Let's have a Central Queensland Team in the NRL

Central Queensland is the missing link for the NRL in the rugby league-mad state of Queensland. Economically strong and underpinned by the rich resource sector, CQ is true rugby league heartland and has produced a number of high profile players for Queensland and Australia, including former stars like Rod Reddy (Rockhampton), Dale Shearer (Sarina), Matt Sing (Dysart), Jason Hetherington (Baralaba), Gary Larson (Miriam Vale), Martin Bella (Sarina), Alan McIndoe (Emerald), Travis Norton (Moranbah) and Steve Bell (Emerald).

The region has also churned out current NRL stars such as Wendell Sailor (Sarina), Rhys Wesser (Rockhampton), Dave Taylor (Blackwater), Neville Costigan (Mackay) and Antonio Kaufusi (Bundaberg), as well as the inaugural Toyota Cup player of the year, Ben Hunt (Dingo). The people of CQ are also known for their fanatical support of rugby league and, like the people of North Queensland, often drive for hours on end to attend NRL games.

For those people living in the city of Rockhampton, it’s a seven hour drive to Brisbane to watch the Broncos or eight hours north to Townsville to watch the Cowboys. Today, there is a growing population of about 450,000 people residing within a 300-kilometre radius of Rockhampton and the region also boasts a strong junior league catchment of around 6,500 players, from Bundaberg in the south to Mackay in the north. In 2009, St Brendan’s College, Yeppoon, won the coveted Confraternity Shield competition, thus reaffirming its place as one of the greatest league nurseries north of the Tweed River.

Providing a suitable stadium is constructed in the regional capital of Rockhampton, CQ has the capacity to sustain a strong NRL team in its own backyard and give the NRL a much-needed greater presence in the Sunshine State where league is the premier code.