NRL great Anthony Minichiello is predicting a bright future for the NRL in Adelaide

WHY rugby league great Anthony Minichiello can see a bright future for the NRL in Adelaide with the Sydney Roosters making it a home away from home.

30/05/17 Sydney Roosters player Anthony Minichiello with kids Mikalya Gowers and Jamie Bell at a rugby league coaching clinic at the Adelaide Oval. photo Calum Robertson

SYDNEY Roosters great Anthony Minichiello believes Adelaide’s appetite for rugby league could one day lead to South Australia having its own NRL team.

For now and for the foreseeable future Minichiello and the Roosters are happy to make Adelaide a home-away- from-home, growing the code through school visits and linking it with the nationally popular State of Origin which Adelaide host at Adelaide Oval in 2020.

But Minichiello, a premiership player and Wally Lewis Medallist (player of the State of Origin series), predicted that like Sydney, Adelaide could one day be the home of more national football codes.

“The key is to get involved in the community and the schools,” Minichiello said.

“You look at Sydney: we’ve got Sydney FC, the Swannies, us, the Waratahs all in the same space.

“I know Adelaide is a bit smaller but there is a fan base and an interest to have a team down there, potentially.”

Minichiello comes to Adelaide on regular visits for school visits and clinics and has been heartened by the growing interest. His grassroots work come as the Roosters have increased their SA membership five-fold since the game against Melbourne Storm drew more than 20,000 people last season.

Minichiello said the key to growing interest in league in Adelaide was through introducing the game to schoolchildren and making sure the games staged here are of the highest quality.

“I think the 21,000-crowd showed that there is a thirst for rugby league in Adelaide,” he said. “We’re looking at growing our fan base and continuing this partnership for the next few years. It is important to strategically place the game around Origin, when there’s a lot of interest from all states.”

Minichiello, who now works as an ambassador for the Roosters, said the trip to Adelaide was a highlight for the players last year.

They couldn’t wait to return next week.

“It’s exciting,” Minichiello said. “Last year a lot of the players hadn’t been to Adelaide, let alone play at the great oval you have there.

“I’ve been down there a few times over the year, visiting schools, and even though it’s an AFL town there’s a lot of interest.”

Originally published as NRL great Anthony Minichiello is predicting a bright future for the NRL in Adelaide