Analysis AFL: Victorian clubs given choice of three interstate venues to host home finals

THE THIN MAN

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The AFL has told Melbourne-based clubs the venues at which they can host their interstate home finals for the COVID-affected 2020 season. And luckily for them, they have multiple options to choose from.

Victorian clubs will be given their choice of three venues for home finals, with that option set to extend through to preliminary final week for Geelong and Richmond.

The Cats and Tigers only need to defeat bottom-four clubs Sydney and Adelaide respectively in Round 18 to lock in the double chance.

If they both win qualifying finals – and secure home preliminary finals – the AFL will ask them whether they want to play for a Grand Final spot at Adelaide Oval, Metricon Stadium or the Gabba.

While the final call will belong with the league, the club’s preference will be strongly considered.

The AFL will on Tuesday lock in its finals policy and structure, which will see week one staged from Thursday, October 1 through to Saturday, October 3.

The league considered opening the finals on a Wednesday night, however has decided to stick with its traditional format.

Either St Kilda, Collingwood, Western Bulldogs or GWS will finish sixth and secure a home elimination final.

That club will also be given the choice of three venues.

The Magpies will play their seventh game for the season at the Gabba next Monday and would be expected to select this year’s Grand Final venue for an elimination final.

The Dogs have played at the Gabba just once and would probably feel more comfortable at Metricon, where they have played eight times this year and won five of their past seven.

The Saints are 2-0 at Adelaide Oval, 2-1 at Metricon and 2-2 at the Gabba, where they play again on Friday night against GWS.

The finals policy will safeguard Geelong and Richmond from playing a home preliminary final against Port Adelaide and Brisbane on their decks.

This year the Tigers are 6-0 at Metricon Stadium and 2-0 at the Gabba, where they haven’t lost since 2004.

The Cats are 2-1 at Metricon and 3-0 at the Gabba.

West Coast can only play at Perth Stadium in week one, meaning the Eagles will only host a final if they remain fifth, as expected.

The Eagles are set to fly home after Thursday night’s game against North Melbourne and would’ve completed the 14-day quarantine by week one of the finals.

If the Eagles finish fifth then the club which finishes eighth will head west and quarantine for seven days before the elimination final, which would most likely be played on the Saturday.

 

Damo80

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The slippery, greasy conditions of QLD night games probably suits our chaos style much more than teams that rely on high possession, chip & mark, control the ball style games (i.e. West Coast, Geelong in particular).

Not that we'd be likely to choose to go to Adelaide, but QLD for prelims and GF suits us beautifully, you'd think!

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Gabba surely. Haven't had too much exposure to that ground this year, only 2 games IIRC. Gonna need to win the GF there. Only exception would be if we hosted Brisbane I reckon.
In before the WC melts
 

Do the Dew

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The AFL has told Melbourne-based clubs the venues at which they can host their interstate home finals for the COVID-affected 2020 season. And luckily for them, they have multiple options to choose from.

Victorian clubs will be given their choice of three venues for home finals, with that option set to extend through to preliminary final week for Geelong and Richmond.

The Cats and Tigers only need to defeat bottom-four clubs Sydney and Adelaide respectively in Round 18 to lock in the double chance.

If they both win qualifying finals – and secure home preliminary finals – the AFL will ask them whether they want to play for a Grand Final spot at Adelaide Oval, Metricon Stadium or the Gabba.

While the final call will belong with the league, the club’s preference will be strongly considered.

The AFL will on Tuesday lock in its finals policy and structure, which will see week one staged from Thursday, October 1 through to Saturday, October 3.

The league considered opening the finals on a Wednesday night, however has decided to stick with its traditional format.

Either St Kilda, Collingwood, Western Bulldogs or GWS will finish sixth and secure a home elimination final.

That club will also be given the choice of three venues.

The Magpies will play their seventh game for the season at the Gabba next Monday and would be expected to select this year’s Grand Final venue for an elimination final.

The Dogs have played at the Gabba just once and would probably feel more comfortable at Metricon, where they have played eight times this year and won five of their past seven.

The Saints are 2-0 at Adelaide Oval, 2-1 at Metricon and 2-2 at the Gabba, where they play again on Friday night against GWS.

The finals policy will safeguard Geelong and Richmond from playing a home preliminary final against Port Adelaide and Brisbane on their decks.

This year the Tigers are 6-0 at Metricon Stadium and 2-0 at the Gabba, where they haven’t lost since 2004.

The Cats are 2-1 at Metricon and 3-0 at the Gabba.

West Coast can only play at Perth Stadium in week one, meaning the Eagles will only host a final if they remain fifth, as expected.

The Eagles are set to fly home after Thursday night’s game against North Melbourne and would’ve completed the 14-day quarantine by week one of the finals.

If the Eagles finish fifth then the club which finishes eighth will head west and quarantine for seven days before the elimination final, which would most likely be played on the Saturday.

Can you add a poll so we can select our preferred venue? Could be an interesting one given we have had more games at the MetriconCG, but the GF is at the Gabba.
 
Nov 23, 2000
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Theres no chance any of the clubs choose adelaide oval as their home ground choice

Any game at the gabba with us involved, is likely to be a snorefest due to flooding
They interviewed Nisbett last week and he said the eagles would seriously consider Adelaide oval outside of WA if they got to choose.
 
If we happened to run into the Eagles I wish we had the ability to nominate Optus Stadium so that when we beat them over there, their supporters can finally shut the hell up.

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It doesn't make much sense why we have played so many games at Metricon or why they played so many games there at all considering the state of the ground the last few weeks. Seems like the Gabba has been severely under utilised.
 

YeOldTiger

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It doesn't make much sense why we have played so many games at Metricon or why they played so many games there at all considering the state of the ground the last few weeks. Seems like the Gabba has been severely under utilised.
Yep, so that it looks pretty on GF day.

Makes you wonder how long ago that decision was actually made...
 
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It doesn't make much sense why we have played so many games at Metricon or why they played so many games there at all considering the state of the ground the last few weeks. Seems like the Gabba has been severely under utilised.
Pies played all 17 games at the Gabba didn’t they? Afl tried to gift them a flag 🤣🤣
 
Do we go with our "home" ground Metricon, or the Gabba because more fans can get there and that's where the granny will be?

I think stick with Metricon.

Metricon works for me ... 20 mins from home
 
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