Premier Dominic Perrottet backtracks on stadium deal with rugby league boss Peter V’landys

Rugby league boss Peter V’landys has taken aim at the Premier’s “appalling excuse” to backtrack on upgrading suburban stadiums in exchange for Sydney’s NRL grand final.

Premier Dominic Perrottet has denied backflipping on his deal with the NRL to revamp suburban stadiums after Australia Rugby League boss Peter V’landys accused him of failing to honour the agreement.

Mr Perrottet signalled he would not backdown over dropped plans to upgrade Brookvale Oval, Leichhardt Oval and Shark Park, despite threats from Mr V’landys to take the NRL grand final from Sydney if the commitments were reneged on.

“Now ultimately though when we put close to $2 billion to (stadiums) there’s no other state that has put as much investment in relation to sporting infrastructure,” the Premier said.

“But when circumstances change, priorities change too.

“Ultimately, I’m not accountable to Peter V’landys, I’m accountable to the people of New South Wales.”

Penrith Stadium is one of four originally slated for multimillion dollar upgrades – and the only one to have been signed off on. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

Speaking to 2GB’s Ben Fordham on Wednesday morning, Mr V’landys claimed it was “about the fourth or fifth excuse” given to the NRL and criticised the Premier for using the floods as a reason to drop the deal.

“To use human tragedy …(its) unheralded in my eyes,” he said.

The NRL also wants to upgrade Manly’s Brookvale Oval. Picture: Adam Yip

“We looked the Premier in the eye, we shook his hand, we did a deal and he’s just blatantly reneged.

The NRL boss further slammed the silence of local MPs from the electorates due to receive the proposed upgrades, saying revamps were necessary to ensure children maintained healthy lifestyles.

“We’ve been strung along … and then weeks away from the grand final, they say they’re not going to honour the agreement.

“We won’t give up. We’re going to make sure the fans will get the facilities.

ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys and Premier Dominic Perrottet are at odds over a pledge to upgrade suburban stadiums. Picture: David Swift

“These are community assets. These are to encourage kids to play sports. It’s a preventive measure (to stop obesity in kids).”

A tense 24 hours of negotiations ended in a stand-off on Tuesday night between the two sides that could ultimately see the NRL grand final moved from Sydney to Queensland.

Mr V’landys met with Mr Perrottet last night to confront him over plans to withdraw $250m slated for suburban stadiums.

Mr Perrottet responded in writing by a 5pm deadline on Tuesday with a vague pledge to spend on stadiums down the track and with none of the cash previously earmarked for Brookvale Oval, Leichhardt Oval and Shark Park.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet is believed to be backing away from the deal. Picture: Richard Dobson

“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,” Mr Perrottet 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.

“It should come as no surprise that my top priority is therefore supporting those devastated by the major floods across NSW.”

Mr V’landys responded furiously: “It is appalling that they are using the human tragedy of the floods as an excuse to renege on an agreement, especially when you look at the billions they have just spent in the recent budget. They have used other excuses, so this is just another one.”

The NRL also wants to upgrade Leichhardt Oval. Picture: Brett Costello

An original memorandum of understanding between the NSW government and NRL in 2017 ensured grand finals would be played in Sydney for 20 years in return for the $800m revamp of ANZ Stadium.

When the plans for the ANZ rebuild were ditched, the NRL agreed some of the cash would be spent on four suburban grounds at Brookvale, Cronulla, Leichhardt and Penrith.

A $300m rebuild of Penrith Stadium in Sports Minister Stuart Ayres’ electorate has already been signed off but $100m for Brookvale Oval, $50m for Leichhardt Oval and $100m for Shark Park have now been kicked into the long grass.

“We have a legally binding agreement that we have no option but to enforce,” Mr V’landys The NRL also wants to upgrade said, referring to the original $800m ANZ Stadium deal. Enforcing that agreement would mean the ANZ Stadium refresh would be back on the cards.

“It is ridiculous because it will cost the NSW taxpayer more than we originally asked for,” he said.

That could also cast doubt over the future of the grand final in Sydney, which Mr V’landys has said was contingent on the suburban ground spending going ahead.

“The Commission board will now consider all our options,” he said.

Mr Perrottet challenged the NRL boss over the threat to the grand final’s future in NSW.

“Sydney will always be the home of rugby league and if Peter V’landys wants to take the grand final away from its home, then he can explain that to the fans,” he said.

Mr V’landys fired back: “I always honour my agreements, they have to explain to the NSW taxpayer why they are reneging on agreements that will cost them ultimately more.”

Mr Perrottet pointed to centres of excellence for clubs including Newcastle, Wests Tigers, Manly, Sydney Roosters, Parramatta and St George, and said: “The NSW government has already invested significantly in every aspect of rugby league.