Rockhampton Regional Council has announced a new sponsorship agreement with the Central Queensland (CQ) Capras & Hutchinson Builders which will see the National Rugby League (NRL) Dolphins team play the CQ Capras in a pre-season match up.
The Council is planning a weekend of events for 9-11 February, headlined by NRL coaching great, Wayne Bennett and Dolphins Chief Executive Officer, Terry Reader.
The Council says the highlight of the weekend will be the hero match between the Redcliffe Dolphins and CQ Capras on Saturday, 10 February, with four representative curtain raiser games to be played beforehand.
The weekend will also feature engaging activities such as school visits, a kids coaching clinic, guest speakers, and an all-abilities clinic.
Mayor, Tony Williams said rugby league was synonymous with Central Queensland and the Council was eager to extend a warm welcome to the Dolphins.
“We’re proud to bring NRL back to the region. As we know, major sporting events like these not only boost our economy but also foster a sense of pride within our community and local sporting clubs,” he said.
“Tourism Research Australia indicates that visitors spend over $28 billion per year on domestic travel and this event provides another avenue to increase visitation to our region, fill our hotel rooms and enhance spending in our tourism and hospitality businesses.”
Parks, Sport and Public Spaces Councillor, Cherie Rutherford said Rockhampton was the perfect destination for major sporting events.
“Rockhampton is home to national, international and Olympic standard sporting facilities that nurture beginners through to professional athletes, and we are so proud to work with the CQ Capras to welcome the Dolphins clash to our major events calendar,” she said.
CQ Capras CEO, Peter White echoed Council’s enthusiasm, emphasising the significance of the event for the local community.
“To have NRL Coach Wayne Bennett and Dolphins players visit our region is a great triumph for our rugby league landscape.”
“Central Queensland is known for producing great NRL talent and we look forward to that trend continuing with events such as these to foster local talent.
“I would like to sincerely thank Rockhampton Regional Council & Hutchinson Builders for their wonderful support to enable this event to occur,” Mr White said.
Tickets will go on sale later this week. For more information, visit https://capras.com.au/.
