Isaiah Papali’i, the second-rower for the Tigers, expressed his sadness at the prospect of the team being forced to leave Leichhardt Oval due to unsuccessful attempts by management to secure funding for ground upgrades.
Despite this, Tigers players seem resigned to the fact that they may not have a say in whether the club continues to host games at the beloved, albeit dilapidated, inner-west venue. On Tuesday, NSW Premier Chris Minns rejected a request from the Tigers and Inner West Council to allocate 10 percent of funding from Penrith’s stadium upgrade towards refurbishing Leichhardt.
Previously, Chief Executive Shane Richardson had cautioned that the Tigers might relocate from Leichhardt if their requests were not met, with the venue currently scheduled to host five out of twelve home games this year.
The potential relocation would signify the conclusion of the Tigers’ 90-year affiliation with the venue, which commenced with the hosting of Balmain’s first-grade games in 1934.
As of now, the Tigers have not formally declared whether they will follow through on their ultimatum, which came just days after the club achieved a 32-6 upset victory over Cronulla at Leichhardt.
Expressing his sentiments, Papali’i remarked, “It would be disheartening if it happened.” He emphasized the venue’s rich history, stating, “It holds a lot of significance. Many of us grew up playing important matches there, creating lasting memories.”
Currently, Leichhardt lacks sufficient changing rooms to accommodate double-header matches for both men and women, and often experiences lengthy queues for food and drinks during NRL events.
Following Saturday’s triumph over the Sharks, new recruit Jayden Sullivan remained on the field conversing with Tigers supporters for nearly thirty minutes. He observed the deep emotional attachment the fans have for Leichhardt.
“They were incredibly welcoming and approachable. It was effortless to engage in conversations with everyone,” Sullivan remarked.
However, both Sullivan and Papali’i affirmed their readiness to compete wherever necessary and acknowledged their limited influence if the Tigers decide to depart from their traditional home ground.
“We can’t control it,” Sullivan stated. “My opinion on the matter would likely differ from someone else’s if I were tasked with making the decision for the club.”
This year, the Tigers are scheduled to play five home games at Campbelltown Stadium. If Leichhardt becomes unavailable, options for hosting fixtures from 2025 include CommBank Stadium and Accor Stadium.
