Newcastle has been side stepped in the 2017 Rugby League World Cup draw – failing to secure hosting rights to any games in the competition.
Despite playing host to one game in the 2008 event, organisers awarded three games to Cairns and two to Perth.
Other venues hosting matches include Canberra, Melbourne, Port Moresby, Christchurch and Auckland.
RLWC2017 chief executive officer Michael Brown said the Organising Committee made a deliberate decision to take the Rugby League World Cup to more fans than any World Cup has done before.
“The Tournament Draw demonstrates how far and wide we are taking matches, from established Rugby League communities, to those new and emerging fan bases in all three countries,” he said.
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