The iconic Leichhardt Oval could be banished as an NRL fixture venue by the end of the 2025 season amid growing Occupational health and Safety issues.
Neil Breen reported on 2GB radio that Inner West Council, which controls Leichhardt Oval, has informed the Wests Tigers that the ground will be closed to professional sport in two years, citing growing OH&S issues.
However, smaller fixtures below the NRL level will potentially be able to continue using the venue.
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“The Inner West Council has decided that the oval itself has a two-year shelf life for pro sports, that’s including the NRL,” Breen told 2GBs The Continuous Call Team.
“For an NRL game and all the things that come with a big crowd, it’s an occupational health and safety issue. It’s a big issue for Leichhardt and the NRL.”
The upgrades needed to ensure the facility meets both elite sport and community requirements are estimated to cost between $20 to $50 million.
“Let’s put it at $40 million [for an upgrade],” Breen said.
“Who’s going to come up with the $40 million?”
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Funding to modernise the stadium was discussed in last year’s NSW state election and subsequent budget but never came to fruition.
Unless funding is secured, the future of the stadium remains uncertain beyond the 2025 season unless a combination of the three levels of government, the NRL, the Wests Tigers and private investment comes forth.
Leichhardt Oval sits in Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s seat of Grayndler.
Breen pointed out a Federal election will be held in the next year or so, and funding could become an election promise.
“Anthony Albanese doesn’t love stadiums,” Breen said.
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“He didn’t love funding the Brisbane Olympics and what he has to fund there.”
With no help from state or federal governments, the NRL may need to fork up the cash themselves.
“When sports are doing well like the NRL is, there is an expectation of, ‘Why can’t they put some money in,” Breen said.
ARLC chairman Peter V’landys has been a big supporter of preserving the NRL’s suburban grounds over bigger multi-purpose stadiums.
“From a government point of view, they go, ‘We’ve got CommBank Stadium, we’ve just rebuilt Allianz Stadium — we have these stadiums’,” Breen said.
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“But the way Sydney builds itself around rugby league, people who support the Tigers don’t all want to go to Allianz for the game.
“And because the product is so good on TV, people go, ‘You know what, I’m not going to travel into town.
“If I’m a Manly fan, I’m not going to travel to the Sydney Football Stadium when I can sit at home and watch it.”
The Leichhardt development comes after Raiders coach Ricky Stuart called for a new stadium to be built in Canberra after a “pungent aroma” was noticed at GIO Stadium on Saturday.
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