I begin the day with a stroll at South Bank in my Warriors shirt, walking less than 50m before I hear “Up the Wahs” and see a Brisbane tradie in a van giving me the thumbs up. A warm welcome indeed.
There are two games on the opening day schedule at Magic Round, the one round of the NRL season where 16 of the 17 teams play over three days in one city, but kick off isn’t until 6pm, which gives you most of the day to explore the city. I was fortunate enough to get an early tee time at the immaculate Royal Queensland Golf Club, which was in pristine condition despite recent rain, although I’d suggest if the whole point is to sell this to a non-sporting travel partner then maybe save the golf for another trip.
Suncorp Stadium is an easy selling point for Magic Round. With a capacity of 53,000, it was built in 2003 and many stadiums across Australia and New Zealand have tried and failed to capture the same, ahem magic, that Suncorp Stadium does.
Any visit to Suncorp Stadium must start on Caxton St, the pub-lined street a few hundred metres from the stadium. Despite the Warriors not playing until Sunday, there are hundreds of Wahs fans around as we begin at the Caxton Hotel – where all three floors are packed and NRL jerseys across every era, even the defunct teams like the Western Reds and the South Queensland Crushers, are on display.
Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium during NRL’s Magic Round.
A great atmosphere builds before we enter the stadium which is a magnificent amphitheatre. Fans arrive from above ground level meaning you’re looking down on the field at first glimpse. I don’t have a rooting interest in either of the four teams in action and both games are blow-outs, but it’s great just to walk around the stadium and soak it all in. Despite some rain late in the night, it’s pretty easy to stay dry with Roma Street Station so close by.
Alternative day one options:
James St – Let’s start with an easy sell for many – shopping. James St is the main fashion spot for locals with international labels and Brisbane boutiques on offer. It’s a great leafy area with side streets to explore and plenty of cafe options. It’s home to DISSH, while Brisbane also has four Uniqlo stores, which is four more than New Zealand.
Felons Brewery – Sitting on the Brisbane River in the Howard Smith Wharves district, Felons has both a beer garden and river deck. A perfect place to people watch and river watch.
Story Bridge climb – Built in 1940 and looming above Felons Brewery, the Story Bridge is an icon of the cityscape. The climb takes you 80m high with 360-degree views over the CBD.
Shopping sign in Brisbane. Photo / Brian Hurst, Unsplash
Day two – Saturday
The schedule has three matches for the second day and doesn’t feature the Warriors. Unless you’re a diehard fan you can skip a few of them. But I was determined to see at least a part of every game. After a visit to the XXXX Brewery, which is a few minutes away from Suncorp, I was strapped in for 240 more minutes of rugby league. It helped that my seats were in the Northern In Goal lounge which featured food and drink throughout the day and NRL legend Petero Civoniceva mingling with us everyday fans.
The beauty of Suncorp Stadium though is that there isn’t really a bad seat.
Cameron McMillan enjoys NRL’s Magic Round from a luxury box.
Alternative day two options:
Moreton Island – It will take up the entire day, but well worth making the 75-minute ferry ride east of the city. Moreton Island features crystal-clear waters with plenty of marine life, 15 sunken ships for divers to explore and sand dunes offering 285m rides if you prefer to stay dry.
Rooftop bar – Cicada Blu sits on level 23 of the Star Casino offering impressive views across the city. Try the Golden Hour Fizz or the Cocoa Highlanders which are among their signature cocktails. Not a bad way to end your day.
Day three – Sunday
New Zealand Warriors fans take over Caxton St ahead of their Magic Round NRL clash against the Brisbane Broncos.
One of the top five days as a Warriors fans. It started with thousands of us gathering at the Lord Alfred at Caxton St before an organised hikoi to the ground. The Warriors were listed as the home team against the Brisbane Broncos and it was clear when each Broncos player was loudly booed when the team lists were read out that it was truly going to be an away game for the actual home side. The Warriors fans made the weekend so special and the team fronted just as superbly, romping to a 42-12 win.
As I left Brisbane the next day, I overheard a customs official talking to a colleague about the Warriors game and gloating that “we smashed them”. Good to see the Warriors’ fandom will remain strong in the city outside of Magic Round.
Alternative options:
Jet-skiing Brisbane River – This was one of the highlights of the trip. At times, we had the entire river to ourselves as we got up to 60km/h and cruised from South Bank, through New Farm and all the way to the Gateway Bridge where my golfer-friends at Royal Queensland were beginning their rounds. The unique views of the city were well worth it and it didn’t take long to get the hang of the jet skis as a novice.
Jetskiing on the Brisbane River with Jet Ski Tours Brisbane.
Warriors game – Okay, even a non-league fan would enjoy watching the Warriors put 42 points on the Broncos. If you’re going to just one game over the weekend, make sure it’s the Warriors.
Dinner – Where to start? There are so many options. Try Azteca at Star Casino.
Cameron McMillan has been a sports journalist since 2003 and is NZME’s Deputy Head of Sport.