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Belmore back on board

Belmore back on board

02/12/2012 09:21:04 PM

Canterbury CEO Todd Greenberg believes NRL games could be staged at Belmore Sports Ground in the future following the success of Sunday's trial against the Roosters at the club's spiritual home.

A big crowd of 12,000 packed the old suburban ground for the first top level game of rugby league staged there since 1998, witnessing a 28-16 win to the visitors.

The success of the day further convinced Greenberg and the Bulldogs board that competition games could be held at Belmore providing the ground is suitably upgraded in the next three to five years.

"It's a trial game but it shows the mystique that old ground like this have," Greenberg said as he looked out on the big crowd.

"Down the track, absolutely we'd like to see that happen (the staging of premiership games)."

"I'm not suggesting we'll ever play all our games here - we're very committed to ANZ Stadium - but one or two games here a year would be great."

"We're not going to play Parramatta, St George or the Wests Tigers here but you might play one of those clubs who you don't draw those big numbers (against)."

To do that the ground would need further development to reach NRL standard.

Greenberg will lobby for financial support at government level in the hope of implementing the changes needed to bring Belmore up to scratch.

"The fans would love to play games here but there are obvious restrictions," he explained.

"If we can get some additional investment from government to put a little bit more into the ground we could play one or two games here a year."

"We can't do that in the short term but there's certainly a strategic objective down the track."

Former Canterbury great David 'Cement' Gillespie was one of several former players to attend Back to Belmore day and came away convinced it still had a future as an NRL venue.

"It was great seeing the fans walk down from the leagues club to the ground like the old days," he said.

"Belmore is a great suburban ground and it'd be great to see more games here."

 
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images

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