Sep 27th, 2017

Sep 27th, 2017

For decades it has been the hottest item in Sydney - a ticket to the NRL grand final.

But officials are so convinced they will not fill ANZ Stadium for Sunday's match between Melbourne and North Queensland that they are giving away thousands of tickets to junior players and officials today - for free.

More:

» Smith favourite for Dally M

» Green pleads for Sydney fans to jump on Cowboys bandwagon

While tickets are on sale via Ticketek for up to $650 apiece, countless junior league players and officials today received emails and texts informing them that they could get a ticket simply by sending in a password on their phones.

On the one hand, it’s an admirable move by the NRL to look after the game’s grassroots.

But it’s also a worrying sign that the with two out of town teams playing the big game, officials are certain they will not be able to fill the 83,000 capacity ANZ Stadium.

And fans who are paying hundreds of dollars for tickets may also feel a little miffed.

But for the recipients of the free tickets, it’s happy days.

“I got a ticket for myself, one son who is a player and another who is a referee,” a junior league trainer told me.

“I’ve got another son who doesn’t even play - but we were still able to get him a ticket.”