NRL Press Conference
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 03: Australian Rugby League Commission Chairman Peter V'landys speaks to the media during a NRL press conference at Rugby League Central on September 03, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

ARLC Chairman Peter V'landys has set a deadline for his decision on the Grand Final venue, and is set to announce where the 2022 decider will be held by the end of this week.

V'landys and NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet have clashed heads this week over the reallocation of funds initially pencilled in for stadium upgrades in the state, escalating to the point where the NRL is considering court room action over the handshake deal.

Accor Stadium in Homebush was slotted in for a massive rebuild, which included the addition of a retractable roof to take the 'weather factor' out of play. However, COVID ensured the $800 million renovations were delayed, the NSW Government eventually allocating some of the funds to suburban grounds.

Perrottet and V'landys met earlier this season, talking turkey over the $300 million upgrades for BlueBet Stadium in Penrith, as well as the allocation of $250 million for suburban grounds in New South Wales.

However, while keeping the planned Penrith upgrade on the schedule, the NSW Premier has now scrapped plans for suburban grounds to be renovated, instead using the money towards rebuilding efforts following the July floods.

Following Perrottet's public claim that he answers to the people of NSW and not V'landys, the ARLC Chairman has fired back at the Premier.

"I have never asked him to be answerable to me. I have asked him to honour an agreement" V'landys told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"You can't cherrypick which ones you offer and which ones you don't.

"If someone had a contract to buy your house, you would expect them to go through with the sale."

The dispute has led to V'landys threatening to pull the NRL Grand Final from Sydney and give it to Brisbane, despite an agreement that has locked the decider in Sydney through to the end of 2042.

Understandably, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has welcomed the prospect with open arms, following the 2021 Grand Final at Suncorp Stadium during the NSW lockdown.

2021 NRL Grand Final - Panthers v Rabbitohs
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 03: Nathan Cleary of the Panthers celebrates with Matt Burton of the Panthers after he scored a try during the 2021 NRL Grand Final match between the Penrith Panthers and the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium on October 03, 2021, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

The NRL isn't chasing the Accor upgrades to be completed, however they have requested $550 million including the Penrith renovations, V'landys recognising the $250 million he'd be saving the government.

"We're technically asking for less money. He is using a human tragedy with the floods to spin it.

"This is about the fifth excuse. And that's why to me it's not credible.

"When you consider the amount of the overall budget, it is minuscule spend."

The NRL are still exploring legal options over whether they can take the NSW Government to court over the reneged handshake agreements, as well as seeking which path to go down if they did decide to relocate the Grand Final.

Despite the requested figure, V'landys has not requested the Panthers' $300 million renovation fund to be split between other suburban venues, and is reportedly more than happy for those upgrades to continue as planned.