The Rabbitohs will likely stay at Accor Stadium in season 2023 despite best efforts from the club's top brass to shift the side to Moore Park.
The brand new Allianz Stadium (also known as Sydney Football Stadium) was only completed a few weeks ago but has already played host to the Bunnies' final game of the season and elimination final - both against the Sydney Roosters in front of enormous crowds.
However, negotiations with the NSW State Government are reportedly not looking favourable in terms of the club's bid to call the stadium home from 2023 onwards.
Speaking toย The Daily Telegraph,ย South Sydney CEO Blake Solly took aim at arch-enemies Sydney Roosters as they look to disrupt their sole tenancy at the Moore Park ground.
"Contrary to what some people say and think, the stadium is owned by the people of NSW - not any one individual," Solly said.
"If the Government doesn't have plans to upgrade Accor then we will continue to fight to play in the stadium the taxpayers of NSW have just invested $800m in.
"It's clear from the first two games we have played there that it's a great stadium."
The Bunnies' current home Accor Stadium was built in preparation for the 2000 Olympics with a capacity of 82,000 for league games, however, has received seldom upgrades in recent times.
2015 saw the State Government make vague plans to put a retractable roof over the stadium as a part of a huge upgrade to Sydney's collection of stadiums.
It was proposed in 2017 that the stadium would be demolished and rebuilt, however, those plans were discarded by then Premier Gladys Berejiklian in favour of an $800 million refurbishment of the structure.
Despite the pledge, the pandemic put a stop to those plans in mid-2020, meaning that Accor Stadium has remained largely untouched since its opening in 1999.
Across town, the paint has barely finished drying on the state-of-the-art Allianz Stadium and it seems Souths fans are falling in love with what they hope will be their new home in the next couple of years.
The ground only boasts half the capacity of Accor Stadium, however, its placement in South Sydney and the fact that it sits on a light rail line means that it is much more accessible for Rabbitohs faithful.
Although both fans and club alike are raring to base themselves there, it seems that Solly's best efforts will be in vain should his comments be believed, meaning that 2024 now may be the year that they make the switch.
"We are still in discussions with the Government and don't know whether we will be in a position to finalise those discussions for next season," the chief executive said.
"I was speaking to some of our 'Burrow' (supporters group) at training and they were still raving about the atmosphere the stadium created last Sunday and that it was the best since the 2014 grand final.
"If the Government won't invest in Accor then it's only right that we are able to play games at the facility with the best experience for our members and fans."
Souths elimination final triumph against hopeful SFS co-tenants and arch-rivals Roosters was chaotic for so many reasons as Jason Demetriou's side reversed the Round 25 result.
The match saw a league-record seven sin-binnings, with Rabbitohs centre Taane Milne and Rooster Victor Radley both being sent twice throughout the 80 minutes as Souths ran out 30-14 winners.
Demetriou's men face the Sharks in another do-or-die semi-final clash at Allianz Stadium again on Saturday night, as they look to do a number on Craig Fitzgibbon's side following their narrow 30-32 loss to the Cowboys last Saturday.
