How NSW’s tradies came together to build Allianz Stadium

Despite a pandemic, spiralling construction costs and biblical rainfall Allianz Stadium is match fit for September’s NRL grand final, thanks to the 6300 workers from across 35 of Sydney’s LGAs who made it possible.

When tradie Darcy Pullen watches Souths take on Roosters next month, he’ll be savouring the view of the stadium that both he and Sydney built.

The 20-year-old Holsworthy man was four days out of school when he became one of 6300 workers to have played a part in the construction of Allianz Stadium.

Despite a pandemic, spiralling construction costs and enough rain to surprise Noah himself, infrastructure giants John Holland have ensured the venue is ready for the stadium’s NRL curtain raiser September 2.

“Being front of centre of this, you appreciate the amount of hours and effort that has gone into the project,” the apprentice carpenter, who’ll be going to the game with his old man, said.

“I was on the team that worked on the eastern side of the stadium, which is where I will be sitting when the game starts.”

Darcy is a 2nd year apprentice carpenter who worked on the stadium since day one. Picture: Richard Dobson

About $530 million of the $828 million project was spent with 300 Sydney and NSW suppliers.

One of the main ones was Glendenning company S&L Steel, which also provided the steel beams for the roof of the original Sydney Football Stadium (completed 1988).

The new Allianz Stadium contains 4400 tonnes of steel – equivalent to two-thirds of the steel in the Anzac Bridge at Glebe.

“It will just be great to go in and buy a beer and watch the action,” Mr Pullen said.

“I think people will really enjoy the quality design and architecture and there’s so many bars and food outlets, so fans shouldn’t miss too much action queuing up.”

Contributing business spanned the length of breadth of Greater Sydney: Mascot, Milperra, Hornsby, Caringbah, Greenacre, St Marys, Smithfield, Kings Park, Lane Cove, Brookvale, Wentworthville, Smeaton Grange, Green Valley, Windsor Downs, Leonay, Ingleburn and Campbelltown.

Project managers from John Holland, Lee Djusic and Paul Cassel and John Neilsen from QRSA pictured on the stadium gantry. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Thirty of Sydney’s 35 local government areas were involved.

Stadium project manager Paul Cassel said: “The project – both through Infrastructure NSW and John Holland as a whole – always had an interest in trying to ensure that we used, where we could, Australian made products and goods”.

“And securing the subcontractors from NSW – and more broadly Western Sydney – is just good utilisation of quality subcontractors that have the capacity to deliver the works for a project of this size,” the John Holland employee said.

Mr Cassel said a reliance on local products meant they minimised delays.

Regional NSW wasn’t left out either, with businesses from as far afield as Broadmeadow, Coffs Harbour, Fairy Meadow, Goulburn, Bowral and Dora Creek also making a contribution.

Businesses included turf suppliers, concrete cutters, pavers, joiners, plasterers, scaffolders, along with companies who kept the crews fed, supplied and serviced the facilities they worked out of, secured the construction site and performed RAT tests each day.

Originally published as How NSW’s tradies came together to build Allianz Stadium