Sydney’s Leichhardt Oval has received a lifeline, with the Albanese government announcing a joint $40 million investment into the spiritual home of the Wests Tigers.
The announcement, which was made on Friday, includes $20 million of funding from the federal government, $10 million from the NSW government and $10 million from the Inner West Council.
The Inner West Council last week voted to dedicate $10 million of Council funds towards saving the ground, with Mayor Darcy Byrne describing it at the time as “a crucial and significant step toward the rescue and rejuvenation of one of Australia’s most loved suburban grounds and a future hub of women’s sport in Sydney”.
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The additional funding from the federal government and NSW government will only further aid those plans, with plans to increase seating capacity by 3000 seats, develop an additional grandstand at the northern end of the ground and introduce new female-friendly change rooms.
Speaking on Triple M, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described it as a “fantastic upgrade” and one that is “really needed”, while adding the ground will still maintain its “character”.
“There’s nowhere better to be on an afternoon than sitting on the Wayne Pearce Hill there at Leichhardt Oval,” he said.
“It is just fabulous, the atmosphere. Even if you’re at a Bunnies-Tigers game and you’re wearing Bunnies gear, everyone gets into you, but it’s good fun and it’s the centre of the community.
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“And it’s not just for rugby league, it is for the Sydney FC women’s team are going to be playing there as well. You have kids sport, I mean, one of the highlights of my pretty ordinary rugby league career was getting to play as a school kid at Leichhardt Oval.
“And it’s a place that cherishes the memories of how you’re growing up and belonging. And for school sport, for women’s sport, it’s going to be, the centre part of the upgrade will be women’s change rooms, a new grandstand.
“It’ll keep the character. The hill will still be there, just 3000 seats, but such a fantastic upgrade and it’s really needed. If it wasn’t upgraded, the truth is the Tigers were going to leave and not play there.”
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It is a timely announcement with the Tigers set to play the Titans at Leichhardt on the weekend, while the club is also expected to announce their stadium policy for the next three years this month.
Wests Tigers chief executive Shane Richardson had called for funding support from the NSW government earlier in the year, but NSW Premier Chris Minns said it would not happen at the time, citing the state’s debt level and priority to put money into the hospital and education system.
“It’s a great rugby league ground, but it’s decayed,” Richardson said in March.
“… The reality is until there is money for it, you don’t know when it’s going to be and if it’s going to be five years away, it’ll be dead. We won’t be here.”
Panthers great Mark Geyer said on Triple M that this is a “great day for sport” in the wake of the funding announcement.
“It’s called the eighth wonder of the world for a reason, and I’m so glad this $40 million investment is going to see us still play it at Leichhardt Oval,” he said.
“These grounds, whether it’s, you know, Brookie Oval, the old Henson Park to see the Jets on a Saturday afternoon. They are just fantastic places for people to gather and feel that sense of belonging,” added Albanese.