Wade Park will this weekend stage the biggest mass gathering in Orange since the start of COVID-19 in March.
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A capped crowd of 2000 people is expected at Wade Park for Saturday's Blowes Clothing Cup grand finals, with the first grade decider an all-Orange affair between minor premiers Emus and a surging Orange City outfit.
Central West Rugby Union chief executive officer Matt Tink has been in consultation with host club Orange Emus, NSW Police and the state government's office of sport, and under COVID-19 guidelines Wade Park is allowed to be used at 25 per cent capacity.
Stadiums across NSW have been operating at 25 per cent capacity since limited crowds were reintroduced for major sporting codes in July, and the state's premier, Gladys Berejiklian, announced last week a relaxation of those protocols will allow up to 40,000 people at Sydney's ANZ Stadium for NRL finals in a fortnight.
Mr Tink said the move to Wade Park was designed to allow players' families to attend the biggest game of the season, with Endeavour Oval, Emus' home, restricted to just 500 people.
"It's Wade Stadium this weekend," he said.
Just one parent per player was allowed to attend the Group 10 junior rugby league grand finals last weekend in Bathurst, which was a NSWRL rule.
"We're looking at 2000 people," Mr Tink added looking at the CWRU's biggest day.
... it will be weird but what hasn't been in 2020?
- Emus president Campbell Hedley
"Clubs will be allocated tickets which they then make available to sponsors members and supporters."
Saturday's decider will be just the second Emus-City first grade grand final, and the first since 2015, which was held at Endeavour Oval.
Alongside Emus and City, which is also the match-up for the colts grand final, clubs from Bathurst and Dubbo will also be represented, and those clubs will have an allocation of tickets too.
Players, referees, ball kids and coaching staff are all counted in the 2000 crowd.
Orange Emus president Campbell Hedley said visible COVIDsafe marshalls will be patrolling the ground all day, while security will be on site too. Multiple canteen and bar facilities will be open to ensure people don't gather in the one area.
Wade Park hosted Emus' semi-final with Bathurst last Saturday, and Mr Hedley estimates around 1200 people came through the gate.
"We'll do what we've done at Endeavour all year and continued at Wade Park last week ... we've got a number of volunteers who'll help us on the day," he added.
"There's plenty of seating, which is a positive about Wade Park. It's a matter of reminding people to do the right thing. The hardest one is keeping people seated while they're having a drink. Lots of people like to stand."
Mr Hedley said hosting the grand final at Orange was "massive" for the entire Emus club after a tough 2020 - but any on field celebrations will be left to the players.
No one from the public will be allowed on the field to celebrate a premiership win.
"That's right, it will be weird but what hasn't been in 2020?" he added.
Around 500 people were permitted at the Oilsplus north and south grand finals respectively, while the New Holland Agrculture Cup deciders will be moved from Mudgee's Jubilee Oval to Glen Willow to allow for a similar crowd to what's expected at Wade Park.
Mr Tink said the ground condition at Endeavour Oval, which was a quagmire during the regular season after a snow-affected game, had nothing to do with moving the deciders to Wade Park.
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