Dragons eye Suncorp bonanza
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,20758173-10389,00.html
Steve Ricketts
November 14, 2006 11:00pm
ST George Illawarra is set to follow the lead of Gold Coast Titans by playing a "home match" against the Broncos at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium next year.
The Titans, who play St George Illawarra at Suncorp in round 1, will also take their round 5 match against the premiers from the 19,000-capacity Carrara Stadium to Suncorp Stadium, which holds 53,000. The two southeast Queensland rivals will meet again at Suncorp in round 17. It will be the Broncos' home gate.
The financial bonanza of a full house at Suncorp has not escaped the notice of St George Illawarra officials, whose home grounds at Kogarah and Wollongong hold about 18,000 each. The Dragons have a huge supporter base in southeast Queensland and a crowd of at least 40,000 could be expected for the round 12 clash with the Broncos.
The NRL yesterday released its 2007 draw with the Titans the big winners, although the Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys also fared well.
"The draw is fantastic for us," Titans managing director Michael Searle said. "We've got two blockbusters at Suncorp in the first five weeks and we've got our wish to play the Sharks at Carrara in round 2 in what we will bill as the battle of the beaches. We also get to play the Cowboys at Cararra on the May Day weekend in what we hope will become a tradition to allow North Queensland fans to travel."
Brisbane opens the season against the Cowboys on Friday night, March 16, at Suncorp Stadium and the Broncos play grand final opponent Melbourne at home in round 7, with the match likely to be on Anzac Day.
Broncos chief executive Bruno Cullen said the club had been granted its wish to have a bye before Origin II on June 13 and he had no major gripes with the draw. But Cullen described it as "a bit strange" that the Titans' first home match against Brisbane would be at the home of the Broncos.
"It wouldn't have been hard to make it the other way round," he said.
Cullen also questioned the wisdom of Brisbane fans being left without a match for a month from rounds 12 to 15 with the Broncos having a bye and playing away twice in that period.
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,20758173-10389,00.html
Steve Ricketts
November 14, 2006 11:00pm
ST George Illawarra is set to follow the lead of Gold Coast Titans by playing a "home match" against the Broncos at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium next year.
The Titans, who play St George Illawarra at Suncorp in round 1, will also take their round 5 match against the premiers from the 19,000-capacity Carrara Stadium to Suncorp Stadium, which holds 53,000. The two southeast Queensland rivals will meet again at Suncorp in round 17. It will be the Broncos' home gate.
The financial bonanza of a full house at Suncorp has not escaped the notice of St George Illawarra officials, whose home grounds at Kogarah and Wollongong hold about 18,000 each. The Dragons have a huge supporter base in southeast Queensland and a crowd of at least 40,000 could be expected for the round 12 clash with the Broncos.
The NRL yesterday released its 2007 draw with the Titans the big winners, although the Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys also fared well.
"The draw is fantastic for us," Titans managing director Michael Searle said. "We've got two blockbusters at Suncorp in the first five weeks and we've got our wish to play the Sharks at Carrara in round 2 in what we will bill as the battle of the beaches. We also get to play the Cowboys at Cararra on the May Day weekend in what we hope will become a tradition to allow North Queensland fans to travel."
Brisbane opens the season against the Cowboys on Friday night, March 16, at Suncorp Stadium and the Broncos play grand final opponent Melbourne at home in round 7, with the match likely to be on Anzac Day.
Broncos chief executive Bruno Cullen said the club had been granted its wish to have a bye before Origin II on June 13 and he had no major gripes with the draw. But Cullen described it as "a bit strange" that the Titans' first home match against Brisbane would be at the home of the Broncos.
"It wouldn't have been hard to make it the other way round," he said.
Cullen also questioned the wisdom of Brisbane fans being left without a match for a month from rounds 12 to 15 with the Broncos having a bye and playing away twice in that period.
