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A visit by NRL legend and now Canterbury Bulldogs GM of football Phil ‘Gus’ Gould, has reaffirmed the club’s commitment to Bundaberg, a three year commitment to play games, develop talent pathways and grow the game.
Ahead of the first ever NRL fixture for competition points in Bundaberg on 7 August at Salter Oval, Mr Gould said he believes Bundaberg to be one of rugby league’s best kept secrets, when it comes to developing talented footballers.
The final details of the three year commitment are yet to be hashed out, including if there’ll be games in Bundaberg beyond 2022.
Having a look at Salter Oval on 15 February, Mr Gould expressed his priority was to increase the participation and the growth of rugby league in Bundaberg, through this partnership between the Bulldogs, Bundaberg Regional Council, (BRC) the Queensland Government and local rugby league bodies.
”We want to bring awareness to the region, assistance to the volunteers and participation at the junior level and assist with the corporate and community growth of this great place,” Mr Gould said.
”I’ve been with the council, local corporate and commercial people, local schools and junior league people.
”Once we build those relationships and keep communication going, we can satellite our community and rugby league development programs up here and help the volunteers.
”It’s about helping the people out here, building the scope of the game to get participation levels up and if kids have got the ability and desire to play at a higher level, there’s a pathway for them.
”Supporting and educating the local volunteer and coaching base will grow the game.”
Bundaberg was chosen out of five other options across regional New South Wales and Queensland to host this game, after Perth was ruled out due to COVID uncertainty.
10,000 fans are expected to pack out Salter Oval, with BRC to sit down with stakeholders in the coming weeks, to ensure everything is in place to host the match.
Based on a crowd of 10,000, using an event impact analysis, BRC estimated the game could inject $1,750,000 into the local economy.
”I think plenty of people have come out of this region, to go into state leagues and NRL,” Mr Gould said.
”There’s talent everywhere around the country and everyone’s looking for talent.
”Players look forward to going to regional areas.
”I love going to regional areas, meeting people at the grassroots level and taking the NRL to them.
Last year when we were in COVID lockdown and had to move the game to Queensland, you could see the effect it had playing in regional centres and the support it has.”
Mayor Jack Dempsey wants local NRL fans to come in droves to the game, to show the various levels of government and the Bulldogs, Bundaberg could be capable of hosting future games.
”I encourage everybody to get their backsides into seats, book as quick as you can because in time, it’ll be who wasn’t at the game,” Mayor Dempsey said.
”We want to make sure our young boys and girls coming through, have the opportunity to see their heroes and gain that inspiration and passion.
”The opportunities that’ll come from here is what we’ve done similarly with another code here, to improve the infrastructure we have in this area, whilst we grow the sport.
”If we can get more women into rugby league especially and grow young people in this area, who knows what champions we are going to have on the field.”
Mayor Dempsey said improvements at Salter Oval will be needed to host anymore NRL fixtures.
BRC has already allocated $430,000 to upgrade the lightning at Salter Oval and $210,000 to replace the internal timber picket fence.
With funding support delivered from an election commitment by the Queensland Government of $100,000 in addition to $20,000 from Cricket Queensland and $10,000 from Central Queensland Rugby League.
Bulldogs chairman John Khoury said after Perth was ruled out, Bundaberg was the clear choice.
”I just love how passionate you all are about your NRL,” Mr Khoury said.
”If we can work well together, that loyalty will when over, when we come and play the game here.
”It’s not a fly-in fly-out commitment, us being here today is the start of making sure it’s much more.
”We’ll continue to visit in the lead up to the game and learn what works well this time around and what can be improved in the future.”
Bundaberg MP Tom Smith added this is more then a game of footy, it’s a moment in history for Bundaberg.
”Once more it’s about growing our community, connecting two cities, Sydney and Bundaberg, to grow our tourism industry and support local businesses,” Mr Smith said.
”From Liverpool to Bankstone, there’s Sydney-siders living in that concrete jungle, coming up here to cheer their team the doggies and experience the wonders of Bundaberg.
