Cronulla Sharks enforcer Addin Fonua-Blake has been left deflated by the decision to have the club's 'home' final at Allianz Stadium this weekend.
The NRL took the decision out of the clubs' hands on where they host their finals matches, with the competition's head honchos deeming Ocean Protect Stadium unfit to host a Week 1 fixture.
'Shark Park' has been operating at limited capacity for several years now due to the development of the league's club on the eastern side of the ground, making room for only 13,500 fans to attend matches.
It's a cruel blow to the Sharks players, who constantly rise when they get to play in front of the Shire locals, but will have to relocate to Moore Park for the time being during their run in September.
The NRL will no doubt see a rise in spectators with the switch to Allianz, but the Sharks will also lose their spiritual connection to the Shire and the hostile atmosphere it creates for the Cowboys playing group.
It's left Fonua-Blake feeling like the trade-off is "a bit unfair", with the team working as hard as others to warrant an advantage.
"It's not ideal," Fonua-Blake told AAP on Monday.
"You work so hard during the year to get a home semi, and for it to be taken away, it's unfair.
"It's the incentive for finishing higher on the ladder, and to not get it, it's a bit unfair."
The NSW Blues representative admitted the Sharks will have to roll up their sleeves and get on with the job now that it's out of their hands.
"To play in front of your home crowd, it feels like you have a 14th player on the field sometimes," he said.
"It's a bit unfair, but what can you do? The call has been made above our heads.
"We've just got to cop it and get ready to go out and put in a good performance this weekend."
It brings in an intriguing argument on the advantage one-team towns have over the Sydney NRL cluster, with Manly and St George's home grounds also coming under the microscope for hosting future home matches.
ARL chairman and acting NRL executive chair Peter V'landys told AAP on Monday the NRL isn't turning its back on suburban grounds forever, but will need some progress before finals matches return.
"We're going to look at every game on its merits," said V'landys.
"We still want to try to keep the suburban grounds as much as possible.
"But when their capacity and their facilities aren't there at the standard you want, you've got to shift them.
"Unfortunately, at the moment, Shark Park, I don't think anyone can argue, isn't that facility where you're giving the fan the ultimate experience."
The Sharks will host the Cowboys at 7:50 pm on Saturday.
