State of Origin II is officially a sell-out with more than 60,000 fans flowing through the gates.
The NRL has made no secret of a desire to welcome an 18th team in the short-term future, and signs like this can only be good for any hopes of a return to the west.
“What I can say is that we have a crowd of 60,000 people here for Origin. That will send a very positive message back to headquarters that there is a lot of interest in rugby league in Western Australia,” NRL WA chief executive officer John Sackson said on Fox Sports News.
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“There is a real appetite for rugby league in Western Australia and that is on the back of a sell-out in 2019 and obviously very good crowds over the years.”
The Western Reds had a short life in the mid-1990s, before the West Coast Pirates were established in 2012 and played in the SG Ball competition until 2021. They are yet to return due to COVID-19 restrictions.
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“All we can do is continue to strengthen the foundations of the game here at community level and maximise these elite football opportunities in terms of attendance,” Sackson said.
“I think if the (ARL) Commission deems that Perth will be in the conversation for the 18th franchise and is given an invitation to put its best foot forward, I am very confident that this state can deliver a very compelling if not irresistible proposition.”
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The NRL will become a 17-team competition when the Dolphins, based in the Queensland suburb of Redcliffe, join the league in 2023.
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