Several weeks ago, ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys announced the smart and common-sense change in strategic direction of playing out of oversized stadiums and finally returning back to suburbia.
The ill fated 20-plus-year-long experiment of using big stadiums for club matches is over. The atmosphere of suburban grounds for Bulldogs, Tigers and Rabbitohs fans is now set to finally return.
(Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Nevertheless, there is the challenge of securing funding to make many of the suburban grounds suitable for week to week NRL in the post COVID-19 world, a time when there will be less government money to be thrown around on grandstands or stadiums.
Which grounds should be redeveloped? Let’s rank and appraise each of the grounds in Sydney and assess the likelihood for a funding of a redevelopment.
7. Pointsbet Stadium
The home of the Cronulla Sharks, this ground is actually in pretty good condition and doesn’t really need an upgrade, although the seated capacity is limited. The leagues club side of the ground is having significant development behind the stand and seated areas, making any future redevelopment of the main grandstand very unlikely and expensive.
Any redevelopment would be limited to extending the western grandstand along the full length of the sideline or building on the northern hill behind the goal posts. Like Brookvale Oval, the curse of being located in a safe seat in state parliament will work against securing funding as current or prospective governments often keep funding of projects like new stadiums or grandstands almost exclusively in marginal seats or in growth corridors.
Furthermore, a redeveloped Pointsbet Stadium is too far away from other NRL clubs to be used as a home ground, so the NRL would most likely get behind a Kogarah redevelopment for the south that could service St George Illawarra, Canterbury, Cronulla and possibly even South Sydney.
6. Leichhardt Oval
This is the worst of the worst grounds in the NRL. It is an embarrassment that this ground is used for the NRL. There is next to no hope for the ground to be redeveloped as the entire site needs to be bulldozed.
It is only half a home ground for the Wests Tigers and there is little prospect that the ground will be used in the future by Sydney FC in the A-League once the new Sydney Football Stadium is completed. No government will throw $100 million at a ground used only four times a year in the NRL.
(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
5. Belmore Sports Ground
The Canterbury Bulldogs recently announced plans to redevelop Belmore Sports Ground. While it may happen, it is unlikely due to a number of factors, including the fact that the existing grandstand needs millions spent on upgrading it before any hillside development can be funded.
What is also working against the Bulldogs securing funding for this project is that the Canterbury-Bankstown area is not far from the new Bankwest Stadium and it would make sense for that wonderful stadium to be used every week. Furthermore, if the nearby Kogarah Oval gets a redevelopment, that stadium could become a home ground for multiple clubs. Government would baulk at redeveloping both Belmore Sports Ground and Kogarah Oval.
Canterbury’s best option if they want their own stadium is to rebrand as the South-West Sydney Bulldogs, move to Liverpool where the third CBD of Sydney will be, and lobby government for a new stadium to be built on the site of the rejected Oasis project.
4. Brookvale Oval
This is the second worst ground in the NRL behind Leichhardt Oval. Dilapidated is the only suitable term to describe Brookie. Over the years, there has been a bit of funding here and there to improve the facilities, but let’s be honest, it is in desperate need of a bulldozer.
So why is it not higher ranked? The issue with Brookvale Oval is that there has been announcement after announcement for its redevelopment with little or no shovels in the ground and plans have been changed so much over the years. The Sea Eagles want their centre of excellence funded, which leaves little in funding allocations to actually improve facilities for the game-day experience for fans.
The latest plan is a centre of excellence with a new 3000-seat stand at the northern end behind the goal posts, leaving the rest of the ground without improvement. There is very little political motivation to make further funding of any redevelopment a priority, as the Northern Beaches area is a blue-ribbon Liberal area, a relatively small region of Sydney and is not a growth region.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
3. Campbelltown Stadium
This is one of the most likely grounds, and arguably the front-runner, to get an upgrade first. It will soon be the home of A-League team Macarthur FC as well as one of the Wests Tigers home grounds.
This stadium is positioned in a growth corridor near the M5 and M7, providing efficient transport access by car to rival fans from other Sydney clubs. It is also not far from the new Aerotropolis being developed in Sydney’s south west and is right next to Wests Leagues, providing pre- and post-match socialising options for fans.
The Macarthur area is a marginal seat in parliament, meaning that it is better positioned to get funding for infrastructure than other areas. The redevelopment of the ground offers a number of options that are either relatively cheap or a more expensive long-term infrastructure investment. The ground can either be bulldozed and started all over, or have its current grandstands along the sidelines extended, along with an optional new stand or concourse built behind the northern goalposts.
