The NRL’s decision to switch the 2018 and 2019 grand finals to the SCG when ANZ Stadium will be under reconstruction, is a no-brainer.
The Premiers of Victoria and Queensland are very disappointed. Both were fast out of the blocks to put in bids on the very day NSW Premier Mike Baird announced a $700 million makeover for ANZ.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews was the more arrogant.
“We won’t rest in keeping Victoria number one (in sport), so I’m warning if you have a major event worth taking, we’re coming for it.”
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Hard lines Premier, your threat is worthless. It would be the same in reverse if Sydney tried to pinch the AFL grand final from the MCG, or the Australian Open tennis from Melbourne Park.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was just plain ignorant.
“The day has come for Brisbane to host the NRL grand final and cut Sydney’s stranglehold on the competition’s showpiece event”.
There’s no more passionate a Queenslander than Broncos coach Wayne Bennett, who is far more realistic than his Premier.
“Rugby league would be selling its soul if the grand final wasn’t in Sydney, it should always be there, it’s as simple as that”.
So the NRL grand final will return to the SCG pro-tem, an old friend, where 53 of the deciders have been held among 96 grand finals – 17 at Stadium Australia/ANZ Stadium, 11 at the Sydney Sports Ground, nine at the Sydney Football Stadium, and six at the RAS Showground, the original venue in 1908.
The last SCG appearance was 1987 where Manly beat Canberra 18-8 in a cracker of a decider.
I was on touch for radio station 2KY, with Geoff Prenter and Roy Masters the callers. The atmosphere was so electric it sent shivers up the spine, and knowing that grand final was to be the last at the home of rugby league, made it even greater an event.
The teams that day, Manly first:
Fullbacks – Dale Shearer, Gary Belcher.
Wing – David Ronsen, Chris Kinna.
Centre – Darrell Williams, Mal Meninga.
Centre – Michael O’Connor, Peter Jackson.
Wing – Stuart Davis, Matthew Corkley.
Five-eighth – Cliff Lyons, Chris O’Sullivan.
Halfback – Des Hasler, Ivan Henjak.
Lock – Paul Vautin (c), Dean Lance (c).
Second-row – Ron Gibbs, Ashley Gilbert.
Second-row – Noel Cleal, Gary Coyne.
Prop – Kevin Ward,Sam Backo.
Hooker – Mal Cochrane, Steve Walters.
Prop – Phil Daley, Brent Todd.
Reserve – Paul Shaw, Kevin Walters.
Reserve – Mark Pocock, Terry Regan,
Coach – Bobby Fulton, Don Furner-Wayne Bennett.
Referee – Mick Stone.
Manly 18 – Lyons and O’Connor tries, O’Connor 5 goals from 5 attempts.
Canberra 8 – O’Sullivan try, Meninga a goal from one attempt, Belcher one from one.
Crowd – 50,201.
It’s a very different SCG now compared to that historic day.
The famous hill has gone, replaced by a state of the art stand, making the current capacity 48,000 – all seated.
That’s way below the ground record of 78,056 set in 1965 when St George beat South Sydney 12-8 during the Dragons’ record 11-year premiership winning streak from 1956 to 1966,
The crowd was literally hanging off the rafters that day, also packing the stairway on the Showground tower next door.
Amazing, unforgettable scenes.
One of the most memorable incidents at the SCG was the 1970 decider when South Sydney prop Johnny Sattler played 73 minutes with a badly broken jaw, the result of Manly’s John Bucknall’s punch away from play..
It was a courageous performance from the tough as teak prop, with the Rabbits winning 23-12.
So buckle up well in advance rugby league fans, the 2018 and 2018 grand finals will be more electric at the SCG, where sporting traditions are a lot longer and a lot deeper.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Btw, the current name: for the 'Brisbane ANZ Stadium' is the 'Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre' and previous names were; Queen Elizabeth II Stadium and previous to that the ANZ Stadium.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Just a bit of history for you here. The first RL 'Final; because that is what they were called in those and not grand final, was held at Sydney RAS Showground on a Saturday on the 29th of August 1908 between and won by South Sydney 14 to Eastern Suburbs 12, the referee was C. Hutchison and the crowed was 4,000. After that there were another 2 ‘Finals’ (1910 and 1911) and the 1st ‘Grand Final” held in 1911 on Saturday 16 September and won by Eastern Suburbs 11 to Glebe 8 referee was T. McMahon Snr and the crowd was 20,000 at the Sydney RAS Showground before the first 'Final' was held at the SCG on a Wednesday the 26 July 1916 won by Balmain 5 to South Sydney 3 with a crowd of 7,000 people. Just to give you some other stats, the Final and grand final was held at the SCG on 61 occasions starting in 1916, 7 times at the Sydney ‘RAS Showground’ starting in 1908, 15 times at the Sydney ‘Sports Ground’ starting in 1929, 1 time in Brisbane at the ANZ Stadium under (Super League) in 1997, 11 times at the SFS (current name Allianz Stadium) starting in 1988, 3 times at Sydney Stdm Australia (Sydney Olympic Park) starting in 1999, 6 times at Sydney Telstra Stadium (Sydney Olympic Park) starting in 2002, 8 times at Sydney ANZ Stadium (Sydney Olympic Park) starting in 2008. So where is the home of RL? In my opinion, I think that RL needs Sydney more than Sydney needs RL! Sure give it to either Qld or Vic I think that will be a great promotion and I would go even as far as holding a grand final in NZ anything to promote the NRL.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Ditto again.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
I tend to agree. It really would be a stretch to think any of the locations chosen wouldn't sell out and despite the stadium capacities being less than ANZ, I would imagine that the benefits of exposure, good will and all of that would more than compensate over the longer term.
