetakings from a crowd of 40,000-plus at Allianz Stadium on Anzac Day.
Lucky coach Paul McGregor and the players are doing such an outstanding job to ensure many of the disgruntled fans, members and sponsors from recent years are gradually returning to the fold.
They’ll need every penny to repay the NRL loan while the delay continues in TV billionaire and Dragons tragic Bruce Gordon buying the great club.
GUS CARRIES SOME CLOUT
JAMES Packerhas lost contact with many of his old mates in Sydney, including Roosters chairman Nick Politisand former Channel Nine boss David Gyngell. However, he still stays in touch with Panthers boss and Channel 9 commentator Phil Gould.
The pair were text messaging each other during Sergio Garcia’s gripping final-round victory at the recent US Masters at Augusta. It was Packer who saved Penrith from possible bankruptcy in 2011 when, at Gould’s request, he lent the Panthers $10 million. The loan has since been repaid.
BUZZ AND GUS END LEAGUE'S OLDEST FEUD
FLANNO CHASED FORAN
SHARKS coach Shane Flanagansecretly met Warriors five-eighth Kieran Foran last week while all the media speculation centred on his offers from Melbourne Storm, Newcastle and the Bulldogs.
The Sharks were in a strong position to make an offer with the money they had originally earmarked for Jack Birdbefore he signed with Brisbane.
Still, Flanagan refused to put forward a financial proposition because he had given Chad Townsenda deadline of Friday afternoon to make a decision on his future.
In the end, Townsend stayed and Foran did his deal at the Bulldogs.
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