BRING ‘EM HERE: City offers itself as home for a NRL team

TOOWOOMBA has been offered up as a home for the likes of the South Sydney Rabbitohs or the Manly Sea Eagles for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.

BIG OPPORTUNITY: Homegrown talent Ash Taylor, playing for the Gold Coast Titans in their 2018 round three clash against the St George Illawarra Dragons, at Clive Berghofer Stadium.

TOOWOOMBA has been offered up as the perfect place to host the likes of the South Sydney Rabbitohs or the Manly Sea Eagles for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Garden City in 2018 proved it could host an NRL clash in style.

Now the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce has written to Australian Rugby League chairman Peter V'landys offering to host an NRL team as the pandemic once again rears its head in Victoria and New South Wales.

"I write to offer Toowoomba as a host for a NRL team if required due to the daily changing nature of the current health disruption facing Australia. Toowoomba has had no recorded cases of COVID-19 since May 2," Chamber president Harrison Humphries said.

Letters of support have been written by Toowoomba Rugby League, Toowoomba Regional Council, and Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport.

Citing the Toowoomba region's rich rugby league traditions and its strong local league competition, Mr Humphries said Toowoomba was "a very keen rugby league city blessed with excellent training and playing facilities.

He also pointed to Clive Berghofer Stadium, which hosted several NRL trial games and the round three clash between the Dragons and Titans in 2018.

"The city is serviced by an international airport, which provides easy and safe access for any host and visiting teams," he wrote.

"Our city also boasts many high-quality accommodation options."

In his letter of support, TRC Mayor Paul Antonio said the council would be "open to considering such a plan and in what ways it could facilitate the move".

"It would not only be good for our community, but we would be pleased to help the National Rugby League navigate its way through these trying times."