Sydney risks losing the National Rugby League grand final if the NSW state government "bows to a stunning move" from the Australian Football League to "hijack plans for transforming ANZ Stadium," according to Horne & Smithies of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH. Victorian-based AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan reportedly wrote a letter to NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian in which he pushed "a claim for ANZ to be maintained as an oval-shaped venue" in the looming A$1.6B ($1.2B) stadiums allocation. The "brazen bid comes despite the AFL and the Sydney Swans virtually abandoning the Olympic Stadium over the past 12 months" as the game "struggles to fill" neighboring Spotless Stadium, "even for elimination finals matches." The NRL responded by "warning the city could lose a 20-year guarantee to host the grand final," as well as State of Origin matches, if a MOU it has with the NSW government to "make the transformation of ANZ Stadium into a world-class rectangular venue the No. 1 priority is broken." As well as "vying to railroad the hopes" of rugby league and soccer with ANZ Stadium, the AFL’s list of requests includes a "specific emphasis" on the redevelopment of the Brewongle-Churchill and O’Reilly Stands at the Sydney Cricket Ground being an "urgent priority" as well as "pitching up" for Spotless Stadium to have its capacity increased to 35,000. Football Federation Australia "has also hit back at the AFL’s Johnny-come-lately approach, reiterating that a state-of-the-art rectangular ANZ Stadium was the clear priority for the city." FFA CEO David Gallop said, "You can't blame them for trying, though they've come to the party a bit late" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 10/24).
