Smith: Accor Stadium should never host Thursday Night Footy

SEN’s Jimmy Smith has slammed the NRL’s decision to fixture a Thursday Night match at Accor Stadium during the State of Origin bye period.

The South Sydney Rabbitohs host the Brisbane Broncos at Homebush to kick off Round 15 with both teams missing plenty of stars due to injury and Origin duties.

Weekday matches at Accor Stadium typically struggle to attract big crowds and Smith believes the NRL cannot allow Thursday or Friday night matches in future.

“An understrength Rabbitohs side against an understrength Broncos side,” Smith said on SEN 1170.

“On a Thursday night, that’s raining and an out of town team in a split round at Accor Stadium. “What an attraction that will be.”

“It’s a tough sell,” SEN’s Greg Alexander acknowledged.

Smith replied; “What’s the solution to that?

“I don’t want to be disrespectful but it’s going to look horrible on television.

“I’ve been out there a number of times on nights like this. It’s cavernous but soulless is another way to describe it.

“I know (South Sydney) aren’t tenants but it’s all owned by Venues NSW. Should this game be moved to CommBank Stadium?

“Just for the sake of the look of television because the vast majority consume the NRL on television.

“Put it at CommBank Stadium. I’d even accept Allianz Stadium because Accor will be seven-eighths empty.

“There’ll be less than 10,000 there but they’ll say that there was 14,000.”

Accor Stadium will host one more Thursday night match this season with the Bulldogs hosting the Broncos in Round 27.