NRL Grand Final stays in Sydney after NSW government trumps Queensland



The 2022 NRL Grand Final will be played in Sydney after a last-minute pitch from the NSW Government kept the event in its traditional home.

ARL Commission chairman Peter V’Landys revealed the match would be played at Accor Stadium on October 2, after the league opted against moving it to Brisbane.

The hosting rights for the match had been in doubt since April as the NRL and NSW Government clashed over funding for suburban ground upgrades.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet had conceded on Thursday morning NSW’s offer did not match what Queensland were throwing at the league.

But he was confident the NRL would stick with tradition and play the match in Sydney, with last year’s game only moved to Queensland due to 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 NSW, 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 a suburban stadiums deal was yet to be put into writing.

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 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.

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