The Socceroos will draw a bigger crowd on Tuesday night than many NRL games, yet the simple act of football asking for fair funding invokes howls of fury from mainstream Australia.
If you ever want an illustration of the special treatment certain sports get over others, just flick on a St George Illawarra Dragons game the next time they’re in Kogarah.
In 2010, a couple of local politicians convinced the New South Wales government to chip in an extra $13 million to rebuild Jubilee Oval’s northern grandstand.
That came on the back of the $12 million they’d already invested to bring the creaking venue up to code and ensure the merger club could continue to play half their home games in Kogarah.
The result? That northern grandstand is almost always empty.
Most games you’re lucky to see a handful of spectators scattered behind the goal.
Yet it’s funny how no one ever asks anyone to justify spending tens of millions of dollars on seats no one pays to sit in.
Because it’s rugby league, we’re expected to take for granted clubs like the Dragons enjoying the benefits of taxpayer funding – their other home ground, WIN Stadium in Wollongong, got a $28.9 million makeover at the same time – even when it’s obvious there’s no economic rationale for doing so.
Critics will argue there’s nothing stopping football from enjoying the same benefits.
Indeed, the only time that northern grandstand in Kogarah has been full in recent years was when Sydney FC sub-let the stadium while Allianz Stadium was being rebuilt.
Yet that experience was instructive, because Georges River Council – which leases out Jubilee Oval – reportedly couldn’t wait to get rid of the Sky Blues from the venue.
They may have produced a few sell-out crowds, but fans were apparently too noisy, police too numerous, and the game just too different for administrators who grew up on a diet of rugby league.
And that, really, is the problem with the sort of stadium discussions we have in Australia.
Yes, some A-Leagues clubs have benefited from stadium upgrades.
Western Sydney and Sydney FC play out of top-quality stadiums (Photo by Mike Owen/Getty Images)
But there’s always a feeling – rammed home by the sort of discourse you see on social media that’s forever telling football fans to sit down and shut up – that the round-ball code somehow never deserves it.
Which brings the Socceroos’ clash with Lebanon in Canberra on Tuesday night into sharp relief.
After ushering more than 27,000 fans through the gates for Thursday night’s 2-0 win over the same opponent in Parramatta, Football Australia expects a record crowd to descend on the old Bruce Stadium for the return fixture.
It’s an added advantage for an Aussie side already benefiting from not having to travel to Beirut, given the security situation in that part of the world.
And the more than 20,000 fans in attendance will enjoy a rare visit from a national team which now plays most of its fixtures in Sydney and Melbourne.
But they’ll do it in an open-air stadium that hasn’t been fit-for-purpose for years.
Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart recently said he feels sorry for fans who attend because ongoing sewerage issues have left the ageing venue well and truly on the nose.
You’d hope any new A-Leagues franchise could at least team up with the Raiders and present a united front for a new stadium in the nation’s capital – assuming the Australian Professional Leagues actually manage to sell the licence.
But a united front is football’s biggest failing.
From state federations to the A-Leagues, Football Australia to the APL, there are simply too many competing interests to get politicians interested in our game.
So they return to the familiar, over and over, because it’s what they grew up with.
Yet as residents in the Olympic city of Brisbane are on course to discover, you can’t play top-class sport in second-rate stadia.
The nation’s biggest sport by participation deserves better than the crumbs tossed its way by politicians who don Matildas scarves one week and upgrade suburban footy grounds the next.
Even if it annoys a few spectators on the hill in Kogarah.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
The A League is a development league that acts like it’s one of the big boys, but it’s not. If the A League did understand its place in the Australian sporting landscape, like say the NBL does, then it would be far better off. Of course the Matilda’s will be around, but the current popularity is temporary, and even if I’m wrong, they only play a handful of games a year, that isn’t going to sustain Australian soccer.
Kewell
Roar Rookie
Isn’t the A league a devopment league with club sides and crowds, Sheffield shield is a competition of between states which I would of would mean bigger crowds but they have very few eyes watching them. As for the Matildas they are now setting the agenda for womens sport, even though AFL and NRL see them as interlopers, they will be around for a while yet.
Grem
Roar Rookie
I’ve heard the Chinese Olympic Committee are offering contracts to the AFL club doctors. Apparently they are very good at mitigating incidents oops injuries. A new and huge cover up has begun.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
The Matildas are a passing fad, and the Sheffield Shield is a development competition, crowds are a bonus.
