By Matt Cleary
THE Easter Bunny and a colony of giant ones from South Sydney are coming to Accor Stadium this Good Friday where a pack of guard dogs from Canterbury will defend ‘their’ house.
On Easter Monday there’ll be a second helping of rugby league action when Wests Tigers play host to Parramatta Eels in a Western Sydney derby both teams – and their legions of fans – will be frothing to win.
The traditional Easter fixtures at the family-friendly time of 4pm kick-off are, as ever, expected to attract two of the biggest regular-season NRL crowds in Sydney this year as many fans enjoy the Royal Easter Show before making their way to the former Olympic Stadium for the footy.
Important: with 100,000 people expected in Sydney Olympic Park on both days, planning ahead is highly advised.
Desperate Derby: Tigers to Host Eels on Easter Monday
The first Easter Monday match was played between Wests Tigers and Parramatta Eels in 2014 and attracted 50,688 fans to Accor Stadium.
In 2019 the game was played at CommBank Stadium when the Eels christened #PARRAdise with a famous 51-6 flogging of the Tigers.
Last season Wests Tigers had their revenge with a 21-20 win in a CommBank Stadium sell-out.
The teams have played eight matches on Easter Monday for four wins each.
The teams have one win in 10 games between them this season. The teams have very good players, yet questions abound . . .
Can John Bateman and Api Koroisau ignite the Tigers?
Who will run harder: David Klemmer at Reagan Campbell-Gillard? Or Reagan Campbell-Gillard at David Klemmer?
Will Maika Sivo be motivated by the spray he received from inspirational Eels captain, Clint Gutherson, during an ordinary outing against Sydney Roosters last Thursday night?
And if it comes down to it, who of the mercurial yet maligned halves quartet of Mitchell Moses, Luke Brooks, Dylan Brown or Adam Doueihi might lift their club out of their early-season slump with a match-winning pass, 40/20 or field goal?
From 4pm on Monday we’ll find out.
Easter Monday Hot Tips
- The match is a Wests Tigers home game and club Members will have access via digital or physical membership cards. HOWEVER: Wests Tigers Members MUST redeem their tickets online via Ticketek. Member cards will not scan at the gates.
- Enter the barcode found on their physical or digital Membership card into the password section and click ‘Unlock Tickets’. Read full information on our event page.
- Eels Members do not have access to this ‘away’ game, and therefore must purchase a valid ticket.
- Parking is SOLD OUT. Do not drive to Sydney Olympic Park unless you have pre-booked parking.
- Take advantage of the fact ALL match-day tickets and Accor Stadium Memberships include return travel to and from Olympic Park on public transport, including Sydney Buses, Major Event Buses, Sydney Trains, Metro and Light Rail.
- Visit transport.info for more information on transport arrangements for this match and to plan your trip.
- It is highly recommended that patrons pre-purchase tickets online via Ticketek before arriving at the Stadium.
- Plan travel ahead of time and arrive early to the precinct.
- Gates open at 1:25pm ahead of the 1:40pm kick-off of the NSW Cup game.
- Easter Show Bags welcome!
Great Good Friday: Dogs to Guard House Against Rabbits from the South
The NRL’s Good Friday match has been running since 2012 and has averaged crowds of 36,000. The largest crowd was in 2013 when 51,686 fans saw Souths win 17-12.
The two famous clubs have provided stellar entertainment since.
There was a Golden Point win to Canterbury (2014), a 38-nil thrashing by Souths (2021) and the infamous Night of the Bottles when 40,523 fans saw Souths win a passionate affair 18-17 in 2015.
The match-ups on Friday are mouth-watering.
Matt Burton’s super-bombs versus the all-action manouevres of Cody Walker.
Englishmen Ryan Sutton (Dogs) and Tom Burgess (Rabbits) will rip in up front as compatriots James Graham and Sam Burgess famously did in the 2014 Grand Final at this very ground.
Hooker Reed Mahoney has been outstanding for the Bulldogs and will likely appear in the Maroon of Queensland opposite South Sydney and NSW Blues veteran Damien Cook.
There’s also Latrell Mitchell. And that guy can do anything.
Except, maybe, run down Josh Addo-Carr, the flying excitement machine who has scored 20 tries in his last 15 games at Accor Stadium, including a record six in one game when playing for Melbourne Storm – against the Rabbitohs.
Should be a cracker.
Good Friday Hot Tips
- The match is a Bulldogs home game but both clubs’ Members will have access via digital or physical membership cards.
- Bulldogs Members will sit on the West; Souths Members on the East (the railway side of the Stadium).
- Precinct parking is SOLD OUT. Do not drive to Sydney Olympic Park unless you have pre-booked parking.
- Take advantage of the fact ALL match-day and Members tickets (including Accor Stadium Members) include return travel to and from Olympic Park on public transport, including Sydney Buses, Major Event Buses, Sydney Trains, Metro and Light Rail.
- Visit transport.info for more information on transport arrangements for this match and to plan your trip.
- It is highly recommended that patrons pre-purchase tickets online via Ticketek before arriving at the Stadium.
- Plan travel ahead of time and arrive early to the precinct.
- Gates open at 1:25pm ahead of the 1:40pm kick-off of the NSW Cup game.
- Easter Show Bags are welcome!
