Never has the term “political grandstanding” been more appropriate.
The Sydney stadium stoush is bringing out all sorts of posturing from the feuding parties in the NRL and the NSW government.
It’s getting ugly and only going to get worse with ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys accusing NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet of reneging on a handshake deal to invest $800 million to upgrade stadiums at Sydney NRL clubs.
In theory, politicians are there to serve the people. In reality, they function to remain in power. There’s an election due next March.
Political parties are swayed by polling on the run and it’d be a tough sell to tell the electorate that vast amounts of the public purse should be spent on making it a bit more comfy at the footy at a few grounds instead of putting those resources towards education, health services and disaster relief services … aka, things that actually matter.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
The government is clearly intent on going down that path in a bid to stay in office rather than appealing to footy fans who think suburban grounds like Brookvale, Shark Park and Leichhardt need a makeover.
There’s only so much lipstick you can put on a pig. And when it comes to comparing these grounds to the likes of CommBank Stadium or the shiny new ones in Townsville, Perth and the revamped Adelaide Oval, the suburban venues look terribly hog-like.
And this is after north of $800m was spent to rebuild the Sydney Football Stadium and another lazy $300m is being used to replace Penrith’s home ground.
V’landys claimed earlier on Wednesday that, on two occasions this year, the Premier had promised him the suburban stadium splurge would happen.
And the payoff would be that the GF would stay in Sydney for two more decades, as per an agreement which was sealed four years ago.
V’landys is using the venue for this year’s Grand Final as the bargaining tool/ransom demand and has forewarned that the NRL will be considering taking the matter to court if the government doesn’t backflip on the u-turn after its 180.
Has a promise not been kept before by a government? Seems like something they’d do.
There is less than two months remaining before the Grand Final is due to be played. The NRL often needs to pull out all its marketing resources to sell out Accor Stadium in a good year, this time around is going to be even tougher when no one can say which patch of turf will be hosting the game.
“We looked the Premier in the eye, we shook his hand, we did a deal and he’s just blatantly reneged. That’s the summary,” V’landys told 2GB.
“When you do a deal and you shake someone’s hand, you honour that agreement, but then to take the cake, they used the human tragedy of the floods to spin their way out on why they’re reneging on it. It takes it to another level.
“He said he can’t honour the deal. This is about the fourth or fifth excuse that has been given to us.
“How is any organisation or business going to do it make an agreement with a NSW government when it’s got a precedent of reneging?”
Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter Vlandys. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Perrottet was unmoved by the bluster coming from Rugby League Central.
“The NSW government remains committed to upgrading suburban stadiums however following recent natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic, it is appropriate that further investment in stadia is staged,” he said.
“The government has just received the Floods Inquiry Report, which will likely require a significant cost to the taxpayer and I note right now there are still 1366 people without a home in NSW due to flooding.”
In an announcement which puts the ARL even further behind on the scoreboard in its clash with the government, NSW Labor leader Chris Minns has supported Perrotet’s decision to prioritise disaster relief spending over footy grounds.
He’s sniffed the wind and also realised taking the opposing view would be ballot box poison.
The original deal between the ARL and NSW government from 2018 was done to get an $800 million upgrade for Accor Stadium to turn it into a permanent rectangular stadium.
That was scrapped during the pandemic with the NRL wanting the money diverted to Penrith and other suburban grounds in need of a makeover.
Every other Australian capital city gets by with two or three main stadiums for the football codes, Sydney will have three with a capacity of 42,000 or more in the Olympic stadium, the SCG and the new SFS when it opens on September 2 with the Roosters squaring off with South Sydney.
There is also a state-of-the art 30,000 seater at Parramatta and another one on the way at Penrith.
It’s frustrating if you’re a Sharks, Dragons or Sea Eagles fan who does not live in these areas in the geographical east, centre and west of Sydney.
Sea Eagles fans have almost been lauded for their refusal to travel to away games, particularly finals matches at the SFS. You may have heard that it’s an “insular peninsular” but that’s another topic.
It’s a grand total of 19.2km from Brookvale Oval to the SFS.
Valentine Holmes celebrates after kicking the winning penalty goal against the Tigers. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
Ask Cowboys fans how far they travel to watch their team play. They come from literally far and wide in North Queensland for their only chance to see the NRL a dozen times a year, many of them spending hours (as in plural, more than one) driving to a game and you guessed it, the same time on the way back.
