NRL Final at Brown Park September 12
Due to Covid running rampant in other parts of Australia the NRL executives and the board decided it best that all finals were to be played in Queensland. My wish as come true! Furthermore because the NRL grand final will be held in Suncorp Stadium Brisbane the matches leading up to it are being played in regional Queensland. A first for the country and a welcome one by regional Queensland NRL fans.
Rockhampton was host to the preliminary final between the Parramatta Eels and Newcastle Knights being played at Brown Park on Sunday September 12. I was blessed to have a great spot in the beer garden behind the try line at Rockhampton Leagues Club.
The stadium was full of local fans from across Central Queensland and beyond to witness this once in a lifetime event. It was a rivoting match to say the least with a score line that testified to it. Eels were up by 12 at half time but the tenacious Knights hit back with successive tries. The match was won with a stroke of luck going the Eels way in the form of a controversial penalty try awarded at the unfortunate cost of a knock-on not being detected by the referees. That’s how the proverbial cookie crumbles and this time it was in the favour of Parramatta. Checkout some of the footage on Youtube and my chat with a few of the jovial fans.
Let’s hope more finals come to regional Queensland in following years!
