What is the greatest ground in RL history?

[The Hallucinating Goose]

I was talking to a friend yesterday that I haven't seen for ages and they informed me they are going on a business trip to Australia and while there they would be taking in some of the women's football world cup. One of the games they will be going to is the England v Haiti game which is being held at Lang Park. 

They are not a RL fan and so I told them how jealous I was and how much I'd love to go to Lang Park and promptly offered them a quick history of Lang Park and explained its significance and standing in RL. It is certainly one stadium I have on my bucket list of stadiums to visit before I die though I don't know that I will ever get the opportunity. 

This got me thinking, what ground resonates through the sports history? Which ground has had the most iconic moments in the sport? Which ground was the most exciting to visit and watch a game from the terraces? Which ground just says RL to any casual sports fan? Essentially, which ground is the greatest in RL history? 

[north yorks trinity]

Odsal...unfortunately!

[gingerjon]

24 minutes ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

what ground resonates through the sports history? 

In terms of 'everyone knows this ground and what moments it has had' then it's probably the old Wembley.

[Pete Grady]

Huyton, a unique experience and state of the art.

Sadly missed.

[DACS]

Suncorp isn't Lang Park. The old Lang Park was a suprisingly small dump.

The most historic grounds are probably those in use the longest. Headingley since 1890, Mount Pleasant is even older (1880s?).

[Anita Bath]

13 minutes ago, Pete Grady said:

Huyton, a unique experience and state of the art.

Sadly missed.

As were the hub caps that disappeared while at the game

[Anita Bath]

8 minutes ago, DACS said:

Suncorp isn't Lang Park. The old Lang Park was a suprisingly small dump.

The most historic grounds are probably those in use the longest. Headingley since 1890, Mount Pleasant is even older (1880s?).

Small dump? It was iconic long before the renovations in advance of RWC 2003 and hosted major games of league, union and soccer codes that attracted crowds of 30,000-40,000.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

1 hour ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

I was talking to a friend yesterday that I haven't seen for ages and they informed me they are going on a business trip to Australia and while there they would be taking in some of the women's football world cup. One of the games they will be going to is the England v Haiti game which is being held at Lang Park. 

They are not a RL fan and so I told them how jealous I was and how much I'd love to go to Lang Park and promptly offered them a quick history of Lang Park and explained its significance and standing in RL. It is certainly one stadium I have on my bucket list of stadiums to visit before I die though I don't know that I will ever get the opportunity. 

This got me thinking, what ground resonates through the sports history? Which ground has had the most iconic moments in the sport? Which ground was the most exciting to visit and watch a game from the terraces? Which ground just says RL to any casual sports fan? Essentially, which ground is the greatest in RL history? 

SCG is iconic and fancy going when it's full one day 

For occasions Wembley does have a bit of magic....

OT is the antithesis of special and amazing 

[Damien]

1 hour ago, gingerjon said:

In terms of 'everyone knows this ground and what moments it has had' then it's probably the old Wembley.

It obviously had its faults but there was something truly magical about going to the old Wembley and the atmosphere was something else.

Edited July 4, 2023 by Damien

[north yorks trinity]

56 minutes ago, DACS said:

The most historic grounds are probably those in use the longest. Headingley since 1890, Mount Pleasant is even older (1880s?).

I like both of those grounds. Wakefield Trinity's Belle Vue has been in use since the late 1870s and I think I heard it is the oldest professional sports (or rugby??) ground in the world. I'm delighted Wakey are redeveloping it rather than moving.

[Anita Bath]

37 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

SCG is iconic and fancy going when it's full one day 

For occasions Wembley does have a bit of magic....

OT is the antithesis of special and amazing 

SCG no longer hosts league….used by Roosters while the footy stadium next door was being rebuilt.

I managed to get to Roosters v Warriors at SCG last season…a big disappointment…no atmosphere with 10,000 spread thinly around the ground and of course all of those well away from the action.

 

Very different for AFL and Ashes Test Matches of course.

[gingerjon]

9 minutes ago, Damien said:

It obviously had its faults but there was something truly magical about going to the old Wembley and the atmosphere was something else.

It was suitably ostentatious and impractical whereas the rebuild is just impractical.

[Wolford6]

Odsal, because of its capacity and history.

My favourite other ground is Station Road, Swinton. A very sad loss to the game.

Best view and close to the touchlines? Has to be Fartown.

 

What we get with new grounds are ersatz soccer stadiums. Nice grounds but few individual quirks. The best of these is at Warrington, where there is a terrace along the touchline.

