World class events inject millions of dollars into our economy and support local jobs, she said. This is one of the best line-ups ever assembled in Townsville. When we secured this historic State of Origin for Townsville, we said we would make it into so much more than just a game of football and that s exactly what we are doing. We want to make this week one that North Queenslanders will never forget. Tickets sold out in less than an hour. This proves that footy fans from across Australia are keen to travel to Townsville to experience rugby league heartland for themselves.
News by MADURA MCCORMACK, DANIELLE OâNEAL, PETER BADEL, JACK MCKAY, BRENT READ 1st Jun 2021 10:12 AM
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Subscriber only In a major coup expected to pump $5m into the rugby league heartland, t After days of negotiations, it s understood an 11th hour offer by the Queensland Government sealed the deal for the shift, dashing a last ditch bid from NSW. The move to Townsville comes amid a worsening Covid-19 outbreak in Melbourne, where 11 new locally acquired cases were recorded in the 24 hours to Monday. Townsville has the lowest risk of a Covid outbreak impacting the game and the least financial fallout of the available venues, NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said.
State of Origin series opener shifted from Melbourne to Townsville
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The 2021 Ampol State of Origin series opener will be played at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville next Wednesday, 9 June.
The Australian Rugby League Commission and the Victorian Government today approved the relocation of the game from the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) after the COVID-19 outbreak in Melbourne.
Melbourne will now host games in 2024 and 2026.
National Rugby League (NRL) Chief Executive Officer Andrew Abdo said relocating to Townsville was the best option for the game. We’re operating in a pandemic and our absolute priority is ensuring the continuity of the competition and our Major Events,’ he said.