Braddon centre of excellence puts Canberra Raiders ahead in NRL arms race

Whether it's their brand new training field or the hydrotherapy room with a pool and three spas.

The theatre or the player's kitchen and chillaxing area.

The physiotherapy centre with cryogenic chambers or the McIntyre Boardroom.

And we haven't even gotten to the gymnasium yet.

The gymnasium where, if it was still socially acceptable, you could swing the proverbial cat and then a few of its friends.

The gymnasium with it's own wrestling mat. And it's own 40-metre sled pushing track. And it's own weight stations that go on for miles.

Where do I sign up for a membership?

The Raiders officially opened their $19 million Braddon centre of excellence on Friday, with ACT Deputy Minister Yvette Berry and NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro cutting the ribbon.

It's the first cross-border initiative of its kind, with both the ACT and NSW governments coming together to create a new home for the Green Machine at their spiritual home.

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The ACT government chipped in $5 million, while NSW kicked in another $4 million.

While the centre might have been built in Canberra, it will help service the surrounding regions of country NSW as well - hence why Barilaro was (eventually) able to convince his government to help out.

The Raiders will play their second home game in Wagga Wagga - against the Newcastle Knights - in round six and they played a pre-season trial in Bega last year.

With another trial already planned for the NSW south coast town next season.

Raiders chief executive Don Furner was ecstatic with the final result.

He felt it was the best training facility in the NRL and would help them retain and sign players going forward.

"It's world class. We've been around and looked at a lot of facilities around the world and it's as good as [them]," Furner said.

"It's certainly the best in the NRL. It's massive. It's three times the size of our one at Bruce.

"[The players are] training in the gym at the moment, but they're not on the field because it's still got to knit. So they'll be at Bruce for two more weeks.

"Retention and recruitment just becomes a lot easier.

"It is a bit of an arms race in regards to facilities and players have choices - like any employees do - when they're shopping around.

"One of the main ones is the facility because that's where they live probably as much as their own home."

He was especially pleased it was finished on time after a testing summer of less-than-ideal conditions.

Weeks of extreme heat, freak hailstorms, dust storms and toxic smoke had all threatened to derail the construction.

Even the coronavirus could've caused problems - with the massive, specially made, glass windows facing out onto the training field coming from China.

But they were shipped out just before the deadly virus started to wreak havoc in the Asian powerhouse.

The welcome rain over the past few days also provided the perfect test.

"It tested any potential leaks and I'm glad to say there are none," Furner said.

It also allowed Barilaro to have a cheeky dig at his federal colleagues.

Given the nature of NSW's funding, the Deputy Premier joked there could be no allegations of attempting to buy votes with their $4 million.

Barilaro hoped the centre would set a precedent for more projects between the governments on both sides of the border.

"This will help kids right across the south east," he said.

"An opportunity to have a great team, a team I hope go all the way this year, and more importantly a team that leads and inspires young people right across regional and rural NSW - especially in my part of the world.

"And that's what the Raiders have always done.

"One thing I won't get accused of is there's no sports rorts here because there's no votes [for me] in Canberra."

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr hoped it would help the Raiders in their quest to end their 26-year premiership drought.

It's opening will be a massive boost just a week before their season opener against the Gold Coast Titans at Canberra Stadium next Friday.

Having made last year's grand final, Barr hoped the centre of excellence would be the final straw.

"For season 2020 the expectations are very high for the Raiders and we hope that this world-class training facility will contribute to their on-field success," he said.

Barr also announced the plans for what will happen to their old headquarters at Bruce.

On Canberra Institute of Technology grounds, it will remain as a base for rugby league.

There were hopes it could become a Country Rugby League academy, but discussions are yet to be finalised.

While that could still happen, it will become the new homes of the Belconnen Sharks and the North Canberra Bears who play in the local competitions.

"I've announced effectively a multi-pronged approach where some of the local teams in the Canberra competition can utilise the facility, but I would hope it would be available for the broader region and for the Country Rugby League in the years ahead," Barr said.

"It's still a really good facility and we want it utilised. We wouldn't want to mothball that training facility.

"It is great that it can be available for Belconnen and North Canberra."