Giant turf war brewing between NRL, AFL and GWS over ANZ Stadium
A new turf war has broken out between the AFL and NRL after Greater Western Sydney indicated they will oppose plans to transform ANZ Stadium into a rectangular venue.
The NRL is hoping the state government will use a sizeable chunk of the $1.6 billion it has set aside for stadium upgrades to turn ANZ Stadium into a state-of-the-art rectangular venue. However, Giants powerbrokers want the ground to retain the flexibility to be used as an oval in order to stage their marquee matches.
It is understood the powerful AFL, a sporting body that has an impressive track record of securing government funding to expand its footprint, is right behind GWS' bid to retain a presence at the Olympic venue. The development puts the codes on a war footing as they attempt to win the hearts, minds and wallets of Sydneysiders.
"We would rather see it stay as an oval that could handle major oval events, whether that be cricket, AFL, Commonwealth or Olympic Games," GWS chairman Tony Shepherd told Fairfax Media.
"The flexibility of making it multi-purpose is good. On the other hand, I certainly agree that it should be modified to make it more suitable for rectangular games. That might mean moveable seats and things like that – the experience for smaller games in rectangular mode could be improved from a spectator point of view quite considerably.
"We've got a magnificent oval stadium, it's not that old but needs some investment. It would be good to keep that flexibility for the future."
GWS plays its home games at Spotless Stadium, which has a capacity of about 24,000. However, the Giants want to continue to stage marquee games, such as finals fixtures and their home derby against the Sydney Swans, at the 80,000-seat ANZ Stadium.
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"We got over 60,000 there last year for a final against the Swans," said Shepherd, who is also the chairman of the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust.
Rectangular change: An artist's impression of a rectangular ANZ Stadium.
"That's a great result for the stadium itself, for western Sydney, for the AFL and the state.
"If we have the capacity, let's use it. We only have one other alternative and that's to play it at the SCG. That's the fallback. That's not terribly attractive to our Greater Western Sydney fans.
"If I've got my Greater Western Sydney hat on, I think it would be good for our fans and for football in general to keep that flexibility [at ANZ]."
GWS have been around the top of the AFL ladder all season and are slowly but steadily increasing their following. Their poaching of former Broncos, Maroons and Kangaroos star Israel Folau is proof they are prepared to take rugby league head on in their bid to become the dominant sport in the Harbour City.
"[The AFL] would support keeping it as an oval – I see that as a positive," Shepherd said.
"They would be happy for us to play big home games for the Giants at ANZ.
"At the moment, we don't have that need other than for marquee games. Spotless is a wonderful boutique arena – I think they are looking at expanding its capacity and that would be good for both us and for the Big Bash Cricket. We're very happy [at Spotless], it's a great ground and everyone enjoys the experience. But every now and then we'll have a biggie and it would be nice to have the capacity there right next door.
"When you're making these decisions you have got to look at the future and our trajectory. Without big-noting ourselves, we feel our trajectory is positive."
The government's allocation of funding to ANZ Stadium remains clouded after NSW Minister for Sport Stuart Ayres said it would be contingent on the venue's business case for a state-of-the-art rectangular venue. Any decision would have massive ramifications for its major league tenants South Sydney, Canterbury, Wests Tigers and St George Illawarra.
It was originally estimated the transformation would cost about $700 million, although a leaked government document suggesting a cost blowout has been viewed in some quarters as a ploy to divert funding towards Allianz Stadium, which falls under Shepherd's jurisdiction as SCG Trust chairman.
Shepherd said cricket would also benefit if ANZ Stadium retained the option to be used as an oval.
"You can bring the Big Bash there," he said.
"I'm biased, but I believe the SCG is the best cricket ground in the world, so we will always have the Tests and the big international games there. But the Big Bash is roaring, attendances are up. I think at times Spotless Stadium will find it difficult to cope, so we need to find the capacity to do that.
"It also then enables you to have international competitions in cricket and T20 or one-dayers to have the flexibility of having ANZ and the magnificent, beautiful SCG to play a tournament and have games going simultaneously.
"We are a sports-loving country and state, we are the biggest and best state in the Commonwealth, so having a couple of [major oval] facilities would seem to me to not be extravagant."
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...and-gws-over-anz-stadium-20170729-gxlbue.html
