Allianz Stadium, otherwise known as the Sydney Football Stadium, is located in Moore Park, Sydney and is owned and operated by the Sydney Cricket Ground trust. Built in 1988 alongside the Sydney Cricket Ground, the SFS was constructed to be Sydney’s premier rectangular sporting field and is one of the best places today to watch a game of rugby league.
The Sydney Roosters have called the stadium home since 1988, after it was built on top of their original home ground, the Sydney Sports Ground. The Roosters are not the only team to have played home matches at the SFS, with the likes of the Rabbitohs, Dragons and Wests Tigers also calling the ground home at one stage or another during their existence. The ground is also the current home of the Waratahs in the Super 15, and Sydney FC in the A-league.
The first NSWRL Grand Final was played at the SFS in 1988, where, after a move away from the traditional Grand Final venue of the Sydney Cricket Ground, 40,000 fans would see the Bulldogs defeat the Balmain Tigers. The ground would go on to host another 11 Grand Finals. As well as State of Origin matches, NRL Grand Finals would be moved from the Moore Park venue to the larger Sydney Olympic stadium in Homebush. The last Grand Final at the venue would pit the Canterbury Bulldogs up against the Broncos in 1998, with the team from Brisbane winning comfortably.
The stadium is still frequently used in NRL finals matches, predominately for Sydney clubs who want to attract a bigger crowd than their suburban grounds can offer. Many fans of rugby league believe that the stadium provides a much better viewing experience than that of the larger ANZ Stadium, with the rectangular shape and seating design allowing fans to feel like they are right on top of the action.
