Queensland flashed the cash, but NSW say they’ll retain NRL grand final
NSW premier Dominic Perrottet says he expects the NRL grand final to be played in Sydney despite offering less money than Queensland to host the event.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet (left) and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (right) walk down Caxton Street before Game 3 of the 2022 State of Origin series. Brisbane is now in line to steal the NRL grand final from Sydney (AAP Image/Darren England)
The ARL Commission finished lengthy discussions on Wednesday night with no resolution on the four-month stalemate that clouds rugby league’s showpiece event.
An announcement could still come as soon as Thursday afternoon, with both Queensland and NSW having offered their final pitch for the October 2 match.
Perrottet conceded on Thursday morning that NSW’s offer did not match what Queensland were throwing at the league.
But he insisted he believed that the NRL would stick with tradition and play the match in Sydney, with last year’s game only moved to Queensland due to the Covid-19.
“The discussions are commercial in confidence, but (the financial bid) is less than what they’re offering in Queensland,” Perrottet told Seven’s Sunrise program.
“But as premier of the state I have to make decisions in relation to the priorities that we have in front of us.
“We have many people up here in the Northern Rivers that are still not in homes (after the floods).
“But ultimately the NRL grand final has always been in New South Wales, it’s great for people of our state and my expectation is that is where it stay.”
The venue of the grand final was first plunged into doubt in April, when the NRL grew concerned that a suburban stadiums deal was yet to be put into writing.
ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys and Perrottet then emerged from meetings confident peace had been brokered, with the match to be played at Accor Stadium.
However that was turned on its head a fortnight ago when the NSW premier confirmed that suburban stadium upgrades were no longer a priority, with money to instead go to flood relief efforts.
That angered the NRL, who claim the government has now gone back on a deal to keep the match in Sydney until 2042.
Queensland had emerged as marginal front-runners to host the event earlier this week, but any call is still far from certain.
“We put a reasonable offer to the NRL,” Perrottet added.
“Ultimately I appreciate in relation to suburban stadiums that NRL takes a different view to us, but there are different commitments we have to meet every day.
“I’ve got to make those decisions and set out the priorities for the government.
“But the offer we have made NRL is completely reasonable, it’s a fair offer and it’s a great event for our state, great event for Sydney, that’s where it should remain.”