However, the Wests Tigers in recent seasons have not played many games there. Governments are hesitant in funding any infrastructure projects where the business plan is weak. Unless the A-League can advocate a pressing need for a new stadium in Campbelltown, government would want some official commitment from the Wests Tigers, or another team, to play a certain number of games each year down there.
2. Kogarah Oval
This is probably the most controversial choice in the top three, considering the fact that the ground is currently only the home venue for the Sydney allocation of Dragons games.
The reason why it is high up on the list is because a redeveloped Kogarah Oval could serve as a home ground for the Sharks, Bulldogs and Souths if they think playing out of Kogarah is a better option for them than the new SFS. There is also the likelihood of a southern Sydney-South Coast A-League team in the competition in the next few years.
Kogarah Oval would be a relatively cheap option for redevelopment because the existing stand on the western side of the ground is not very old and a replica of the existing stand on the eastern side would turn the ground into a showpiece.
1. Penrith Stadium
This is without doubt the most obvious candidate to get funding for a redevelopment. It is positioned next to Panthers Leagues and the Penrith Panthers are the only professional sporting franchise in the huge growth corridor west of Parramatta.
When the Panthers are travelling well, the fans turn up in big numbers and that fan-base can only grow with the plans to grow the population in the region. What makes a redevelopment likely is the fact that the Penrith district is a very marginal seat in state parliament for the current minister for jobs, investment and western Sydney, Stuart Ayres.
The Panthers are part of the area’s cultural fabric. Furthermore, not much needs to be done at Penrith Stadium. Development is only needed in the corners and behind the goalposts to turn it into a fully enclosed and impressive bastion for rugby league.
Larry David
Guest
Why is this a good idea? The major competitor AFL moved on from this anachronistic idea of crappy little suburban grounds years ago. There is a reason why nearly every side in Sydney loses money whilst in AFL those teams are becoming wealthier. Bulldoze these stadiums, sell the land and build 1 or 2 stadiums that can actually service a larger amount of supporters. And to answer the question that will invariably come from supporters of outer suburban teams about how they are going to attend games - you can’t please everybody and if your supporters can’t attend games then you shouldn’t be in a national competition
Lucas
Guest
Kogarah would be great , ass a Sydney fc fan I would rather be their then Allianz , but I would instead do behind the goal and keep the hill as is as it’s great part of the ground
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
Yes the Shire is small but they are always hard to beat, especially for the Saints/Dragons. They have produced some great players including the great Shark Steve Rodgers. The local derby Sharks Vs Dragons. After wins over Manly and Canterbury I'm confident of a close game. I've been impressed with Adam Clune and Corey Norman. I appreciate the effort they all make in a dangerous game.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
I'm all for a Perth team, but a 2nd Brisbane comes beforehand.Plus the Perth team must not be a huge drain on NRL finances in setting it up. TV ratings currently in Perth for the NRL are very ordinary TBH. ATM the code has been drained of large sums of money by this damn virus.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
The Swans and Lions moved to states where AF had substantial support and it didn't increase TV ratings but an RL team in Perth would receive good home support and increase TV ratings in the eastern states via another time zone for games.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
The Swans nearly went broke on at least 3 occasions.They received a huge lift with the SL war, and the Swan's admin actually have acknowledged that fact. Large sums have been spent on promotion and development, that code had the money, the NRL doesn't ATM.Same apples for the Lions. The Sharks are not in the financial hell holes those two clubs were in prior to relocation. Despite all all the money poured in ,they struggle to garner the TV ratings you'd expect in the Nthn states. Also the AFL are hardly likely to relocate or rationalise further. You keep going on about a small area in the Shire.It is in fact growing, and the State govt requires 10K dwellings duplexes/units within 10 years, as from a couple of years ago.If it was not growing I'd agree. If you want a small area, try the Roosters. Pro rata it(Sharks)has more fans than some other clubs I could name, including interstate. The Sharks provide a local derby with the Dragons, which is well supported, remove one and you are cutting off your nose to spite your face.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
The Swans and Lions being relocated has helped them survive and grow but I understand that the Sharks have built a good home ground and a strong club in a small area. The Sharks being relocated would not provide the Dragons with additional fans and would not be attractive to other codes.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
