Orange City Council has welcomed the agreement signed with the Newcastle Knights Rugby League club to stage a pre-season against the Canberra Raiders in Orange.
The match will be played just weeks before the 2016 season starts, on Saturday 20 February at Wade Park in Orange.
On top of the success of the recent A-League trial game in Orange, Orange City Council Sports & Recreation Committee chair, Cr Jason Hamling said the latest big game will be even more popular with sports fans.
“I congratulate the Knights on making the move to play one of their pre-season encounters in a regional area. It’s great for the future of the NRL in the country and Orange is close enough that I’m expecting many Knights supporters will make the trip to the central west .”
The Knights will play their final trial match in Orange, as part of the NSW Mining partnership, against the Canberra Raiders on Saturday February 20.
Cr Jason Hamling believes the pre-season match will be a great opportunity to watch a new season of league unfold.
“Both these teams will be asking big questions of their players in the final weeks before the season begins, and Orange residents will have the best seat in the house as the spectacle unfolds,” Cr Jason Hamling said.
Knights coach Nathan Brown is looking forward to making the trip to Orange.
“We are excited about taking a game to Orange and we are sure the community will enjoy watching the Knights and Raiders finalise their preparations for the 2016 season,” coach Nathan Brown said.
Knights CEO Matt Gidley is delighted by the support of the mining industry for Rugby League.
“The announcement with NSW Mining in regards to our trial in Orange, which is a key mining area, is fantastic and we look forward to taking the game to a passionate regional rugby league community,” Matt Gidley said.
“There’ll be a lot of interest from League fans in how quickly the Knights’ new coach Nathan Brown can re-build his team, and the chance to see former Orange local and now Raiders full-back Jack Wighton run out onto Wade Park again comes as a huge bonus.”
“I congratulate the Orange cricket fraternity for their willingness to re-schedule and re-locate the cricket games that would have been played at Wade Park, for the sake of sport in Orange.”
It’s expected the Knights squad will arrive in Orange on the Wednesday before the weekend match for a range of promotional events and school visits.
“Tickets go on sale through Ticketek on Friday, and I think with these two teams and that time of the year, tickets will be selling very quickly.”
Ticket Prices :
General Admission
Adult $20
Child $10
Concession $15
Family $50 (2 adults and 2 children)
Under 5 free
Reserved Grandstand
Adult $30
Child $20
Concession $25
Family $80 (2 adults and 2 children)
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