‘What’s the point?’: Sharks’ stadium plea to NRL amid code clash

The Sharks have pleaded with the NRL to play their semi-final match at home after a clash with an AFL prelim next week.

Sharks chief executive Dino Mezzatesta has called on the NRL to allow Cronulla to host its semi-final at PointsBet Stadium amid a code clash with the AFL next week.

The Sharks are locked in to play on Friday against either the Cowboys or Knights and, under the NRL’s stadium policy, are expected to play that game at Allianz Stadium.

However, complicating matters for Cronulla is the fact the Sydney Swans will be playing in an AFL preliminary final clash at the SCG — and it has Mezzatesta urging for common sense to prevail.

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Speaking toThe Sydney Morning Herald after Cronulla’s loss to Melbourne, Mezzatesta revealed that he had spoke to the NRL during the week about the possibility of playing the game at PointsBet Stadium, which has a capacity of 13,500 people.

Mezzatesta said the NRL was “willing to discuss it” and told The Herald that even if CommBank Stadium is another option, the club is “not a fan” of playing there and that Sharks supporters “would probably prefer to stay at home”.

“We’d like to play it at PointsBet Stadium, mainly because the Swans are across the road and it won’t make it a great environment with so many people in the one place,” Mezzatesta told The Herald on Saturday.

Should the Sharks play at home? Photo: NRL Photos / Brett Costello

“It is hard enough with one event, let alone two events being played there.

“Whoever we play, be it Newcastle or North Queensland, it will be hard to imagine either of those clubs having many fans travel to the game, especially on a Friday night.

“We can get 14,000 fans at PointsBet. What’s the point of moving it to Allianz to get 15,000 fans?

“If Melbourne had lost on Saturday, they would have hosted next week at their own home ground. The Roosters will play at Allianz next Saturday. Why can’t we play at PointsBet?”

The NRL’s stadium policy for finals was a subject of debate last year but for very different reasons, with the Sharks hosting the Roosters in week one and effectively locking out thousands of fans given PointsBet Stadium’s reduced 13,500 capacity during its redevelopment.

Originally published as ‘What’s the point?’: Sharks’ stadium plea to NRL amid code clash