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The NRL has surrendered to the AFL, allowing its rival to host an all Sydney semi-final match at ANZ Stadium on Saturday September 10, despite the Bulldogs having priority over the use of the Homebush venue.
The Bulldogs will now vacate their home ground to play at a neutral venue, Allianz Stadium, against the Panthers on the same Saturday if the final round NRL matches this weekend go as the NRL expects.
The NRL concede they agreed some weeks ago to vacate ANZ stadium should the Swans meet the Giants in the first weekend of AFL finals.
This is despite the Herald being told by the NRL over the weekend: "We expect to have priority for ANZ, given Dogs and NRL are partners of ANZ stadium. Sounds like AFL are going to move to the SCG anyhow. But we are just pushing along with as normal with our finals plans."
But this wouldn't have suited the AFL, which has invested over $100m in the Homebush-based Giants.
So, the minor premiership-winning Swans have to vacate their home ground, the SCG, to play a match against the fourth-placed Giants at ANZ, only a short walk from Spotless Stadium, the Giants' base.
"The AFL expect to get 70,000 to 80,000 out there at Homebush," the NRL spokesman said.
Asked why the NRL had given in to its rival when the Bulldogs had priority, the spokesman admitted NRL Central did not expect the all-Sydney AFL clash to eventuate.
"We spoke to them a few weeks ago and said that the Saturday was OK if the circumstances arose," he said.
The Bulldogs will be doubly punished if the results in the final NRL round see them forced to play on a Sunday, with star fullback Will Hopoate refusing to play on the Sabbath.
This is unlikely, given the Broncos have already been pencilled in for a Sunday home game, possibly against the Titans or Wests Tigers, given they can't play at Suncorp on the Saturday night because the Wallabies will be playing South Africa.
Rugby league, therefore, has been bumped off two home grounds by rival codes, should results go as the NRL anticipates.
An NRL spokesman insisted the semi-final scheduling, including Melbourne and Cronulla hosting home finals, possibly against the Cowboys and Raiders respectively, had not been locked in because "We don't know what the final order of teams will be."
The usual NRL protocol is for team 1 to play team 4 on the Friday night; teams 2 v 3 and 6 v 7 to play on Saturday, with 5 v 8 on Sunday.
Source
The Bulldogs will now vacate their home ground to play at a neutral venue, Allianz Stadium, against the Panthers on the same Saturday if the final round NRL matches this weekend go as the NRL expects.
The NRL concede they agreed some weeks ago to vacate ANZ stadium should the Swans meet the Giants in the first weekend of AFL finals.
This is despite the Herald being told by the NRL over the weekend: "We expect to have priority for ANZ, given Dogs and NRL are partners of ANZ stadium. Sounds like AFL are going to move to the SCG anyhow. But we are just pushing along with as normal with our finals plans."
But this wouldn't have suited the AFL, which has invested over $100m in the Homebush-based Giants.
So, the minor premiership-winning Swans have to vacate their home ground, the SCG, to play a match against the fourth-placed Giants at ANZ, only a short walk from Spotless Stadium, the Giants' base.
"The AFL expect to get 70,000 to 80,000 out there at Homebush," the NRL spokesman said.
Asked why the NRL had given in to its rival when the Bulldogs had priority, the spokesman admitted NRL Central did not expect the all-Sydney AFL clash to eventuate.
"We spoke to them a few weeks ago and said that the Saturday was OK if the circumstances arose," he said.
The Bulldogs will be doubly punished if the results in the final NRL round see them forced to play on a Sunday, with star fullback Will Hopoate refusing to play on the Sabbath.
This is unlikely, given the Broncos have already been pencilled in for a Sunday home game, possibly against the Titans or Wests Tigers, given they can't play at Suncorp on the Saturday night because the Wallabies will be playing South Africa.
Rugby league, therefore, has been bumped off two home grounds by rival codes, should results go as the NRL anticipates.
An NRL spokesman insisted the semi-final scheduling, including Melbourne and Cronulla hosting home finals, possibly against the Cowboys and Raiders respectively, had not been locked in because "We don't know what the final order of teams will be."
The usual NRL protocol is for team 1 to play team 4 on the Friday night; teams 2 v 3 and 6 v 7 to play on Saturday, with 5 v 8 on Sunday.
Source
