NRL

Western Australia has signalled its readiness to lure rugby league’s biggest night away from Sydney with Premier Roger Cook confirming his government would put together a strong financial pitch if the opportunity arose to host the 2028 NRL grand final.

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According to reports in The Sydney Morning Heard the Western Australian government is prepared to ‘bid hard’ with a whopping $20 million offer should a clash with the visit of Pope Leo XIV stretch Sydney’s police and transport resources beyond acceptable levels in October 2028.

Already well-known for his affection for rugby league, Cook pointed to the WA’s history of running major sporting events, citing the successful staging of the 2021 AFL Grand Final at Optus Stadium as proof the state can handle an occasion of that scale. 

The premier also flagged his state’s selection to host the opening match of next year’s 2027 Rugby Union World Cup and argued that shifting the NRL decider outside its usual Sydney home would give the competition fresh energy and public excitement.

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ARLC boss Peter V’landys backed up the premier’s enthusiasm revealing the two had discussed the possibility directly of exploring a 2028 bid.

While noting the NRL’s loyalty to the NSW government for its long-standing support of the 13-man game, V’landys is said to have acknowledged the need to keep all options open — including a potential season-ending match in Perth.

The Queensland government is also expected to make a hard play for the 2028 decider if it becomes available having previously hosted the Panthers-Rabbitohs grand final during the Covid-disrupted season of 2021.

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