Major work started today on the $20 million New South Wales Rugby League Centre of Excellence at Sydney Olympic Park, set to deliver highest quality training facilities and ensure the future success of Rugby League in the State.
NSW Minister for Sport Stuart Ayres joined NSW Blues coach Laurie Daley and NSW Rugby League Chairman Dr George Peponis OAM to turn the first sod on the ‘game changing’ facility.
“NSW remains the spiritual home of Rugby League, so from our perspective, investing in world class training and administration facilities is exactly what the sport deserves,” Mr Ayres said.
“The first stage of the build will provide a full size training field next to the Athletic Centre and a new building for specialised support facilities and the offices of the NSW Rugby League.
“The $10 million NSW Government funding toward the facility highlights the strong commitment to grow Sydney Olympic Park as a sporting and business gateway to Western Sydney.”
NSWRL Chairman Dr Peponis said today marked an historic day for NSW Rugby League.
“This Centre of Excellence provides one of the highest performance facilities of any sport in the country and everyone in the NSW Rugby League family will benefit from being able to use this and other specialist sports grounds in the precinct,” Dr Peponis said.
NSW Blues State of Origin coach Laurie Daley said access to state of the art facilities at the Centre of Excellence, as well other facilities in the precinct, creates a wonderful opportunity.
“The new Centre of Excellence will improve preparation for our junior representatives and elite players to referees- not to mention adding to the home ground advantage of ANZ Stadium.”
The new facility expected to be completed in late 2017 joins other state of the art sporting at Sydney Olympic Park including the GWS Giants training centre and Netball Central, home to the NSW Swifts and second Sydney team set to compete in 2017’s National Netball League.
