Rugby League Gladstone president Richard Duff previews Saturday’s Grand Final Day action

Rugby League Gladstone have hatched a master plan to get more people into Marley Brown Oval on Grand Final Day this Saturday.

The biggest day on Rugby League Gladstone’s calendar is just around the corner, and the president cannot wait for the first whistle to sound.

Richard Duff spoke to The Observer on Wednesday, with grand final day just two days away, and said the 2021 season had been great.

“It has been a great season which has been supported well by the supporters coming along this year,” he said.

“I don’t know if it is a post-Covid thing but it has been well supported by everyone.”

Duff said the heated Division One Men’s rivalry between Valleys and Brother had been too-ing and fro-ing all season long.

“There’s not a clear team, you know in other competitions where a team bolts and is a clear favourite like the Melbourne Storm? There has been none of that and that goes for Division one and two,” he said.

Duff revealed for the first time ever a full five-game card will greet Marley Brown Oval punters on Saturday, with both the junior and senior grand finals to be played.

“All of the games, five in total, will be worth a look at and really competitive,” he said.

“As we all know player performances go up 20 per cent when they play in a grand final.”

Duff said the deliberate placement of the junior and senior grand finals on the same day had been a long time coming.

“We were conscious of it in the 2021 season’s pre-planning phase in November last year,” he said.

“We wanted to put it all on the one day so Gladstone rugby league fans could come out and watch a full day of high quality, local footy.”

Duff said there would be a canteen running right throughout the day, with the bar to open after the junior grand finals wrap up.

Marley Brown Oval’s gates open at 9am with the U13 grand final between Gladstone Wallabies and Calliope Roosters to kick off at 10am.

Games and times for the remainder of the day are as follows:

– U15s: Gladstone Brothers v Gladstone Wallabies at 11.30am

– U17s: Tannum Sands Seagulls v Gladstone Valleys at 1pm

– Division Two – Roy Rowe Cup: Gladstone Brothers v Gladstone Valleys at 3pm

– Division One: Gladstone Brothers v Gladstone Valleys at 5pm

Originally published as Rugby League Gladstone president Richard Duff previews Saturday’s Grand Final Day action