Nick Tsagaris McDonalds | NRL grand final leaving Sydney for The First Time
The NRL grand final will move away from Sydney for the first time, with Brisbane’s Lang Park the confirmed venue.
Key points:
- Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is expected to confirm the new host this afternoon
- Brisbane hosted the 1997 Super League grand final when the sport was split in two
- NSW Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres said the historic relocation was another reminder to get vaccinated
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palasczuk confirmed the news at Sunshine Coast Stadium, where the NRL finals will start on Friday with the first qualifying final between Melbourne and Manly.
“Just as we helped the AFL last year, we are very pleased to step up this year,” she said.
All 16 teams have been based in Queensland for the past three months.
COVID restrictions meant Sydney’s Olympic stadium was half full for Melbourne’s victory over Penrith in the 2020 NRL grand final, but the severity of the current Delta outbreak has forced the league’s biggest game to move from the city for the first time.
NSW Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres said the state government had told the NRL it could not host.
“While it is very disappointing to miss out on this marquee event, it reinforces the importance of our community getting vaccinated so that events like the NRL grand final with crowds can safely return to our stadiums as soon as possible,” Mr. Ayres said.
“I would like to thank the NRL for its understanding in this challenging situation and its ongoing support of the NSW visitor economy.
“The NSW government via its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW looks forward to working with the Australian Rugby League Commission to welcome the NRL grand final back to Sydney in 2022 bigger and brighter than ever before.”
The grand final will be played on Sunday, October 3.
