Brisbane would have turned NRL grand final in to a $60 million bonanza

As the cocky cockroaches gleefully celebrate keeping the NRL Grand Final in Sydney until 2046 with former premier Peter Beattie’s help, it has been revealed that the NRL would have made substantially more by moving the 2021 decider to Brisbane.

The NRL grand final will be played at the SCG (foreground) for the next two years while Allianz Stadium (background) and ANZ Stadium are redeveloped. Picture: Mark Evans

FIREWORKS to rival RiverFire, the Story Bridge lit up in team colours and a $60 million windfall for the economy have all gone begging after the NRL decided to keep the grand final in Sydney.

As cocky cockroaches on Wednesday gleefully celebrated a deal to keep the showpiece in Sydney until 2046, The Courier-Mail can reveal the NRL would have made substantially more than a reported $12 million compensation package by moving the 2021 decider to Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.

NRL missing golden opportunity with decision to keep grand final in Sydney

SCG Grand Final under fire after cricket matches moved due to NRL training sessions

The deal between the NSW government and the Sydney-centric NRL was slammed by Queensland rugby league legends, while Tourism Minister Kate Jones said she was “gutted” the state’s footy fans will have to travel to Sin City and an antiquated cricket ground for the next two grand finals.

The showpiece moves to a redeveloped Allianz Stadium in 2022 and back to ANZ Stadium in 2023 following a $2 billion spending spree on Sydney sporting venues.

The NRL grand final will be played at the SCG (foreground) for the next two years while Allianz Stadium (background) and ANZ Stadium are redeveloped. Picture: Mark Evans

The agreement, originally made months ago but in danger of collapse following delays on the stadium redevelopments, prevented contenders including Queensland, Victoria and WA from entering a bidding war to lure the 2021 grand final.

Queensland’s pitch would have centred around turning the grand final in to a week-long festival with a parade down Caxton Street, fan zones throughout the city, the Story Bridge being lit up in the team colours of grand finalists, a fireworks spectacular to rival RiverFire and a marketing blitz in southern capitals to deliver a $60 million windfall to the economy.

However, Queensland’s grand vision never had a chance to become reality.

An NRL grand final at Suncorp Stadium would have been part of a week-long festival of rugby league in Brisbane.

Insiders told The Courier-Mail that the NRL would have stood to make far more than the reported $12 million compensation package finalised with the NSW government to keep the game at the SCG in Sydney for the next two years.

Greenberg — a Sydneysider born and bred, yesterday trumpeted the decision as an ‘outstanding outcome for rugby league’ to keep the grand final in its ‘spiritual home’.

Not even the presence of former Queensland premier Peter Beattie, chairman of the Australian Rugby League Commission, helped the Sunshine State’s cause.

A disappointed Ms Jones said Queensland was never given a chance to bring the game to Brisbane.

“This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to give Queensland fans a grand final which they richly deserve,” she said. “This is a real kick in the guts.”

Tourism Minister Kate Jones said it was a “kick in the guts” that Queensland missed out on the grand final. Picture: AAP/Jono Searle

Some of Queensland’s greatest players had led the charge for the grand final to shift to Suncorp, with many left stunned after hearing yesterday’s decision.

“The King” Wally Lewis — who played 38 Origin games for Queensland — said fans would now be forced to watch the next two grand finals from “long, long range”, a swipe at the SCG’s seating arrangements.

“It would’ve been great to have it here,” he said.

“A lot of people in Sydney would have enjoyed the opportunity of coming to Suncorp to witness a grand final. It’s a national sport now and there’s an opportunity to perhaps play games around the country in a similar way to the NFL (in America).”

Maroons coach Kevin Walters slammed the decision. Picture: Getty

Maroons coach and proud Queenslander Kevin Walters also hit out at the decision.

“We’ve seen how the place transforms for an Origin match so you can imagine what it would be like for a grand final,” he said.

“The fans would be able to fill the place out twice if we had it here.”

Queensland and Broncos great Willie Carne labelled the decision as “a joke”.

“We can’t even get one grand final up here despite everything Queensland does for the game,” Carne said. “It’s a joke.”

ARL chairman Peter Beattie and NRL CEO Todd Greenberg. Picture: Digitally altered

Greenberg said he understood how some Queenslanders would be unhappy with the decision and even admitted that the SCG was “not the greatest experience”, but it was ultimately about trading “short-term pain” for “a supercharged experience” when the Sydney stadium upgrades are finished.

Mr Beattie did not return calls to The Courier-Mail last night, instead referring inquiries to the NRL’s media team.

Suncorp Stadium boss Alan Graham said Queensland’s case for hosting the 2021 grand final was compelling and missing out was “very disappointing”.