FNQ Rugby has hailed the proposed $15 million high-performance training centre in Cairns as a launch pad for attracting the All Blacks and Wallabies to Far North Queensland, and retaining the region’s hottest young talent.

The state-of-the-art facility, to be based at West Barlow Park, would be used as a training base by the region's three top-tier rectangular sports sides: Northern Pride rugby league team, FNQFC soccer team and Cairns Thunder rugby union.

And aside from the obvious performance benefits to the three codes, FNQ Rugby President Robert Brennan said the economic value to the region would be immense if the facility, projected to generate $6.51 of economic activity for every $1 spent, received the go-ahead.

“We need to put it in the minds of the All Blacks, Wallabies, Queensland Reds and other top-level international and national rugby sides that Cairns is a fantastic base for training to prepare for big matches,” he said.

“For example, when the All Blacks go to Brisbane to play the Wallabies, they have to battle with traffic to get to and from their hotel and training facility, and it’s difficult to get around.

“They also have a lower profile because the Wallabies are in town as well, often attracting most of the media attention.

“If we had a world-class training facility in Cairns where the All Blacks could come for their pre-Test training, with the lure of it taking just five minutes to get from their hotel to the training camp, along with all the promotional benefits, then they’ll come.

“We’ve also got the reef, rainforest and other fantastic activities in a paradise location to attract teams here, and the follow-on economic benefits to the region of a team like the All Blacks coming here would be huge.

“But they’re top-level professional athletes, and we would need a state-of-the-art training facility like the one proposed to get them here.”

The economic benefits of luring a popular sporting side to the region was exemplified in last month’s NRL trial match in Cairns between St. George Illawarra Dragons and North Queensland Cowboys.

The fixture attracted more than 1,000 tourists to the region and generated approximately $1 million into the local economy.

Mr Brennan also praised the three local codes – rugby union, rugby league and soccer – for working together to help provide better opportunities for young, local players.

“There’s a great unity between the three codes to push for a facility like this in Cairns, and it’s great to be working together to make it happen,” he said.

“At the moment, our best young players have to leave Far North Queensland and move to Brisbane and other hubs where they have state-of-the-art facilities, to pursue their rugby careers.

“I know this is also the case with both rugby league and soccer with Northern Pride and FNQFC, and their best young talent having to move away from the region.”

Mr Brennan also said the facility would help young Indigenous players stay close to their families and friends during crucial teenage and young adulthood years.

“It is proven that some Indigenous players struggle when they’re asked to move away from their communities at a young age, and have to try and settle in a big city,” he said.

“This centre would help those Indigenous players to stay close to their families, while also allowing them to train in world-class facilities which will keep them on track for a professional sporting career.

“We’re losing our best young players, but an appropriate facility in Cairns would change that, and we’d be able to help them on their career path locally.”