As you say the St George Shire has a growing migrant population and more development work in the St George area is needed. The joint venture is what has saved the big red V giving them juniors and fans of the struggling Illawarra. Cronulla-Sutherland were created to stop the flow of Sutherland juniors, like Norm Provan, contributing to the St.George dominance in all grades. St.George won the most club championship flags to add to their dominance which was destroying the game. That's why the Sharks are a small part of the National RL with a small junior league.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
The ground received a Fed. Govt grant of $10m ,to build the Monty Porter Stand.Costello a Victorian responsible. No taxpayer rioted. In addition the Sharks have received a NSW Grant of $8m for a Centre of Excellence to be built on the ground's Western side. The club has $18m in the Bank and a new League club being built with hotel and commercial next door.I think they will do a lot of self funding projects in the future. Govts provide grants to sports or clubs that have very little public following.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Hardly worth responding to that comment ,except of course the Dragons have fans in NSW and Qld that’s hardly a scoop. Another non scoop, the Sharks have many fans on the GC and Sunshine Coast,and Coastal Nthn NSWform a suburban team.They helped fill the ANZ on 2016 G/F with majority support there. Please that comment ‘just Sydney suburban teams” is laughable.They draw crowds at times bigger or equal to the Dragons. A Perth team would be sustainable if the NRL had the cash to start up,ATM they have to priortise Brisbane 2 which is not going to be easy.It will happen regardless of V’Landys off the cuff comments. Adelaide?? SFA juniors, little interest, little commercial sponsorship opportunities.The NRL would have to pour large sums into Adelaide just to keep them afloat.Tasmania forget it. And you want to get rid of Sydney teams ! The AFL would back you to the hilt on that.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
"I show why the Sydney clubs big note themselves". Thanks for the put down? Perhaps if your mob did a tad more development work in the St George area, you may have more juniors.Perhaps if they had some foresight ,and with the Taj Mahal money they may have ownership of a ground. And perhaps if you checked history removing or merging teams in Sydney, loses fans and gives competing codes breathing space and a vacuum in which to work.The Sharks being relocated ,is not going to provide the Dragons with additional fans, and provide the area fertile ground for juniors to other codes. It's obvious V'Landys is in tune with that reality, pity others are out of the loop with that understanding.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
V'Landys has firstly stated Brisbane needs a 2nd team, which most rl fans is a necessity. He is only one voice on the ARLC, if it comes to a vote on expansion he can easily be out voted. In any case whilst all this money situation on TV deals and COVID was being thrown around, he was asked twice by reporters on WA expansion.He made an off the cuff remark about rusted on states because ATM it is irrelevant ,with so many issues for the Commission to confront.As if the code is currently in a strong financial position to make any comment on WA. It's also history there was only one code of Rugby, there are two now, move on. The 2016 G/F showed there are many Sharks fans in existence. Re the Storm, judging by the Tv ratings for them in NSW and Qld ,I'd suggest he's more than happy they exist.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
"No crowds go" Chase the Roos. A slight exaggeration, regardless of the numbers ever thought it may have more than a little to do, with the lack of facilities.As both Parramatta and the Cowboys have shown ,give people better facilities they attend in decent numbers.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Like other major sports in this country spruce moose.
Davico
Roar Pro
With heritage listed houses at one end, a few blocks of flats on another side and no room for any parking, let alone trying to fit stands to hold 20,000 people. The land for a stadium needs to be just a tad bigger than the size of a cricket oval!
Sammy
Guest
There is a cricket oval right next to Chatswood Station that is used by Gordon Rugby Club.
At work
Roar Rookie
It's all talk though, once the new SFS is built there's no chance that SydFC would move away from there.
At work
Roar Rookie
1 or 2 games a season on a Sunday afternoon is fine, but as a regular ground it just doesn't cut the mustard for season ticket holders. The access to get there is terrible, the actual stadium is a dump, facilities are non-existent. And I think it's a bit of a furphy that people say it's well connected to pubs and the like; as it's on the pointy end of Lilyfield with only one pub close by. Balmain is nowhere near it which has plenty of of places to eat and drink. Rozelle is closer but still not a close walk.
At work
Roar Rookie
It's a valid argument, but for Kogarah for example doesn't really have the ability to benefit from an economic increase on match days because there's nothing to do in Carlton where the stadium sits. Leichhardt Oval is slightly better in that respect, but not much of an improvement, but that ground is a dump and shouldn't get any funding to improve the place. Shark Park is owned by the club so no money should go their way. Penrith could benefit from fairly minor upgrades by adding seats at either end, same goes for Campbelltown. Belmore deserves no funding as it's too close to Bankwest. And Brookvale could do with simple upgrades too, look at what has been done at the Dolphins Stadium north of Brisbane, great little stadium and very cost effective!
Nick
Roar Guru
Because the NRL is a tax exempt institution. That's why This is common knowledge, Tim.