Perth will host the club-based NRL nines competition when the pre-season event returns to the calendar next year.

While the contract hasn’t officially been inked, the city will pip Newcastle and Melbourne’s bids to stage the return of the abbreviated version of the game. The matches will be staged at the 20,000-seat HBF Stadium, the home of A-League side Perth Glory. The development is a huge coup for Perth, which is pushing to introduce an NRL franchise should Rugby League Central opt to expand the game. The governing body is in the process of formulating a blueprint for the game’s future, a piece of work that will be delivered after the conclusion of the season.

The Roosters won the Nines in 2017, the last time the competition was held. Credit:NRL Photos

The three cities jockeying for hosting Nines rights all put in competitive bids for the two-day event, which will be the first official rugby league event of the 2020 season in mid-February. However, the Western Australian government upped the ante after successfully hosting the second State of Origin game at Optus in June. A crowd of almost 60,000 witnessed NSW’s 38-6 victory, the match providing a financial windfall to organisers and for the city via the associated tourism revenue.

The Canterbury Bulldogs recently committed to taking one game to HBF Stadium per season for the next three years in an indication of the appetite for rugby league in the city.