”Andrew Gifford who is here today, is passionate about the Bulldogs and passionate about Bundaberg.”
Ahead of the first ever NRL fixture for competition points in Bundaberg on 7 August at Salter Oval, Mr Gould said he believes Bundaberg to be one of rugby league’s best kept secrets, when it comes to developing talented footballers.
The final details of the three year commitment are yet to be hashed out, including if there’ll be games in Bundaberg beyond 2022.
Having a look at Salter Oval on 15 February, Mr Gould expressed his priority was to increase the participation and the growth of rugby league in Bundaberg, through this partnership between the Bulldogs, Bundaberg Regional Council, (BRC) the Queensland Government and local rugby league bodies.
”We want to bring awareness to the region, assistance to the volunteers and participation at the junior level and assist with the corporate and community growth of this great place,” Mr Gould said.
”I’ve been with the council, local corporate and commercial people, local schools and junior league people.
”Once we build those relationships and keep communication going, we can satellite our community and rugby league development programs up here and help the volunteers.
”It’s about helping the people out here, building the scope of the game to get participation levels up and if kids have got the ability and desire to play at a higher level, there’s a pathway for them.
”Supporting and educating the local volunteer and coaching base will grow the game.”
Bundaberg was chosen out of five other options across regional New South Wales and Queensland to host this game, after Perth was ruled out due to COVID uncertainty.
10,000 fans are expected to pack out Salter Oval, with BRC to sit down with stakeholders in the coming weeks, to ensure everything is in place to host the match.
Based on a crowd of 10,000, using an event impact analysis, BRC estimated the game could inject $1,750,000 into the local economy.
”I think plenty of people have come out of this region, to go into state leagues and NRL,” Mr Gould said.
”There’s talent everywhere around the country and everyone’s looking for talent.
”Players look forward to going to regional areas.
”I love going to regional areas, meeting people at the grassroots level and taking the NRL to them.
Last year when we were in COVID lockdown and had to move the game to Queensland, you could see the effect it had playing in regional centres and the support it has.”
Mayor Jack Dempsey wants local NRL fans to come in droves to the game, to show the various levels of government and the Bulldogs, Bundaberg could be capable of hosting future games.
”I encourage everybody to get their backsides into seats, book as quick as you can because in time, it’ll be who wasn’t at the game,” Mayor Dempsey said.
”We want to make sure our young boys and girls coming through, have the opportunity to see their heroes and gain that inspiration and passion.
”The opportunities that’ll come from here is what we’ve done similarly with another code here, to improve the infrastructure we have in this area, whilst we grow the sport.
”If we can get more women into rugby league especially and grow young people in this area, who knows what champions we are going to have on the field.”
Mayor Dempsey said improvements at Salter Oval will be needed to host anymore NRL fixtures.
BRC has already allocated $430,000 to upgrade the lightning at Salter Oval and $210,000 to replace the internal timber picket fence.
With funding support delivered from an election commitment by the Queensland Government of $100,000 in addition to $20,000 from Cricket Queensland and $10,000 from Central Queensland Rugby League.
Bulldogs chairman John Khoury said after Perth was ruled out, Bundaberg was the clear choice.
”I just love how passionate you all are about your NRL,” Mr Khoury said.
”If we can work well together, that loyalty will when over, when we come and play the game here.
”It’s not a fly-in fly-out commitment, us being here today is the start of making sure it’s much more.
”We’ll continue to visit in the lead up to the game and learn what works well this time around and what can be improved in the future.”
Bundaberg MP Tom Smith added this is more then a game of footy, it’s a moment in history for Bundaberg.
”Once more it’s about growing our community, connecting two cities, Sydney and Bundaberg, to grow our tourism industry and support local businesses,” Mr Smith said.
”From Liverpool to Bankstone, there’s Sydney-siders living in that concrete jungle, coming up here to cheer their team the doggies and experience the wonders of Bundaberg.
”Andrew Gifford who is here today, is passionate about the Bulldogs and passionate about Bundaberg.”
