Storm crowds move in on Bay

The Melbourne Storm advance guard of event manager Justin Dixon, left, and marketing director Mike Billing try out the Graeme Lowe Stand at McLean Park, after meetings planning the NRL rugby league match between the Storm and Sydney's St George Illawarra Dragons in Napier on July 25. Photo / Paul Taylor

A party of more than 70 Melbourne Storm players, staff and sponsors staff could fly direct to Napier for an NRL rugby league match against Sydney's St George Illawarra Dragons at Hawke's Bay sporting headquarters, McLean Park, this year.

Storm marketing manager Mike Billing confirmed the hopes for direct flights at the park yesterday, during a two-day visit to Napier to plan the Saturday night, July 25, match.

He hopes the travel plans will be confirmed in the near future, covering a party of 18-19 players and eight-10 team staff and up to 20 others from the club, including CEO Mark Evans.

In the meantime, the focus is on selling out the match, the Storm's "home" game, having originally been scheduled for AAMI Stadium in Melbourne.

Mr Billing said: "We've been told the first 6000 tickets were the quickest sold for any event at McLean Park.

"We are really pleased," he said, confirming 26 corporate boxes had been sold for the night, alongside almost all $195 positions in the "Champions Lounge" in the Graeme Lowe Stand, and the $75 positions in the Chapman Pavilion's "Clubhouse" package.

The club has been working with the Napier City Council to stage the match, meeting over the last two days with council staff, hotel and tourism interests, Rugby League Hawke's Bay chairman and 1980s Kiwis rugby league international Kevin Tamati, and NZRL Central Zone representative Lisa Reweti.

He expects the match will grow in appeal - being a round-20 game with playoff hopes close to being decided - but doesn't rule out the possibility of Mr Tamati being part of the attractions, just after the 30th anniversary of the celebrated sideline biffo with opposing Kangaroos prop Greg Dowling during a transtasman rugby league test at Lang Park, Brisbane, on June 18, 1985.

Breaking from watching a YouTube clip of the fisticuffs, and perhaps realising a rematch might be out of the question, with Mr Tamati now 61 and Mr Dowling 54, he said: "Whatever, we hope to engage with local rugby league as much as possible."

The cheapest ticket-price for the McLean Park match is $17.50, which compares with a pre-sales price of A$24 ($24.70) at AAMI Stadium.