Cronulla Sharks CEO seeks resolution to stadium debate

Cronulla chief executive Dino Mezzatesta fears the Sharks may never host an NRL final in their own backyard again, but says the NRL should implement a blanket finals policy that will ensure all clubs are treated the same.

The Sharks’ 26-16 defeat of North Queensland at Allianz Stadium was attended by an official crowd of 17,429 on Saturday night, only around 2500 more than the capacity of Cronulla’s regular home ground, Ocean Protect Stadium.

Under discretionary powers outlined to NRL clubs at the start of the season, the ARLC retains the right to decide where week one finals are played, chiefly to ensure fans aren’t locked out of smaller venues like Sydney’s boutique stadiums.

The NRL opted to move the qualifying final between the Sharks and the Cowboys to Allianz Stadium, but the underwhelming crowd on Saturday prompted yet another round of debate around the Cronulla club’s right to host finals.

Star halfback Nicho Hynes appeared to question the NRL’s decision to shift the game, telling Channel Nine that while he was not blaming Sharks fans, he found it “upsetting, disappointing and embarrassing there’s so many free seats here”.

Mezzatesta and Sharks officials have stridently argued for Cronulla’s earned right to host a home final in the Shire over several recent seasons.

But given the NRL’s decision to move Saturday’s match against the traditionally low-drawing out-of-town Cowboys to Moore Park, Mezzatesta responded to the modest crowd by calling on the governing body to now make it a level playing field and scrap the discretionary aspect.

“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,” Mezzatesta said on Sunday.

“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.

“If you’re a Sydney team, you’re playing at Allianz, Accor [Stadium] or Commbank [Stadium]. If you’re in Queensland, you play at Suncorp [Stadium] and if you’re in New Zealand, then you play at Eden [Park].

“I don’t mean to disadvantage other clubs, but 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’s suggestion would mean Sydney clubs like Manly (Four Pines Park), St George Illawarra (Kogarah and WIN Stadium) and Wests Tigers (Leichhardt Oval and Campbelltown Stadium) would also not have the ability to play finals at their suburban home grounds.

The NRL on Sunday announced that next week’s Warriors-Knights semi-final will be played at Auckland’s Eden Park, which can accommodate around 24,000 more supporters than Go Media Stadium.

Given the NRL collects gate takings of all finals matches, at an average of $50 per finals ticket, that represents a windfall of around $1.5 million for the governing body.

The Dolphins’ maiden preliminary final appearance and Warriors return to Eden Park are expected to draw 50,000-strong crowds in coming weeks, while the NRL expects to bring more fans through the gates in week one compared to last year’s corresponding fixtures.

As for the Sharks, Mezzatesta believes there is still scope to host a home final against interstate opposition rivals like the Cowboys or Titans next year – if the ARLC’s discretionary rules remain.

But until Ocean Protect Stadium gets a much-needed upgrade to improve its tired facilities, even that prospect appears slim.

“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.

“And once the stadium is back fully online with a capacity of 18,000, well, the discussion around finals changes again. We could argue depending on who our opponent is, that there’s reason to host at a suburban ground again.

“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.”

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