Parramatta will be the only NSW club to play home games at their fulltime ground for at least the first seven weeks of the restarted NRL season.
The NRL confirmed on Tuesday that only six venues will be used until the end of round nine, before a further review of biosecurity measures which may allow more grounds to be used.
Under the new model, North Queensland will play games at Townsville’s new QCB Stadium.
Melbourne will play out of their home at AAMI Park, while Brisbane and the Gold Coast will share Suncorp Stadium.
In Sydney, Parramatta, Canterbury, South Sydney, Cronulla and the Sydney Roosters will host games at Bankwest Stadium.
It means the Roosters’ won’t play their blockbuster return match against South Sydney at the SCG as they had hoped.
The Wests Tigers, Canberra, St George Illawarra and Penrith will share Campbelltown Stadium.
And the Gosford-based Warriors, Manly and Newcastle will use Central Coast Stadium in Gosford.
“Each venue requires customised infrastructure to meet our strict biosecurity requirements,” NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said.
“We’ve adopted a phased approach for venues should restrictions be eased in the future.
“We’ve chosen three consolidated venues for clubs in and around Sydney to ensure there are no double headers at venues.”
Grounds were chosen based on those best equipped to meet the NRL’s biosecurity measures.
Geographic location and the preference for rectangular venues rather than ovals also came into consideration.
The move is a big boost for the Eels, who have won 10 from 12 matches at Bankwest Stadium in Parramatta and were undefeated in the first two rounds.
They are now among the premiership favourites.
Melbourne are among the other big winners, as only they and the Warriors will train daily out of the venue they are playing at.
The Storm usually train nearby at Gosch’s Paddock, but that is now being used by Super Rugby club Melbourne Rebels so they get to use AAMI Park.
“It’s an advantage for us,” Storm centre Marion Seve said.
“This is where we’ll be playing so getting used to the ground and grass is a huge advantage for us.”
The venue plan was met with some disappointment on the Gold Coast, who had hoped to play out of their regular ground CBus Super Stadium but must now travel to Brisbane.
However Gold Coast prop Shannon Boyd insisted that it would not bog the team down.
“If we’re playing footy I’m happy,” Boyd said.
“As long as we can get back playing that’s the main thing.”
The remainder of the NRL draw will be released on Thursday, with venues marked as TBA from round 10 on.
WHERE EACH TEAM WILL PLAY:-
Bankwest Stadium: Parramatta, Canterbury, South Sydney, Cronulla, Sydney Roosters
Campbelltown Stadium: St George Illawarra, Wests Tigers, Penrith, Canberra
Central Coast Stadium: Newcastle, Warriors, Manly
Suncorp Stadium: Brisbane, Gold Coast
QCB Stadium: North Queensland
AAMI Park: Melbourne
The Barry
Roar Guru
I’ve never played in Queensland but I’ve played league and union in Canberra a few times in single digit conditions. It’s really hard to get used to... you spend about the first 20 minutes of the game feeling like your fingers are going to snap off. I’m asthmatic as well so found the breathing hard too. I could imagine that would be harder again for someone from the far North...
Doug Graves
Guest
Campbelltown Stadium is probably the most underwhelming stadium in the comp. It desperately needs a revamp to get people to show up. Given the choice, I'd much rather play at Leichhardt or Brookvale/Lottoland cause at least there's some atmosphere at those grounds.
Rob
Guest
It interesting you believe the Cowboys should be advantaged by Heat as cold is easier. As a NQ boy I found cold dry air hard to breathe when arriving in the south? I also found the ball and contact harder in cold conditions until my body got warmed up? The Cowboys have consistently struggled in New Zealand but reverse the ledger in Townsville. I’d love to know Matty Bowen’s opinion about Canberra? Pretty sure he hated leaving the sheds down there.
Nick
Roar Guru
West Coast Eagles have made more grand finals than any other team in the AFL era, and won the second most amount of flags. They travel more than any other team and are successful. Good coaches, good players, good support, and good injury management. That wins premierships. Nothing else.
