Geelong vs pies final should not be at the mcg.

[Noidnadroj]

It will make a mockery of the competition if the clear competition leader is playing its home final in front of 75 thousand screaming pies fans at the ground the pies play 15 games at each season when the pies finished fourth.

we can not have a repeat of the ridiculous 2017 finals series.

surely the competition has moved beyond the amateurish of playing finals where crowds are highest at the expense of fairness. Other professional sports do not do this.

note the grand final is a little different because there are no home sides in a grand final and the crowds arent heavily biased to mcg tenants due to fans travelling and all the neutral fans. So please dont bring grand final arguments into this thread as its not equivalent.

play the game at either kardinia and if thats not possible (it is) then play at least docklands.

for the sake of the competition.

There is no reason why Geelong can’t have close to 50% support at the game on Saturday. There are hundreds of thousands of Geelong fans with equal opportunity to get tickets as Pie fans. Then for the thousands of neutrals most will be barracking against the Pies due to traditional hatred.

So when the crowd is 75% Collingwood, it’s because of Geelong supporters not bothering to show up due to a 70-90 minute drive down the highway…. So all this ‘passion’ about the unfairness of an ‘MCG tenant’ crowd is the fault of Geelong supporters and members not being willing to attend the game. Nothing more, nothing less.

So if you want to remove the ‘bias’ or ‘unfairness’ so it’s a genuine 50/50, it’s in Geelong supporters and members power to do so…. but did they jump on and buy tickets in their droves? Of course not….they’ll see a 75/25 crowd and if they lose cry ‘unfair, unfair’ …. when really all they needed to do was buy a ticket.



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[ComfortablyNumb]

It will make a mockery of the competition if the clear competition leader is playing its home final in front of 75 thousand screaming pies fans at the ground the pies play 15 games at each season when the pies finished fourth.

we can not have a repeat of the ridiculous 2017 finals series.

surely the competition has moved beyond the amateurish of playing finals where crowds are highest at the expense of fairness. Other professional sports do not do this.

note the grand final is a little different because there are no home sides in a grand final and the crowds arent heavily biased to mcg tenants due to fans travelling and all the neutral fans. So please dont bring grand final arguments into this thread as its not equivalent.

play the game at either kardinia and if thats not possible (it is) then play at least docklands.

for the sake of the competition.

don't want a repeat of 2017? did the 2019 finals series not happen?

 

[blue harvest]

play the game at either kardinia and if thats not possible (it is) then play at least docklands.

Geelong specifically requested their 'home' games in Melbourne be played at the G, not Docklands.

 

[Del80659]

didnt this happen like 2 years ago? with eddie talking about his handshake deal from 20 years ago with frank costa? like shooting fish in a barrel. anyone still following the AFL and getting wound up by these stupid fabricated "controversies" only has themselves to blame

 

[Foleybrau]

I can bang on about something irrelevant like having a final between Geelong and Collingwood played at Kardinia in front of half a crowd. Won’t happen, even if it were Hawthorn or St Kilda it wouldn’t happen, the best you could hope for would be Marvel.

But why not play at the G, it’s where you need to play to win the Premiership.

If Freo happen to get through to a semi-final Geelong, it will probably happen.....Then the same people championing the MCG for this one will be saying play it in Geelong for "fairness"

 

[beerbandit]

If Freo happen to get through to a semi-final Geelong, it will probably happen.....Then the same people championing the MCG for this one will be saying play it in Geelong for "fairness"

2019 SF was against West Coast @ MCG.

Whether it’s fair or not fair, the AFL are a corporate machine who only really care about $$$. Therefore Geelong will always play a Vic side at the MCG as they have potential to line the coffers with crowds of 70k +.

It shouldn’t really matter, Geelong are no strangers to the ground, and you have to win on the ground to win the flag.

Granted Geelong are a 4 goal better side at Kardinia, but with all the talk of Collingwood being the worst top 4 that ever existed you shouldn’t be too worried.

 

[Good Horse]

Reasons why the main board is a pointless shitfest.

Exhibit A

 

[VinnieB]

 

[parano1a]

If Freo happen to get through to a semi-final Geelong

The AFL has already released schedule/ticketing information which indicates the game will be at the MCG.

 

[doppleganger]

If Freo happen to get through to a semi-final Geelong, it will probably happen.....Then the same people championing the MCG for this one will be saying play it in Geelong for "fairness"

Nup, AFL has stadium deals with MCG to lock in finals at the G.

This is what enabled non-vic teams to play "home" PFs.

Geelong needs to lobby the league to change rules from home state to home city.

 

[Seeds]

don't want a repeat of 2017? did the 2019 finals series not happen?

And it wasnt a repeat of 2017.

 

[Seeds]

Nup, AFL has stadium deals with MCG to lock in finals at the G.

This is what enabled non-vic teams to play "home" PFs.

Geelong needs to lobby the league to change rules from home state to home city.

again no such rule. See gws home prelim at bankstown against the bulldogs.

 

[doppleganger]

Kardinia park finals are home state.

Kardinia Park is a tertiary stadium in Victoria.

MCG > Etihad > Cat Park > any other suburban/regional ground

So when the AFL rules stipulate that by finishing 1st a team is entitled to a home state final, if you are a Vic team it is at the G.

No different to Sydney being scheduled at Stadium Australia for their finals.

