Tuesday 1 February 2011
Queensland’s State representatives will have the honour of participating in the official opening of a brand new $9 million stadium in WA’s burgeoning Mandurah region in June.
The newly-named Bendigo Bank Stadium will use the WA v Queensland clash as the centerpiece of week-long celebrations.
Coincidentally, when WA last played Queensland in 2008, the Sandgropers obligingly travelled to Townsville to showcase the brand new Tony Ireland Stadium in the Riverway precinct.
The most impressive part of that clash, which WA won by 11 goals with a late burst in time-on of the final quarter, was that a number of players including Hayden Ballantyne and Rohan Bail were drafted the following season.
Bendigo Bank Stadium is the home of the Peel Thunder, the Mandurah-based team in the WAFL competition.
Mandurah is a 50-60 minute drive south of Perth.
Mandurah Mayor Paddi Creevey said it was a tremendous thrill to hear that a State Game would be played in Mandurah.
“Whenever you see elite sports people in any discipline it is always a thrill to watch. This will be an exciting opportunity for our community to see great players in action,” Creevey said.
The WAFL’s Grant Dorrington said Kalgoorlie, 600km east of Perth, was also considered as a venue for the game because it attracted a big crowd when the last interstate game was held there.
“The WAFC and WAFL are committed to State football and giving our players the opportunity to wear the jumper every year. As the third year in the cycle against South Australia and Victoria, we were coming up for a bye but decided to make this game against Queensland a promotional opportunity for WA,” he said.
The WA-Queensland game will take place on Saturday June 18 at 2.15pm (4.15pm Qld time).
Queensland produced one of their most comprehensive performances ever in the interstate arena with a high-class 12-goal demolition of Tasmania at Southport last season under the astute guidance of Jason Cotter.
