South Sydney has declared that they will not be giving up, after their proposed move from Sydney Olympic Park to Allianz Stadium was reportedly blocked by the NSW Government.
Currently, the Roosters, A-League club Sydney FC and Super Rugby side the NSW Waratahs all use the ground at Moore Park.
But The Daily Telegraph has reported that the Rabbitohs bosses held talks with the Premier, Chris Minns, about moving closer to their spiritual home at Redfern, which would mean sharing the venue with their bitter rivals.
That request has since been rejected, with NSW Minister for Sport Steve Kamper telling South Sydney CEO Blake Solly that they can play “two or three” matches a year at the Allianz Stadium but would be expected to play the majority from Homebush.
“Minister Kamper has written to us rejecting our request,” Solly said.
“We’ll review the letter and his reasons, then consider a response and our further options.
“We remain committed to discussing the issue with the government and Venues NSW.
“This is by no means the end of the process.”
Latrell Mitchell at Allianz Stadium. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
The report also stated that Souths signed a contract with the government to play at Accor Stadium, where they have called home for the past 19 seasons, until 2031, under the belief that the venue would undergo a renovation.
The proposed move to Allianz dates back to 2022, when the stadium underwent an $850 million upgrade.
The Rabbitohs expressed interest in sharing the ground with their NRL rivals, but Roosters boss Nick Politis at the time delivered a blunt message that “it’s our home”, stating they should have exclusive access to the state-of-the-art ground.
“I’ve heard other people say they want to play there because it’s their home,” Politis told the Roosters’ podcast back in 2022 ahead of the grand opening.
“The point is we’ve been there since 1928. We started with the old sports ground and then 30 years with the old Allianz Stadium.
“Nobody else has played there. For another 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 there. It’s our true home and it’s very sacred.”
The Tri-Colours’ high-performance centre and football offices are located at the Moore Park venue.
