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By Amy Remeikis, Sunshine Coast Daily - Sea Eagles CEO Brett Winkler said filling Stockland Park for this weekend’s Footy Fest would prove there was community support for a permanent stadium at the site and possibly prompt a $5 million funding commitment from the state government. A poor showing would tell its own story.

Both the Brisbane Broncos and the Melbourne Storm are fielding near to full-strength teams for the NRL trial match with Darren Lockyer making his first game appearance since his knee surgery following last year’s World Cup.

The temporary structures which will surround the games, the seating, the toilets and the like began springing up yesterday. Now it is up to the fans.

Mr Winkler is confident the fans will come despite some early criticism the $40 ticket price was too expensive.

“There has been a misrepresentation by some quarters out there that the event is overpriced. I can assure you that it is not,” he said.

“What we’ve offered all along is a deal where you can put four people together in any combination – children, adults, it doesn’t matter – and you basically get the fourth seat free or it works out to $30 each for a guaranteed seat. We’ve built the value in. For seven games and a lot of off-field entertainment, like face painting, jumping castles and everything else, there is a lot of value.

“And there are even cheaper options in the outer, general admission area. We have capacity for 5000 seats and 5000 in the outer.

“And the Broncos versus the Storm is going to be a great game. We’ve made the players accessible after the game for autographs and things with the kids and the fans, which hasn’t been done before on the Coast. This event is streets ahead of what has been done before.”

Mr Winkler said last week’s game in Redcliffe saw 10,000 turn out to watch the Broncos take on the Canberra Raiders but he is convinced the Storm will bring a better game to Lockyer’s warriors.

“If we can get the sporting community, the rugby league community and the general community to show that if major events like this come, the Coast will support it, will back it, if we can put 10,000 people into that temporary stadium then we are sending a strong message to both political parties that not giving us the $5 million would be an absolute travesty.

“Vote with your bums and get to the games. I am very confident that if we can do that, we will get the $5 million.”

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