National Rugby League Canberra Considering Staging Home Game In Perth Next Year

National Rugby League side Canberra Raiders has "revived talks to take a home game to Perth next season as the NRL looks to cash in on the city's growing thirst for rugby league," according to Jon Tuxworth of the CANBERRA TIMES. While discussions are "only preliminary at this stage, a guaranteed profit" of about A$250,000 ($236,075) and NRL side "South Sydney's recent success in staging games there have not gone unnoticed by the Raiders." Canberra looked at taking a home game to Perth this year, but "withdrew interest after Channel Nine indicated it had no interest in a late-season match" against either Manly or Canterbury. Western Australia Rugby League CEO John Sackson said, "There has been conversations with Don [Furner, Raiders CEO] exploring possibilities, but there's nothing concrete at this stage. There's obviously a lot of discussions which have taken place and will continue" (CANBERRA TIMES, 9/20).