THE NRL is lobbying Premier Mike Baird to build a new 65,000-seat Allianz Stadium at Moore Park, making it Sydney’s pre-eminent sports arena instead of Sydney Olympic Park’s ANZ.

The word is that NRL chief Dave Smith is also urging the government to consider building a new 40,000-seat, fully-roofed stadium at Parramatta.

These moves would spell the death knell for the former Olympic stadium, which is hoping the government will fund about $250 million of its $350 million redevelopment plan released this week.

In a sign the NRL will be a serious player in Sydney’s stadium battle, a well-placed source has revealed that Smith is giving the Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust $750,000 to fund half of a new “concept design evaluation” for Allianz.

Work on the study has apparently already begun, assessing two options: refurbishing the existing Allianz stadium with between 45,000 and 55,000 seats or demolishing it and building a new 65,000-seat facility.

Smith has told NRL club officials the government should take a 50-year view when deciding how to invest hundreds of millions of dollars modernising Sydney’s out-of-date stadiums.

“It’s really a once in a lifetime opportunity and he wants to make sure Sydney gets it right,’’ one source said.

media_camera Under threat — NRL chief Dave Smith isn’t a fan of ANZ Stadium.

media_camera Field of Dreams — ANZ Stadium unveiled a $350m redevelopment plan.

Smith is believed to have advised the Premier the government should consider Sydney’s sporting infrastructure as a “network of stadiums” and avoid “putting lipstick on pigs”.

He has been telling sports powerbrokers that the most successful football stadiums are purpose-built, rectangular arenas; located near existing commercial hubs; and well-serviced by transport, preferably heavy rail.

media_camera NRL chief executive Dave Smith. media_camera Sport Minister Stuart Ayres.

If you were starting from scratch, Smith argues, the biggest stadium would be located as close as possible to the CBD, like Melbourne’s sporting precinct, with a mid-tier stadium in Sydney’s mid-west and a third venue built further west once the Western Sydney airport project is well underway.

While he believes ANZ CEO Daryl Kerry has delivered the best redevelopment plan possible, he believes ANZ lacks atmosphere, with spectators too far away from the sidelines.

Sport Minister Stuart Ayres has also been in close contact for Smith over the past six months.

One source said the NRL has compared ANZ to Suncorp Stadium and found the worst seat in Brisbane is 45 metres closer to the action than at Homebush.

media_camera South Sydney's Greg Inglis during the 2014 NRL Grand Final at ANZ Stadium.

The NRL declined to comment yesterday its views are important as Sydney’s NRL teams are the biggest stadium tenants.

The leaders of ANZ’s two main tenants, the South Sydney Rabbitohs’ Shane Richardson and Canterbury Bulldogs’ Raelene Castle spokes enthusiastically about ANZ’s redevelopment plan this week. Under the plan, sports fans would be able to sit within 5 metres of the action at each end of the ground. The stadium would also be surrounded by a dynamic entertainment zone filled with bars, cafes and restaurants.

media_camera Bulldogs CEO Raelene Castle is a fan of the ANZ redevelopment plan.

The NRL is responsible for staging roughly 100 premiership games in Sydney a year. At the moment, about 20 games are being played at Allianz, 30 games at ANZ and the other 50 in smaller venues.

Smith may make the point that the NRL would be able to convince clubs to play many more games in two main stadiums if it was confident fans would embrace “the game-day experience”.

MASERATI-LOVING FAIRFAX CROWD ATTACKS COASTIES

media_camera Cartoonist Warren Brown’s take on Fairfax boss Greg “Maserati” Hywood.

While Fairfax editors gallivant around the globe in search of readers, their arrogance on the home front continues to alienate communities.

The Sydney Morning Herald editor Darren Goodsir is enjoying a two-week “study tour” across America with five Fairfax colleagues.

From San Francisco to New York, the globetrotters are hunting for “digital trends” while, I hope, also finding decent restaurants each evening to compare notes.

No doubt Goodsir, whose travelling buddies include online editor Conal Hanna and news director Judith Whelan, will also seek some advice from The New York Times on how to win friends and influence people in the Jewish community after his recent woes.

Back home, CEO Greg “Maserati” Hywood’s parrot, gossip columnist Joe Aston, has been doing his best to make sure no one on the Central Coast ever reads a Fairfax paper or website.

media_camera Kim Williams found fault with a Joe Aston story.

Aston — a junket specialist and experienced apology writer who has just returned home after wandering through Italy and Israel — this week poured scorn on Central Coast residents and The Daily Telegraph’s campaign to upgrade Gosford’s hospital and build a new university.

“What degrees would they offer there?’’ Aston mocked. “A bachelor of spelling? A course-based masters in shoplifting?”

One Herald staffer told me: “I guess we aren’t looking for any readers among all those commuters on the Central Coast.’’

Aston, who works at The Australian Financial Review, may be seeking revenge on his stablemates at the Herald after they broke ranks and published a long apology to former Opera House chairman Kim Williams, accepting that many facets of a story written by Aston were incorrect. Fairfax ended up paying Williams $95,000 plus legal costs.

Meanwhile, the Maserati-driving Hywood loves his $140,000 wheels so much he’s now flogging the them. The Herald ran a front-page ad yesterday for the Italian-made luxury vehicles.

