Northern Rivers town could host future QLD Cup match

Focus is north of border
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THE prospect of a Northern Rivers town hosting an Intrust Super Cup match in future seasons is not off the table – but it will not happen during a Country Week round.

ISC teams last weekend headed to rural Queensland to give back to the country regions, with games held in Goondiwindi, Maryborough, Cooktown, Bowen, Normanton and Hughenden plus the PNG Hunters taking their home fixture to Lae.

A rugby league heartland, the Northern Rivers region has produced a number of NRL stars such as James Roberts and Cody Walker and is a key development area for both Tweed Heads Seagulls and the Gold Coast Titans.

Tweed travelled 1700km north to play at Hughenden on Sunday – a trip that involved costly charter flights – but they arguably could have had a greater impact in a town south of the border.

Seagulls chief executive Paul Stephenson said he would be keen to see a Northern Rivers fixture become a reality.

“I’d love to see us play a game at Murwillumbah or Byron Bay or somewhere like that,” he said.

“Central Queensland take a number of their games already out to regional areas because they have got such a big catchment area so it’s definitely something that I think we should look at next year.

“I know how hard the QRL (Queensland Rugby League) have fought for us to make sure that Country Rugby League recognise our catchment area as being northern NSW. They have fought really hard to make that happen.”

QRL manager of major competitions Dave Maiden also is a fan of the Northern Rivers concept but said it was not viable as part of Country Week and would instead have to take place during another round of the season.

“It (Country Week) has to be in Queensland because it is Queensland Government funds that assist us with this,” Maiden said. “So as much as we would love to, I don’t think the Queensland Government would appreciate us spending money in NSW.

“It’s probably not an option but there is no reason why we can’t take another game down there that is not necessarily Country Week.

“We understand that northern NSW is a catchment area for Tweed and for the Titans so if there is something we can do to support that and foster that relationship, we would certainly look at it.”

Tweed will be out to snap a four-game losing streak when they host Mackay on Sunday.