The NSW state government put forward a development application that anticipates 30 National Rugby League games per year will be played at the new Parramatta stadium despite the Eels "being the only club committed to use the venue," according to Michael Chammas of THE AGE. The Canterbury Bulldogs, Wests Tigers, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Penrith Panthers and St. George Illawarra Dragons reportedly are not "keen to take games to the 30,000-seat venue" when it opens in '19 despite the government's estimation that three NRL clubs would use the new facility. It is "likely only 11 Eels NRL games will be played" at the western Sydney stadium when it opens. However, "there is a possibility ANZ Stadium could be shut down for two years" during the redevelopment to turn the Olympic stadium into a permanent rectangular facility. In the stage two development application for the western Sydney stadium submitted last week, "a breakdown of the anticipated use of the venue has the NRL down for 30 games," while Football Federation Australia/A-League (15 games), National Rugby Championship (three games) and Super Rugby (one game) were also included. The state government "did require a 65-game commitment from the NRL to back the investment into major stadiums," however that commitment did not specify "which venue the clubs would play at." The Rabbitohs and Bulldogs have long-term contracts in place to continue playing out of ANZ Stadium and "would likely only consider using the Parramatta venue if their home ground is locked up during reconstruction" (THE AGE, 3/14).
