Finals footy is returning to suburban grounds – albeit temporarily.
The NRL will temporarily rollback its almost-decade long moratorium on finals footy being played at suburban venues, with clubs given the option to play at their spiritual home, Bankwest Stadium, ANZ Stadium or the SCG.
Since 2011, Sydney clubs have had to have their “home final” at either Allianz or ANZ.
"There was an opportunity to change the way we think about the finals series venues with Allianz Stadium not available and further challenges ahead with the redevelopment of ANZ Stadium," NRL CEO Todd Greenberg said in a statement
"Clearly Bankwest Stadium will be a great option for us for the finals series this year but it will also be wonderful to see the potential for our week one finals matches to return to suburban settings."
With Allianz now a shell – or a deconstructed stadium as its known in the Southern states – and a recent history of poor turnout for suburban Sydney teams that have qualified, it appears to be a win for everyone.
The agreement will be in place until Allianz Stadium is rebuilt. It will then be reassessed.
The NRL will reserve the right to nominate the most suitable stadium for clubs with multiple venues.
In 2017, the Roosters beat Brisbane 24-22 in a 2-3 showdown to kick off the finals series at Allianz Stadium. That was followed up by a 15,408 turnout for the first elimination final (Manly v Parramatta) and just 16, 115 for the Sharks v Cowboys elimination final – both at Allianz.
In 2018, Penrith floored the Warriors at ANZ Stadium, with 17,168 fans rocking up to the spacious surroundings.
The second qualifying final – Roosters v Sharks – did almost manage to hit 25K at Allianz Stadium, but that figure fell back under 20K for the Sharks’ last-gasp elimination final win over Penrith at Allianz Stadium a week later.
Should any of Sydney’s suburban clubs choose to play at their traditional venues, they’ll have to hit two markers to be greenlighted: the playing surface is up to standard, and the home club covers the cost of any additional infrastructure needed for commentary boxes.
That could leave both Manly and St George Illawarra with some restless nights, should they advance into the finals series.
