Wigan captain Sean O’Loughlin admits it was a surreal feeling for a group of English rugby league players to be watching an American football extravaganza while in Australia.
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O’Loughlin and team-mates attended a Super Bowl party at Pepe's On The Beach, North Wollongong on Monday.
“It’s a bit strange, the majority of the time you’re watching it at home you’re watching it at about 2am,” he said.
“It’s a bit different being able to watch it down here at midday. I do enjoy watching it. I wouldn’t say I have a team, I’m not a fanatic in that sense, but the Super Bowl always catches my eye a little bit.”
WIN Stadium will host the first Super League game to be played for competition points outside of Europe.
NSW Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall and Parliamentary Secretary for the Illawarra and South Coast Gareth Ward joined with representatives from both the Wigan Warriors and Hull FC for a ‘Welcome to NSW’ event at Flagstaff Hill on Monday.
“The tour is expected to attract around 5000 interstate and overseas visitors to NSW, injecting more than $7 million into the state’s visitor economy,” Mr Marshall said.
Mr Ward said both teams would spend a full week in the region, engaging with the community through various events including coaching clinics, school visits and open training sessions.
“In addition, the influx of visitors will provide a significant economic benefit to local businesses, restaurants and tourism providers as they showcase the stunning beaches, world-class dining scene and warm welcome of the Illawarra,” Mr Ward said.
Hull FC will use Kiama as a training base during its visit.
“We’ve got a beautiful set-up down there, it’s great for all the boys,” Hull FC captain Danny Houghton said.
“We had a light session today on the green area and all the boys were keen to jump in that rockpool.”
Wigan will also play South Sydney and Hull FC plays St George Illawarra in a double-header on February 17 at ANZ Stadium.
Mr Ward and Mr Marshall also attended a Tourism Forum in Kiama on Monday.
All-Stars match-up to set the scene
A host of rugby league legends will don a jersey again and take to WIN Stadium on Saturday.
The All-Stars touch football game will be the curtain-raiser to the Wigan/Hull FC game.
The game will feature players with links to Wigan/Hull on one side and a Dragons team.
The game is due to start at 7pm on Saturday, leading into the main game at 7.45pm.
According to organisers, it's likely to be seven-a-side affair and feature 10-minute halves.
Former Australian, NSW and St George Illawarra Dragons star Shaun Timmins will play, and joked that he didn’t think he’d have another chance to wear the Dragons jersey.
“It should be a bit of fun – I’m a bit worried about how the knees are going to pull up,” he said.
Wigan legend and tour ambassador Steve Hampson will also participate in the game.
Hampson also played for the Illawarra Steelers during the 1989 season.
Although he has visited Australia since that time, this tour is his first time back in Wollongong since turning out for the Steelers.
“When I heard it was at WIN Stadium against Hull, I was so pleased,” Hampson said.
“I’ve just had a wander around, I just had a walk down to the stadium and I can’t believe how big that is.”
Other participating players include Ben Hornby and Wendell Sailor for the Dragons side, and Gary Connolly and Mark O’Meley for the Wigan/Hull team.
“We probably won’t get the ball off Wendell Sailor, but it should be good,” Timmins said.
Brendan Crabb
I'm a member of ACM's national property team, covering the Illawarra and South Coast. Based in Albion Park, NSW, I write about exciting, interesting or just downright quirky properties that have been listed for sale, major sales, market trends, auctions and more. One of my favourite aspects of being a journalist is I believe everyone has a story to tell. What's yours?
I'm a member of ACM's national property team, covering the Illawarra and South Coast. Based in Albion Park, NSW, I write about exciting, interesting or just downright quirky properties that have been listed for sale, major sales, market trends, auctions and more. One of my favourite aspects of being a journalist is I believe everyone has a story to tell. What's yours?
