Phil Gould has backed calls for the fourth grandstand at the new Sydney Football Stadium to bear the name of Roosters legend Arthur Beetson.
With the stadium set to open later this year, and a mooted suggestion of one section of the ground to be called ‘The Garrison Stand’ rejected, it has opened up for one more Australian sporting icon to be celebrated.
The other three grandstands will be named after football trailblazer and icon Johnny Warren, Wallabies great and former Lord Mayor of Sydney Sir Nicholas Shehadie, and Ron Coote, who had memorable careers for both the Rabbitohs and Roosters, resulting in the two teams playing for a trophy with his name on it in each NRL season.
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Gould said calls to name the spare stand after Beetson were “100 per cent” right.
“We should have something named after that great player and that Immortal of our game,” he said on Wide World of Sports’ Six Tackles with Gus podcast.
“I think it would be a wonderful tribute to a wonderful icon of our game, of Australian sport – he was the first indigenous footballer to captain his country, and I think he’s held in such high esteem in our game and everyone who knew him,” he said.
Gould said Beetson was the greatest player he ever saw play in person.
“You look at all the great players [at the Roosters in 70s], they all defer to Arthur Beetson as the greatest player that they ever played with,” he said.
“They all defer to him as the man that helped their careers and made that football team.”
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Given the confirmation of Coote’s name adorning one side of the ground, it may be a tall order for another rugby league icon to make the cut as the fourth name – but Gould says Beetson deserves it.
“It’s only fitting. He played for Australia, and to me it’s a no-brainer – he needs to be recognised in that way,” Gould said.
“His name will live on forever and it should live on in the grandstands of one of our great sporting venues.”
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