Former Brisbane Broncos star Darren Lockyer has surprisingly thrown his support behind the Penrith Panthers in claiming the Queensland-based outfit earned an unfair advantage in being able to play their preliminary final at home.
While it has been well known for years that only certain grounds are suitable when it comes to Week 3 of the finals, Penrith jumped onto the front foot this week, claiming the Broncos should also have to move their Week 3 finals game.
It comes with Penrith preparing for Friday night's preliminary final against Craig Bellamy and the Melbourne Storm at Homebush's Accor Stadium. Penrith's usual home ground only holds a tick over 20,000 fans. Accor Stadium holds over 80,000.
Penrith also could have opted to move the game to Allianz Stadium, with a crowd of around 40,000 expected for the Friday night blockbuster.
The Broncos, on the other hand, will front up for their preliminary final at Suncorp Stadium where they played 14 of their 24 games this season before running over the top of the Storm 26-0 in a qualifying final during Week 1 of the finals.
Speaking on Channel 9 though, Lockyer suggested the Panthers do have a legitimate complaint given how big the advantage for the Broncos is playing at home, and how big it would otherwise be for the Panthers to play the Storm at the foot of the mountains instead of the former Olympic Stadium.
"Well, yes. There is no doubt the Broncos get an advantage playing at Suncorp," Lockyer said on Channel 9 when asked if Penrith's complaint over the finals venue was legitimate.
"The Warriors got that advantage last week playing at home. The only team that has lost at home was the Sharks in the finals campaign so it is a huge advantage.
"We look at what Suncorp does for a Queensland team and I have no doubt that the performance they had against the Storm, the Broncos, a lot of credit for that would go to the atmosphere in the crowd. I think there is a legitimate argument there."
Penrith have played each of their Week 3 finals at the Homebush venue in recent years during an unprecedented reign of success, with the club looking to make their fourth straight grand final and win a third straight premiership.
Ivan Cleary's side has had little to no issue using the Homebush venue, but has had an exceptional record at Penrith over the last four seasons, losing just 4 of their last 39 games there.
