AFL to 'bank' MCG Finals
There may yet be a weekend free of finals football in Melbourne this season with the AFL set to play both semi-finals away from the MCG if two non-Victorian clubs earn the right to host them.
The AFL is considering risking falling temporarily behind in its finals obligations to the Melbourne Cricket Club in order to ensure it can better reward the dominant non-Victorian club with home finals this season.
Depending on which teams earn home state advantage in the second week of the finals - the AFL announced on Friday it may play both semi-finals interstate if, for example, Adelaide and West Coast had earned the right to host those matches.
“If the two highest ranking clubs are non-Victorian, both finals will be scheduled in the home state of those clubs," AFL chief executive Wayne Jackson said in making the surprise announcement late on Friday.
"(But) if one of the highest ranking clubs playing in week two is from Victoria, that final will be played at the MCG.
"The fundamental principle of scheduling finals is that clubs which earn the right to host a final in their home state should be able to do so.
“We believe this passes the ultimate test of what is fair to the clubs concerned and their supporters by giving them an opportunity to see a final live in their home state should their club earn that right.
"Under the terms of our contract with the Melbourne Cricket Club, if both finals are scheduled outside Victoria in week two, we will make up the number of finals games at the MCG in 2004."
This means there could be just three of the nine finals played in Melbourne this season – either a qualifying or elimination final in week one, one of the two preliminary finals in week three and the grand final.
Earlier this year the AFL had indicated it would play one final per week at the MCG this September, regardless of which clubs had finished higher on the ladder, because it did not want to risk ‘owing’ the MCC more finals in the future.
Under the AFL’s previous agreement with the MCC it was contracted to play one final per week at the MCG – regardless of which teams were involved.
But under their new agreement with the MCC – negotiated last year – the AFL now only has to play one preliminary final and the grand final at the MCG in any one season if it chooses.
In terms of the first two weeks of the finals it now has to play six at the MCG over any three year period - giving it the right to ‘bank’ finals in either the positive or the negative if it chooses.
So if the AFL only chose to play one final at the MCG this season over the first two weeks of this year’s finals series, it would then have to play five finals over the first two weeks of September in the following two seasons.
But the AFL’s initial fear was if it chose to cut back on its number of MCG finals this season – in a year when all six non-Victorian clubs are a chance to make the finals in the same year for the first time – it could find itself in an even worse position in terms of scheduling if the same situation occurred again next year.
However in contrast it would have no problems making up the extra final next year if Victorian teams were to dominate the top of the ladder, as was the case in 1995 when all nine finals that season were played in Victoria.
The news the AFL will now play more finals outside Victoria is a huge boost to the non-Victorian sides, who would be severely disadvantaged if they were forced to play a ‘home’ final at the MCG.
While Adelaide was able to beat Melbourne in such circumstances at the MCG last season, on the two other occasions such a scenario unfolded it resulted in heavy defeats for West Coast in knockout semi-finals against Essendon in 1996 and Carlton in 1999.
Under the AFL’s finals system, the teams that finish in first, second, fifth and sixth positions are entitled to home state advantage in the first week of the finals while in semi-final week – home state advantage goes to the losers of the two qualifying finals played between teams one and four and teams two and three.
However one preliminary final will still be definitely played at the MCG this season – even if four non-Victorian clubs end up reaching the penultimate week of the season – under the terms of the AFL’s finals agreement with the MCC.
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Damn, just when I thought that finishing seventh or above would guarantee us home finals the whole way through
There may yet be a weekend free of finals football in Melbourne this season with the AFL set to play both semi-finals away from the MCG if two non-Victorian clubs earn the right to host them.
The AFL is considering risking falling temporarily behind in its finals obligations to the Melbourne Cricket Club in order to ensure it can better reward the dominant non-Victorian club with home finals this season.
Depending on which teams earn home state advantage in the second week of the finals - the AFL announced on Friday it may play both semi-finals interstate if, for example, Adelaide and West Coast had earned the right to host those matches.
“If the two highest ranking clubs are non-Victorian, both finals will be scheduled in the home state of those clubs," AFL chief executive Wayne Jackson said in making the surprise announcement late on Friday.
"(But) if one of the highest ranking clubs playing in week two is from Victoria, that final will be played at the MCG.
"The fundamental principle of scheduling finals is that clubs which earn the right to host a final in their home state should be able to do so.
“We believe this passes the ultimate test of what is fair to the clubs concerned and their supporters by giving them an opportunity to see a final live in their home state should their club earn that right.
"Under the terms of our contract with the Melbourne Cricket Club, if both finals are scheduled outside Victoria in week two, we will make up the number of finals games at the MCG in 2004."
This means there could be just three of the nine finals played in Melbourne this season – either a qualifying or elimination final in week one, one of the two preliminary finals in week three and the grand final.
Earlier this year the AFL had indicated it would play one final per week at the MCG this September, regardless of which clubs had finished higher on the ladder, because it did not want to risk ‘owing’ the MCC more finals in the future.
Under the AFL’s previous agreement with the MCC it was contracted to play one final per week at the MCG – regardless of which teams were involved.
But under their new agreement with the MCC – negotiated last year – the AFL now only has to play one preliminary final and the grand final at the MCG in any one season if it chooses.
In terms of the first two weeks of the finals it now has to play six at the MCG over any three year period - giving it the right to ‘bank’ finals in either the positive or the negative if it chooses.
So if the AFL only chose to play one final at the MCG this season over the first two weeks of this year’s finals series, it would then have to play five finals over the first two weeks of September in the following two seasons.
But the AFL’s initial fear was if it chose to cut back on its number of MCG finals this season – in a year when all six non-Victorian clubs are a chance to make the finals in the same year for the first time – it could find itself in an even worse position in terms of scheduling if the same situation occurred again next year.
However in contrast it would have no problems making up the extra final next year if Victorian teams were to dominate the top of the ladder, as was the case in 1995 when all nine finals that season were played in Victoria.
The news the AFL will now play more finals outside Victoria is a huge boost to the non-Victorian sides, who would be severely disadvantaged if they were forced to play a ‘home’ final at the MCG.
While Adelaide was able to beat Melbourne in such circumstances at the MCG last season, on the two other occasions such a scenario unfolded it resulted in heavy defeats for West Coast in knockout semi-finals against Essendon in 1996 and Carlton in 1999.
Under the AFL’s finals system, the teams that finish in first, second, fifth and sixth positions are entitled to home state advantage in the first week of the finals while in semi-final week – home state advantage goes to the losers of the two qualifying finals played between teams one and four and teams two and three.
However one preliminary final will still be definitely played at the MCG this season – even if four non-Victorian clubs end up reaching the penultimate week of the season – under the terms of the AFL’s finals agreement with the MCC.
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Damn, just when I thought that finishing seventh or above would guarantee us home finals the whole way through
