Webster calls for NRL to explore moving Grand Final around

SEN Morning Glory Host and veteran sports journalist Andrew Webster has backed calls for the NRL to explore its options and potentially move the Grand Final from Sydney.

Since the competition’s inception in 1908, the Grand Final has only been played outside of Sydney once when Brisbane played hosts to the 2021 decider due to Covid restrictions in NSW.

The NRL has previously had long-standing deals with the NSW Government to keep the marquee fixture in Sydney but with no future agreement beyond this year in place, Webster believes the time is now for a new concept.

“I’m a real traditionalist when it comes to sport, I really think the traditions of any football code or sport should be maintained,” Webster said on SEN 1170 Mornings.

“I don’t think we should be making big decisions about venues and draws, and new teams without having a long think about it, these aren’t pub competitions.

“But I do think the world is changing, both the NRL and AFL talk about a national footprint, if that’s the case I think they need to be flexible about where they have their Grand Final.”

Webster acknowledged the difficulty of moving the AFL Grand Final due to the existing deal with the MCC but opened up on the finer details of the NRL’s current agreement with the NSW Government.

“The NRL is on a year-to-year basis with the NSW Government State Government,” Webster added.

“I spoke to Peter V’landys about it he said, ‘That’s the beauty of the deal we’re doing’, I'm sure if he could get half a billion dollars from the NSW Government like the AFL did, I’m sure he’d do it.

“The upshot of doing year-to-year deals is the flexibility of moving it around, I know It’s different this year because so many Sydney teams have finished in the top eight.

“I just think the landscape has changed so much in both the major football codes in this country that being tied down to the one venue is probably a little bit archaic.

“Let’s move it around baby.”

Melbourne Storm CEO Justin Rodski has publicly expressed his interest in his side hosting a Grand Final at the MCG, labelling the potential move as a “huge spectacle.”