Kewell
Roar Rookie
Bellerive not fit for purpose, you are right it is to big, but then again so will the new stadium if it ever gets built. The new stadium and its position on the domain is just a power symbol for the AFL elite and their politicians to reasert that they reign over us all.
Kewell
Roar Rookie
Plenty of people at Matilda’s games now, so that’s count for nothing. Have you had a look at Sheffield Shield Cricket lately, there’s no one there, just saying.
Kewell
Roar Rookie
Millions going to Tasmania for another AFL stadium which will make it 3 under utilised colosseums. The number of half descent rectangular stadiums in the state zero, now that’s looks to me like they don’t want soccer football to grow, a damming indictment on the many kids and adults who love the game, I would call it discriminatory.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
#Grem what are you on about??
Grem
Roar Rookie
Please stop sticking your business into other people’s noses. What an interesting day. Let’s see AFL’s really big broom come out now.
Grem
Roar Rookie
There’ll be a good market for AFL in Tasmania, Munro, and I don’t mean Aussie Rules. Lots of slim players in the AFL - is that from Diet Coke?
Grem
Roar Rookie
Munro Mike - before writing in the football section, I’d like you to submit a drug test result to us. If in need of a good doctor (wink wink nudge nudge) there’s Dr Feelgood from the AFL. He is always very helpful - if you know what I mean. Wow! Taking government handouts while not following government funded drug protocols. I think you need to clean up these issues before you worry about funding for football.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
The AFL was able to build docklands without one cent of government money. So the obvious question is: why can't the world's biggest game achieve that in Australia as well?
pacman
Roar Rookie
My bad FF. Fed a diet of Springbok culture that blurred my vision. Fancy Australian media not alerting readers and viewers to the chasm between rugby and soccer in South Africa!
The Ball Bobbled
Roar Rookie
It was a valid case for womens Soccer
Grem
Roar Rookie
They have to because everyone else is as well.
Grem
Roar Rookie
I thought Wells could have had a lot of potential to help women’s football. Looks like - no
Football Fan
Roar Rookie
Hahaha, no it wouldn't help funding but it would make me happier and less frustrated. I'm getting annoyed even now as I remember images of Albo and Wells with their scarves during the WWC.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Total rubbish. For A-league clubs is the upgrades are always happening at the start of the A-league season so NRL clubs miss 2 seasons while A-league clubs miss 3. SFS was a total waste of money, there was nothing wrong with the ground, the slope of the seats was not perfect but it was better on the sides than the ends and the sides are where everyone sits. Its improved but it certainly was not worth the money paid. A roof replacement could have been done dirt cheap compared to what they paid and 3 years of exile. What they really needed to fix was the parking situation not the stadium which is still the main issue there with Sydney FC fans who are more car crazy than other tenants. Parramatta was a disaster, the old stadium had more seats on the shady side along the sideline.. Newcastle rebuild was good because they added to the shady side of the ground which is what the A-league playing in summer needs plus there was no 3 year wait. Definetly the NRL have used A-league very well to get all the priority and get what they wanted.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
They had most Sydney clubs playing at Homebush where you got paid to play there. Which suburban ground in Sydney has ever been charging any sort of significant charges its more the deal at Homebush is cheaper than even their suburban ground. The issue in Sydney has always been about the Moore Park and the rents there , and that the Roosters can afford to play there with their pokies empire, and South Sydney even with all their billionaire backers cant. In the case of the Sharks they invited Sydney Olympic to play there until they got a government funded upgrade. Then it was off you go. In the case of Kogarah Sydney Olympic were again invited to play there, the minute they got the upgrade approved by the government they were thrown out.
Punter
Roar Rookie
Post got lost about 2 young Aussies, Treffiletti & MIllwood, both 15 years old playing O/S; They're all mostly over in Europe getting minutes at big clubs. Treffiletti playing for Serie A Monza U17's and Italy U16's and listed one of the best midfielders in Italy and I've seen him play many times and watched highlights and he is very good, excellent goalscoring ability, passing, dribbling etc. Millwood plays for Partizan Belgrade in Serbia and is hailed as the Serbian golden child and will be a star in the future and was also hailed as the Australian golden child back when he lived here. Still super young (2009 born) but his ability on the ball is in the top percentiles in the world. Scouted by Barcelona and Real Madrid with Partizan youth scouts comparing him to Lionel Messi. Currently playing for Serbian U15's as well. I've watched limited game of him but seen a bit from his u15 level and he is next level. Both players that we can't miss out on and need to be scouted for this upcoming team.