The NRL have confirmed there is no agreement in place with the New South Wales government to host the 2025 NRL grand final in Sydney.
While there once was a long-term deal for the match to be held in Sydney, that was torn up over a lack of stadium funding and broken promises, with the grand final now determined on an annual basis.
Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V'Landys has previously suggested the grand final is up for sale, and that's the case again, with the authority figure telling News Corp in a report that the grand final next year is no guarantee to remain in Sydney and is currently up for sale.
“There is no deal in place,” V'landys told the publication.
“At the moment, we don't have a deal with anyone, so anything is possible.”
The Storm have been linked in recent months with making a play for the 2025 decider where the model would be that they pay the NRL a fee and then retain the profit.
It's now understood the Victorian government are also interested in bringing the NRL Grand Final to the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and Storm owner Matt Tripp has now confirmed to the publication that he would fly the flag for Melbourne, while also taking a shot at Homebush.
“If the opportunity is there to bid for the grand final to be hosted in a particular city, I would happily fly the flag for Melbourne,” Tripp said.
“I don't think Homebush is people's favourite venue and I think you could create that excitement by taking the grand final from city to city.
“It's a good model and it has worked in the US with the Super Bowl.
“I know the MCG is the spiritual home of the AFL but I don't think Homebush has the same spiritual connection with the NRL.
“You would have to put a lot of money on the table I imagine, but it would give the NRL the opportunity to showcase their product in other cities.”
The only time the NRL - or ARL - grand final has previously been held out of Sydney was in 2021 when COVID forced the entire competition to be moved to Brisbane, with the grand final on that occasion held at Suncorp Stadium.