NRL supportive of push to play games at Redfern, Belmore
With rugby league fans almost certainly locked out of stadiums when the competition resumes, both South Sydney and Canterbury-Bankstown are keen to take play at home.
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Suburban grounds including Redfern Oval will have to pass stringent health and safety checks from NRL biosecurity experts before they are cleared to host games this year.
With rugby league fans almost certainly locked out of stadiums when the competition resumes on May 28, both South Sydney and Canterbury-Bankstown are keen to take home games to Redfern and Belmore Ovals respectively.
Already, League Central has proved supportive of the idea.
Shortly before he walked out last week, NRL CEO Todd Greenberg told clubs his preference was for them to play out of their own home grounds — which included boutique stadiums — rather than staging multiple games at a single venue.
Under the proposal, clubs like Wests Tigers would be encouraged to play out of Leichhardt Oval and Campbelltown Stadium, with St George Illawarra at either Kogarah Oval or WIN Stadium.
However before any venue is signed off to host games, clubs have been told they would first need to pass an assessment from biosecurity experts – who would then address what, if any, problems need to be sorted before games are allowed.
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As revealed by The Daily Telegraph last week, a second proposal remains in consideration to have only a handful of venues host.
Clubs have also been told that should crowds return with social distancing measures in place, the NRL is keen to play games at venues capable of creating an atmosphere for those in attendance, with Central Coast Stadium mentioned as an example.
With ANZ Stadium set to begin redevelopment from late June, rugby league’s showpiece venue is unlikely to see any further action this year.
As a result, two of its major tenants, Souths and the Bulldogs are considering playing at Redfern and Belmore Ovals, respectively.
Competition leaders Parramatta, meanwhile, are keen to play all of their games out of Bankwest Stadium, which has also been touted as a possible venue for the entire State of Origin series should Queensland still have restrictions in place later this year.
A return to Redfern Oval, which is in top condition, would provide a wonderful sidestory for the competition’s return in May.
The Rabbitohs have not played a premiership match at the ground since 1996 — when a tick over 3000 people watched them beat South Queensland 48-16 — but did host Papua New Guinea in a 2013 trial match.
If the T20 World Cup is pushed back to February, as has been suggested, that would also open up the Sydney Cricket Ground to host the NRL grand final any time throughout October.
The Daily Telegrpah on Friday reported that South Sydney are looking to play their first home game at Redfern Oval in 24 years as clubs come to grips with hosting matches behind closed doors.
While the NRL is considering playing all games at two or three venues — Bankwest Stadium, ANZ Stadium and Kogarah Oval have been mentioned — clubs looking to retain some home-ground advantage may push their matches to smaller venues.
The decision may be taken out of clubs’ hands if the NRL enforces mandatory venues for biosecurity measures. That could be known as early as today.
With ANZ Stadium due to close in June for renovations, its major tenants — South Sydney and Canterbury — are looking for a new home. They were slated to play games at Bankwest Stadium but with crowds unlikely to be allowed into venues in the short term they are considering playing at Redfern and Belmore Ovals, respectively.
South Sydney chief executive Blake Solly said he wanted to push for playing at South Sydney’s spiritual home, where the club trains full-time.
“If the broadcasters and NRL believe playing at Redfern would be helpful we would be more than happy to explore that possibility,” Solly said.
“The training ground has been completely closed since the quarantine period commenced, so the surface will be in top order.”
The Rabbitohs last played a first-grade game at Redfern Oval in 1996 when 3107 people watched them beat South Queensland 48-16. It hasn’t been Souths’ full-time home ground since 1987 although they did play PNG in a trial there in 2013.
Even without crowds, the Sharks won’t be able to return to PointsBet Stadium.
We checked in with Cronulla officials about the possibility of returning to their home ground instead of playing at NetStrata Jubilee Stadium.
However, the construction work being carried out on the ground and nearby leagues club means the venue is not broadcast-compliant because of a lack of services.
The Roosters switched their last home game from Gosford to Leichhardt Oval but want to play the rest of the season at the SCG.
Wests Tigers intend to split their games between Leichhardt and Campbelltown.
Originally published as NRL supportive of push to play games at Redfern, Belmore