Rob
Guest
Something people sort of under sell is temperature. I’ve often wondered how a 2 degree temperature change can be normal to fever? When you’re going in and out of air conditioning they say you are affecting the immune system? That combined with the fact 24 hour after a game is critical in how your body reciprocates. I couldn’t imagine anything worse than being on a bus then an airport then a 2hr plane seat stiff and sore.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Yeah, you’re probably right Sharks haven’t done themselves any favours being 0-2 but they’ve got the talent to make up the shortfall if they can get it together on the park I’ve never been particularly keen on Souths this year and it looks like some of their players have a few off field concerns as well
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Apologies Roosters at 4 or 5 with Manly and Brisbane..
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
If the Cows recruited and retained as well as the Storm say they'd be doing much better. Loading Ponga, Kikau and Brandon Smith (among others) on to a plane for an away game might help the issue to magically vanish?
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
The Super Rugby is a different beast travel wise but on the other hand the Argentine team finished second in the regular season and they don't have any ''local'' derbies like all the other teams do except the one from Japan. Surely they had plenty of excuses if travel is such an issue?
The Barry
Roar Guru
No Roosters...?
souvalis
Roar Rookie
I mean Top 4.. was always going to be Storm Raiders Parra Manly /Brisbane..+/- 1 regardless of where they play, don’t you think ?
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
I don’t think Super Rugby tells us much about the influence of travel, at least compared to NRL. Every SR team has to travel a bit to play their fellow countrymen and a lot to play in other countries. SR success generally has more to do with the quality of locally produced players.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Landing in the top four in an artificial manner is very unlikely to cut the mustard once the finals series starts. However if the Eels for example become minor premiers this season and are then able to go against the grain and beat the very best teams in the finals and particularly the GF they will be very worthy winners of the comp. The most important part of the NRL is how a team fronts up in the big games and no amount of prior advantage gives them anywhere to hide if they aren't up to the task.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
The point I'm making with Super Rugby and the NRL is that despite the travel issues teams experience, in the final wash a winner emerges who often has as many and often more travel issues than the plodders at the wrong end of the equation. On another level in the NRL, the teams I was fearful of many years ago were the Eels, Panthers , Broncos and the Dogs because they seemed to have everything in their favour to win comps. It's been the Storm, Chooks and Manly to a lesser extent doing the best.
Dogs Boddy
Roar Rookie
I believe it may be bat peptides.
Nick
Roar Guru
Joe, You've just admitted your flaw in the argument. The teams with the good cattle win the premiership no matter where they are located. It's 2.5 hours from Townsville to Sydney...you make it sound like they are flying in from Reykjavik every week.
Nick
Roar Guru
I still think travel does affect teams and in particular the Cowboys. North Queensland's alleged disadvantage of travel is negated by the fact they in a significantly more challenging climate for other teams. When you are used to humidity, playing in dryness is simple - it's much much harder the other way around. West Coast in the AFL have made it to more grand finals than any other team in the AFL era and they have a 4 hour flight every other week. Teams that win premierships win because of the tried and true theories: good players, good coaches, good recruitment, good luck with injuries. You don't need anything else to win. Not sure why it's a lesser scale for the Warriors? They travel further than the Cowboys every year. Auckland to Sydney is further than Townsville to Sydney and has timezones to consider.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I agree with you... one of many inconsistencies that potentially put an asterisk against the season in my opinion I note you specified the regular season. The regular season is about accumulating enough points to put yourself in the best possible position to have a crack at the title in the semi finals It’s been 25 years since a team outside the top four has won a title and if you finish top two you’re more likely to win the title again So, of course teams still have to be good enough to win, but an advantage through the regular season that gets you a top four or top two spot, also creates an advantage in semi final footy
Joe
Roar Rookie
All true but I have to say those Broncos teams were pretty loaded as were the Raiders and their travel times are nothing like the Cowboys. I'm not too sure what the stats are for Super Rugby away but I always thought the travel to SA which is the big one for ANZ teams were always tough games although that might be more to do with the reffing. I just think for some teams in particular Cowboys and maybe Warriors the travel is a bigger factor compared to other teams.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Say Eels get their 9 home games at Bankwest then play the 4 other sides’ sharing Bankwest home games there as well..13/18 at home with 4 points already in the till...last year they went 9-3 at home, same as the Minor Premiers and the Premiers. I’d be smiling if I was Brad Arthur.