Arthur Beetson set to be honoured at Sydney Stadium

NRL Immortal Arthur Beetson will be honoured at Sydney’s new football stadium, overturning a decision to mark the ground’s military heritage.

Sports minister Stuart Ayres will name a stand at the new Sydney Football Stadium in honour of NRL legend Arthur Beetson.

The decision overturns a recommendation from the government appointed Heritage Committee of Venues NSW which wanted to call it Garrison to mark the ground’s military heritage.

It prompted Venues NSW chairman Tony Shepherd to speak out in defence of the Heritage Committee who he said were “good people who have been unfairly dealt with by elements of the media”.

A leak of the proposed name sparked an outcry from Beetson’s family, former players and an overwhelming poll of fans who wanted the stand named after the Roosters legend and NRL Immortal.

Artie Beetson ”didn’t make the cut” to have a stand named after him, Heritage Trust Chairman Maurice Newman said last month.

Artie Beetson in a 1980 State of Origin match at Lang Park

“This would be a really proud moment for our family,” Beetson’s son Mark said after being told of the Minister’s decision.

“Dad was up there alongside the likes of Cathy Freeman and Lionel Rose as indigenous sporting icons,” he said. “We would like to thank The Daily Telegraph and the support from your readers for highlighting this issue from the beginning.”

The Trust named stands after fellow Rooster Ron Coote, soccer legend Johnny Warren and rugby union icon Sir Nicholas Shehadie. But the final choice of Garrison was taken as a snub to Beetson.

Beetson in 2009.

Maurice Newman, chair of the Heritage Trust, explained at the time he “rejects any suggestion that Artie Beetson was snubbed.

‘Obviously there were a lot of names that we considered and Artie Beetson didn’t make the cut. He is essentially a Queenslander.”

Mr Shepherd today denied there was any fight over the decision to instead name the stand after Beetson. “We are public servants and do what the elected government of the day tells us to, without demure,” he said.

And he said he had “enormous respect” for Mr Ayres who was an “outstanding” sports minister.

Construction on the new Sydney Football Stadium is nearing completion. Picture: Toby Zerna

But he felt he had to speak up in defence of the Heritage Committee and explain the long military association which allowed the new Sydney Football Stadium to be built and the name Garrison to be chosen.

“The land on which the Sydney Football Stadium is being built was owned by the military until 1986,” he said. “To say there is no link is a denial of history.”

The Sydney Cricket Ground was established by troops at the neighbouring Victoria Barracks in the 1850s and was called the Military ground before becoming the SCG.

“Garrison, like Brewongle, is not an individual name but more a tribute to a group of men and women who have contributed much to Australian society and to the SFS and SCG,” he said.

It is not known whether a proposal to honour Beetson with a $300,000 bronze statue at the front of the new stadium will still go ahead.

Mr Ayres is understood to have opted for the Beetson stand after questioning the appropriateness of calling it Garrison.

However he declined to officially announce the name when asked directly but stressed that the final decision rests with him: “The recommendations have to come to me for approval,” he said.

“There are other families engaged in this process and I am not going to announce them one by one. We will announce them all at the same time.”