A federal MP has said ‘it’s only fair’ South Sydney are allowed to call the new Sydney Football Stadium home as the club continues its bitter feud with the NSW Government and arch rivals the Roosters.
The Rabbitohs have been travelling from their heartland in Sydney’s inner-south to Homebush’s Accor Stadium for 16 years – but are now desperate to return to the newly built, $830million taxpayer-funded Allianz Stadium.
Souths have an agreement in place to play home games at Homebush until 2030 – however, that deal included an $800million redevelopment of the ground which was axed by the NSW Government after the Rabbitohs signed.
The club now faces a war with officials as they try to switch venues, while their historic rivals the Sydney Roosters are attempting to block the change.
A federal MP has lended his voice to South Sydney’s battle to relocate the Rabbitohs from Accor Stadium in Homebush to the new $830million Allianz Stadium in Moore Park (pictured)
The Roosters, led by billionaire powerbroker Nick Politis, are insistent they will not share the revamped SFS with Bunnies.
Mr Politis refused to even mention Souths by name during an interview with Roosters Radio on Wednesday, before proclaiming Allianz as ‘sacred’ territory.
‘The point is this is our third stadium, we started with the old sports ground in 1928 and then 30 years with the old Allianz Stadium and now with the new one,’ he said.
‘Nobody else has played there. For a club to say we want to go there because it’s our home, it’s not their home.
‘The Roosters are the only people that belong. That’s our true home, it’s very sacred that field.’
But the Rabbitohs have their own friends in high places .Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is a born and bred South Sydney fan and recently threw his weight behind the proposed move.
So has Kingsford Smith MP Matt Thistlethwaite, who said a co-tenancy for his Bunnies would be a ‘win for everyone’.
‘I understand when Souths went to Homebush they were desperate and had no choice. Now they’re the pride of the league. They have global reach, when Souths go well, rugby league goes well,’ Thistlethwaite told Daily Mail Australia.
The Rabbitohs and Roosters are at war again – this time over the tenancy of the new arena in Moore Park – with South Sydney saying they deserve to call it home
When South Sydney moved to Accor Stadium they had 1,500 members and were struggling to survive financially.
Wealthy fans Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes A Court were keeping the Rabbitohs alive through private investment, but Homebush represented a long-term future for the foundation club.
Nearly two decades later, the Rabbitohs now have more than 31,000 members, behind only the Melbourne Storm and Parramatta Eels – and are ready to return home.
Thistlethwaite said he is regularly being stopped on the street by fans asking what he can do to help bring the Rabbitohs to Allianz.
‘It’s a lot more convenient for them to jump on the tram or bus to go to the game,’ he said.
‘Also, plenty of people are expressing an interest on getting on the tram as it stops outside Souths Juniors, the institution of the Rabbitohs.
‘It’d be a win for everyone. It just makes sense to play their games there. Although they’re now global, the overwhelming majority of their fans live in that pocket.’
‘Now they’re the pride of the league. They have global reach, when Souths go well, rugby league goes well,’ Matt Thistlethwaite told Daily Mail Australia
Politis has reportedly been pulling strings with the NRL in an attempt to ensure the Roosters don’t share the new state-of-the-art arena with the Redfern club – but Thistlethwaite believes a co-tenancy would benefit both teams.
‘I appreciate it’s always been there home ground, but plenty of stadiums now have multiple teams using them as their home ground,’ he explained, referring to arrangements at the new Commonwealth Bank Stadium in Parramatta, which is shared by the Eels, Wests Tigers and Bulldogs.
‘Given there’s such an investment by NSW taxpayers into this stadium, it’s only fair they get to utilise it.’
The Labor Minister for Defence believes common sense should prevail over the issue, and that while he is yet to involve himself in the negotiations, he said he would ‘urge’ Venues NSW to consider allowing Souths to relocate.
‘Ultimately its a decision for them, but it just makes sense to have South Sydney play there,’ he said.
‘Why wouldn’t you let the fans who love their team? You’ll get better crowds at a Souths game that billions of taxpayer’s dollars have gone into.
‘It’s better for Souths, better for the NRL and better for sport in Australia.’
Thistlethwaite said he is regularly being stopped on the street by fans asking what he can do to help bring the Rabbitohs to Allianz.
Darren Brown, who played 70 games for the Bunnies in the late 1980s and early 1990s, told Daily Mail Australia the club have been forced into attempting the switch after the government reneged on their handshake agreement.
‘My understanding is the Souths agreement was if no improvements were made within a period of time, they could get out of it,’ he said.
‘I think it’s a no brainer to allow us to move to the new stadium which was purpose built for rugby legaue. Accor was was built for the Olympics.’
Brown, who now runs Rabbitohs Fan TV and Rabbitohs Radio, said the decision to move to Homebush was one driven by necessity, and the club has now outgrown the facility.
‘It was a financial decision. We went out there because we were financially struggling. We wanted to build momentum in revenue and it did. It served its purpose. We’re a powerhouse now,’ he said.
‘The Roosters have to remember we shared that stadium until 2006. I remember playing there in the ’80s we each had our own dressing rooms.
‘It’s a taxpayer stadium. From an NRL perspective the Bulldogs should play games out of there, the Dragons should play games out of there.
‘It’s the best stadium in the country and the game is all about the fans. It’s the best fan experience.’
More than 100 old South Sydney players are hosting a function at Souths Juniors prior to Friday’s venue opener against the Chooks, with Brown pointing to the ease with which Rabbitohs fans can see their beloved side play at the venue.
‘We’re all getting on the tram to travel to the game. Moore Park is about 12 minutes away, then after the game we’re back on the tram and back to Juniors,’ he said.
‘They struggled through Covid, but this will help the community.’
Accor Stadium sits 15kilometres from Souths’ Redfern heartland – while Allianz Stadium is a short ride on the new light rail (and even has a stop outside Souths Juniors Leagues Club)
When it comes to Accor Stadium, South Sydney fans have a shopping list of complaints and reasons why they want to move to the new Moore Park venue.
The primary concern is that Accor lacks any soul because it is designed to hold much bigger crowds and the fans are too far away from the action.
‘I went to a Souths game out at Homebush about seven or eight years ago. Terrible atmosphere. There were 4,000 people in a stadium designed to hold 100 thousand. And then there’s nothing to do afterwards except catch a train back,’ one fan said.
‘[The SFS] is purposely built for RL. Homebush is built for a 400m running track, meaning you are unnecessarily far away from the action. This also reduces atmosphere,’ another added.
‘Allianz is the only choice. Best viewing at a rectangle ground. Souths supporters will prove it’s theirs at the opening,’ agreed another Rabbitohs fan.
Transport is also a major issue. Not only is Homebush located 15km west of South Sydney’s spiritual home at Redfern, there is no easy way to get there – even if you live close by.
‘The problem with Homebush is that you can live somewhat close to the stadium while still not being on a direct train line. So you have to travel backwards to Redfern/Central, change trains and then head back out to Homebush,’ a Souths fan posted.
The exorbitant prices and lack of choice when it comes to food and drink are also a major sticking point for fans.
‘Or you drive there and pay $30 to park. At least you’re less likely to DUI with the mid-strength Iron Jack or whatever the f*** they serve up. All so you can sit in a cold, windswept cavern with 7 other people. Better off going to the pub,’ fumed another supporter.