The South Sydney Rabbitohs will take on the Canberra Raiders at Gosford’s Central Coast Stadium on April 21.
The Club will also celebrate South Sydney’s first match, which took place just over 110 years prior, against North Sydney, at Birchgrove Oval, on Easter Monday, April 20, 1908. In previous seasons, the Rabbitohs have regularly sold out home games at Central Coast Stadium, and a big crowd is expected again for the first game of NRL football at the stadium in 2018. International stars such as Greg Inglis, Sam Burgess, Dane Gagai, Elliott Whitehead and Jordan Rapana are expected to play. Rabbitohs CEO, Mr Blake Solly, says the Club is looking forward to bringing the Rabbitohs back to Gosford. “I’m originally from the Central Coast and I understand how much the community in and around the Central Coast region love Rugby League.
“It’s this passion for the game from the local people that has me and the rest of our Club really excited about bringing the NRL back to Gosford,” Mr Solly said. “Central Coast Stadium is one of the best stadiums in the State and we’re expecting to see a lot of red and green support in the stands in April. “We have a strong membership base in and around the Central Coast, with about 10 percent of our members coming from this region. “Central Coast Stadium is an important part of Rabbitohs’ history. “The Club played an exhibition game at the ground the day after it was announced we would be reinstated to the elite competition in 2001 against the Umina Bunnies, and the celebrations at Central Coast Stadium that day were fantastic,” he said.
Central Coast Mayor, Jane Smith, said that Central Coast Stadium was thrilled to partner with the Rabbitohs to bring elite Rugby League games to the Coast. “Central Coast Council has invested $1.9m in infrastructure upgrades to the Stadium this financial year in our commitment to bring great sporting and other key events to the Central Coast”, Mayor Smith said. “We have a legion of Rugby League supporters here and a strong Rabbitohs following. “The Stadium is the best venue to watch great sport and I strongly encourage our community to get behind it and come along to what is sure to be a colossal event,” Mayor Smith concluded.
Source: Media release, Feb 6 Central Coast Council Media