March 25, 2014
Rugby league fans will enjoy a clash of the seagulls – Wynnum-Manly Seagulls versus Tweed Heads Seagulls – when a round of the statewide Intrust Super Cup is played in Kingaroy later this year.
It’s the first time a game from the Queensland Cup competition has been played in the South Burnett and it will be an opportunity for local fans to see some of Queensland’s top footballers in action.
The match, which counts as a “home game” for 2011 and 2012 premiers Wynnum-Manly, will be played at TJ O’Neill Oval on Sunday, August 10.
It is scheduled to kick-off at 2:00pm and will be telecast live on the Channel 9 network and WIN-TV.
It also coincides with the last round of the South Burnett competition and should be a big build-up to the semi-finals.
The Intrust Super Cup game will be preceded and followed by senior matches from the local competition which will mean a huge afternoon of rugby league in Kingaroy.
Negotiations to organise the match, which will be played as part of the QRL’s “Country Week” promotion, took about 18 months to finalise.
QRL General Manager (Major Competitions) Jamie O’Connor came to Kingaroy today to make the announcement.
He said it would not have occurred without the assistance of local MP Deb Frecklington and the Red Ants who had been “very pro-active” to make it happen.
He said the surface at T.J. O’Neill was “terrific” for the players and the new dressing sheds were perfect: “just what we were looking for”.
Kingaroy Red Ants president Mick Dugdell also praised the assistance of Mrs Frecklington and said the South Burnett Regional Council – especially Mayor Wayne Kratzmann and Cr Barry Green – had also been strong supporters of the project.
“And I want to thank Jamie, the QRL and Intrust Super for the opportunity for us to a host a game,” he said.
Mick said FK Gardner & Sons civil contractors (FKG) had come on board as major sponsors but the Red Ants were also looking for other corporate sponsors for the day. He invited interested local businesses to contact the club.
This is the third year that the QRL has organised a “Country Week” promotion.
As well as the Kingaroy game, there will be Intrust Super Cup matches played in four other country centres around Queensland, but Kingaroy has scored the televised game which will be a replay of the 2011 Grand Final.
NRL Development Officer Colin Huxtable said as the Wynnum-Manly squad would be coming up to the South Burnett on Friday, there would be an opportunity for local schools to become involved with the visit.
A “Come And Try” Day was also planned for Saturday, August 9, at T.J. O’Neill Oval.
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