[Fevrover]

35 minutes ago, north yorks trinity said:

I like both of those grounds. Wakefield Trinity's Belle Vue has been in use since the late 1870s and I think I heard it is the oldest professional sports (or rugby??) ground in the world. I'm delighted Wakey are redeveloping it rather than moving.

I agree and always said Wakefield and  Castleford should 'do' their grounds up. History is there and not soulless like most of the new ones. 

[Damien]

29 minutes ago, Anita Bath said:

SCG no longer hosts league….used by Roosters while the footy stadium next door was being rebuilt.

There's still games played there other than just during the rebuild, with many over the last couple of decades. Indeed the Roosters are playing there a couple of times in the next few weeks against Melbourne on the 15th July and Manly on the 3rd August.

[Chronicler of Chiswick]

Has to be the old Wembley- it might have been a bit tatty and the Gents could match the River Caves for sheer awfulness if it was a warm day but the atmosphere was unbeatable. At club level I still miss McClaren Field, Bramley's pad, even after all these years.

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, Pete Grady said:

Huyton, a unique experience and state of the art.

Sadly missed.

I’m extremely disappointed to find that Alt Park doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page. I once went to watch Knowsley United v South Liverpool there, what a dump. 

[Damien]

As a Wigan fan I have to mention Central Park. It was a special place and had a fantastic atmosphere with a good crowd on. 37k v Manly was just electric and a night never to be forgotten. It also had the perfect mix of sitting and standing and was in a great location.

Walking past going to College we would often wander in for a look around and just walk around the place in awe. Then you'd just bump into someone like Martin Offiah coming back from a warm up jog. Great times and a great place.

Edited July 4, 2023 by Damien

[BadlyOverdrawnBoy]

54 minutes ago, Wolford6 said:

My favourite other ground is Station Road, Swinton. A very sad loss to the game.

My lasting memory is the urinal under the main stand, which consisted of a continuous wooden trough going right around the room and emptying into a grid in the corner. At half time the flow to the grid rivalled Niagara. And the atmosphere was unforgettable.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

1 hour ago, Anita Bath said:

SCG no longer hosts league….used by Roosters while the footy stadium next door was being rebuilt.

I managed to get to Roosters v Warriors at SCG last season…a big disappointment…no atmosphere with 10,000 spread thinly around the ground and of course all of those well away from the action.

 

Very different for AFL and Ashes Test Matches of course.

Was thinking more for the Ashes actually 

I think for league SunCorp stadium always amazing when it's full for the big Brisbane games or Origin .... Want to do that in my life one day

[Jim from Oz]

As a totally biased North Sydney Bears fan, enjoying the winter sunshine while sitting on the hill at North Sydney Oval back in the day was truly magnificent.

[OnStrike]

49 minutes ago, Fevrover said:

I agree and always said Wakefield and  Castleford should 'do' their grounds up. History is there and not soulless like most of the new ones. 

Agree 100%. These places (old football and rugby league grounds) mean something to fans. The way some of them have been lost is cultural vandalism 

[Anita Bath]

51 minutes ago, Damien said:

There's still games played there other than just during the rebuild, with many over the last couple of decades. Indeed the Roosters are playing there a couple of times in the next few weeks against Melbourne on the 15th July and Manly on the 3rd August.

True, FIFA have taken over the footy stadium for the womens world cup.

[Chrispmartha]

The Old Wembley whilst a dump was amazing I can still remember my first visit, going up Wembley Way then just the sheer size and noise of the ground!

 

My other favourite RL grounds

Headingley, Obvs   Joking aside and I know the issues with the Western terrace (which personally I like because it has retained it's character, I think the redeveloped Headingley is a really great and unique sporting Venue.

Leichhardt Oval - Such a great quirky ground sat on the hill watching RL with a Beer is just a great experience.

Odsal - not how it is now sadly but during the Bulls hey Day late 90s early 00s the atmosphere and game day experience at the Leeds Bradford derbies was electric.

Someone mentioned the SCG, its a great ground but its absolutely terrible for watching RL in, Cricket yes RL no.

[Impartial Observer]

2 hours ago, Anita Bath said:

As were the hub caps that disappeared while at the game

If it were only the hub caps missing you took that as a win 

When I went there I parked my car and a local scally came up to me and said 'look after your car for a fiver mister'.  I said 'thanks but Im leaving my dog in it he will make sure it is not touched.' As he walked away he said 'can the dog put out fires?'