Inside the Sydney Roosters’ historic night at their rebuilt colosseum

He can’t even remember visiting the old, storied ground before.

“Maybe when I was a kid here with my dad, but I’ve never played here before,” the 20-year-old told Code Sports.

Unlikely though too, considering his father Ben last played at the Sydney Football Stadium in 2001 – the year before Sam was born.

But on the cusp of a finals campaign with a rampaging Roosters side, Walker again played beyond his years with a crisp kicking display, including a chip and chase for a try and five perfect conversions.

“We had a couple of training sessions here earlier in the week so we got a feel for the stadium, so it was awesome to be able to run out here finally, it’s been a couple of years now and my first game at home. I’m keen to make it home for a long time.”

And so a new era began.

Walker doesn’t know this, but the feeling in the air at Moore Park is the same as we all remember. Between the Roosters and Rabbitohs it smells distinctly of hatred.

But something else too. Curiosity. Tens of thousands of people showed up to Allianz Stadium on Friday night to get a good look at what their hard-earned tax payer funds bought for $830 million. 41,906 people to be exact – more than twice the number of fans that showed up to watch the two rivals than in their round three clash. It was just a tick under full capacity.

In a rare sign for NRL matches in Sydney, scalpers were looking for tickets outside the stadium before kick off. At least three different people were desperate enough to get inside the bowl that they turned up two and a half hours before kick off with makeshift signs. “Got tickets?”

If they managed to get inside it was worth it, because the new stadium is something to behold. Shorter beer queues and dry seats in the sprinkling rain. Goal posts that flash rhythmically in coloured lights (too fancy for rugby league but a nice touch all the same). A surface that closely resembles lime green carpet.

Four years without this place have flown by. Everything and nothing has changed at the same time.

Most fans were satisfied. But that could have been the heavily discounted beverage options on offer. Once the grace period expires and fans are paying $14 for a beer, they may be singing a different tune.

There are the things crowds don’t see too. Like an updated media room bigger than the old several times over. Glass windows that slide open to let the chilly evening air wash in with the atmosphere to fill a silent print media box. A dedicated press conference room in the basement, rather than a theatrette on the other side of a mad crowd after full-time. Player facilities are better. There’s more space for the NRLW girls and tighter security through the whole place.

But beyond all the aesthetics and the novelty of newness, there was the business of rugby league.

When the old ground was brand-spanking new, it was opened on a March evening in 1988 with the Roosters losing to St George 24-14. This time a new era started in the way that it should. NRLW Roosters captain Isabelle Kelly led the women’s side onto the field, with Leianne Tufuga scoring the first try at the ground in a massive 34-6 win over the Dragons in the grand final rematch.

It was a nice piece of history that was commemorated with a sharpie on the walls of the dressing rooms.

Both Kelly and James Tedesco – the winning captains – scrawled their names, the date and scores on the wall for the next generations to see.

The stadium was full towards the end of the women’s game and by kick off in the men’s it was pulsing.

The sold-out crowd booed in all the right moments and cheered when Tedesco danced through the middle of the field – in awe of the skipper’s footwork and close enough to every blade of grass he touched.

And it was loud. It’s almost as noisy at Suncorp Stadium too, and if State of Origin was ever played at Sydney’s new, smaller ground it might take the cake as the most deafening venue in rugby league.

The crowd roared again as Latrell Mitchell was sin-binned late, and hushed when Cameron Murray knocked out of the game. It wasn’t South Sydney’s night, going down

The Roosters have their own issues too. Superstar centre Joey Manu limped off with a calf injury – a story coach Trent Robinson was too scared to breathe life into knowing a premiership is at stake in the coming weeks.

Some things never change.

The anomaly of the NRL ladder means Friday night was about not much more than starting a new era at a new stadium.

Both sides will meet again – likely Sunday night – at the same ground but with more than a homecoming on the line. Winner goes through, loser bows out of 2022.

Now that’s something to get loud about. Bring it on.