NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo is confident the NSW government won’t scrap plans to build a suburban stadium in Penrith as he anointed western Sydney “rugby league’s heartland”.
Redevelopments at Brookvale, Leichhardt and Cronulla were put on the backburner in August when Premier Dominic Perrottet redirected funding to flood victims, but Abdo predicted a state-of-the-art facility in the greater west would still go ahead.
Perrottet’s cabinet has privately discussed the merits of continuing with the build, a $300 million venue on the adjacent Penrith Paceway to replace the 22,500-capacity BlueBet Stadium. The plans were officially unveiled late last year.
But under increasing pressure before next year’s election, in which Penrith is one of the state’s most marginal seats, the state government will face criticism if the project proceeds.
Asked whether he was confident NRL powerhouse Penrith would have a new stadium in the next few years, Abdo told the Herald: “We are. We are extremely committed to making sure that we can get world-class stadiums for all sports, but particularly for our sport in Sydney.
“The commitment the government has shown to that strategy is really heartening for us, and it’s an important area and an important stadium.
Penrith Panthers fans were told last year they will have a new stadium in the outer west.Credit:Getty
“[Western Sydney] has produced so many stars in the game, and we’ve now got CommBank Stadium and hopefully, very soon, we’re going to get construction started on Penrith Stadium. Those are coliseums, but they’re community assets which help what everyone aspires to be, which is part of the elite game.”
The Panthers are already planning to share CommBank Stadium with the Eels once construction starts on their own stadium. The western Sydney rivals will meet in the grand final at Accor Stadium on Sunday.
The strength of the two clubs has strangled the AFL’s influence in the western corridor, with the national code considering bringing a Magic Round concept to Sydney next year.
However, plans to showcase the game in the west could be stifled given the AFL has earmarked an April window for the footy festival, which is likely to fall in the NSW school holidays.
It would mean Giants Stadium at Sydney Olympic Park would potentially be unavailable due to the Royal Easter Show, while neighbouring Accor Stadium is likely to have a concentration of NRL games in the first half of the season before it is handed to FIFA for the Women’s World Cup mid-year.
Penrith back-rower Liam Martin urged Perrottet to push on with plans for a new stadium in the city’s outer west as the club cashes in on a sustained era of success under coach Ivan Cleary.
“It would be incredible,” Martin said. “We love Penrith Stadium at the moment, but to be able to have a new facility and have more people at the game, it will be huge for the community. I think the community deserves it, and we’re among the highest growth areas in Sydney.”
The Penrith-Parramatta grand final sold out within minutes when the last tickets went on sale to the general public on Tuesday, making it one of the most lucrative deciders for the NRL in the modern era. The past two have been affected by COVID-19 crowd restrictions.
The NRL struck an 11th-hour deal with the NSW government to keep the game in Sydney last month, despite threatening to take it to Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium after Perrottet reneged on his suburban stadia commitment.
It would have been a disaster given the combatants are both entrenched in Sydney’s west, which Abdo was happy to label the game’s “heartland”, eight years after former NRL boss Dave Smith said it was Queensland.
“Parramatta is a proud club with a long history in the game,” Abdo said. “These are two fierce rivals and they represent two really important areas for us. This is heartland rugby league.
“It’s such a growing, vibrant diverse community. It represents modern Australia and represents our game. These two clubs are not just about playing football, they’re also about the community out west.”
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