Australian Football League side Greater Western Sydney "is keen to explore playing games" in the U.S., India or China, but "not at the expense of any of its home fixtures, including those in Canberra," according to Lee Gaskin of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Giants CEO Dave Matthews said that "while the club wants to broaden its base by playing games overseas, transferring a home game to make that happen is out of the question." He said, ''We wouldn't want to diminish our fixture down here to do that, but it may be that it's one of our away games. We want to be a club that does things differently and that'd be something we'd explore. U.S., Asia, we'd be open to wherever" (SMH, 12/4).
MANLY SEA EAGLES: In Sydney, Michael Chammas reported National Rugby League side Manly "will meet with the NRL this morning to discuss a groundbreaking game in China, which has been pencilled in for round eight against Canberra." The NRL is "still weighing up whether to fork out" up to A$1M ($910,000) for the game -- scheduled to take place at Brookvale Oval on Sunday, April 27 -- and "will meet with the Sea Eagles to discuss the logistics of the exercise on Wednesday morning."
The NRL "will also reveal the 2014 draw." The draw's biggest talking point "will be whether the NRL are willing to take a match to Asia to promote the sport" (SMH, 12/3).
FROM DARWIN TO CHINA: In Canberra, Gaskin & Chammas wrote NRL Parramatta Eels "reported to be taking their home game with Canberra to Darwin." The Eels "will host the Raiders in their round 22 game in Darwin."
The match "is part of Parramatta's four-year agreement with the Northern Territory government with a trial game in Alice Springs and a premiership match in Darwin each year from next year." The Raiders "could also make history with a trip to China." The game against the Raiders in China "has been scheduled the week before the representative round, allowing both teams to recover from the nine-hour flight and time difference." The NRL "has employed an independent consultant, Tom Parker, to research the venture to China" (CANBERRA TIMES, 12/4).
