RUGBY League is ramping up on the Coffs Coast as tickets for the highly anticipated NRL Premiership match between the Gold Coast Titans and the Cronulla Sharks at C.ex International Stadium went on sale last week.

It’s music to the ears of the NRL community who were hit hard last year after the cancellation of the senior competition but judging from the buoyant atmosphere at last week’s trial game between the Coffs Comets and Port Macquarie the 2021 season is looking promising.

Reserve coach for the Coffs Comets Miles Fairbank is excited to see the national game come to town.

“After last year’s Group 2 cancellation League is bouncing back in 2021 and everyone’s fired up, a match of this magnitude is a big boost not just for the sport but the whole region.”

Billy Griffiths who plays on the wing for the representative North Coast Bulldogs team said, “The lads have been looking forward to this for a while, there’s going to be a great atmosphere.

“You appreciate the physicality of the sport when you watch the game live, you hear the hits on the tackles, the physicality and above all the speed of the game, it’s so fast at this level, they are incredible athletes,” said Griffiths.

But it’s not just NRL fans who will be welcoming the inaugural Premiership match at C.ex Stadium as local soccer captain Lewis Pietrini explains.

“Even though we play soccer we won’t be missing this, the whole family is looking forward to it, having matches like this on your doorstep is magic.”

With the improvements to the Pacific Highway making accessibility to NRL matches easier, it’s no surprise that the North Coast with its world class facilities has become a prime target for teams from the Gold Coast, Sydney and Newcastle.

The Newcastle Knights kicked off their NRL season last Friday with a 32-16 crushing win over the Bulldogs in front of a sell out crowd at McDonald Jones Stadium as the Knights entertained the crowd with 5 tries.

 

By David WIGLEY