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NRL not rushed as grand final call looms

3 minute read

The NRL insists crowds will not be impacted by the late announcement of the grand final venue with a call on the match likely to be made on Thursday.

The NRL insists the late call on hosting rights for the 2022 grand final won't hurt crowd numbers after a decision on the venue was pushed back again.

The ARL Commission met for lengthy discussions on Wednesday night, before again opting to defer an announcement on the location of the October 2 decider.

A decision is now expected on Thursday afternoon when league bosses will officially decide whether to return the showpiece match to Sydney long term - after last year's grand final during COVID-19 was staged at Suncorp Stadium - or move it permanently to Brisbane.

NRL grand final tickets generally go on sale early in the season, as soon as April.

But after two COVID-impacted years, NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said there was proof fans would still flock to the event at late notice if there was a change of venue.

"This is a really important decision and the commission needs to consider all the elements," Abdo said.

"We're in a position where we have the ability that we know that we have very loyal and supportive fans.

"And we've proven through COVID that we can be pretty agile in getting games on sale and getting them away because of the great support we've got.

"Clearly, everybody's seeking certainty.

"So we're going to work as quickly as we can, but the commission won't be rushed on something that is strategically important."

The league had initially struck a deal with the NSW government in 2018 to keep the grand final in Sydney until 2042.

However that was contingent on an $800 million upgrade of Accor Stadium, which was scrapped due to the pandemic.

In its place, the NRL believed multiple suburban grounds would receive significant upgrades beyond the new $300 million Penrith stadium.

However the NRL was left furious when told a fortnight ago upgrades for Brookvale, Leichhardt and Cronulla's PointsBet Stadium were no longer a priority.

Negotiations continue with both governments, with ARL Commission chair Peter V'landys telling AAP this week he was still hopeful of a stadium compromise in NSW.

"We're disappointed with the fact that we're not in a position to have finality on what we believed was an agreement on our long-term arrangements yet," Abdo said on Wednesday.

"But we're working really hard and respectfully on trying to resolve the matter.

"We have and have had great relationships with all state governments through a really difficult time, and the government supported us through COVID."

Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk made a final public pitch on the state's behalf on Wednesday in parliament, highlighting Brisbane's successful hosting of last year's grand final.

"It is no secret the NRL is considering a new home for this year's grand final," Palaszczuk said.

"Why not Brisbane for the second year in a row?

"The NRL knows Queensland is a safe pair of hands."

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