Victoria 'talking to the NRL' about grand final

Victorian Sports Minister Martin Pakula has confirmed his authorities is "happy to person a conversation" with the NRL implicit whether Melbourne would beryllium a suitable venue to big the expansive final.

With New South Wales' existent lockdown extended until astatine slightest August 28, which follows different time of much than 200 confirmed COVID-19 cases, Sydney's hopes of hosting the expansive last stay a agelong shot.

The aforesaid script besides applies to Brisbane, with south-east Queensland presently nether a drawback lockdown. The authorities contiguous recorded 13 section COVID-19 cases.

As a result, Melbourne's iconic MCG has emerged arsenic a imaginable big venue, and it present has the afloat enactment of the Victorian authorities which contiguous confirmed it's blessed to beryllium down with the NRL and sermon it.

MCG hosting State of Origin (Getty)

"I haven't had discussions [with the NRL], I've exchanged substance messages with Peter V'landys," Pakula said.

"I cognize the squad astatine Visit Victoria are talking to the NRL.

"Peter I deliberation indicated yesterday that they're astir apt looking astatine NSW oregon Queensland arsenic their adjacent priority, but they are blessed to person a speech with us.

"I deliberation from our perspective, we would bespeak to the NRL that we would beryllium disposable for a conversation, but we're not getting into a bidding warfare with the Queensland authorities implicit this.

"If the NRL comes to america and says look we don't deliberation Sydney is an enactment and Brisbane isn't an option, and they privation to speech to america astir the MCG oregon Marvel Stadium, past we're acceptable to person that conversation."

Another large protagonist of the NRL expansive last moving to Melbourne is Storm manager Craig Bellamy, who said the determination down southbound would bash wonders for the code.

Storm manager Craig Bellamy watches implicit a grooming session. (Getty)

"That would beryllium large for the codification successful Melbourne if we had the expansive last determination whether we are successful it oregon not," Bellamy said.

"Being the Melbourne Storm manager it is simply a beauteous breathtaking announcement it mightiness happen.

"Our biggest relation is to effort and get there. If that happens and it is played successful Melbourne, that would beryllium great.

"But adjacent if we didn't marque it, it would beryllium a existent changeable successful the limb for Melbourne."

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