Try telling them about how much of a hassle it is to get from one of the four corners of the Sydney compass to another. They will not offer much in the way of sympathy.
As we’ve seen in the recent battle between the ARL Commission and the NSWRL over its boardroom elections, V’landys and co won’t back down and there’s a fair chance this will end up in the courts.
And just like the Super League war’s protracted legal battle in the 1990s, the lawyers will come out smiling after racking up exorbitant legal fees but rugby league will not be the winner.
var request = new XMLHttpRequest();
request.open('POST', '/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php', true); request.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded;'); request.onload = function () { if (this.status >= 200 && this.status
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
Even the scumbags in the corrupt NSW LNP government admit they had a deal and they're walking away from it - even those crooks. It seems you share the shame dishonourable characteristics - next time you have a tradie come around try your 'flexible' approach on deals with him - it may leave you in a hospital bed. Speaking of the potential for physical injury - still no comment from you on the Leichardt Oval incident I see. Such an inconvenient event for you - no wonder you refuse to engage on it. "Running" along indeed.
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
Even the scumbags in the corrupt NSW LNP government admit they had a deal and that they're walking away from it - even those crooks. It seems you share the shame dishonourable characteristics - next time you have a tradie come around try your 'flexible' approach on deals with him - it may leave you in a hospital bed. Speaking of the potential for physical injury - still no comment from you on the Leichardt Oval incident I see. Such an inconvenient event for you - it's no wonder you refuse to engage on it. "Running" along indeed.
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
So you can show me the signed contract then? Oh you can’t? Why not? Because it doesn’t exist! End of story. Now run along champ…
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
They had an initial deal - fact. They agreed to alter it - fact. NSW government has welched on the deal - fact. Still ignoring the incident at Leichardt I see.
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
Um, for some bizarre reason you’ve cited a deal about hosting the GF in response to my point about V’Landys incompetence in stadium funding. Perhaps that made sense in your tiny little mind, but out in the real world your answer just demonstrates your inability to make sense. Can I suggest you quit before continuing to make a fool of yourself?
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
PS. No comment on the Leichardt Oval incident? Bit inconvenient for the no cash for stadiums brigade – for those few capable of critical thinking at any rate.
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
You wrote: “Pretty amateur level “deal” where it was nothing more than a verbal discussion.” I quoted: “The cited deal is, in fact, a formalised heads of agreement negotiated during the previous administration and signed by both the state government and the NRL.” A signed deal. Get it? Ask an adult to explain it you.
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
Oh dear…this is one of those embarrassing situations where you’ve kicked an own goal but haven’t realized yet. LOL indeed!
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
Was not just a verbal agreement - it was a signed heads of agreement: "The cited deal is, in fact, a formalised heads of agreement negotiated during the previous administration and signed by both the state government and the NRL." https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/money-talks-why-the-nrl-grand-final-will-be-held-in-sydney-20220808-p5b810.html I suggest you do some research before you open your big, dumb mouth. LOL.
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
Pretty amateur level "deal" where it was nothing more than a verbal discussion. Seems Perrottet ran rings around V'Landys around that topic. And as for his bluster that he'll take the GF to Brisbane....LOL
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
He made a deal and the government won't honour it - how is that his fault? The game is in great shape and he did a superb job during Covid. The game is lucky to have him.
Adam
Roar Guru
Yes it is a fact. But that doesn't detract from the absurdity of it. Kind of like how the NCAA in the US is amateur...
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
Didn’t get what he wanted.
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
Hey genius, any response to this? I wonder if the ambos had to give "oxygen" to any of those hurt in the collapse at Leichardt? What do you reckon guru?: A Sydney mayor who has lashed out at Dominic Perrottet for alleged rugby stadium “pork barrelling” has reacted with shock after a grandstand collapsed at the weekend. A disturbing video shows the moment a railing at a Leichhardt Oval grandstand collapsed under the weight of fans attending a schoolboy rugby match. A number of fans went tumbling over the stand like dominoes and face planted onto concrete metres below. Paramedic crews at the game treated some minor injuries but no one was taken to hospital, NSW Ambulance reported. Inner West mayor Darcy Byrne, who has campaigned for funding to upgrade the Leichhardt Oval, issued a media release just days before the collapse, accusing the state government of pork barrelling for choosing to spend upward of $300 million to build Penrith Stadium despite numerous commitments to fund suburban sports grounds. I love it when stupidity , such as yours, is so spectacularly illustrated.
