Venues announced for final three rounds | Official website of the Penrith Panthers

Author: NRL.com
Timestamp: Sun 15 Aug 2021, 12:03 PM

The NRL has announced a revised draw for the final three rounds of the home and away season with Rockhampton, Mackay, Toowoomba and Redcliffe to host matches.

With continuing COVID-19 restrictions forcing all matches to be played in Queensland, league fans in the four regional areas will have Telstra Premiership matches played on their doorstep.

Rockhampton will host a game in both Round 23 and 24, Mackay will host a game in both Round 24 and 25 while Toowoomba will host a game in Round 23.

A series of "mini magic" double headers will also be played across the three weeks preceding the finals.

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo was excited by the prospect of taking matches to heartland areas.

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"The pandemic is creating many challenges, but it is also creating opportunities. We’re really excited to be taking games to Rockhampton, Mackay and Toowoomba in the final three weeks of the regular season," he said.

"Rugby League heartlands are right throughout regional Queensland. We have some of our most passionate supporters in these regions and we wanted to ensure we rewarded those fans with as many opportunities as possible to watch their heroes live."

Abdo also again thanked the Queensland Government at the local council areas that have helped keep the competition running.

Queensland Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the government had worked closely with the NRL in 2021 to deliver a COVID-safe football haven.

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"This season, the Palaszczuk Government has continued to stand by the NRL to work around the curve balls the pandemic has thrown at elite sport," he said.

"The NRL has always had a great tradition of playing pre-season and premiership games in the regional cities of Queensland’s rugby league heartland.

"We don’t like seeing local and interstate family and friends holed up inside their homes by this insidious virus.

"Yet if there’s an upside to the pandemic, it’s that rugby league-loving regional Queenslanders in Mackay, Rockhampton and the Darling Downs will get to cheer on NRL premiership games at home. The NRL is able to bring the big games to the state’s sugar, beef and garden capitals because we have the stadium infrastructure and Queenslanders have worked hard to manage the health impacts of COVID-19.

"Nobody wants this pandemic, but right now there’s never been a better time to be a sport-mad Queenslander."