NRL Opinion: Leichhardt Oval is not fit to host first grade rugby league

Leichhardt Oval has run its course. It is a relic. An eyesore, and the Wests Tigers owe it to their fans to walk away from the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’ argues BRENT READ.

The Wests Tigers head back to Leichhardt Oval on Saturday night chasing their first win of the season against Cronulla. It should be the beginning of a farewell tour.

Leichhardt Oval has run its course. It is a relic. An eyesore. The weary old ground is on its last legs and there is every chance that in its current condition, it is deemed unsuitable to host NRL games in a year or two.

Not a moment too soon I say. Good riddance. The Tigers play there out of homage to their history but surely even their patience is wearing thin.

Rugby league is a $700 million business and Leichhardt Oval is not fit to host it. The ground is loved by passionate Tigers fans, who have christened it the eighth wonder of the world.

Spare me, the only wonder is how the ground keeps getting the green light by the NRL to host elite rugby league given its current condition.

Leichhardt Oval is not up to NRL standards these days. Picture: Damian Shaw

The clock, it appears, is ticking. Only last weekend, veteran sports reporter Neil Breen revealed on radio that Leichhardt Oval was in danger of being closed to the NRL unless it received a serious upgrade.

Officials would apparently have no choice but to shut it off to rugby league without a significant allocation of funds. Why wait I say.

The ground hasn’t been fit to host NRL games for years and the Tigers play there to their own detriment.

Rugby league has moved beyond the likes of Leichhardt Oval and so have their clubs. The ground is holding the Tigers – and the game – back.

Yes, they make money when they play at Leichhardt Oval but nowhere near as much as they would if they played at one of Sydney’s world-class stadiums.

Punters pack the iconic Leichhardt Oval hill. Picture: Craig Golding

Leichhardt restricts the club’s ability to sell memberships and corporate boxes. The fans on the hill love it but the blue bloods in the archaic stands are forced to endure primitive conditions despite paying top dollar.

There is no discernible advantage for the Tigers at the ground either. Their record there in recent seasons has been abysmal. They have won only one of their past five games at Leichhardt Oval, among those defeats an embarrassing 42-point loss to Canberra.

Dig a little deeper and you’ll find the Tigers have lost nine of their past 13 games at the ground. Leichhardt Oval is a graveyard – for the home side.

The sad state of Leichhardt and its uncertain future comes as the Tigers are in the midst of a strategic plan which is expected to be unveiled in the next fortnight.

That plan is likely to confirm their commitment to the southwest region, an area that has been hanging for some love and attention.

Wests Tigers fans deserve to watch their team play in a modern stadium like CommBank.

Yet Campbelltown Stadium isn’t the solution either. Like Leichhardt Oval, it needs major investment and without it, the Tigers need to find a home that reflects the fact they are a professional sporting team.

Chief executive Shane Richardson was architect of South Sydney’s move to Accor Stadium, inking a deal which gave them the financial muscle to match the cashed-up clubs.

Vacuous Accor Stadium isn’t the answer for the Tigers. Allianz Stadium needs more games but it is too far from the club’s heartland.

CommBank Stadium is more realistic. Parramatta’s revenues soared when they returned to the ground and the Tigers have previously had a relationship with the venue, although they have gravitated back to their spiritual homes in recent years.

Those days are surely numbered. The club’s new hierarchy will no doubt review their home grounds in coming months and determine a way forward.

It shouldn’t include Leichhardt Oval. At best, the ground should host one game a year. It’s day has come and long gone.

* * * * *

What a week to wear the No. 7 jersey in the NRL. The old saying goes that the halfback owns the result and a handful were culled on Tuesday after their clubs endured poor starts to the year. It won’t be the end either.

You only have to cast your gaze to Belmore Sportsground on Saturday to see two halfbacks who are under the blowtorch heading into round three.

Drew Hutchison has been steady over the opening two rounds but Toby Sexton is breathing down his neck and another Bulldogs defeat could prompt coach Cameron Ciraldo to usher in change.

For the Titans, Tanah Boyd was unconvincing in their round one loss and only a victory my be enough to save his spot.

Drew Hutchison of the Bulldogs needs a win to secure his position. Picture: Getty Images

Life isn’t easy at the base of the scrum. It never has been. The halfbacks are under immense pressure but the good ones are worth their weight in gold.

The grand final rematch was stark evidence of that. Without the injured Adam Reynolds, Brisbane struggled to find their rhythm against Penrith.

On the other side of the field. Nathan Cleary produced a masterclass. The Panthers No. 7 is now clearly the best player in the game and while he continues to pull on a Penrith jersey, they are every chance to continue their dynasty.

Brisbane were on the receiving end of a beating on Thursday night but as long as Reynolds eventually returns, they will always have hope of being in the mix.

Boyd and Hutchison aren’t in that class but nor are they solely to blame for the way the Titans and Bulldogs have started the year.

Their played behind badly beaten forward packs in week one which didn’t help their cause. It won’t stop the pressure valve rising at Belmore on Saturday.

The winner will sleep easy on Saturday night. The loser faces an anxious weekend as they wait to discover whether they become the next No. 7 to feel the axe.

Originally published as NRL Opinion: Leichhardt Oval is not fit to host first grade rugby league