2026 Attendances

[____]

I said this a few pages back but I’m very surprised the AFL is happy for 4 AFL games to be played at a stadium with a capacity of just 8,500

No different to playing at Norwood and Mt Barker for gather round.

I'm happy that the Crows are the away team in one of those games, they can cop the real gather round experience.

 

[wagstaff]

Austadiums has crowd tonight at 20,403.

 

[Ocha905]

AFL Crowds | Austadiums

List of AFL crowd attendance figures, including stadium crowds, highest and lowest attendances accross current and previous AFL seasons.

www.austadiums.com

 

[Cmarsh]

A way off, but looks like the MCG will be unavailable for week 2 Friday night finals game this year. What will be the options for alternates if two Victorian finals are on that weekend? Play Marvel Friday night that will probably significantly limit the crowd or move to Sunday?

NFL confirms historic MCG game to be played on AFL semifinal weekend

The first-ever regular-season NFL game played in Australia has had its date confirmed, with the Melbourne Cricket Ground to host the historic match in the middle of the AFL finals series.

www.abc.net.au

 

[kickazz]

20k not bad for a Thursday night that was cold and wet I recon.

 

[Underarm]

A way off, but looks like the MCG will be unavailable for week 2 Friday night finals game this year. What will be the options for alternates if two Victorian finals are on that weekend? Play Marvel Friday night that will probably significantly limit the crowd or move to Sunday?

NFL confirms historic MCG game to be played on AFL semifinal weekend

The first-ever regular-season NFL game played in Australia has had its date confirmed, with the Melbourne Cricket Ground to host the historic match in the middle of the AFL finals series.

www.abc.net.au

I think they would play 2 on Saturday at the G; or use Sunday before they move a game to Marvel.

 

[MattF185]

20k not bad for a Thursday night that was cold and wet I recon.

With the cost of living crisis and the fact it’s a school/work night, Thursday night football is not great to attend. AFL will continue to keep it, but there is no chance I’ll ever attend a match on a Thursday.

 

[Hawkk]

No different to playing at Norwood and Mt Barker for gather round.

I'm happy that the Crows are the away team in one of those games, they can cop the real gather round experience.

It’s four games for one team though — and a 8,500 capacity is probably 7,500 to 8,000 in actual fans (with an empty broadcast wing).

Two of the games would draw decent crowds in Melbourne. Hawthorn v Adelaide is a prime time night game in winter and Hawthorn v Melbourne drew 52,000 and 54,000 last year.

It’s just a bit surprising that they ditched Ballarat but agreed to a half built Launceston. That Thursday Night game will be ugly if there is a gale or it’s freezing.

 

[Hawkk]

Austadiums has crowd tonight at 20,403.

Pretty decent crowd for a Thursday (20 per cent unders). It’s also a very stupid idea to play a Thursday game in Geelong when half of Geelong’s fan base lives in Melbourne.

 

[Jack Mundy]

Was tonight´s game fudged?
Or do the AFL only fudge it for certain games?

Which ones are made up?

Is it only the AFL that do it?

Lol, AFL wouldn't spin numbers that make expansion clubs look like a failure now would they?!

 

[Jack Mundy]

We havent had an official number yet tonight. Could you fill us in on your guess?

Don't know. Wasn't there like last game.

 

[Walshawk]

It’s four games for one team though — and a 8,500 capacity is probably 7,500 to 8,000 in actual fans (with an empty broadcast wing).

Two of the games would draw decent crowds in Melbourne. Hawthorn v Adelaide is a prime time night game in winter and Hawthorn v Melbourne drew 52,000 and 54,000 last year.

It’s just a bit surprising that they ditched Ballarat but agreed to a half built Launceston. That Thursday Night game will be ugly if there is a gale or it’s freezing.

It demonstrates the absurdity of Hawthorn continuing to sell home games.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

It demonstrates the absurdity of Hawthorn continuing to sell home games.

Disagree, I think people overstate the lack of appeal of bad time, bad time in the season, lack of competitive games against largely interstate teams if that's the 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th game that they play at home in the season (with the possibility that that home game is at Docklands and not the MCG).

