M4cca
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Cronulla Sharks rake Michael Ennis has reignited calls for a change to the structure of NRL finals, with the Sharks set to forfeit home advantage for a semi-final if they make it that far.
As it stands, Sydney-based teams shift their finals to bigger venues to accommodate crowds in a move that has previously drawn the chagrin of St George Illawarra fans from both Wollongong and Kogarah.
Now Ennis has thrown his voice to the cause, with the Sharks a potential chance to move a finals game to the home venue of a rival club.
"I know I've had this conversation with Shane (Flanagan, coach) and also Lyall (Gorman, CEO), that I think our fans deserve a home semi-final," Ennis said.
"If we work hard enough and continue to do what we're doing at the moment, and earn our right to get through this tough competition as hard as it is, those guys need to be rewarded with a home semi-final."
Ennis cited crowd sizes as a reason for the Sharks to have a final in the Shire.
"We love playing here, they love coming here," he added.
"The difference between getting 22,000 or 23,000 at Allianz Stadium compared to a full house here at 20,000 commercially isn't a lot different.
"But the atmosphere and everything else that comes with it is what we deserve if we get the right to get there. I know it's probably an uphill battle with the NRL to do it, but I think it's one we need to pursue."
I think it'd make more sense under the old finals structure of 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7 etc. but I don't think teams 3 and 4 should be disadvantaged as such. Imagine how many of our supporters wouldn't be able to go to the game if we got cronulla week 1 of the finals at shark park. The system in place now makes the most sense except for the cowboys somehow getting to play their games at their ground which is wrong, they should be made to play at suncorp if they want to keep it fair.
As it stands, Sydney-based teams shift their finals to bigger venues to accommodate crowds in a move that has previously drawn the chagrin of St George Illawarra fans from both Wollongong and Kogarah.
Now Ennis has thrown his voice to the cause, with the Sharks a potential chance to move a finals game to the home venue of a rival club.
"I know I've had this conversation with Shane (Flanagan, coach) and also Lyall (Gorman, CEO), that I think our fans deserve a home semi-final," Ennis said.
"If we work hard enough and continue to do what we're doing at the moment, and earn our right to get through this tough competition as hard as it is, those guys need to be rewarded with a home semi-final."
Ennis cited crowd sizes as a reason for the Sharks to have a final in the Shire.
"We love playing here, they love coming here," he added.
"The difference between getting 22,000 or 23,000 at Allianz Stadium compared to a full house here at 20,000 commercially isn't a lot different.
"But the atmosphere and everything else that comes with it is what we deserve if we get the right to get there. I know it's probably an uphill battle with the NRL to do it, but I think it's one we need to pursue."
I think it'd make more sense under the old finals structure of 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7 etc. but I don't think teams 3 and 4 should be disadvantaged as such. Imagine how many of our supporters wouldn't be able to go to the game if we got cronulla week 1 of the finals at shark park. The system in place now makes the most sense except for the cowboys somehow getting to play their games at their ground which is wrong, they should be made to play at suncorp if they want to keep it fair.
dont get me started