It’s been the scene of some of the greatest moments in Rugby League history. But on Saturday night, the Sydney Football Stadium will host its final event before it’s demolished to make way for a new venue.
A record crowd is expected when traditional rivals the Sydney Roosters take on the South Sydney Rabbitohs for a spot in the NRL Grand Final.
Not since the 1997 grand final has more than 42,482 people witnessed a Rugby League game at the venue.
Retired club greats Anthony Minichiello and Mario Fenech are confident the two teams will farewell the venue in style.
"We have a rivalry with them, geez it will make me happy if we win," Fenech said.
No player has scored more tries or appeared in more matches at the venue then Minichiello.
The Roosters champion crossed the stripe on 77 occasions in 157 games.
"I didn't know that was the case to be honest," Minichiello said.
"I was having a laugh at Roosters HQ and was saying 'this is really my ground isn't it?'"
"There should be a statue," he joked. "I'll campaign for that in the new stadium maybe. It's a pretty cool stat to have."
For the Rabbitohs, the ground has been the scene of highs and lows.
The Bunnies played several games at the SFS when they last won the minor premiership in 1989.
"We won a lot of games here and we came first but unfortunately we didn't make the grand final," Fenech said.
"The 1989 team was something I'll never forget."
The stadium has also been the scene for iconic moments in boxing and football.
Anthony Mundine defeated Danny Green in front of more than 30,000 fans in 2006.
In 1993, Argentine great Diego Maradona helped La Albiceleste defeat Australia in a World Cup qualifier.
Thirteen years later, the ground hosted the first ever A-League grand-final with Sydney FC defeating the Central Coast Mariners 1-0.
But after 30 years, the Sydney Football Stadium will be no more next month.
It will be bulldozed and replaced by a new state of the art stadium which is expected to be completed in 2022.