Scott
Guest
Lots of comments which are fairly personal. If it is the National Rugby League then it goes to the best ground available where the NRL can make the most money. It is realistically the NSWRL so it will remain in Sydney but I would have liked Brisbane to get a match. I have never been to the SCG but I would have thought it and the MCG would be ordinary grounds to watch a league match due to them being oval.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
The SCG ? Seriously !! Playing a GF there is daft. Capacity limited,not a dedicated rectangular set up,leave it the oval codes. Either Brisbane,ANZ with a limited 60,000 cap during construction, or Eden Park. While the MCG would be a PR boon,the Melbourne media with an earlier AFL G/F would give the NRL publicity short shift.The only way the NRL gets any decent publicity there ,is when a player meets a dog or a few slabs of amber liquid.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
The SCG can't even get the surface right for cricket, and you're proposing they play more rugby league on it?
spruce moose
Guest
I don't think Bennett openly said the SCG. And secondly, his opinion is more honest, not one tainted by his close affiliation to the SCG trust.
colin
Guest
If the Irish union team can play at Croke Park, surely a grand final can be played in Brisbane? There's a game every year and Sydney's not going anywhere
anon
Guest
Wembley Stadium is a neutral venue. It isn't the home ground for any team. The Champions League shares venues. The Super Bowl shares venues. Really it's only in Aussie sport with its contrived "tradition" that these state leagues dressed up as national leagues want a monopoly on where the showcase match of the season is played.
Dean - Surry Hills
Guest
How many RL/NRL/QRL Finals has the MCG hosted? In five years time the answer will still be none should the rest of Victoria adopt your mindset. That 100 comments for your article Mr Lord, without a single reply from yourself - well done!
Beny Iniesta
Guest
It's similar to the FA Cup in England which is not a national competition either as they constantly play the final at the same ground in London. They've never even seriously considered sharing it around England at all. Very provincial attitude from the English.
Beny Iniesta
Guest
Only 53 Grand Finals at the SCG? Funny that, there's been over twice as many at the MCG down south for the VFL/AFL!!
Xavier Smith
Roar Rookie
Share it around in those three years. Articles like this suggest the Trust don't like being shown up. Play one year at Suncorp, as a nod to the passion of Queensland. Play another at the MCG to grow the game and ensure a 100,000 fan party. Finally, play one at the SCG for nostalgia (and as acknowledgement they're stumping up $1.6 billion for the game). The lack of vision in league is astounding.
Dean - Surry Hills
Guest
Here we are 98 comments later, and David has got himself a few supporters, including another apparent dinosaur - Mr Wayne Bennett, who shares his belief in Sydney and the SCG. Why isn't anyone getting stuck into Wayne on this thread?
Gus Paella
Guest
Surely it is more important to the NRL what the TV Grand Final package and coverage looks like for millions of people rather than the viewing experience for 50,000 punters. The same flogs that put together the Burgess/Thurston promos will do a whole 'coming home to the SCG' 2 hour snoozefest before kickoff. The members and ladies stand will probably get the NRL special projects team excited. Cue the black and white footage and our new super slo-mo legends.
spruce moose
Guest
touche but surely the editorial team look at his articles and just see the total lack of respect the roarers have for David? He writes an article, and then there is a queue of people ready to systematically shred his authority at every opportunity. The credibility of the website suffers when he submits articles. I mean, I'd be completely comfortable if his articles were deliberately polemic, but they aren't...they are just the ramblings of someone who has been left behind by society long, long ago.
anon
Guest
"There’s not much to be gained by Brisbane hosting a GF. They are all RL mad there, it’d be like preaching to the converted." They why host it in Sydney?
graham Sanyo
Guest
There's not much to be gained by Brisbane hosting a GF. They are all RL mad there, it'd be like preaching to the converted. It stays in Sydney OR it's off to a new frontier (read Melbourne/ New Zealand).
anon
Guest
Predictable article from David Lord. Also, predictable move from the NRL, which like the AFL, is not a true national competition and never will be while the Sydney old boys club runs the NRL much like the Melbourne old boys club runs the AFL. The NRL would rather keep the game in Sydney to the complete detriment of the spectator experience than share JUST ONE Grand Final with Brisbane. The SCG is not fit for a Rugby League match in the 21st century, let alone the most important match of the season.