MOVING CHAIRS AT SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

media_camera Outgoing Sydney Opera House chairman John Symond at his Point Piper home with his art collection.

Is the hardworking Sydney Opera House CEO Louise Herron a chairman slayer?

That’s the question on the lips of Sydney’s chatty arts scene in the wake of Aussie John Symond’s decision to leave the building after just over a year in the big chair.

Symond’s exit followed the messy departure of his predecessor, clarinetist Kim Williams, late last year.

“John had no idea how much work he was getting himself in for,’’ a source close to Symond said. “He was getting calls from Louise twice a day. She is focused and intense.’’

media_camera Sydney Opera House CEO Louise Herron.

The Aussie Home Loans founder has blamed his increasing overseas business commitments for his decision to stand down.

Arts Minister Troy Grant needs a replacement quick as there’s plenty of work to do, with millions of dollars needed to be raised to fix up the old house.

Big names being bandied about include savvy ex-Howard government minister Helen Coonan, who has been a trustee for three years, and super-connected arts philanthropist and company director David Gonski. Gonski has confided to friends he would be up for the challenge.

PETROL FUMES CONSOLE PAUL MURRAY

media_camera Sky News’ Paul Murray gets a petrol hit as a consolation prize.

Popular Sky News late-night host Paul Murray was bitterly disappointed this week to be prevented from taking a second gig hosting a radio drive program for Triple M with Merrick Watts.

But his boss, Sky News Australia CEO Angelos Frangopoulos, has cushioned the blow by indulging Murray’s passion for petrolhead pursuits.

Frangopoulos, who insisted Murray abide by his exclusivity contract with Sky, chose him to take up an offer from Etihad to travel to Abu Dubai for this weekend’s Formula One grand prix.

The Commodore-loving Murray is also about to become a dad. “The last thing anyone wants is for Paul to burn out — he’s a star,’’ one Sky source said.

DJ MAN HITS THE FLOOR

David Jones’ new head honcho Ian Moir is in the wars.

The CEO of DJs South African-owner Woolworths hit the ground hard while visiting Sydney about a week ago and tore the tendons in both his quads.

Our spy feared the Scottish-born Moir, who also suffers from a bad back, was in plaster up to his waist. But we’re told he’s on the mend, although he’ll be working in Australia for a little while before jetting back to his Cape Town base.

CLOCK TICKS AT 60 MINUTES

media_camera 60 Minutes reporter Allison Langdon told to harden up.

It’s a dog-eat-dog world in TV. At Nine’s 60 Minutes, the top brass have just finished end-of-year reviews — and not everyone aced their report.

Our spies tell us reporter Allison Langdon has been told she needs to harden up in 2015.

“Ally’s great — but she’s been told she needs to work on her interviewing skills so she can handle the big hits,’’ the source said.

“The other reporters are having to shoulder all the responsibility for the serious stories while she just does light and bright stuff and it’s wearing thin.”

It’s tough feedback but no doubt the likable Langdon will rise to the occasion.

JOE’S CHINESE NIGHTMARE

media_camera Treasurer Joe Hockey tells of nightmares in the skies.

Down-in-the-dumps Treasurer Joe Hockey has been pouring out his heart to business associates. On top of his Senate nightmare, he confides that he lies awake worrying that Guangzhou-based airline Southern China will one day want to buy a big stake in Qantas. Based on Hockey’s luck in office so far, that arrival of that political conundrum is a certainty.

SHOOSH

Which high-profile newspaper section editor demanded a discount from a Double Bay boutique on a Carla Zampatti dress because she would be wearing it on TV?

PUB DREAMS AREN’T COCK ‘N’ BULL

media_camera Irish tourists Clare Makem and Sarah Makem tuck into a free steak at Bondi Junction’s Cock 'n' Bull Irish Pub.

Famous Bondi Junction Irish pub the Cock ‘n’ Bull sold this month to the Iris Hotel Group in a hush-hush deal that added yet another icon to the hospitality juggernaut, my Tele colleague Taylor Auerbach reports.

Iris owners RamyArnaout and SamArnaout will take over the watering hole legendary for its cider, white pudding and one dollar steaks within days.

Among the brothers’ other recognisable venues are PJ’s Irish Pub in Drummoyne and the Clovelly Hotel.

media_camera A Whale Ale a day keeps the sharks at bay.

Pub industry insiders say the brothers aim to own 20 pubs across Sydney.

Former Cock ‘n’ Bull owners, the Paras family — rumoured to have fetched $5 million from the sale — scheduled a “garage sale” for this weekend.

The sale of the shabby preloved items, many of which have sat in storerooms for 30 years, has caused much mirth among staff.

BOTTOMS UP

With sharks being caught off Bondi Beach and temperatures soaring, my thoughts turned to beer. I’m not much of an ocean goer but Murray’s Whale Ale is so Sydney. Bold, wet and blue (the label, that is).

The wheat-based brew is actually made at Murray’s tiny brewery at Port Stephens, under the watchful eye of Graeme Mahy.

Its citrusy flavour is a perfect match for seafood and summer in our sparkling town. Just mind the sharks, in and out of the water.