In a revelation that evoked memories of the Wolves' charge to the 2001 national league title - when a home grand final was moved from WIN Stadium to Parramatta - Wollongong FC chief executive Jock Morlando said he has been told Football NSW would not allow finals matches to be played at Crehan Park.

"If we finished first or second we would have a home game during the finals, but Football NSW wouldn't let us play at Crehan Park," Morlando said.

The state of the Crehan Park surface is to blame for the predicament.

In 2001, the Wolves were denied a home grand final when the decider against South Melbourne was shifted to Parramatta because of a by-law that stated grand finals must have been played in state capitals.

Ironically, WIN Stadium has emerged as the only alternate Illawarra venue if Crehan Park is ruled out.

The cost of hiring WIN Stadium could be prohibitive, Morlando said, but another option is to move any home finals to Seymour Shaw Park - the home ground of Wollongong's arch rivals Sutherland.

Football NSW competition co-ordinator Troy McColl said Wollongong FC would know before August 10's Tiger Turf Cup final whether they would be able to stage finals matches at Crehan Park.

The ground will be examined by a match inspector "in the future" and a decision made afterwards.

Crehan Park's finals fate would then be up to Football NSW general manager Ian Holmes.

Wollongong would earn the right to host a finals series match if it finishes first, second or fourth at the end of the 22-round premiership.

With two rounds left, the Wolves are level on competition points with the Sharks at the top of the table, assured of qualifying for the five-team finals series.

Meantime, Morlando said Wollongong FC could shift their home games to Saturday nights next season after 1200 people came to Crehan Park to watch Saturday night's 3-0 win over Sydney United.

That figure nearly doubled the crowd for the previous week's Crehan Park fixture.

"It's an avenue we would explore, it depends on what we have going on," Morlando said.

Morlando put the improvement down to being the only game on Saturday night and the success of the team.

A move to Saturday nights would depend on the football facility at Lysaght Oval being ready to host the Wolves in 2009.