That’s actually true. Sydneysiders are reluctant to move around the metro area on weekends. You stay in your patch. I lived in Sydney in the 90s and it was very true then also, even for me. I lived in St Leonards and the furthest I’d go would be Manly on a weekend 
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The Gabba’s refurbishment was completed this week, just a few days from the AFL Grand Final between Richmond and Geelong.
https://www.austadiums.com/news/news.php?id=840
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Would be good to see other clubs venues get upgrades! The money seems to always go to Geelong
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Both Ikon Park and Whitten Oval are planned to get upgrades as well, and I wouldn’t be surprised if more get proposed.
Though the AFL are fairly clear in that none of the Melbourne clubs are likely to be playing home games at suburban venues - even with the Ikon Park redevelopment it’ll be basically AFLW only. Harder to justify venues that won’t get much benefit from a capacity upgrade.
I can see the upcoming budget announcing a lot. I’d think it’d make a lot of sense to push to give a big upgrade to the State Basketball Centre, so they can let the SEM Phoenix become a proper South-East team, likewise a general upgrade to Casey Fields.
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ADVISORY: Buzz is a Sharks supporter, and this comes from his column. Make of that what you will.
The Sharks, who actually own their own ground, are in discussions with the NRL and NSW government to dump Kogarah and redevelop even more of Shark Park.
The Dragons should be moved to Wollongong fulltime. Or reinstate the Steelers as an expansion team and merge the Sharks and Dragons at Cronulla.
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Agreed. The NRL needs a proper local team in the Illawarra (and on the Central Coast but that’s another story), otherwise they risk loosing fans to the A-League and other codes in the future. Even if that means relocating an existing Sydney team, then so be it.
Not so much the A-League, it’s a basket case. This is a league who added a 3rd team into Sydney and Melbourne rather than expand elsewhere.
Wollongong is a weird case. They have 1/2 a NRL team and a NBL team who seem hellbent on becoming a travelling team splitting games between Wollongong and Canberra, even going as far to drop Illawarra from its name.
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Just no.
No. no, no, no.
NO
Waiting for our resident Sharks fan’s response, and got the exact response. 
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I have to tell you, I really restrained myself there!
6 NOs was enough.
Yes Gus Gould. 
What an utter waste of money - these clubs should be forced to use the two (and soon three) high quality stadia the city already has
If they don’t like it, Perth is interested in a team
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Nah, just dump the Sharks. 
And the Dragons too, why not?
I reckon Newcastle should merge with Manly.
The New Northern Eagles.
Omm nom nom, I swallowed the bait, well done.
My response: that can f**k right off. New Northern Eagles my arse.
Not that hard. Like shooting fish in a barrel.
The South Australian Government revealed in its 2020/21 budget this afternoon that Adelaide’s Memorial Drive tennis centre and Hindmarsh Stadium would both be upgraded.
Stage 2 of Memorial Drive upgrade will cost $44 million, and will feature four new grandstands to increase seating capacity to 6000, event and function spaces, elite training and recovery facilities, digital infrastructure and improved access to Adelaide Oval. It will be completed by the end of 2021.
$45 million will be spent upgrading Hindmarsh Stadium to a “contemporary elite sport standard”. The project should be complete by the end of 2022 or the start of 2023, in time for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, should South Australia be successful in hosting games. The upgrades include a new shade covering over the eastern grandstand, new lighting, upgraded change rooms and toilets, a replacement pitch and improved disability access, media, broadcast and corporate and catering facilities. An additional $8 million will also be spent on technology upgrades, including two new “super screens”.
The $45 mil for Hindmarsh doesn’t really get you much. No new grandstand there.