After the NSW government turned down their request for funding an improvement, Wests Tigers may have to fulfill their pledge to leave Leichhardt Oval by the end of the season.
Although Leichhardt Oval will host five of the Tigers’ twelve home games this season, the team has long expressed reservations about the infrastructure and state of the ancient inner west field.
Leichhardt usually has among of the longest refreshment lines in the NRL, lacks enough change rooms to accommodate NRL men’s and women’s doubleheaders, and is a far cry from other Sydney stadiums in terms of corporate and media amenities.
Dene Halatau, a former Tigers premiership player, acknowledged the ground’s limitations while discussing the unique role it has in the club’s history during Saturday night’s 32-6 victory over Cronulla on ABC Sport.
“[The Sydney Football Stadium, Western Sydney Stadium and Lang Park] are phenomenal, but a fan comes here knowing what they’re getting,” he stated.
“There is room for improvement in terms of the facilities, but the players have everything they require.”
Shane Richardson, the CEO of the Tigers, and Darcy Byrne, the mayor of Inner West Council, joined forces on Monday to ask that 10% of the funds allotted by the NSW government for Penrith’s stadium renovation be given to Leichhardt Oval.
In 2025, the home stadium of the three-time reigning premiers will get a $309 million makeover that will add a brand-new western grandstand and a renovated eastern grandstand, increasing the stadium’s capacity to 25,000.
The Tigers, who have not committed to a home field past 2024, are a team who placed last in the previous two seasons and have previously hosted games at Leichhardt Oval , Campbelltown Stadium, and Stadium Australia.
