Parramatta Stadium is to be transformed into a NRL grand final live site for Eels fans unable to get tickets to Sunday’s sold-out game at ANZ Stadium, the former Olympic stadium at Homebush.

NSW Premier Nathan Rees says the state government will open Parramatta Stadium to fans from 2pm (AEDT) to allow supporters to watch the game on the big screen.

The Eels players will then go to the live site after the match to celebrate or commiserate with their fans.

Mr Rees says he expects the Eels players to arrive triumphant, and he’s tipping a Parramatta victory over Melbourne by eight points.

He’s hoping a grand final victory on Sunday will be the start of another Parramatta dynasty, like that in the early 1980s when the club won three straight premierships.

“The players we’ve got now, our key players are relatively young, they’ve had an extraordinary run in the second half of this season,” Mr Rees, wearing a blue and gold scarf, told reporters at Parramatta.

“Back in the 1980s when Parramatta won three consecutive premierships it put us on the map as a region, it gave us an identity that otherwise we didn’t have.

“Hopefully another generation of kids will get exactly the same experience.”

Parramatta chief executive Paul Osborne welcomed the government’s offer to use Parramatta Stadium for fans who missed out on tickets.

“A lot of our fans will miss out but now they’ve got an opportunity to come along and enjoy the experience,” he said.