MELBOURNE’S masterful State of Origin hosting has ­ignited calls to steal Sydney’s biggest sporting event — the NRL grand final.

Sports Minister John Eren said the bold bid to hijack the rugby league showpiece made sense after a record Origin crowd of 91,513 packed the MCG, far from the game’s heartland, on Wednesday.

“We want every event that’s worth having,’’ he said.

“The NRL grand final would be right at home in Melbourne.

“We have the greatest stadium of all and a grand final atmosphere like no other. All we need are the goalposts.”

BOTH GRAND FINALS BELONG HERE

Committee for Melbourne chief Kate Roffey said Victoria had the gall, expertise and facilities to pinch the NRL showpiece from Sydney.

“We could steal the NRL grand final — and certainly if (Melbourne) Storm were in it,’’ she said.

“We could definitely put it on, it would be a hard ask getting it from NSW but we certainly could.’’

Experts say Melbourne should stage a host of massive sporting events, including NBA basketball, Major-league baseball, NHL ice hockey and the first NFL gridiron game on Australian soil.

A golf major, more matches with English Premier League soccer sides and even a sumo wrestling bout have been added to the shopping list of events movers and shakers want brought here.

Having poached the Formula One Grand Prix from Adelaide in the past, Victoria is also prowling the pride and joy events of neighbouring states to further embellish our bulging sports calendar.

Ms Roffey said foreign teams were interested in Melbourne because of its strong sports credentials and the city’s sights should be set on big-ticket US sports.

“We might as well think big,’’ she said.

“I definitely think a genuine leg of a golf major, whether it’s European or the US, would work and bringing out two NBA teams.

“The NFL I think would go off here in Melbourne because of our love of football generally and would definitely fill a stadium with people interested.’’

Premier Daniel Andrews said Melbourne wanted more and vowed that Victoria would be “relentless’’ in luring “big events, the big projects, the big investments’’ under his leadership.

“We won’t rest in keeping Victoria number one and I issue this warning: if you have a major event worth taking, we’re coming for it,’’ he said.

An NBA match has currency, with Melbourne’s Andrew Bogut winning a championship with the Golden State Warriors against a Cleveland team featuring Maryborough’s Matthew Dellavedova during the week.

Melburnian Dante Exum, of Utah Jazz, and Canberra-born Patty Mills, of San Antonio Spurs, also play in the NBA, and Australia has the highest number of digital subscribers to the league outside the US. Meanwhile, a Rugby union Test between Australia and England at AAMI Park next year was announced on Friday, adding to the city’s sporting mix of Australian Open tennis, Grand Prix, AFL and A-League seasons, Moto­GP and Spring Carnival.

peter.rolfe@news.com.au

Twitter: @rolfep

Originally published as We want your grand final NRL