Brilliant winger Curtis Rona has already won the Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines title once - with North Queensland, in 2014 - and he would love to do it again with Canterbury when the event is held in February.
Tickets for the most thrilling event in rugby league can be purchased through the NRL on www.nrl.com/tickets (further details below).
Rona ignored a broken thumb to score a try when the Cowboys beat Brisbane 16-7 in the 2014 final.
"I'd missed a couple of games earlier in the event, but then we got a few more injuries so I got my thumb strapped up and went out and played," Rona says. "It was worth it, because we won."
Rona played for the Bulldogs in this year's event, but they didn't make out of the group stage.
"Hopefully, we can go a lot further in February," he says. "I love playing in the Nines. There's more open space and that's when you see the speedsters running around and scoring some great tries.
"I'm pretty happy to have been a part of it so far and hopefully I'll be a part of it for many years to come."
The 2016 event will be held at Eden Park in Auckland on 6-7 February and tickets to "The Greatest Weekend" are now available at prices ranging from just $NZD69 (approx. $AUD61) for a two-day pass.
Tickets for children are available at half the adult price in most categories.
The biggest stars in the NRL, representing all 16 clubs, will again be playing in the event - including superstars Billy Slater and Shaun Johnson, who have each nominated the Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines as their comeback date from major injuries that ended their 2015 NRL seasons early.
It is going to be a great opportunity for league fans to see the best players in the game exercising their super skills on an open field.
There is nothing like this tournament for excitement, with NRL teams facing up against NRL teams in quick succession over one action-packed weekend leading up to the final prize.
The fans will also be able to get up close and personal and watch teams go through their warm-ups for games on the number one field.
There will be a whopping $NZ2.6 million in prizemoney up for grabs at the Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines. Don't miss it. This is your chance to see the greatest rugby league players in the world really turning it on for the fans.
BOOK NOW:
TRAVEL PACKAGES ALSO ON-SALE
3 x night packages incl airfares, transfers, accomm and 2 x day ticket from $1,399 pp
4 x night packages incl airfares, transfers, accomm and 2 x day ticket $1,464 pp
5 x night packages incl airfares, transfers, accomm and 2 x day ticket from $1,554 pp
Quote your club BULLDOGS when you book your travel package:
For enquiries:
https://www.sportsnetholidays.com/events/rugby-league/auckland-nines/
