The Cronulla Sharks claim they are ready to host a finals match in the opening week of the knockout rounds if they qualify in fifth or sixth spot.
While it's anything but a guarantee with a week to play, the Sharks are one of a bunch of teams in the mix to host one of the elimination finals.
In Zero Tackle's weekly run home series, the Sharks dropped a spot this weekend after a surprise loss at Kogarah to the St George Illawarra Dragons over the weekend, but are still tipped to finish in sixth place.
That will be enough to host a home elimination final, with current forecasts suggesting the out of town Dolphins could be their opposition.
That will almost undoubtedly lead to renewed interest in whether teams should be able to host Week 1 finals at their own suburban grounds.
Current NRL rules have that being the case, with NRL sides at one point stripped of that right before small crowds at major stadiums saw the policy change back to what it was previously - suburban grounds in Week 1.
Sharks CEO Dino Mezzatesta has confirmed to The Sydney Morning Herald that the club will host in Week 1 at Sharks Stadium if they are able to earn the right, and also confirmed upgrade money has been requested.
“If we're good enough to qualify for a home final in week one, it will be here at Sharks Stadium,” Mezzatesta said.
“The ground has met all the requirements to host NRL games, and it will be no different for the first week of the finals.
“We can seat around 15,000 fans, which is actually up on last year when we could accommodate around 13,000 fans.
“Every other club has received some sort of funding for stadium upgrades or a Centre of Excellence, but we have received nothing. We'll keep making the argument we deserve funding like everyone else."
The Sharks have had construction work around the stadium for a number of years now, limiting the capacity.
Earlier this year, the club finally confirmed their new leagues club had been approved for construction, and while there is no formal expected completion date public for that, or the Woolooware Bay Town Centre, which is being built around the stadium, the club will be hoping to have access to their entire stadium again in the coming years.
The upgrade money requested would then be used to improve facilities, the playing surface and potentially the seating capacity of the outdated stadium that opened in 1960 and, at full capacity, would house 22,000 fans.
That figure of 22,000 puts it on par or ahead of most other suburban Sydney grounds.
Cronulla host the Gold Coast Titans this weekend before a Round 25 bye, with matches at home against the Newcastle Knights and away against the Canterbury Bulldogs to round out the season.
They likely only need one more win to secure a top-eight spot, while they remain a mathematical possibility of qualifying for the top four.
Delusional bunch of morons, you wont even make the 8 and if you do you are wasting your supporters time and money, i for one have given up on this useles coach and team.