Dubbo has been confirmed as the host location for the NSW Touch Junior State Cup Northern Conference for at least the next three years.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Dubbo Regional Council confirmed the news on Wednesday after successfully securing the rights with a winning tender as well as feedback from the 2023 event.
The announcement is a huge boost for local businesses, the council and especially Dubbo Touch Association.
The association's vice president Neil Webster is confident things will be even bigger and better going forward.
"It's great news, we are just so happy as a community," he said.
"Dubbo Regional Council do a great job at applying and winning the Junior State Cup coming back to Dubbo for the next three years.
"Dubbo Touch is right behind the council in their submission and we will work together to help make the most of the carnivals going forward.
"For us as a club, it's a chance to build on what happened this year. Whether it's for the kids or parents, it's fantastic for us as a whole."
The 2023 event held at Lady Cutler Fields saw 187 junior sides from across the state make their way to Dubbo for three days.
READ ALSO:
As is customary when events are held in Dubbo, a lot of the positive feedback was about how good the state of the fields was, highlighted by a main field which featured grandstands and live streaming capabilities.
Dubbo Touch entered a record number of teams in 2023 and Webster believes numbers should continue to grow over the next few years with the carnival to be held here until 2026.
"We are having some of the best players across the state come here and take on our kids," he said.
"The strong city clubs get a chance to take on country clubs, it's amazing for us to be able to test ourselves against those teams.
"Our sides will be training hard later in the year, all the preparations with coaches are stuff like that are already under way."
NSW Touch General Manager Dean Russell also expressed his excitement about returning to Dubbo.
"We are very pleased to be coming back to Dubbo for the next three years of the Junior State Cup. The tender was compelling and coupled with the work, effort and delivery of the 2023 event it made it a very hard destination to refuse," he said.
"With the level of support provided by the Council, Dubbo Touch Association and the community, Dubbo proved themselves to be an excellent venue for one of the state's most prestigious junior events."
Dubbo will host the competition from February 23-25.
Reading this on mobile web? Download our news app. It's faster, easier to read and we'll send you alerts for breaking news as it happens.Download in the Apple Store or Google Play.