An exciting festival-style tournament of rugby league has been secured for Perth in February 2020, thanks to a successful bid by the State Government, through Tourism Western Australia, for the National Rugby League (NRL) Nines (the Nines).
The two-day tournament will be held at HBF Park on Friday, February 14 and Saturday, February 15, 2020.
It will be the first time the Nines will be played in Australia, with all 16 of the men’s and four of the women’s NRL clubs coming to Perth for the tournament.
More than 300 players will descend on Perth to compete in the two-day festival.
The clubs will have their top stars on show, including one of the top six players and 12 of the top 30 players as determined by the salary cap, including players from 2019 NRL grand finalist teams, the Sydney Roosters and Canberra Raiders. Top players from NRLW Premiers, the Brisbane Broncos, will also come to Perth to compete.
The Nines are played before the start of the NRL season in a fast-paced format with fewer players on the field, giving the stars more room to show off their skills. The tournament offers clubs a prize pool of more than $1 million and will be broadcast live across Australia.
A significant number of interstate fans are expected to travel to WA for the tournament, providing a great boost for tourism businesses and the local economy.
The Nines join a growing list of NRL success stories for Perth, secured by the State Government, including two Rugby League World Cup matches held in 2017, the NRL Double Header in March 2018 and Holden State of Origin game two in June this year.
The State Government has also secured both the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and reigning premiers, the Sydney Roosters for three matches over three seasons at HBF Park from 2020-22.
Two-day passes for the NRL Nines are on sale from tomorrow (October 23) for club members and Friday, October 25 for the general public. For more ticket information, visit http://www.NRL.com/tickets
Comments attributed to Tourism Minister Paul Papalia:
“We’re thrilled to have locked in the best in rugby league, playing in the fun, fast, Nine’s format.
“We have earned our stripes by hosting some blockbuster NRL games in Perth, showing just how popular the sport is here in WA and how well we host big events.
“This is another chance for people to get their mates together, and enjoy another rugby league first for WA with the Nines tournament.
“It will be a great time for people from interstate to visit and experience Perth’s summer – including our beautiful beaches, stunning sunsets and modern city.”
Comments attributed to Sport and Recreation Minister Mick Murray:
“WA is home to many devoted and passionate rugby league fans, who I know will be thrilled to have over 300 top players coming to the west for this exciting event.
“The tournament forms part of the McGowan Government’s commitment to work closely with the NRL to increase their presence in WA – building on the sell-out State of Origin clash and the Sydney Roosters and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs home games to be played in Perth from 2020.
“Sporting events such as the Australian-first NRL Nines bring with them large numbers of interstate visitors – and I am delighted Perth has edged out the Eastern States to secure this festival of rugby.”
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