Any doubt about the viability of taking those sorts of fixtures to regional areas was further put to bed when a crowd in excess of 10,000 packed into Scully Park.

While the match was a beauty, it wasn’t the main idea that stuck into my mind – it was the sight of Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga still signing autographs an hour after fulltime.

That’s not to mention the Saifiti twins – Daniel and Jacob – jumping the fence to pose for a photograph on the hill with a fan that was in a wheelchair and couldn’t down get to the fence.

Every remaining Knights or Tigers player did a lap of the ground.

Port Macquarie turned out in force last August when the Newcastle Jets hosted a pre-season friendly against two local representative sides.

A crowd of 4100 turned out on a cold Tuesday night to witness a spectacle that had regular A-League players on show.

Nigel Boogaard, Andrew Nabbout, Joey Champness, Roy O’Donovan and Dimi Petratos all made the trip and signed hundreds if not thousands of autographs in the process.

As a result, the Jets have indicated they could take a pre-season FFA Cup fixture to Port Macquarie next season if they have a round one match scheduled at home.

The Gold Coast Titans trip to Gladstone shows there is strong support for sport in areas outside the major cities.

Gold Coast’s clash with Manly two weeks ago drew a crowd of 5135.

It isn’t just the success of the Tigers-Knights match in Tamworth or the Jets visit to Port Macquarie that gives validation to the future of high-profile sporting events.

Maybe those in high places are starting to recognise the value of taking their “product” outside the usual areas.

The memories of those in attendance, whether it was Tamworth, Port Macquarie or Gladstone for example, last a lifetime.

It is exactly the reason why taking games to regional areas must happen more often.

Money can’t buy that sort of long-lasting flow-on effect that happens in and around regional or country communities.