The images that prove a city stadium can be built on a new site

Barr is pushing ahead with a plan to build a new 30,000-seat stadium at Bruce by the mid 2030s and it was revealed this week he is seeking a 50-50 funding split with the federal government.

There are many - including the Brumbies and Raiders - who are still keen for a city stadium to be brought back into the conversation, despite Barr ruling it out officially last year.

And after the City Renewal Authority asked the public to come up with ideas for revamping City Hill, there's a new possible location for the stadium after years of umming and ahhing.

A stadium with the same land footprint as the existing Canberra Stadium will fit on City Hill. Sure, there's the small issue of the surrounding roads, the flagpole, Canberra Centenary Obelisk and the heritage trees, but it fits (play with the slider image below if you don't believe us).

We are, of course, suggesting this as a tongue-in-cheek option. But is it really that crazy when you think about it? Why can't the obelisk and flagpole be on top of the southern grandstand and the trees line the forecourt alongside the Mal Meninga and Laurie Daley statues?

We've changed ideas so many times over the years (rebuilding Bruce in 2009, then to Civic, on to Exhibition Park, back to Civic and now on to Bruce, again) and we've had many design options (with or without a roof, stadium and arena in one, 20,000 seats, 30,000 seats, 45,000 seats ... you get the picture) that what's one more to the list?

Especially when you consider this: Barr said in June last year that the Civic pool site couldn't be excavated and that it was the preferred option for an emergency services hub. He said the pavilion - which will be great for concerts and indoor sports - would be built somewhere else in the city.

Fast forward to this week and it was revealed the pool site is now the preferred site for the pavilion (again) while the old Canberra Raiders headquarters is the subject of a technical site analysis for a stadium.

The stadium and arena issues have always been divisive ones and they will continue to be until either project is finished and the ribbon is cut at the opening.

Things will heat up this year. Canberra Liberals leader Elizabeth Lee wants to quarantine any federal government funding until after the ACT election to ensure her hopes of building an $800 million stadium in the city can still go ahead if she's successful.

It turns out we're not the only ones who thought about a stadium on the hill. At least one submission to the City Renewal Authority and plenty of commenters on The Canberra Times story suggested a stadium among the ideas of butterfly sanctuaries and children's playgrounds.

Interestingly, though, turns out what we thought was a more compact stadium - the 30,000-seat Parramatta venue - won't fit on the City Hill site.

Canberra is set for a bumper week of sport with the GWS Giants, ACT Brumbies and Canberra Raiders all to play games in the capital for their respective Anzac rounds.

The three teams will wear special jerseys to mark the occasion, with the Giants the first to play on Thursday night with a clash against the Brisbane Lions at Manuka Oval. The Brumbies then host the Hurricanes at Canberra Stadium on Saturday afternoon, and the Raiders play the Sharks at the same venue less over 24 hours later.

It has revived the idea of a golden ticket for Canberra sporting events. The brainchild of former Locker Room correspondent Paul Woodhams, the golden ticket has been rolled out several times in the past. The most recent, we think, was when the Brumbies and Raiders played on the same weekend as the Black Opal race day.

Woodhams wants it back in action this year. "There's a cost-of-living crisis, why be forced to pick just one when you can get all three for the price of one," he said.

Over to you Giants, Brumbies and Raiders. We hear the take up in the past has been minimal, but worth it for the diehards like Woodhams.

The ACT Brumbies are preparing to celebrate some of the club's biggest names when they come together for a 20-year championship reunion next month.

But some Canberra rugby pioneers got in first with their big party and reminisced long into the night as they marked 30 years since one of the biggest moments in the game.

The likes of George Gregan, Geoff "the Duke" Didier, Joe Roff, Murray Harley, Ipolito Fenukitau, Rod Kafer and John Ross, just to name a few, came back to Canberra for a reunion a couple of weeks ago.

Many of them went on to play Super Rugby for the Brumbies and then the Wallabies, but others missed out on the professional era.

Still, this group of men had a major impact on rugby in Canberra. They were the 1994 Kookaburras and they came back together to celebrate a 44-28 win against the Waratahs in that year. It was the first time the ACT had beaten NSW, and the hatred still lives on today.

Eat your heart out Bonnie and Clyde, and Taytay and Travis. There's a new power couple in town and it's Ricky Stuart and Joe Tapine. On one side you've got the grizzly old coach who's seen it all in his 30-odd years in the game. On the other you've got a cheery prop who will run you down on the field, but charm you off it.

Their different personalities were on display as Stuart laid into Des Hasler after the win against the Titans. "He's on another planet, mate," Stuart shot back when asked about Hasler's complaints. Cue the big grin from the stand-in skipper as he scanned the room.

We've watched Terry Campese, Jarrod Croker and Elliott Whitehead shuffle nervously in their chairs and remaining emotionless over the years as Stuart's blistering attacks made the paint peel off the walls in the media room. But big Joe sat and smiled, seemingly enjoying the show like the rest of us. We wonder what would have happened if he was in there for weak-gutted dog gate.

This time, his demeanour even got Stuart to adjust a little when the coach suggested extra wrestling sessions with Josh Miller to counter the Titans' "cheating".

Tapine's been doing a superb job in the leadership role. His individual form has been just as good. He had 302 run metres against the Titans - a staggering 112 metres more than any Titans player and 80 metres more than the next-best Raider.

Speaking of the Raiders, here's an obscure statistic for you. English recruit Morgan Smithies has been used as a decoy runner more times than any other player in the NRL this year.

He has tallied 68 decoy runs, with the next best coming in 10 behind him. The stat makes this next bit surprising given his teammates won't pass him the ball - Smithies is already keen to stay long term after just six games.

"I signed a three-year deal and, if we were to talk about extending, I'd be happy to. I'm not missing too much from home," he told The Mirror.