Why would the league go against their own rules, and cost themselves a shit load of money just to appease some Geelong sooks?

 

[doppleganger]

again no such rule. See gws home prelim at bankstown against the bulldogs.

See what?

AFL does have a contract for finals with the MCG.

Finals are about making the league money.

Why rent an 80k stand when only 25k supporters will rock up? You lose money and it has a shit atmosphere.

The 2016 PF had a smaller crowd than a regular GWS v Sydney game at that time.

The 2016 QF between Syd and GWS wasnt at the SCG, it was at Stadium Australia because 60k+ were projected to rock up.

Is your argument that Cat Park wont be filled anyway, so no point playing Geelong finals at bigger stadiums?

 

[BringFevBack2021]

Play it in Darwin

 

[Seeds]

See what?

AFL does have a contract for finals with the MCG.

Finals are about making the league money.

Why rent an 80k stand when only 25k supporters will rock up? You lose money and it has a s**t atmosphere.

The 2016 PF had a smaller crowd than a regular GWS v Sydney game at that time.

Is your argument that Cat Park wont be filled anyway, so no point playing Geelong finals at bigger stadiums?

Yes they have a mcg contract. But there is no rule saying games have to be played in the biggest available stadium in the state. See gws playing a prelim at their 20 thousand seat home ground rather then the SCG or homebush. And all those stadiums are in the same city.

 

[doppleganger]

Yes they have a mcg contract. But there is no rule saying games have to be played in the biggest available stadium in the state.

The rule is a club is entitled to a home state final.

The league then determines the venue, which is about fans, $$ and stadium contracts.

In Victoria, finals are played at the MCG as first, second and third choice options.

There is no rule anywhere saying clubs earn "home finals".

That is just entitled Cat fans sooking, because they are scared of playing at a neutral stadium in front of 90k+ fans.

 

[eddiesmith]

If Freo happen to get through to a semi-final Geelong, it will probably happen.....Then the same people championing the MCG for this one will be saying play it in Geelong for "fairness"

Geelong fans will be demanding it be played at the MCG as they can’t beat Freo in finals at Kardinia

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

And it wasnt a repeat of 2017.

Both years you lost MCG Qualifying Finals to teams who finished below you on the ladder. Seems as close to a repeat of 2017 as you can get.

 

[PerthblueGold]

The rule is a club is entitled to a home state final.

The league then determines the venue, which is about fans, $$ and stadium contracts.

In Victoria, finals are played at the MCG as first, second and third choice options.

There is no rule anywhere saying clubs earn "home finals".

That is just entitled Cat fans sooking, because they are scared of playing at a neutral stadium in front of 90k+ fans.

neutral stadium

 

[doppleganger]

neutral stadium

Yep.

Cats very familiar with the G.

Tickets evenly distributed to both clubs supporters.

A neutral stadium.

 

[Catfish Alley]

The rule is a club is entitled to a home state final.

The league then determines the venue, which is about fans, $$ and stadium contracts.

In Victoria, finals are played at the MCG as first, second and third choice options.

There is no rule anywhere saying clubs earn "home finals".

That is just entitled Cat fans sooking, because they are scared of playing at a neutral stadium in front of 90k+ fans.

I'm not making it to either stadium and don't really care too much. It's just an odd rule though. In any sport around the world a team should get to play in their home city if they've earned it. Just seems outdated and I can't imagine it happening in any other competition. AFL needs money I guess and they have that MCC contract.

 

[doppleganger]

I'm not making it to either stadium and don't really care too much. It's just an odd rule though. In any sport around the world a team should get to play in their home city if they've earned it. Just seems outdated and I can't imagine it happening in any other competition. AFL needs money I guess and they have that MCC contract.

It is a league based finals competition.

Best example is English FA Cup.

Lead up rounds are played all across England.

But when they get to semi finals, they are played at the big stadiums - old trafford etc., and final is always in London at Wembley.

Geelong are the equivalent of Portsmouth fans complaining that the FA Cup semi final is in Manchester instead of down on the coast...it is ridiculous.

 

[Catfish Alley]

It is a league based finals competition.

Best example is English FA Cup.

Lead up rounds are played all across England.

But when they get to semi finals, they are played at the big stadiums - old trafford etc., and final is always in London at Wembley.

Geelong are the equivalent of Portsmouth fans complaining that the FA Cup semi final is in Manchester instead of down on the coast...it is ridiculous.

Ah well. Just doesn't happen much in world sport. They suck but will be interesting when/if Arizona Coyotes make playoffs with their new 5,000 seat arena. Haha.

Will be great to watch a 90,000+ crowd with mates though. That's also a rare thing in sport and makes for a great atmosphere. Good luck!

 

[doppleganger]

Ah well. Just doesn't happen much in world sport. They suck but will be interesting when/if Arizona Coyotes make playoffs with their new 5,000 seat arena. Haha.

US sports are completely different, private owners, individual TV contracts, best of series, just a completely different sporting landscape.

Will be great to watch a 90,000+ crowd with mates though. That's also a rare thing in sport and makes for a great atmosphere. Good luck!

Yep.

It is a beautiful thing having 90k fans of supporters not segregated like in most sport competitions.

Cats v Pies have had some crackers in finals recently, with Cats having the edge.

Sad that a few idiots ruin the build up with the same entitled sookfest every year.