It's really not that absurd for Hawks to avoid selling off a potential 22,000 crowd Docklands game vs Gold Coast in a year that Gold Coast are bad or whatever.

 

[Rouel_14]

I think they would play 2 on Saturday at the G; or use Sunday before they move a game to Marvel.

The Sunday arvo elimination final at the G was my favourite. Though we always lost them, underrated finals time slot.

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

Collingwood vs GWS = 41,607

I’m pleasantly surprised

 

[Gizmo]

Collingwood vs GWS = 41,607

I’m pleasantly surprised

We like Marvel now.

 

[manicmagpie]

Collingwood vs GWS = 41,607

I’m pleasantly surprised

Can’t believe it. Thought it had 35k or less written all over it.

Pound for pound our best crowd there for years.

 

[magic_johnson!]

A good night to be under a roof

 

[manicmagpie]

GWS’ 2nd best crowd at Docklands and 3rd best in Melbourne ever.

 

[Cmarsh]

Can’t believe it. Thought it had 35k or less written all over it.

Pound for pound our best crowd there for years.

Out of the weather under a roof. The ground has its advantages.

 

[Angus Young]

Collingwood vs GWS = 41,607

I’m pleasantly surprised

Is that the AFL or Jack Mundy data.

 

[Hawkk]

Disagree, I think people overstate the lack of appeal of bad time, bad time in the season, lack of competitive games against largely interstate teams if that's the 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th game that they play at home in the season (with the possibility that that home game is at Docklands and not the MCG).

Hawthorn is playing GWS (MCG) and Port Adelaide (at Marvel) and Adelaide, Melbourne and North Melbourne in Launceston. Last year they played West Coast (at Marvel) and Adelaide in Launceston.

It’s never been about the 8th, 9th, 10th or 11th game either. The last time Hawthorn played this years four teams in Melbourne home games they drew 54,000 (Melbourne last year), 39,000 (North Melbourne in 2022), 36,000 (Adelaide in 2024) and 32,000 (Gold Coast in 2019).

It's really not that absurd for Hawks to avoid selling off a potential 22,000 crowd Docklands game vs Gold Coast in a year that Gold Coast are bad or whatever.

It is when the crowd is 7,000. I doubt Hawthorn v the Gold Coast draws 22,000 at Marvel on a Saturday afternoon. The Hawks drew 26,500 to a Sunday Night home game against the Eagles last year. I doubt Launceston will be getting many tourists either on a Thursday Night in winter…

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Hawthorn is playing GWS (MCG) and Port Adelaide (at Marvel) and Adelaide, Melbourne and North Melbourne in Launceston. Last year they played West Coast (at Marvel) and Adelaide in Launceston.

It’s never been about the 8th, 9th, 10th or 11th game either. The last time Hawthorn played this years four teams in Melbourne home games they drew 54,000 (Melbourne last year), 39,000 (North Melbourne in 2022), 36,000 (Adelaide in 2024) and 32,000 (Gold Coast in 2019).



It is when the crowd is 7,000. I doubt Hawthorn v the Gold Coast draws 22,000 at Marvel on a Saturday afternoon. The Hawks drew 26,500 to a Sunday Night home game against the Eagles last year. I doubt Launceston will be getting many tourists either on a Thursday Night in winter…

You miss the point that if Hawks were to play 11 home games in Melbourne, they wouldn't be able to play all 11 at the MCG, and they would be forced to play some home games at Docklands (just like the other 3 tenant clubs have done over the journey).

By playing at Launceston Hawks get to avoid any Docklands homes games, that's the point.

 

[Cmarsh]

You miss the point that if Hawks were to play 11 home games in Melbourne, they wouldn't be able to play all 11 at the MCG, and they would be forced to play some home games at Docklands (just like the other 3 tenant clubs have done over the journey).

By playing at Launceston Hawks get to avoid any Docklands homes games, that's the point.

What's wrong with hosting some Docklands home games?

 

[threenewpadlocks]

What's wrong with hosting some Docklands home games?

Nothing, it's just that it would inevitably lead to crowds of 22,000 against GC somewhere along the cycle, which Hawks want to avoid and therefore they're not "missing out" by taking games to Launceston, what sparked this debate