Camp Maroon on the move

Camp Maroon on the move

Queensland Rugby League officials are apparently not a superstitious lot with confirmation that the Maroons' pre-Origin camps will no longer be held at the Palmer Coolum Resort on the Sunshine Coast.

Although a final decision is yet to be made on the new venue where Queensland will prepare for a shot at nine straight Series wins, the QRL did confirm that the Coolum base had been dumped in favour of a Gold Coast resort, likely to be either Sanctuary Cove or RACV Royal Pines.

Currently in camp at Royal Pines with his North Queensland Cowboys teammates, Maroons star Johnathan Thurston seemed less than impressed at a change of venue – perhaps due to the lack of direct flights between Townsville and Coolangatta.

But Cowboys coach Paul Green was full of praise for the reception and facilities on offer at the home of the Australian PGA Championship and ANZ Ladies Masters golf tournaments.

"The facilities have been fantastic. Royal Pines have really looked after us since we've been here and so far the camp's been great," Green said.

"The boys are enjoying a change of scenery and hopefully we'll get plenty of work done out of it this week."

The New South Wales Rugby League recently announced that their pre-match camps for games One and Three will be at the Novotel Pacific Bay Resort at Coffs Harbour and the QRL expects to finalise their decision on the new home of Camp Maroon by the end of the week.

Source: http://www.nrl.com

Hah even RL is abandoning Clive. I wonder if he will run away and start his own league now or something.

Palmer wishes best for moving Maroons

Clive Palmer hopes Queensland's decision to leave his Coolum resort won't put the hex on their long State of Origin winning streak.

In the latest blow for the Palmer Resort, the Queensland Rugby League (QRL) will shift their training base from Coolum to the Gold Coast.

The Maroons have used the golf and beach resort at Coolum for the past five years as they have stretched their stranglehold on the Origin title to eight series.

"I hope it's a good move for them," Palmer told reporters at Parliament House Canberra.

"They've only won the State of Origin every year they've been there.

"I hope it's not the end of Queensland's winning streak.

"Of course, NSW have set up another facility (at Coffs Harbour) similar to what we had at Coolum because they know it's a winning formula."

The Maroons, now sizing up Royal Pines or the more luxurious Sanctuary Cove, last held their pre-Origin camp on the Gold Coast in 2008.

The Palmer Resort, which has a roaring mechanical T-Rex dinosaur on its golf course, last year lost the Australian PGA Championship to Royal Pines.

About 90 staff were laid off at the resort earlier this month.

The Independent Federal MP had purchased the resort from the Hyatt Regency group in 2011 for a reported $80 million.

The Coolum facility had transformed its driving range into a full-size rugby league field so Mal Meninga's team could prepare before all three Origin matches each year.

Palmer said the QRL didn't want to pay the same amount they had previously and had asked for a bigger discount.

"People have got the right to choose where they go," he said.

"It's not national news when someone doesn't make a hotel booking."

http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8805818