Dogs to play in Cairns

[bornadog]

Link

The Western Bulldogs today announced it will play a home game in Cairns next season, ahead of the AFL’s official fixture release tomorrow.

The Round 17 clash will take place at Cazaly’s Stadium against Gold Coast on a Saturday afternoon and will replace the Club’s previous home fixture in Darwin.

Chief Executive Simon Garlick said that although the Club’s future aim was to return all home games back to Victoria, the Cairns fixture provided a great opportunity to play in front of local Bulldogs fans, and to continue the AFL’s association with Far North Queensland.

“While we will continue to work towards bringing all home fixtures back to Victoria, we are really pleased to be playing a home game in Cairns, and to be part of the AFL’s continued growth in North Queensland in 2014,” Garlick said.

“On balance we have determined that it was in the Club’s interests to host an interstate match in 2014, and we look forward to playing in front of new and old Bulldog fans alike.”

AFL General Manager Broadcasting, Scheduling and Major Projects Simon Lethlean said the AFL was greatly appreciative of the support of the Western Bulldogs and Tourism Events Queensland for the AFL to again stage a match for premiership points at Cazalys Stadium in Cairns as part of the 2014 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.

“The AFL is committed to growing our game across all parts of Australia and a match in northern Queensland is extremely important for the long-term development of the code and taking matches to fans who cannot access traditional capital city areas.

“The Bulldogs showed tremendous late-season form in 2013 and their meeting with the Suns – a young team also on the rise – will be a keen test of the development of both clubs as they build towards competing for finals positions,” he said.

[GVGjr]

I suppose it has to be done but I'd rather something more permanent.

[whythelongface]

Why have we scrapped the Darwin fixture?

[bulldogtragic]

I don't want to be negative, but why? Darwin was a good fixture, we had consistency there and were starting to write a narrative. And we won, a lot. Watching the Cairns games are just really, really awful, the conditions just do not seem conducive to footy, which is why I imagine Richmond ran as soon as they could.

This is like being half pregnant for me. If we need the cash then let's talk 6 or 7 games in Tassie against low crowd teams and get AFL compo for members so they can can still get at least 11 melbourne games. And use the money to springboard to a premiership.

[Sedat]

We've become too nomadic with our selling of home games to all of Darwin, Sydney, Canberra and now Cairns. We had the opportunity to own Darwin about 8 years ago and weren't allowed to / didn't take the chance. we also had an exhibition game in Wellington about 10 years ago but have since been beaten to the punch there by St Kilda.

It is what it is - nice chunk of coin coming our way but that's about it.

[Remi Moses]

Yep, that's about it

[LostDoggy]

I don't mind too much, as long as it's a real home game feel up there. Nothing worse than rocking up to Canberra and seeing it's actually a Giants home game under our name.

[w3design]

So much for Simon Garlick's "We'll play 22 games in melbourne" call"

[bulldogtragic]

So much for Simon Garlick's "We'll play 22 games in melbourne" cal"

Did he preface it with when?

We also said we would be active in trade period and would target FA's with our 5% cap space.

[KT31]

Don't mind the change from Darwin but can we at least pick a spot where we aren't going to be stuffed from the heat the next game we play.

[soupman]

Geez I hope when we agreed to do this it was under the condition that we get rewarded in other areas of the fixture.

[1eyedog]

Local Bulldog fans? What all 8 of them up there. Agree with BT that we had some momentum in Darwin with young kids and were selling some merchandise but the club obviously did the math and decided to move on. As a spectacle I don't think there will be much difference between Darwin and Cairns, similar latitude.

[westdog54]

As long as its not against GC or Brisbane I won't mind so much.

Did you hear about the two baked beans that walked up the Queensland Coast? They ended up in Cairns.

[A Ford]

As long as its not against GC or Brisbane I won't mind so much.

Re read the second paragraph of the first post

[hotdog]

I had a holiday in Port Douglas in August and watched the Bulldogs on the big screen in one of the pubs on the main drag. I was suprised at the amount of Dogs supporters gathered there cheering on the boys. Obviously there were plenty of Victorians sunning themselves in Port Douglas at that time of year but I did not expect the 50 or so cheering on the Bulldogs and then singing Sons of the West in full voice on a balmy Sunday afternoon. If anything it is a great location to have a week off and enjoy all that Far North Queensland has to offer. I'd consider making the trip.