Newcastle legend Danny Buderus has declared his home city will turn into “Bluecastle” for its introduction to State of Origin rugby league, setting a perfect stage for a NSW sweep of the interstate series.
The Hunter region will host its maiden Origin match next Wednesday night, after the call was made to move Game III out of Sydney following the extension of the city’s lockdown into a third week.
McDonald Jones Stadium will cater for up to 20,000 fans, or 75 per cent of seated capacity, after a switch from Stadium Australia.
The regional venue allows NSW to host a home match during the three-game showpiece instead of a finale played in Queensland, Melbourne or Canberra.
It will give NSW a chance to lift the shield in front of a home crowd after the Blues dominated the first two games in Queensland.
And Buderus expects the crowd to be as one-sided as the ones Queensland offered up in Townsville and Brisbane, except this time it will be to the Blues’ advantage.
Townsville’s first Origin for Game I created headlines for a blatantly one-eyed crowd after a mere 500 tickets were bought by NSW-based fans.
But NSW now have the chance to respond in kind.
“With 20,000 there, hopefully it can inspire the next Hunter region generation of players to want to be Blues players,” Buderus told AAP.
“This group has far from finished off what we set out to do.
“It’d been a shame to think they might not be able to celebrate at home.
“But now it’s there, it’s that’s the next big thing, to fire up the crowd to make sure it’s all blue.
“Make it Bluecastle. Tszyucastle (for the Tim Tszyu fight) and then Bluecastle for Origin.”
Buderus credited Blues coach Brad Fittler for changing the mood around country NSW, through the annual Hogs For The Homeless bike tour every year since 2013 during Queensland’s dominance.
“We went thousands and thousands of kilometres and they were all Johnathan Thurston fans or Cameron Smith fans,” Buderus said.
“Everywhere we went there were maroon jerseys. And we thought how can we change this?
“That was a big thing, so we gave away a NSW Blues footy no matter where we went.
“And now I am sure these kids are growing up watching all these kids going for the Blues. (Tom) Trbojevic and Latrell (Mitchell).”
With the border open to regional NSW, Queenslanders will however still be able to buy tickets but fans located in Greater Sydney, including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour will be left out.
It comes as Friday night’s clash between South Sydney and North Queensland was also moved to Newcastle from Stadium Australia to meet Queensland Health orders after a venue in Sydney’s Olympic Park became a COVID-19 exposure site.
Dragon footy head
Roar Rookie
I am sick of Qlders playing the poor me attitude always as we seen by the pictures of Laui standing over Kafusi the ex players and Qld commentators saying how disrespectful that is when Qld over the years have been showing pretty much the same thing they Qlders think the Origin owes with there crying tactics, I suggest all Blue supporters and Freddie should tape Wednesday night's NRL 360 show and segment with Blocker and Benny Elias showing the Blues passion and the reading how the 3rd Origin should be played and the Blues can get the clean sweep and tell all the Qld supporters and these expert Qld commentators to stick there whinging and carry on where the sun doesn't shine
PB Meister
Roar Rookie
Not me. I want to see the Blues smash the living crap out of the has been “Dynasty” :laughing:
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
I do like ‘Bluecastle’
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
No need to be concerned about that eventuating.
Dutski
Roar Guru
Nat I’d love a good tight game that goes down to the wire.
Nat
Roar Guru
It would nearlybe a shame to spoil their party...
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
Yeah, I know that but the Central coast teams can't play because they are in lockdown and can't play teams outside the lockdown . That's why roosters played Melbourne in Newcastle but they knew beforehand their was going to be a lockdown. Maybe they'll move the other Sydney matches this weekend. Maybe Raiders won't travel into lockdown area. Who knows. To me it's getting all too hard.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
to be fair, I don't think sales would be great for a dead rubber interstate with covid still floating around
Walter Black
Guest
As a Victorian NRL fan, Missed out again Makes me feel a bit like whats the point.
eels47
Roar Rookie
Local competitions aren't in a bubble though, so cancelling the Newcastle v Central Coast teams makes sense. Souths are in the NRL bubble, so they can move to Newcastle to play.
Dutski
Roar Guru
Good option. The Hunter region will do the game proud and put on a top quality event.
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
Ben, the fans are just like footballers they'll get some in Newcastle to buy the tickets for them . I just penned an article re taking South's match to Newcastle Friday night. I think they need to cancel this weekend and next while lockdown is on.
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
All the matches in this round are in Sydney. Melbourne v Roosters was about 10k so will be interesting to see what crowd is. But it's very interesting that Newcastle comp which includes 2 Central Coast teams which are in lockdown area and have called any matches between Newcastle and central coast teams a draw because of lockdown . So South's are also lockdown area and moving out of it ?????
Ben Lewis
Roar Pro
Fantastic news - it had to be in NSW if possible. I know Melbourne will be upset they didn’t get the nod; but they are nowhere near as important to Origin as they think they are. I just hope the NRL and NSW are firm and really strict on the ban on Sydney residents buying tickets; the last thing Newcastle needs is a side of COVID to go with the game.