AFL on the way: Tigers eye chance to play up at Cazalys in CairnsMurray Wenzel
Monday, September 20, 2010
The Cairns Post CAIRNS is almost assured of hosting its first AFL premiership game next season. Are you excited about seeing Aussie Rules in the Far North? Who do you barrack for?
Richmond is the latest team to be linked with Cairns, joining North Melbourne as the teams most likely to play a premiership points match against new AFL team Gold Coast.
Cairns AFL has been working feverishly behind the scenes to secure at least one AFL game next season.
Planned upgrades to the field and change rooms at Cazalys will bring the ground up to AFL standard.
With a strong following in Far North Queensland, an AFL match in Cairns is expected to attract a crowd of between 15,000 and 20,000 people and have economic spinoffs of $4 million.
It will help promote Cairns as a tourism and sporting destination with the action to be broadcast around the country.
Speculation about Richmond playing in Cairns next season was sparked by Melbourne media yesterday.
It came as the international tennis spotlight was focused on Cairns for the Davis Cup qualifying tie between Australia and Belgium.
Cairns AFL chief Gary Young yesterday said he was not aware of the Richmond proposal, but was extremely confident an AFL game in Cairns would be officially announced soon.
The Victorian club would benefit financially by moving a home game to Cairns, while it would give likely opponent Gold Coast extra exposure in Cairns, a region with which it is forging a strong alliance.
"In terms of specific clubs I haven't heard Richmond thrown around until now. But a good campaign from our end would mean it wouldn’t matter what Melbourne club came, it would be successful," Mr Young said.
"This sort of news can only be good for us and I'd like to think the decision comes to a head shortly."
Based on spending at last year's Australian Master AFL tournament in Cairns, Mr Young estimated an AFL fixture would bring $4 million in to the city.
"I'm very comfortable in saying we would achieve that figure. It's a very attractive offer (an AFL game) when potential travellers are looking at coming here on holidays," he said.
Mr Young said people would travel from across the region to watch the game and he knew of many Tigers fans in Cairns who would be keen to see their team head north.
"Associations would organise it so they scheduled a bye for that week. People would go to great lengths to get to the game."
http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2010/09/20/127475_local-news.html