NRL powerbrokers have reportedly rejected a bold proposal from the Queensland government to host three grand finals before the 2032 Olympics to be held in Brisbane.
According to the SMH, their proposal saw a four-year rotation with Sydney still holding the majority share of hosting rights.
Put forward at the end of 2022, Queensland reportedly pitched a 12-year plan to start in 2023, with a reported $200 million on offer to be banked by rugby league powerbrokers.
Watch every game of every round of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
Under their proposal, the first year of the four-year rotation saw Sydney host the grand final in 2023 before moving north to Brisbane in 2024.
Sydney would once again play host in 2025 before the 2026 grand final was put to tender, with states being able to bid for the hosting rights.
Under the Queensland government’s proposal, the northern state would have been handed the hosting rights in 2031 — allowing Brisbane to test its infrastructure one year before the Olympic Games.
Queensland officials reportedly labelled their pitch as the “fan-first grand final strategy” with the majority of games remaining in NSW.
Meanwhile, NRL powerbrokers knocked the bold proposal back despite a reported offer of $15 million per final from the Queensland government and the chance for further funding during the fourth year bidding process.
It took a last-minute investment from former NSW premier Dominic Perrottet for the grand final to be played in Sydney last season after the Liberal government allegedly withdrew $250 million pledged to upgrade suburban NRL grounds.
Get all the latest NRL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!
Hip drop tackles a new concern for NRL | 02:47
MORE NRL NEWS
RESERVES WRAP: Manly, Dragons unleash swap deal recruits; Tigers duo’s message
‘DON’T WANT TO RUB IT IN’: Tigers’ reality check as coach ‘they let go’ shines
RICKY’S DIRE WARNING: How failed $2.7m move exposed Raiders’ biggest ‘problem’
Brookvale Oval, Shark Park and Leichhardt Oval were to be benefactors of that funding.
Chris Minns and the Labor government have since unseated Perrottet and The Daily Telegraph’s Buzz Rothfield said he sat down with Minns in February.
The newly-elected premier said at the time that the finds will need to be allocated elsewhere and Rothfield also revealed a $15 million investment to host A-League finals infuriated the NRL.
Speaking on the Today Show last week, Minns said the funds were set to be allocated to NSW schools and hospitals.
“I’d love to do that, but when you consider there’s $200 billion of debt in NSW and we’ve got urgent responsibilities for schools and hospitals, they’ve got to be our priority, that’s why we were elected on Saturday,” Minns said.
“My message to the people of NSW is that’s got to be the priority for the incoming government.”
As it stands, the host city for the 2023 grand final is yet to be announced with a Super Bowl auction style potentially on the cards.
