It seems every time another regional centre hosts a top-flight rugby league game, questions get asked about why Dubbo isn’t in the mix.

Put simply, a few years ago we were. Dubbo was the go-to place for NRL trials, City-Country, even a NSW State of Origin training session

But we’ve rested on our laurels. It’s not 2005 any more and we have competition.

Facility wise we have the likes of Glen Willow at Mudgee and an upgraded Scully Park in Tamworth that have surpassed Apex Oval. Our playing surface is elite but our grandstand and other facilities haven’t change in a decade.

And even cities with inferior amenities, such as Bathurst’s Carrington Park, are getting games on an annual basis.

The thing that all three of those locations have in common? Councils or businesses that are willing to take a chance.

Which is why it was refreshing that Cr Kevin Parker raised the idea at Dubbo Regional Council this week.

NRL clubs will take games to the bush, but it costs somewhere in the vicinity of $200,000, worst case maybe $250,000.

That guarantees them of some cash in lieu of playing a game at their own home ground.

A lot of comment, both at council and community level, has surrounded is it worth spending that money to bring a game to Dubbo?

At $200,000 you’d say no, but the payoff with guaranteeing that payment is that whoever stumps up the case (eg council) then takes gate takings and can seek sponsorships or events grants.

Back in 2014 we got almost 10,000 people to Apex on a freezing, rainy day to watch a City-Country game most people thought was meaningless.

If we worked on that base number, if you sold those tickets at $15 per person you’ve made $150,000 back.

Even if 1000 of those tickets were for VIPs or giveways etc, that’s $135,000 straight back into the coffers.

That’s a simplistic approach, but worst case scenario is that it would cost each resident of Dubbo a couple of dollars to bring the game to town

Add in exposure for the city on a national level, kids clinics, and the money drawn in to the city by visitors from outlying areas, and the concept becomes worth looking at.