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Another NRL season is coming to an exciting end. A great state of origin series, the Melbourne Storm coming back hard this year after all the salary cap problems. Now, an interesting dilemma could occur in the grand final in the next few weeks.
There is every chance the 2011 NRL grand final could be Brisbane versus Melbourne.
What a match that would be. Two major capital city teams from outside of New South Wales, competing for the NRL title.
AFL had three consecutive non-Victorian grand finals, with the Port Adelaide and Brisbane match of 2004 followed by the 2005 and 2006 epics featuring West Coast and the Sydney Swans.
These matches were always played at the MCG, and were well-attended. But why not play the NRL grand final in either Brisbane or Melbourne?
There will be more interest generated in one of these cities as local interest for the home team. Sydneysiders are notoriously bad for not attending sports fixtures they have no vested interest in.
So why not play it at Etihad Stadium or the MCG? As Melbourne finished higher they would be entitled to home ground advantage.
What if it were a Brisbane Broncos versus New Zealand Warriors grand final? What if the Warriors finished higher on the NRL ladder? Why not plays it at Eden Park in Auckland?
In American football they play the super bowl in a different city every year, so both teams are usually the away teams.
It would be far more exciting for the neutral rugby league fan, better for the higher-ranked home team, and good for rugby league interstate, in foreign territory like Victoria.
A grand final at Homebush, meanwhile, with no New South Wales or Canberra team would have less atmosphere and a soulless and empty energy.
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