World challenge back home
By Steve Mascord
September 14, 2006 12:00
RUGBY league's World Club Challenge is set to be played in Australia for the first time in 12 years, with all six teams still in the NRL race seeing the benefits of a "home" decider.
But St George Illawarra also want to explore the possibility of an extended tournament, played in a neutral venue such as Dubai.
"I'd like to see the event in Sydney, having experienced what it does for the UK game," said Manly chief executive Grant Meyer, who started the season with the Catalans.
"I think Sydney should certainly be putting its hand up for it."
The world title bout, played in Britain since 2000, is set down for February 4. The last one in Australia was in 1994, when Wigan shocked Brisbane 20-14 in front of 54,220 fans at ANZ Stadium.
A Bulldogs spokesman said the WCC was a disruption last season and it was likely they would "want to do it here" in 2006.
"The trainers and (coach) Steve Folkes say it set back your preparation by two weeks," he said.
All accommodation and travel expenses are covered by the NRL and Rugby Football League but profits are pocketed by those organisations.
That has encouraged promoters to take advantage of the superior exchange rate in the northern hemisphere but Newcastle's CEO Ken Conway said: "It might be slightly different for us because we run the stadium as well.
"We'd get an earn out of it from the stadium."
The Dragons have raised the possibility of a four-way tournament and of Dubai as venue in the past.
"We discussed (Dubai) with St Helens years ago," said chief executive Peter Doust.
"What I suggested to the NRL was that the World Club Challenge should be extended to the top two teams from each competition."
NRL chief operating officer Graham Annesley said playing on neutral ground "won't be for this coming year because the sports facilities in Dubai are still being constructed".
