A SURGE in rugby league popularity in the Far North is inevitable, say those who enjoyed the wave of 2005.

Officials from both the Cairns District Junior Rugby League and the Cowboys expect a rise in playing numbers from next season based entirely on last night’s all-Queensland NRL grand final.

North Queensland’s only previous visit to the big stage was a decade ago, and despite that loss to Wests Tigers it helped the code break new ground in popularity.

“My memory of it all was that it certainly created interest in the game,” said John Bingham, who was CDJRL secretary in 2005.

“It just put junior rugby league on the map up here.

“Johnathan Thurston wasn’t the big name like he is now but the whole sport got a rise in profile.

“The numbers certainly jumped and win, lose or draw I’d expect the same this time around.”

media_camera FNQ calls for Cowboys to come to Cairns. PICTURE: ANNA ROGERS

Long-serving Cowboys official Peter Parr, the club’s general manager of football, is also expecting boom times for the 13-man code.

“We just hope to continue to grow interest for the game as a whole,” he said.

“We have always prided ourselves on representing the whole region.

“We hope that this (playing in a grand final) will give a lift to everyone up there, be it Cairns or Townsville or anywhere else.

“We hope junior numbers continue to grow.”

Parr, though, conceded the result of the match was unlikely to have a bearing on Cairns’ bid to host a regular-season NRL fixture featuring the Cowboys in 2016.

“And we obviously want to take a game up there to Cairns, CEO Greg Tonner has said that publicly,” Parr said.

“There are hoops to jump through but it’s on the radar of the club and that won’t change.

“We always have difficulty in pleasing everyone and try and do the right thing by everyone.”

Fans call for team to head our way

AS THE diehard fans gathered at the Kangaroo Rugby League Club for yesterday’s grand final, none disputed the need for the North Queensland Cowboys to play at least one game per season in Cairns.

Known around the club as “the best Cowboys barmaid in Queensland” Annie Millican was unwavering in her support for the idea.

“It would be awesome,” she said.

“We all love them everywhere in North Queensland; not just in Townsville.”

Even South Sydney supporter Gary Gulliford wanted to see the Cowboys play further north.

“They need to work out if they want to be the North Queensland Cowboys or the Townsville Cowboys,” he said.

“It’s just a no brainer.

“Like really, I understand they’ve got corporate boxes and all that to sell and ­advertising but surely if they planned it in advance it could happen.”

But having watched the three Souths’ matches when they played at the 18,000-capacity Barlow Park during the past three years, Mr Gulliford said the facilities could be improved. “The work they did was fantastic, but you’re still too far from game,” he said.

The Cairns Post encourages readers to write us letters, post to our Facebook page or send text messages to show Cowboys chief executive Greg Tonner we want this game.