Wests Tigers hire security to keep Sydney Roosters out of the SFS
By Dean Ritchie
September 03, 2010
Wests Tigers will shift base to the Sydney Football Stadium for the week leading into their home finals match and will employ security guards to keep out the prying eyes of possible opponents, Sydney Roosters.
The Tigers confirmed their home final would be played at the SFS, the arena that is just 10 metres from the Roosters' offices in Moore Park.
Wests Tigers have been given assurances from the SCG Trust that security will be in place so that Roosters players and officials cannot walk out the back door of their offices and watch the Tigers train.
The Tigers have stressed they don't want any Roosters players roaming around the precinct while they are training and using the extensive facilities usually enjoyed by the Roosters.
A walkway runs between the Roosters offices at the SFS and it is now rugby league's version of the Berlin Wall.
"We will have the run of the house and the Roosters won't," Tigers chief executive Stephen Humphreys said.
"We will be using the home dressing rooms, train multiple times at the SFS, maybe every day, use the baths, meeting rooms, have lunches there.
"Essentially we will be moving in. The
Sydney Roosters won't enjoy the normal privileges there that they have through the normal season.
"There will be security there in the area, so the Roosters don't get anywhere near where we are.
"I have spoken to the Trust and they were very accommodating with our requests and they were very understanding."
Roosters chief executive Steve Noyce was bemused by the Wests Tigers' stance.
"We will be keeping things business as usual," Noyce said. "If other people want to get paranoid, that's their problem. Maybe we will change some of the locks at our place too.
"We are just excited to be playing in the finals."
Wests Tigers had considered playing their home finals match at
Leichhardt Oval.
But the SFS will accommodate a finals crowd of up to 45,000 should the Tigers and Roosters meet in what shapes as an epic contest.
"The best thing in all this is the fans. We will get them all in," Humphreys said.
"At the SFS we can offer members up to 10 tickets each, whereas, say Kogarah, they can only get four.
"It is a big win for our fans.
"The players are very comfortable with it too. They had a great experience at the SFS in 2005 (winning a grand final qualifier against St George Illawarra) and we hope to replicate those experiences again in 2010."
The NRL favours the biggest stadiums for finals matches because it claims the gate receipts.
