Geelong Home Final?

[Remi Moses]

Bit of a surprise to be honest.
The ground has currently a capacity of 34,000, and the last two finals the clubs competed they drew over 40.
I understand the notion that Geelong being the higher ranked team deserve an advantage, but having punters missing out on attending isn't right.
Heard Brian Cook on AW saying the cats only had 5,000 of their members attend last years elimination Final. I find that hard to believe ..:rolleyes:

[LostDoggy]

Lets hope Brisbane get up then, they can play it at Patersons.

[Throughandthrough]

The cats are basically the only team who don't get home finals. So why not!

[whythelongface]

No issue with this at all. Good luck to them. Finished in the top 2 and are deserviing of a home final despite the ground only holding 33,500.

[chef]

They deserve it so why not.

[bornadog]

The only issue with this one is the ground capacity. All the interstate teams get to play their finals at home when they finish top two.

BTW: Geelong have won 42 of the last 43 games at SS.

[LostDoggy]

This is an interesting situation for the future as well. GWS are going to be hosting a fair few home finals in years to come, and Skoda Stadium only holds 25,000, so it'll be interesting to see how this pans out. Would the AFL do the same for GWS, or make them host it at the SCG?

[Greystache]

I think it's ridiculous they are trying to get the game played at Skilled rather than Etihad. They play home games at Etihad regularly during the season, so I don't buy it being their "home" ground. If they want it to be their home ground then they can stop putting their hand out for the extra revenue generated by bigger drawing games at Etihad.

The argument they finished higher up the ladder so should be able to choose where they play is garbage too, if that was the case we should have kicked up a stink when we had to play finals at the MCG as opposed to our home ground of Etihad.

Also what about AFL members who are guaranteed by the AFL they will have access to Melbourne finals, does that just get thrown out the window because Geelong want to play on their little ground?

[bornadog]

This is an interesting situation for the future as well. GWS are going to be hosting a fair few home finals in years to come, and Skoda Stadium only holds 25,000, so it'll be interesting to see how this pans out. Would the AFL do the same for GWS, or make them host it at the SCG?

or Olympic Stadium ;)

[mighty_west]

or Olympic Stadium ;)

Yep, the Sydney teams are sorted, similar issues with the Suns though and Metricon only holding 25,000, im sure they'd prefer to play there rather than the Gabba.

[Scorlibo]

I think it's ridiculous they are trying to get the game played at Skilled rather than Etihad. They play home games at Etihad regularly during the season, so I don't buy it being their "home" ground. If they want it to be their home ground then they can stop putting their hand out for the extra revenue generated by bigger drawing games at Etihad.

The argument they finished higher up the ladder so should be able to choose where they play is garbage too, if that was the case we should have kicked up a stink when we had to play finals at the MCG as opposed to our home ground of Etihad.

Also what about AFL members who are guaranteed by the AFL they will have access to Melbourne finals, does that just get thrown out the window because Geelong want to play on their little ground?

Agree wholeheartedly, if Geelong start playing finals at Kardinia Park then they will officially be the most privileged club in the league in this respect. What Geelong have, their own home ground, is already more than what every other Victorian club gets.

Let's make this clear, the advantage that interstate teams get is in having a unique, or near unique, home ground. The advantage that Victorian teams get is in not having to travel for half their away games and in some cases, playing away games at their home ground. Geelong get both and that is very unfair.

[Maddog37]

Good post Scorlibo. I hadn't thought of it that way before.

[1eyedog]

This is an interesting situation for the future as well. GWS are going to be hosting a fair few home finals in years to come, and Skoda Stadium only holds 25,000, so it'll be interesting to see how this pans out. Would the AFL do the same for GWS, or make them host it at the SCG?

They would walk across the road to ANZ Stadium

[Flamethrower]

Geelong are likely to be playing Sydney in the 1st Qualifying Final - that game has to be at the MCG. The capacity of Kardinia Park is no where near large enough for all of the members of those 2 teams.

If Hawthorn upset Sydney in Sydney, then Geelong will most likely play Fremantle in Melbourne. Again Kardinia Park is way too small for all of the Geelong, Fremantle, MCC and AFL Members, not to mention all of the AFL corporates who freeload come finals time.

30,000 Geelong members are going to miss out if the AFL makes this dumb decision.

[Remi Moses]

Agree wholeheartedly, if Geelong start playing finals at Kardinia Park then they will officially be the most privileged club in the league in this respect. What Geelong have, their own home ground, is already more than what every other Victorian club gets.

Let's make this clear, the advantage that interstate teams get is in having a unique, or near unique, home ground. The advantage that Victorian teams get is in not having to travel for half their away games and in some cases, playing away games at their home ground. Geelong get both and that is very unfair.

Dead right . The big issue is the capacity, and Freo and the Cats have got more than 40 in the last two finals. Geelong has a 34 capacity !!
Why deny 10 thousand attending a final??

[Sedat]

http://www.geelongcats.com.au/news/2013-07-17/geelong-wont-host-finals

Wow, a lot can change in 2 weeks :rolleyes:

[bulldogtragic]

I think I'm the only person not to care about this. Everyone I know is talking about it. Good luck to them.

[Sedat]

I think I'm the only person not to care about this. Everyone I know is talking about it. Good luck to them.
I don't really care about the issue, but I'm not sure it's a great look to have a showcase final from the biggest sporting code in the competition played out at a regional venue and clearly inferior stadium to the 2 grounds that are based in Melbourne.

Clearly there's a political play going on between the AFL and Ian Collins/Etihad Stadium Management, so if Collo is suffering that's as good a reason as any for Etihad not to host the game.

[bornadog]

I don't really care about the issue, but I'm not sure it's a great look to have a showcase final from the biggest sporting code in the competition played out at a regional venue and clearly inferior stadium to the 2 grounds that are based in Melbourne.

Clearly there's a political play going on between the AFL and Ian Collins/Etihad Stadium Management, so if Collo is suffering that's as good a reason as any for Etihad not to host the game.

Collo retired a few years ago:D

[Sedat]

Collo retired a few years ago:D
I never got that memo - anyway a belated good riddance to that scumbag!