Suncorp Stadium set to host NRL grand final
Article from: The Courier-Mail
Karl deKroo, Paul Malone
February 28, 2009 12:00am
QUEENSLAND'S insatiable appetite for rugby league is proving increasingly difficult to ignore, with NRL boss David Gallop giving his strongest indication yet that a Brisbane-based grand final is on the cards.
Strong crowd and corporate support, not only of the Broncos, Titans and Cowboys, but also all representative matches - and in particular last year's World Cup - has prompted the NRL to consider playing the grand final outside Sydney for the first time in the code's 100-year history.
"In January we received a letter from Premier Anna Bligh indicating Queensland's strong interest in hosting the grand final," Gallop said last night.
"I wrote back explaining we are under contract with the NSW Government and ANZ Stadium until 2012.
"But after that, taking the grand final to Brisbane simply must be a consideration.
"Given the very strong interest we saw over the World Cup and the ongoing success the game is experiencing in Queensland, playing a grand final at Suncorp Stadium would appear to be an attractive opportunity.
"I wouldn't imagine the NSW Government would want to lose the grand final and that puts rugby league in a strong bargaining position."
The Queensland Government is wary of entering a bidding war for rugby league's showpiece, but Gallop's public acknowledgement of Brisbane's strong claims was welcomed by the Premier's Department last night.
The NRL's 16 clubs will finalise their preparations for the new season today with trials being played across the country.
For Brisbane skipper Darren Lockyer, his personal road to rugby league redemption starts at Stockland Park, Caloundra where he will lead the Broncos against Melbourne.
The Broncos skipper endured disappointment at the end of 2008 with his club's last-minute finals elimination by the Storm and Australia's World Cup loss.
Bookending a State of Origin series which Lockyer was unable to play in due to a knee injury, it was as frustrating as his 2006 season had been fulfilling.
"I see every year as being a time with a premiership on the line - the Broncos always give ourselves a chance of winning," Lockyer said.
"I struggled for a week or two after the World Cup final. You sort of dwell on it, but eventually say to yourself, 'You solve nothing being sad about it. Next year is all you've got'.
"You learn from your losses and when you lose a big game like that and the Melbourne game, the game goes through your head and you learn from some of the things you could have done differently.
"You have to know that if you are in that situation, you can draw on it and get it right."
The Broncos finalised preparations with a slick training session at Carina.
Prop Aaron Sweeney passed a fitness test and will line up against the Storm
