Show us the money: NRL objectives laid bare by ground allocations

September 7, 2026 — 11:57am

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The NRL’s decision to take Cronulla’s semi-final from Woolooware to Moore Park is nakedly about dollars: the league itself collects the gate takings from finals matches.

The terrible state of Shark Park is used as an excuse, but the move is solely about selling more tickets.

Many Sharks fans, and their administration, are upset at losing what should be a home-ground advantage as a reward for finishing in fifth place; and with the Cowboys visiting, the Sydney Football (Allianz) Stadium is only likely to house a few more spectators than Shark Park would have done.

The Sharks aren’t alone, though, in playing away from home this weekend.

Souths lose their regular home-ground advantage of the Olympic Stadium to play Newcastle at Moore Park, and Penrith remain temporary tenants at Parramatta while their new home ground is still being constructed.

Only the Warriors get to play on their home ground at Mount Smart Stadium, and they are set to be shifted to the larger, unfamiliar Eden Park for later finals.

It all adds up to sensible short-term bean-counting by the NRL, but they might spare us the rhetoric of putting fans........

© The Sydney Morning Herald