The Cronulla Sharks have learnt their Week 1 NRL elimination final against the North Queensland Cowboys will be played at Allianz Stadium.
The topic of NRL finals venues is one that rears its head every year, with the Sharks the club in the headlights of the NRL given the state of their still-under-redevelopment home ground in the Shire.
The NRL have flipped back and forth on the issue of Week 1 finals venues over the years, with suburban grounds first losing the right to host games at the turn of the 2010s after the St George Illawarra Dragons locked out thousands of fans from Kogarah multiple years on the trot.
Poor crowds at major stadiums then saw the NRL reverse the call, with teams able to go back to hosting Week 1 finals at suburban grounds.
The NRL once again took control of the decision making this year though, with the Sharks and New Zealand Warriors both a chance of losing their home venues.
While it's believed the NRL will let the Warriors play at the 26,000 capacity Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland for their qualifying final in the opening week, News Corp are reporting the finals fixtures, when released later on Sunday, will confirm the Sharks are to host the North Queensland Cowboys in an elimination final at Allianz Stadium.
The Sharks have hosted finals in recent years, with last year's Week 1 clash against the Sydney Roosters drawing 12,842 to the capacity-limited venue. The same fixture in 2023 saw 12,567 fans, while a 2022 Week 1 final against the Cowboys drew 12,447.
The capacity of the venue has barely changed since, seeing the NRL pull the trigger on the Sharks losing hosting rights for Week 1, although eyebrows will be raised given they are playing the out-of-town Cowboys.
The Sharks hosted a Week 2 final against North Queensland in the Sydney Football Stadium in front of just 19,124 fans, which will raise questions as to the worth of the move if a similar crowd is drawn.
The Sharks have constantly held the line that, should they win hosting rights for Week 1, they should be able to host in the Shire.
It's understood the Sharks will, at least, avoid the Friday night timeslot.
It's believed the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Newcastle Knights will open the finals on Friday evening, with the Warriors to host their match on Saturday afternoon, before the Sharks play on Saturday evening. The Penrith Panthers home game, to be played at CommBank Stadium, will close the opening week of the finals.
Full fixtures are due to be released on Sunday evening.
