MUDGEE has confirmed its standing as rugby league’s No. 1 bush venue — having won the right to host the 2017 City-Country match.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal Mudgee’s $11.5 million Glen Willow Sports complex, which opened four years ago, secured the town what could potentially be the last clash of the historic event.

It is understood the town beat a host of rivals, including nearby Dubbo, thanks largely to its impressive stadium which holds 10,000 spectators and has also played host to an NRL fixture between Parramatta and the Gold Coast in 2013.

CRL boss Terry Quinn will join NSWRL counterpart Dave Trodden in Mudgee on Monday to make the announcement.

Round 20

The 2017 match could be the last City-Country game. Source: Getty Images

There is a chance the scheduled press event could also double as an announcement that the 2017 event will be the last time the City/Country match is played.

The NRL is understood to be intent on scrapping the annual match, which has long been a staple for bush footy fans and doubles as a NSW Origin trial.

CRL officials have previously said they are willing to see the game go, so long as it is replaced by NRL games being taken to country areas like Mudgee, Bathurst, Tamworth and Dubbo.

Certainly there is no doubting the event has huge appeal among country league fans, with both the two most recent City/Country events, in Wagga and Tamworth, having sold out.

Mudgee last held the City/Country match in 2012. The following year, the Eels also took one of their games to the popular wine town — only to be thumped by the Gold Coast Titans 42-4.

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Apart from having a playing surface to rival most NRL grounds, the Mudgee complex also has a number of practice fields of the same quality, something which was lacking when the event was held in Tamworth last year.

It meant the country NSW town beat out a host of larger rivals who have previously hosted the event, including Bathurst, Dubbo, Coffs Harbour and Wagga.

While CRL officials had also seriously considered taking the game to Broken Hill, the logistics of getting players, officials and TV crews so far west proved too problematic.

Elsewhere, Mudgee is also set to again host bush football’s equivalent of the Auckland Nines in 2017.

Around $10,000 prizemoney will go on the line on February 25-26 for the second annual Mudgee Nines, which is run on exactly the same format as the NRL version in New Zealand.

The CRL is currently in discussions with Mudgee officials about including a Fijian side, while discussions are underway to have four of the best women’s sides also take part in a series of exhibition matches.