Australian Rugby League Commission urged to make Townsville a permanent home for Jillaroos

Jillaroos winger Julia Robinson has urged the Australian Rugby League Commission to give Townsville an annual place on the elite women’s rugby league calendar. WHY IT MAKES SENSE

TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 14: Julia Robinson of the Jillaroos is tackled during the Womens Pacific Championship match between the Australia Jillaroos and New Zealand Kiwi Ferns at Queensland Country Bank Stadium on October 14, 2023 in Townsville, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

Jillaroos winger Julia Robinson has urged the Australian Rugby League Commission to make Townsville a permanent home for elite women’s rugby league fixtures.

Queensland Country Bank Stadium set a Women’s State of Origin attendance record in June and backed up with more than 18,000 through the gates at the weekend’s Pacific Championships double-header.

Those results have proved to former 3rd Brigade soldier Robinson that her old stomping ground deserves an annual place on the women’s rugby league representative calendar.

“I would be all about it.” Robinson said.

“Brisbane has always been home to me because I grew up there but I’ve got a really soft spot for Townsville. I was based up here for a year.

Jillaroos winger Julia Robinson in action against New Zealand at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville on October 14, 2023. Picture: NRL Imagery

“The whole community up here, you walk around anywhere and people will stop you on the street to wish you good luck. They just love it up here.

“It’s such a big rugby league community that the more games we get here the better turnout will be.

PTE Julia Robinson 20 at Lavarack Barracks, Townsville. Picture: Alix Sweeney

“It’s definitely one of the craziest rugby league towns. Whenever we come up here the whole community is so enthusiastic about getting around us. I love playing up here.”

With a 25,000 capacity Queensland Country Bank Stadium’s medium size presents a key advantage over larger stadiums to the south.

While Suncorp Stadium remains the home of rugby league in Queensland, women’s fixtures still struggle to fill its mighty cauldron.

PTE Julia Robinson (Jillaroo and NRLW Broncos player) pictured at Lavarack Barracks in 2018. Picture: Australian Defence Force Media

Nothing kills an atmosphere like a swath of empty seats.

Robinson, who was based at nearby Lavarack Barracks in 2018, knows that won’t be an issue in Townsville.

“The size of the ground here is definitely perfect for women’s footy,” she said.

“The crowd feels big and you saw with our State of Origin this year it’s an awesome atmosphere.

“All the fans are so close to the field here that you can hear all of that support. It even makes it a little bit hard for us on the field because it’s so hard to be heard over all of the people in the stadium going off.”

Jillaroos coach Brad Donald (pictured right) said the experience in Townsville, including a team visit to the Torres Strait island group ahead of the match, had made for a memorable week.

“There’s always a great buzz around Townsville,” Donald said. “As we know it was a (near) sellout for the Women’s Origin.

“Ali (Brigginshaw, Jillaroos captain) was talking about how great that experience was on the way in.

“There’s a great crowd out here supporting rugby league and I think North Queensland goes close to the craziest rugby league towns in the country.”

Originally published as Australian Rugby League Commission urged to make Townsville a permanent home for Jillaroos