Stuart calls for more Suncorp games

[Steelers]

Source: www.foxsports.com.au

AUSTRALIA coach Ricky Stuart is extremely concerned by talk Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium could lose next year's Trans Tasman rugby league Test despite the tremendous support Queensland fans have given his Kangaroos.

Viewed by many Queenslanders as the enemy when he played for New South Wales sides and recently coached them to wins over the Maroons, Stuart said officials should be looking at giving Suncorp Stadium more Test and big matches, not taking games off them.

He was commenting on reports that Suncorp Stadium could miss out on next April's Trans Tasman Test because officials believed, with as many as 14 NRL matches and a State of Origin game at the ground in 2007, Brisbane fans already had an overload of big games.

With the Broncos having 12 home games, the NRL's new franchise the Gold Coast Titans playing at least two of its marquee clashes there and St George-Illawarra angling to move its round 12 blockbuster against Brisbane to Suncorp, the 53,000-seat venue could host up to 16 big games in 2007.

More than 45,000 tickets have already been sold for tomorrow night's Tri-Nations clash which Stuart says should send a message to officials about how strong the support is in Brisbane.

Stuart said rugby league bosses should wait and see how Sydney fans supported next week's Tri-Nations final in Sydney before making any decision about taking the Trans Tasman Test off fans who are passionate and loyal.

"To take a Test away from them (Brisbane) would be a kick in the backside to the support they gave the Australian team this year when we were under the most pressure after losing the Tri Nations final last year," said Stuart, who made his national coaching debut with a 50-12 payback win over the Kiwis in front of 44,191 fans at Suncorp in the swansong Test for Andrew Johns and Ben Kennedy in May.

"This side was under an awful lot of pressure and the people of Brisbane understood it," he said.

"The people of Brisbane got right behind the team and helped us win the game.

"I'm big on giving credit where it is due and we had incredible support that game.

"I'm not sure we would have got that support elsewhere."

Stuart said he would have supported the Tri-Nations final being played at Suncorp ahead of Aussie Stadium, which pulled only 24,953 on a damp night when Australia played Great Britain two weeks ago.

"Before they start pulling games from Brisbane they should have a look at the game in Sydney next week and this game and start asking where is the heartland of rugby league.

"Are we losing it in Sydney?

"They've sold 8,000 tickets for the (Sydney) final and it's a packed house up in Brisbane this weekend and it's not the final.

"The people that know me know I care about the game and the quality of support rugby league players have got this week through the kids at training sessions and schools, it's a strong threshold for rugby league and we need to acknowledge that and support it."

Stuart's argument could get a huge boost with fans set to break Brisbane's all-time Test attendance record of 46,355 set when Australia played Great Britain at the Gabba in 1954.

The Lang Park Test record of 45,057 against Great Britain in 1956 is also under threat.

[Cowboy Titan]

Looks like Ricky's trying to win some fans north of the border.

I fully agree with him though. Sydney definitely hasn't shown that they deserve to host the big matches.