Cronulla chief executive Dino Mezzatesta has called for a blanket policy requiring NRL finals to be played at major stadiums, after the Sharks’ clash with North Queensland was moved from their home ground and attracted only 17,429 spectators.
Cronulla beat the Cowboys 26-16 at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night, but the attendance was only around 2,500 higher than the capacity of Ocean Protect Stadium, the Sharks’ regular home venue.
The Australian Rugby League Commission retains discretion over the location of week-one finals, with the stated aim of preventing supporters from being locked out of smaller suburban grounds. That discretion was used to transfer the Sharks’ qualifying final to Allianz Stadium.
Mezzatesta said the decision remained disappointing, but argued that the debate should end if the NRL was unwilling to allow Cronulla to host a final in the Shire.
“I’m still disappointed because nothing will change the fact that we earned the right to play that home semi-final at our home ground,” he said.
“But maybe we’re at the point where you have to change that rule for everyone then. Just play the semis at all the big stadiums from here on, regardless of who is in.”
Under his proposal, Sydney clubs would play at Allianz Stadium, Accor Stadium or CommBank Stadium, Queensland teams would use Suncorp Stadium and New Zealand sides would play at Eden Park.
Such a policy would also prevent clubs including Manly, St George Illawarra and Wests Tigers from staging finals at suburban grounds such as Four Pines Park, Kogarah, WIN Stadium, Leichhardt Oval or Campbelltown Stadium.
“We have this discussion every year around finals venues every year, and to me, if you’re not going to let us play at our home ground, then lock in the big venues and take the guessing games and the controversy out of it,” Mezzatesta said.
Allianz Stadium crowds fuel finals debate
The attendance for the Sharks-Cowboys match followed another underwhelming crowd at Allianz Stadium, where South Sydney’s first finals appearance since 2022 drew 28,152 spectators against Newcastle on Friday night.
Sharks halfback Nicho Hynes told Channel Nine that it was “upsetting, disappointing and embarrassing there’s so many free seats here”, while stressing that he was not blaming Cronulla supporters.
The NRL will stage next week’s Warriors-Knights semi-final at Eden Park rather than Go Media Stadium. The Auckland venue can accommodate about 24,000 more supporters, while the governing body takes the gate receipts from finals matches.
Mezzatesta said Ocean Protect Stadium’s facilities still needed significant improvement, although he believed suburban grounds could have a future in the finals if the venue was upgraded and restored to its full capacity of 18,000.
“There’s still a place for suburban grounds in our game,” he said. “We know our facilities need improvements, and we will continue to pursue government funding and Peter V’landys is a big supporter of us doing that.”
He added: “But really, I’m now thinking if you want to play all the big games at the big venues from now on, well then be done with it and make it the same rule for everyone.”
