Suncorp Stadium to host eight fixtures in one weekend in NRL ‘Magic Round’

The NRL has announced that the 2019 Telstra Premiership will include a ‘Magic Round’ at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium that will see an entire round – eight games – over the weekend of 9th to 12th May next year.

With matches to be played at 27 different venues across Australia and New Zealand, including the new Western Sydney Stadium at Parramatta, the new Magic Round will see all eight matches played over four days in Round Nine.

It will also feature matches in five regional NSW locations (Bathurst, Tamworth, Mudgee, Wagga Wagga and Gosford), while the Sunshine Coast will host a Premiership match for the first time ever – the Round 5 clash between South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Warriors.

Introducing the Magic Round Brisbane concept, NRL Chief Executive Todd Greenberg stated “Magic Round will be something unique to sport in this country.

“It will be fantastic to see all 16 Clubs in Brisbane over one weekend in what will be a real celebration of Rugby League.”

Queensland Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones sees that the Magic Round will maximise tourism outcomes for Brisbane, stating “fans from across the country will descend on Brisbane for four action-packed days of footy at Suncorp Stadium next May.

“The event will see back-to-back games played throughout the weekend and will be complemented with a festival throughout the Stadium precinct.

“This event is the first of its kind for the NRL – we know the Magic Round will be the hottest tickets on the NRL’s calendar for 2019.

“The game match-ups have been planned to maximise tourism outcomes and fan engagement so that each day is headlined by a Queensland club.

“We’ll have the Gold Coast Titans and Cronulla Sharks first up on Thursday night, Brisbane’s Broncos and the Manly Sea Eagles Friday night and the North Queensland Cowboys and South Sydney Rabbitohs on Sunday afternoon.

“With a team dominated by Queenslanders, the Melbourne Storm could be a home crowd favourite on Saturday as they take on the Parramatta Eels.”

Minister Jones said the Queensland Government continued to work with the Brisbane City Council through Brisbane Marketing to secure valuable major events like the Magic Round for Queensland for Queensland.

The Telstra Premiership Finals Series will begin on 13th September and culminate in the Grand Final on 6th October.

The Brisbane Magic Round match ups are:

Thursday 9th May 2019: Titans v Sharks
Friday 10th May 2019: Tigers v Panthers and Eagles v Broncos
Saturday 11th May 2019: Bulldogs v Knights, Warriors v Dragons and Storm v Eels
Sunday 12th May 2019: Roosters v Raiders and Rabbitohs v Cowboys

The full NRL Telstra Premiership 2019 schedule can be found at www.nrl.com/draw/