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WAYNE Bennett has been pitched into the ultimate blockbuster to launch the 2012 NRL season, with the Newcastle Knights to host his former club St George Illawarra on a Thursday night.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...in-opening-round/story-e6frexnr-1226180305056
It's the first time the season has kicked off on a Thursday night, and you couldn't come up with a bigger grudge match than Bennett against the Dragons on March 1.
Ausgrid Stadium will be heaving for a match that is guaranteed to be a sell-out months in advance.
The official NRL draw is still a work in progress and will be released next weekend.
A grand final re-match between Manly and the New Zealand Warriors also remains a week-one possibility.
But no game will be bigger than the Dragons and the Knights, where Test star Darius Boyd will also take on the club he left to follow Bennett to Newcastle.
"We're pretty excited, we've never done this before, starting the competition on a Thursday, and there's no doubt this is a headline match," NRL director of football operations Nathan McGuirk said.
"The match up between St George Illawarra's old mentor Wayne Bennett and the Dragons' new rookie coach Steve Price is going to be a huge talking point in the build up to the game."
"It's going to be a huge ask for Steve but one I'm sure he'd be looking forward to."
The NRL will start their season a week earlier than previous years to accommodate the representative season.
And they will kick off on a Thursday to avoid a clash with the one-day international cricket on Channel Nine. There will be just the one game on the opening Friday night.
The Knights are excited about kicking off the season - and the Nathan Tinkler era - against the Dragons. Knights CEO Matt Gidley said yesterday: "It will be a special event. When the NRL and Channel Nine came to us two months ago with the idea, we thought it was fantastic.
"It's a massive compliment from the NRL as the Knights enter a new era for the club."
Gidley also suggested that Nine's Footy Show could be used as part of the event, making it a showpiece occasion for the code.
"Knowing the creativity of Nine boss David Gyngell, I'm sure he would be considering including The Footy Show on the night," Gidley added.
And for the first time, the NRL draw will also feature a stand-alone weekend for representative matches.
No NRL matches will be played as the traditional Anzac Test will be played on a Friday night, a Toyota Cup State of Origin match on Saturday night and finally the annual City-Country Origin match in Mudgee will on the Sunday.
Good Friday will also feature a double-header - with one match to played in the afternoon and the other game in the evening.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...in-opening-round/story-e6frexnr-1226180305056
It's the first time the season has kicked off on a Thursday night, and you couldn't come up with a bigger grudge match than Bennett against the Dragons on March 1.
Ausgrid Stadium will be heaving for a match that is guaranteed to be a sell-out months in advance.
The official NRL draw is still a work in progress and will be released next weekend.
A grand final re-match between Manly and the New Zealand Warriors also remains a week-one possibility.
But no game will be bigger than the Dragons and the Knights, where Test star Darius Boyd will also take on the club he left to follow Bennett to Newcastle.
"We're pretty excited, we've never done this before, starting the competition on a Thursday, and there's no doubt this is a headline match," NRL director of football operations Nathan McGuirk said.
"The match up between St George Illawarra's old mentor Wayne Bennett and the Dragons' new rookie coach Steve Price is going to be a huge talking point in the build up to the game."
"It's going to be a huge ask for Steve but one I'm sure he'd be looking forward to."
The NRL will start their season a week earlier than previous years to accommodate the representative season.
And they will kick off on a Thursday to avoid a clash with the one-day international cricket on Channel Nine. There will be just the one game on the opening Friday night.
The Knights are excited about kicking off the season - and the Nathan Tinkler era - against the Dragons. Knights CEO Matt Gidley said yesterday: "It will be a special event. When the NRL and Channel Nine came to us two months ago with the idea, we thought it was fantastic.
"It's a massive compliment from the NRL as the Knights enter a new era for the club."
Gidley also suggested that Nine's Footy Show could be used as part of the event, making it a showpiece occasion for the code.
"Knowing the creativity of Nine boss David Gyngell, I'm sure he would be considering including The Footy Show on the night," Gidley added.
And for the first time, the NRL draw will also feature a stand-alone weekend for representative matches.
No NRL matches will be played as the traditional Anzac Test will be played on a Friday night, a Toyota Cup State of Origin match on Saturday night and finally the annual City-Country Origin match in Mudgee will on the Sunday.
Good Friday will also feature a double-header - with one match to played in the afternoon and the other game in the evening.