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
A Sydney mayor who has lashed out at Dominic Perrottet for alleged rugby stadium “pork barrelling” has reacted with shock after a grandstand collapsed at the weekend. A disturbing video shows the moment a railing at a Leichhardt Oval grandstand collapsed under the weight of fans attending a schoolboy rugby match. A number of fans went tumbling over the stand like dominoes and face planted onto concrete metres below. Paramedic crews at the game treated some minor injuries but no one was taken to hospital, NSW Ambulance reported. Inner West mayor Darcy Byrne, who has campaigned for funding to upgrade the Leichhardt Oval, issued a media release just days before the collapse, accusing the state government of pork barrelling for choosing to spend upward of $300 million to build Penrith Stadium despite numerous commitments to fund suburban sports grounds. “Dominic Perrottet is happy to spend $300 million in Stuart Ayres seat, to build a shiny, new Panthers Stadium for the exclusive use of one club,” Mr Byrne said, referring to the outgoing trade minister and MP for Penrith. “But the Wests Tigers, and all of the other senior and junior, men’s and women’s Rugby League, Soccer and Rugby Union teams who regularly use Leichhardt Oval get nothing.” The Council had plans to use part of a planned $250m slated for suburban sports grounds to upgrade and expand their grandstands. “I call on Mr Perrottet to explain why this shocking pork-barrelling continues while most footy fans across Sydney get dudded,” the Labor mayor said. Leichhardt Oval hosts more than 50 games a year across various rugby codes while Penrith Stadium will host just 11 Penrith Panthers games a year. Mr Byrne took to his social media following the grandstand collapse to share his shock over the dangerous incident. “The collapse of grandstand seating at Leichhardt Oval today during a schoolboy rugby match was incredibly dangerous,’ he said. “The footage is shocking.” Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne called out Premier Perrottet for ‘dudding’ Sydney footy fans. Inner West councillor Philippa Scott jumped into the comment section to direct her anger at the state government. “I am heartened to know that the spectators were sent home with only minor injuries, however I am incandescently angry at how our inner west infrastructure is treated by the state government,” she said. “We are being smashed by not being a marginal Liberal seat.” Mayor Byrne said his team are working to make the site safe and will fully investigate the safety risks it raises. Australia Rugby League boss Peter V’landys this week accused Premier Dominic Perrottet of reneging on his agreement after he redirected funds set aside for sports grounds to flood recovery. Premier Dominic Perrottet has denied backflipping on his deal to upgrade Brookvale Oval, Leichhardt Oval and Shark Park. “We won’t give up. We’re going to make sure the fans will get the facilities,” Mr V’Landys told 2GB radio this week. A tense 24 hours of negotiations on Tuesday night had the ARL boss and the government tussling over whether the grand final would be moved from Sydney to Queensland. Mr V’landys said in a radio interview at the weekend negotiations were ongoing and that a decision on the grand final would be made on Monday. “We‘re still negotiating with the NSW government, we don’t accept the excuse they’ve given us,” he said. “The (ARL) commission will meet on Monday to decide the strategy it’s going to use ... we don’t want to punish the NSW fans because the government isn’t meeting its commitments.”
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
Spot on. Paul Suttor "expert" (apparently) isn't the only one either - the thread is full of fellow "experts" parroting the same NSW government spin. How embarrassing - for them.
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
Yep, of course the grounds don't need upgrades: A Sydney mayor who has lashed out at Dominic Perrottet for alleged rugby stadium “pork barrelling” has reacted with shock after a grandstand collapsed at the weekend. A disturbing video shows the moment a railing at a Leichhardt Oval grandstand collapsed under the weight of fans attending a schoolboy rugby match. A number of fans went tumbling over the stand like dominoes and face planted onto concrete metres below. Paramedic crews at the game treated some minor injuries but no one was taken to hospital, NSW Ambulance reported. Inner West mayor Darcy Byrne, who has campaigned for funding to upgrade the Leichhardt Oval, issued a media release just days before the collapse, accusing the state government of pork barrelling for choosing to spend upward of $300 million to build Penrith Stadium despite numerous commitments to fund suburban sports grounds.
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
PS. Shrek, I see you’re an expert on all sports – quelle surprise. Also, what a smackdown from you! Ouch! LOL. If only I had even just a tiny bit of respect for your opinion.
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
What a comeback! LOL.
sheek
Roar Guru
RedcliffeFan, Silly person. Oxygen to off.