West Coast is a 'bigger' field? Explain?

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Sunny_

Sunny_

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Hey everyone,

Being a n00b to the AFL, I'm just curious on something. Why is the ground at Patersons considered 'bigger'? I can understand the whole traveling there part being annoying and throwing you off, but I do not get why it is said that Patersons Stadium is the 'longest'.

Is it actually longer at all? If so, by how much? And why? I was under the impression that all fields had to be a set length and width, just like any other sport. Why would there be a field longer than any other? Does this mean it's a bit slimmer through the middle too? Are there any stadiums which are very short?

If someone explain this to me? Just a bit confused. :eek:
 

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All footy grounds around the country at any level are different shapes and sizes, just the centre square and 50m arcs are a set size. From memory Subiaco Oval is the longest at about 175m, although probably due to not being a cricket ground it's narrower than say the MCG.

I don't think soccer pitches are all exactly the same either, but the length and width have to be within certain limits.
 
Australian Rules was originally designed to be played on cricket ovals in the 19th century. As a result it can be played on basically any-sized ground, just as cricket is. There are suggested sizes for grounds and limits (upper and lower) regarding length and width.

Over the years, grounds have had their quirky dimensions - the Western Oval was very long and narrow, Glenferrie was a pocket handkerchief squeezed by the railway line, The MCG was the biggest (until Waverley came along). In the 90s the interstate sides always used to get shoved out to Princes Park (a Vic suburban ground which is quite small), and the Eagles kept getting beaten there - I remember one training session in WA where they had the cones out marking the boundary dimensions for Princes Park.

Currently, the SCG is the smallest (it is right on the limit for how small a ground can be), and I still don't know anybody who believes that Etihad Docklands is as big as advertised.

It's either a great part of the tradition of the game, or a poor reflection on a competition that adds one more nail in the coffin of the competition's integrity. Take your pick.
 
strangely the two biggest grounds are the two least used.

TIO in Darwin in 175 x 135

and York Park in Launceston is 175 x 145.
 
I presume you're not a cricket fan either?

If you are a league fan you would know their fields are different sizes as well due to the dead ball line.
 

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Sunny1010 said:
Thanks for the replies.

I had no idea that the fields were all different sizes. They look different on TV to be sure, but figured that was to do with camera angles. Oh well!
Click to expand...

It's like NRL fields, if you are familiar with them. The dead ball line used to ben 10 metres from the try line, but that changed and become different at all different grounds. Clubs would make it shorter and try to that length for an advantage.

Not sure if that is still the case, haven't followed rugby close for around 10 years.
 
The size of footy fields should really be regulated.
 
Brownlow_Judd said:
The size of footy fields should really be regulated.
Click to expand...


I disagree, but if so, they should be regulated to Subiaco's size or bigger (bit wider).

I love watching games played at Subiaco and I think one of the reasons is the ground is bigger, thus allowing for more free-flowing games with less stoppages.

I would hope that the new WA stadium, if it ever gets built, maintains a unique size and doesnt fall into line with the MCG.
 
WCEprod said:
Etihad: 159.5 m x 128.5 m
Subiaco 175m x 122m
Skilled Stadium 169m x 115m
AAMI Stadium 165m x 133m
Gabba 160m x 139m
MCG 159m x 138m 99,000
Etihad 159.5m x 128.5m
SCG 147m x 136m

It's Longer
Click to expand...

The average ground is about 160m lokng it apprears. What is 7.5 m each end between friends in reality.
 
Differences in field size shouldn't be an issue. Lots of field sports set minimum and maximum dimensions and leave the actual sizing to local requirements. In this instance, variation is actually a good thing.
 
Wallaby said:
Currently, the SCG is the smallest (it is right on the limit for how small a ground can be), and I still don't know anybody who believes that Etihad Docklands is as big as advertised.
Click to expand...

The SCG is NOT the smallest ground ... it may be the shortest but it isn't the smallest. The area of an oval is Pi*a*b where a is half the length and b is half the width (thus for a circle each of a and b are equal to the radius of the circle). The narrowness of Skilled Stadium makes it the smallest ground in area on this list. Actually ANZ Stadium is smaller than both of them and is the smallest ground in the competition (160m by 118m).
 
One factor which exacerbates this is the heat. On a big ground, players can get fatigued, and have to chase tails due to fatigue and the opposition being better, both of which are demoralising in themselves. When it's hot, fatigue kicks in, especially if you're not used to it, and what skills you have reduce to little or none. Teams can give up very easily if all they're doing is chasing tails on a boiling hot day and constantly turning the ball over. The dogs succumbed to this, it wasn't a very hot day, but it was sunny and warm, and the dogs were second to the ball all day, furthering fatigue. A number of times I've seen Richmond play at subi and at the end of the game look like they're had a night on the piss, such is the fatigue and subsequent skill errors, especially for young players. Rarely do Victorians play in brilliant sunshine 27 degrees max.

To the other extreme, Skilled Stadium is an odd shape, and its often cold, cloudy and sometimes raining weather catches out teams like Brisbane, West Coast and Fremantle who are not used to such conditions. It doesn't mean they can't win, but it means they have to adjust, especially in a overcast July where the temperature is about 5 degrees. It's no surprise that Geelong consistently dine out against non Victorian sides which are not used to such conditions and rarely play in them.
 
Wallaby said:
Over the years, grounds have had their quirky dimensions - the Western Oval was very long and narrow, Glenferrie was a pocket handkerchief squeezed by the railway line,
Click to expand...

just out of interest how did they used to get the crowds they did in glenferrie back in the day??

I go past it most days on the way to Swinburne College, and although it's obviously changed and i know a one or two stands were demolished, but still. i just can't see how they fit 30k+ there as they managed to on quite a few occasions. there is barely any room on any side of the oval.

http://stats.rleague.com/afl/crowds/vn_glenferrie_oval.html
 
Tim_in_Philly said:
The SCG is NOT the smallest ground ... it may be the shortest but it isn't the smallest. The area of an oval is Pi*a*b where a is half the length and b is half the width (thus for a circle each of a and b are equal to the radius of the circle). The narrowness of Skilled Stadium makes it the smallest ground in area on this list. Actually ANZ Stadium is smaller than both of them and is the smallest ground in the competition (160m by 118m).
Click to expand...
Perhaps for a true oval, but some ovals have deep pockets and some are pointy etc.
 
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