The Canberra Raiders will meet with ACT government officials in the coming weeks in the hope of securing flexibility to their stadium contract after shifting a home NRL fixture to Wagga for the next two years.
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The Raiders have a deal wth the government to play every home match at Canberra Stadium until the end of 2019 and it's understood changing or breaking the arrangement could incur a fine if the parties cannot agree.
The Raiders will play one game in Wagga in 2019 and 2020 as part of an agreement with the NSW government, who committed $4 million to the club's new centre of excellence in Braddon.
But the Raiders would need to negotiate a one-game reduction for the 2019 to ensure the games in Wagga go ahead as the NRL launches a push to go "back to the bush" to reconnect with regional fans.
The Raiders are keen to tap into a large supporter base in the Riverina and view a one-match arrangement as the perfect chance to repay loyal fans.
The cost is taking one game away from Canberra, but the Raiders are committed to a long-term plan at Canberra Stadium and have flagged the prospect for a new deal, which could factor in potential plans for a new stadium in Civic.
The government has been reluctant in the past to allow the Raiders or ACT Brumbies to move home games away from Canberra. Government officials said they still expected the Raiders to play all home games in Canberra next year.
Raiders chief executive Don Furner was in Wagga on Tuesday to announce the partnership with the council and NSW government, with an option to continue the arrangement until 2021.
"Obviously we’re going to be at [Canberra Stadium] for a fair while longer, so we’re in the mix of sitting down and negotiating a new hiring agreement anyway for longer term," Furner said.
"Then hopefully that will see us into a new stadium, which would be good. That’s down the track.
"The boys love playing at Canberra because it’s a unique atmosphere, no one has got what they’ve got [with the Viking clap]. Some of the Souths players commented about that, they might have 15,000 at Stadium Australia and it doesn’t feel like there is anyone there, whereas they actually felt the whole atmosphere.
"It was the first time they stood in front of the Viking clap and they loved it, and they’re the opposition team."
The ACT government leases Canberra Stadium for Raiders and Brumbies games. But Sport Australia, formerly the Australian Sports Commission, is considering selling the stadium to generate revenue.
The government has continually delayed plans for a $350 million stadium in Civic and Chief Minister Andrew Barr says the government would consider buying Canberra Stadium if it was for sale.
A government spokeswoman said: "The ACT government’s agreement with the Raiders - set to expire in December 2019 - requires them to play all home games at [Canberra] Stadium. We’ll seek a discussion with the Raiders in the context of [Tuesday's] announcement."
Canberra missed the finals for the fifth time in six years this season to see average home crowds dip by almost 3000 this year, but the Raiders still attracted almost 16,000 fans to their last home game.
The Raiders have already taken measures to avoid hosting night games during winter, requesting to either host day games in winter or play away games. Three of their last four games of the season in Canberra were during the day, and the club averaged 13,160 fans per match.
Preliminary discussions in Wagga could see the Green Machine's regional clash hosted in early May, following the Gold Cup race day on May 3, while also nominating Queanbeyan and Bega as possible trial destinations.
"We would have to sit down now with the NRL and look at the prospects of the draw," Furner said.
"Speaking to the Wagga Council, they and Destinations NSW are keen to make it a weekend away, maybe with the Wagga Gold Cup leading into the Raiders game, so people might come out and spend a weekend out here.
"We’ll go through that with the Wagga Council and the NRL in the next little while.
"Conversations have been going on for probably six months now. The NRL are keen to promote more matches in the country and we’ve always seen ourselves as a country team.
"We always serviced the region through coaching clinics and trial games, but to actually take a competition game here was just going that next step."
Furner also announced plans for six under-20s games to be played in the region with the side rebranded as the Riverina Raiders, but the move is pending confirmation.
Shifting a game to the Riverina was a chance for the Raiders to say "a small thank you" to the Wagga council, which played a role in Canberra securing funding for their new $19 million centre of excellence in Braddon.
The NSW government committed $4 million to the building, which will become a hub for country rugby league players, in a groundbreaking three-way deal with the ACT government, which pledged $5 million, and the Raiders.
NRL ROUND 25
Friday: New Zealand Warriors v Canberra Raiders at Mt Smart Stadium, 6pm AEST. TV: Live on Fox League.
Raiders squad: 1. Brad Abbey, 2. Nick Cotric, 3. Michael Oldfield, 4. Joey Leilua, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Blake Austin, 7. Sam Williams, 8. Dunamis Lui, 9. Josh Hodgson, 10. Shannon Boyd, 11. Sia Soliola, 12. Elliott Whitehead, 13. Josh Papalii. Interchange: 14. Emre Guler, 15. Junior Paulo, 16. Siliva Havili, 17. Luke Bateman. Reserves: 18. Jack Murchie, 19. Liam Knight, 20. Makahesi Makatoa, 21. Aidan Sezer.
Warriors squad: 1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 2. David Fusitu'a, 3. Peta Hiku, 4. Solomone Kata, 5. Ken Maumolo, 6. Mason Lino, 7. Shaun Johnson, 8. James Gavet, 9. Issac Luke, 10. Agnatius Paasi, 11. Adam Blair, 12. Tohu Harris, 13. Simon Mannering. Interchange: 14. Jazz Tevaga, 15, Isaiah Papali'i, 16. Bunty Afoa, 17. Gerard Beale. Reserves: 18. Leivaha Pulu, 20. Anthony Gelling, 21. Tevita Satae, 22. Karl Lawton.
