Fans cheer on Eels and Dolphins, meet heroes in Darwin

The much-anticipated NRL game at TIO stadium on Friday night drew a huge crowd of more than 11,000 fans, eager to enjoy plenty of action as the Parramatta Eels and Dolphins came to Darwin.

As well as enjoying a try-packed match, which saw the Dolphins clinching 44-16 victory, fans also flocked to meet their footy heroes at a signing session held on Saturday morning.

The game was broadcast nationally showcasing footy in the NT while highlighting the diverse cultural activities unique to the Territory. It was delivered by Northern Territory Major Events Company (NTMEC) as part of the Northern Territory Government’s partnership with the Parramatta Eels, who have been playing in Darwin every year since 2014.

Northern Territory Major Events Company CEO Suzana Bishop said: “Bringing this level of sport to the Territory creates a lot of excitement and inspiration for kids, players and footy lovers in general”.

“The great thing for Darwin is that this partnership brings with it a host of community engagement initiatives, such as school visits, clinics and the player signings.

“It also brings an important boost for our local businesses and tour operators.”

Another key aspect of the event is the grassroots community involvement and this year, Parramatta Eels visited Yirrkala in East Arnhem Land to bring positive community engagement and wellbeing through footy. In addition to the Eels team, dedicated travelling fans attend the game and participate in pre- and post-event activities. Their exploration of NT tourism attractions further enhances the event’s impact by stimulating growth in the local economy and tourism sector.

This annual event not only provides thrilling entertainment but also brings significant benefits to the local economy. Last year’s ANZAC Round match generated a total expenditure stimulus in the NT of $4.8 million. A huge 81% of this was new money to the Territory. More than 18% of visitors to the match were from interstate and along with intrastate visitors, they generated 9,145 visitor nights across the NT.