Work has begun to create new playing fields and female-friendly facilities as part of the landmark Rugby League State and Community Centre development at Seabrook Reserve in Broadmeadows.
Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence today visited the site to mark the start of construction on the $16.9 million hub, which will be home to rugby league youth development squads and in time, a base for NRL powerhouse Melbourne Storm’s women’s team.
The giant step forward for rugby league in Victoria has been made possible due to a $12 million investment by the Andrews Labor Government, with the NRL contributing $1.4 million and Melbourne Storm $1 million. The City of Hume is contributing $2.5 million to develop facilities for local club Northern Thunder as part of the project.
The Rugby League State and Community Centre will boast a female-friendly pavilion including high-performance training and recovery facilities, a show pitch and two additional competition/training pitches. The centre will also include administrative facilities for NRL Victoria and Touch Victoria.
The Labor Government has invested more than $150 million to support women’s and girl’s facilities and opportunities on and off the field since 2018.
Seabrook Reserve is home to the Northern Thunder Rugby League Club, which has several successful women’s teams and will benefit from the improved training and playing facilities.
The project is due to be completed in mid-2022 and will create upwards of 35 jobs in construction.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence
“If you’re serious about supporting women’s sport, you’ve got to back up the talk with money – we’re doing just that with this record investment in Victorian rugby league.”
“It’s fantastic that work has started – the benefits for elite women, developing young stars and local grassroots players will be substantial.”
Quote attributable to Member for Broadmeadows Frank McGuire
“This is a great day for Broadmeadows. We’re building a Field of Dreams for local girls and boys who love playing rugby league, and a Centre of Excellence for elite female players to become the best they can be.”
Quote attributable to NRL Victoria general manager Brent Silva
“We thank the Victorian Government for its support – this new centre and administrative hub will give the sport a real boost in Victoria and even better define the pathway for our next generation of champions.”
Quote attributable to Melbourne Storm chief executive Justin Rodski
“This new facility is a game changer for rugby league and for the thousands of talented young girls and boys who aspire to play our great game across Victoria. It will also be a great venue for Storm to train and run community programs in Hume, giving more young people the chance to see their idols in person.”
Reviewed 11 May 2021