ANZ could still hold GF: Stadium CEO

ANZ Stadium management see no reason why the NRL grand final needs to be moved from the venue during its four-year upgrade.

Officials from the Olympic Stadium will aim to sit down with their NRL and NSW government counterparts to discuss their options for the game’s showpiece event, once construction starts in 2019.

But Stadium Australia Group chief executive Daryl Kerry does not believe the grand final should be moved away from Homebush for the first time since it was first held there in 1999.

“Our view is that what we should do is keep the stadium open under its refurbishment and reduce the capacity at key times,” Kerry told News Corp Australia.

“We have done that on the basis that we certainly don’t want to lose any major event, let alone the grand final.”

Capacity for the stadium will remain at around the 50,000-seat mark throughout the rectangular reconstruction, which will be complete before the NRL embarks on a 20-year grand final deal with the venue.

In comparison, Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium seats 52,500, while the MCG holds around 100,000.

Western Australia and New Zealand are also said to be interested in hosting the match.

Kerry’s comments come after NRL CEO Todd Greenberg last week suggested the game would be moved away from ANZ Stadium.

“During the transition, there’s not a strong appetite from us to be playing in construction,” Greenberg said.

“We’ll have to have a look at that. We’ll talk first and foremost to the NSW government about those sorts of challenges.”

Stay up to date with the latest sports news
Follow our social accounts to get exclusive content and all the latest sporting news!