Thursday 12 April 2018

Newcastle Touted as Future Home for Matildas

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

Wallsend MP, Sonia Hornery would like to see the Australian women's football team call Newcastle Home.

She's issued a push for the NSW Minister for Sport to present McDonald Jones Stadium as the Matilda's home base.

It follows a successful match between the Australian and Brazilian women's teams at the venue last September.

Ms Hornery described the atmosphere at the game as electric.

"Ninety minutes, ninety emotions, you could see it on each one of the 16, 829 fans' faces," she said, "They roared, they cheered, they held their breaths, they counted every second.

"It was an extraordinary sense of community that Tuesday night."

The MP raised the idea in parliament today, with other state members agreeing Novocastrians have a proud history of supporting teams, as well as a thriving local sport scene.

Camden MP Chris Patterson highlighted plans to develop new sports precinct at Broadmeadow as a vote of confidence in the Hunter's potential to host future world-class events. 

He said Ms Hornery has the government's support in bringing as many Matilda's games as possible to the region.

What a night: Close to 17,000 fans turned out to support the Matilda's at Hunter Stadium in September.