“People want to see a local game of football.’’
In just nine words Wests Leagues Club Leumeah chief executive officer Tony Mathew nailed the absurdity of the State Government’s stadium policy.
But it was also an indirect dig at the failure of the NRL and the Wests Tigers to accept the reality that the joint venture club’s long term future is here in the Macarthur region if it ever wants to be truly successful.
Mr Mathew joined forces with a number of other Macarthur community leaders to express their dismay that Campbelltown Stadium was left on the sidelines when NSW Premier Mike Baird announced the bulk of $1.6 billion will be spent on stadiums near the heart of Sydney.
In other words the big end of town was served the goldmine and the south west and Macarthur once again got the shaft.
Campbelltown MP Greg Warren, Councillor Darcy Lound and solicitor Jim Marsden [who was unable to attend], along with Mr Mathew, spoke with one voice to the local media last Friday in calling on the NRL – and the Wests Tigers – to ensure that this massively growing rugby league heartland is not lost to other codes.
Mr Warren revealed he had written to Todd Greenberg, the new chief executive officer of the NRL.
“I wrote to Mr Greenberg advocating for our well-equipped Campbelltown football stadium,’’ Mr Warren said.
“In light of the recent stadium upgrade and renewal announcements throughout the Sydney metropolitan area as part of the NSW government’s stadia strategy, I took the opportunity to further bring attention to the short and long term benefits I feel Campbelltown stadium can offer to both the NRL and clubs alike.
“More specifically, further to my longstanding position that the stadium should be a more permanent fixture for West Tigers,’’ Mr Warren wrote.
He invited Mr Greenberg out here to inspect local facilities and the region generally to see for himself the massive growth under way in both housing, industrial and retail industries.
Wests club chief Tony Mathew told the Voice: “Ultimately on behalf of the community we want to see the stadium being used more frequently, that’s the ultimate goal – whether it’s Wests Tigers or other NRL teams or other codes of football, we want to see local facilities improved and supported and patronised.
“So at the end of the day the issue of infrastructure and getting to a game somewhere else is taken out of play.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“People want to see a local game of football.’’[/social_quote]
Mr Mathew also made the point that Sydney and the NRL are very different from the AFL’s Melbourne stadiums policy.
“The AFL have a centralised model primarily based upon the fact that all the suburban grounds were quite close to the CBD.
“Here in Sydney we’re that far away it’s an entirely different model, and comparisons should not be made.’’
Councillor Darcy Lound chimed in: “As a local councillor on Campbelltown City Council and heavily involved in sport I’m disappointed that we’ve been overlooked with the stadium strategy.
“The people of our community deserve better.
“We have a great facility here, Campbelltown Sports Stadium, this is the ideal place for a major stadium serving the people of Macarthur and Campbelltown, which now has regional city status,’’ Mr Lound said.
“And we hope that with further negotiations with the Wests Tigers they can realise that and the huge growth coming here,
“Plus it is a huge junior rugby league base, Wests juniors, Group 6 rugby league.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“Council definitely wants the Wests Tigers here, but council is also talking to others about the use of the stadium,’’ Mr Lound said.[/social_quote]
Mr Mathew said that, “Wests Tigers will say that they will continue to decide where to play home games for commercial reasons.
“I hope they will look at all other reasons for where they play, if they actually want a grassroots area that supports Wests Tigers and where the kids are encouraged to become Wests Tigers players.
“All these issues need to be considered rather than just looking at a balance sheet so I hope they’re not short sighted when it comes to deciding where they play,’’ Mr Mathew said.
MP Greg Warren said he agreed with Mr Mathew.
“I think Tony makes a very valid point as to the Wests Tigers corporate consideration,” the MP said.
“I believe that the club would reap a much bigger corporate benefit by committing to this region.
“That takes a commitment from Wests Tigers rugby league board, a long term commitment.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“Campbelltown and the Macarthur region is the fastest growing area possibly in the nation, and it offers strong support to rugby league, support like no other here, this is the natural home of the Magpies, one half of the joint venture of Wests Tigers,’’ Mr Warren said.[/social_quote]
“And this stadium is like no other from every point of view: where else can you get off a station 100 metres from a stadium of this standard?
“Next to the stadium is a five star club, Wests Leagues; no other stadium has the location and the facilities, including parking, so close to it.
“Millions have been spent on this stadium to make it as good as it is, so it’s ridiculous it’s so underutilised,’’ he said.
Mr Mathew agreed: “On behalf of the community I would welcome the Wests Tigers making a commitment to play more games here, absolutely,’’ he said.
“They should play more games here.
“They should have made the commitment about 10 years ago,’’ Mr Mathew said.
♦ We asked Wests Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe several questions for this story but he had not responded by the time of publication.
