Western Bulldogs hope Ballarat clash persuades state government to boost Eureka Stadium’s capacity

[comrade]

They'll find another excuse. If players who are professional athletes, highly trained with the latest and greatest support systems on offer, can't sit on a plane for 3 and a bit hours, or pay a match in weather conditions that are very mild, I give up. They don't walk to Cairns.

How long have you been a qualified Sports Scientist?

In all seriousness, why do you think we struggle to win post-Cairns matches?

[AndrewP6]

How long have you been a qualified Sports Scientist?

In all seriousness, why do you think we struggle to win post-Cairns matches?

That's never stopped anyone on WOOF before. Other teams travel too. It's a self fulfilling prophecy, keep believing we can't win post travel and we won't.

[comrade]

That's never stopped anyone on WOOF before. Other teams travel too. It's a self fulfilling prophecy, keep believing we can't win post travel and we won't.

Melbourne travels to NT for their one off money games and also struggle on the return fixture. It's not a self fulfilling prophecy, it's just a fact that teams don't recover as well after playing in humid tropical conditions when they're acclimatised to winter in Melbourne. I'd rather us have the best chance of winning as many games as possible over providing a weekend away for those fans fortunate enough to attend.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

That's never stopped anyone on WOOF before. Other teams travel too. It's a self fulfilling prophecy, keep believing we can't win post travel and we won't.

I think its pretty clear that there is more upside for the club in forging a partnership in Ballarat than there is in playing a single game in Cairns.
Whilst I appreciate that the Cairns game may provide you with a nice opportunity to get some colour in your cheeks I fail to see how, other than $'s it is anything but a negative for the club.
1. Adds unnecessary travel with all of the inherent logistical and recovery issues it presents to the players.
2. No real home game advantage.
3. No meaningful benefits to membership growth
4. No growth opportunities. Its just one game, in a non football market, with little relevance to the local population.
5. The climate. Even in winter its a humid place. That takes a toll. Perhaps that and the travel goes some way to explaining why we don't back up well the following week.

Ballarat, even at its chilliest is still more like what our guys are used to playing in most weeks. Add in that the strategic benefits of pushing our brand in a local market and its just a clear winner.
Fair enough its not your cup of tea & you're not going to ever make the journey to watch a Ballarat game, but i can't see anyway you can seriously suggest a Cairns game over a Ballarat venture makes more sense.