Ground sizes - the real facts

[Wayne Swan]

So much crap pours out of commentators mouths not the least is "the smaller SCG". Well I found the real ground sizes on the AFL website.

Lays to rest so many myths, SCG is almost identical to the Gabba and Metricon. MCG is only 3 metres longer than SCG from the centre to the goal line, that's about 2 paces at speed. Now that Subiaco has gone, the most obvious oddly sized ground is Kardinia Park, very much like Subiaco, a cigar shape.

But commentators will continue with their misinformed drivel, don't let facts get in the way of a story that's good for media.

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

SCG arc is not even 50m I'm pretty sure

 

[TiggerMan22]

Adelaide Oval apparently has very shallow pockets which makes those snaps easier.

 

[Nomad12]

?? Quick search and MCG is 171 long and SCG 155. I knew it couldn't only be a few metres each way.

Gabba 170 and Metricon 161.

 

[juss]

Width and length doesn't give you the full story, although it is important.
Once you work out the total surface area of each ground, that's what actually matters I think, the relative space each player has, that is crucial to things like defensive zones and stoppages. It's a lot harder to guard space when there's more of it to guard. Likewise in some grounds you can force a lot of stoppages because players are forced closer together.

 

[blue harvest]

?? Quick search and MCG is 171 long and SCG 155. I knew it couldn't only be a few metres each way.

Gabba 170 and Metricon 161.

MCG 171m is fence to fence, it's 160m goal to goal.

 

[Wayne Swan]

?? Quick search and MCG is 171 long and SCG 155. I knew it couldn't only be a few metres each way.

Gabba 170 and Metricon 161.

Oops, the AFL site doesn't know the ground dimensions, silly me for believing them!

 

[blue harvest]

SCG has been lengthened a couple of times.
A few metres when they did the new Trumper Stand near the old hill - you will notice there are a few rows missing from the front of the Churchill Stand. Then another few metres when they did the latest redev down the other end.
So it's only about 5m shorter than the G and also about 5m narrower. However mucking around with the length during the redevs has resulted in a non symmetrical ground, a couple of the pockets/flanks are shallower than the others.

It looks smaller on TV because the camera is down much lower.

 

[Nomad12]

Oops, the AFL site doesn't know the ground dimensions, silly me for believing them!

Haha fair call missed that you said it was off the afl site.

 

[blue harvest]

SCG arc is not even 50m I'm pretty sure

It's 50m, someone went out and publicly measured it a few years back after people kept claiming it wasn't.

I believe when the AFL changed all centre squares from 45m to 50m (2004?) they decided to reduce the 50m arc to 45m at the SCG otherwise it would have intersected the centre square. I'm not sure if they went ahead with it though because I seem to remember teams complaining and then I remember seeing games where the 50m arc went into the centre square but they just chopped off the bit inside the square so it didn't look so stupid. This problem disappeared when they lengthened the ground during the first redev a few years later.

Anyway the ground is only about 5m short of the G now, 160m to 155m.

 

[ferrisb]

Width and length doesn't give you the full story, although it is important.

That's what he said....

 

[CD Xbow]

Width and length doesn't give you the full story, although it is important.

Hardness matters, too.

 

[PerthBoy86]

The G is a pretty round short ground so no big surprise.

 

[mightymouse75]

That's what she said

 

[avishka5]

Its not the size of the ground but how you use it.

 

[threesixpio]

I just have small pockets

(Not sure what this double entendre means but it amuses me greatly)

 

[Harris 10]

MCG 171m is fence to fence, it's 160m goal to goal.

So the goal line is 5.5m from the fence line at each end, don’t think that’s right.

 

[sobrave]

At the scg the fences are only 50cm from the boundary line which is incredibly dangerous

Also the 50m line is definitely 50m, its just that the ball travels further in Sydney which means players that normally cant kick over a jam jar can give it a roost from 53

 

[Tony Harrison]

I just have small pockets

(Not sure what this double entendre means but it amuses me greatly)

Means you're a tight arse

 

[Tandy]

AFL so dodgy they fudge the facts

 

[99cents]

SCG arc is not even 50m I'm pretty sure

The SCG was lengthened in 2007, and then again prior to the Ashes in 2013. 50m is certainly 50m

 

[Dazzler9]

So much crap pours out of commentators mouths not the least is "the smaller SCG". Well I found the real ground sizes on the AFL website.

Lays to rest so many myths, SCG is almost identical to the Gabba and Metricon. MCG is only 3 metres longer than SCG from the centre to the goal line, that's about 2 paces at speed. Now that Subiaco has gone, the most obvious oddly sized ground is Kardinia Park, very much like Subiaco, a cigar shape.

But commentators will continue with their misinformed drivel, don't let facts get in the way of a story that's good for media.

SCG 155m long and 136m wide.

MCG 160 x 141m

So the MCG is 5m x 5m larger. That's 25 square metres more space. There's nothing crap about commentators saying the SCG is smaller. It clearly is.

 

[Wayne Dwop]

At the scg the fences are only 50cm from the boundary line which is incredibly dangerous

Also the 50m line is definitely 50m, its just that the ball travels further in Sydney which means players that normally cant kick over a jam jar can give it a roost from 53

That doesn't leave much room for boundary umpires and interchange players, trainers and water boys/girls..

 

[Taylor]

SCG 155m long and 136m wide.

MCG 160 x 141m

So the MCG is 5m x 5m larger. That's 25 square metres more space. There's nothing crap about commentators saying the SCG is smaller. It clearly is.

The area of an elliptical isn't actually that simple, of the numbers you quoted the SCG is actually 93.4% of the size of the MCG.

16.556km2 compared to 17.718km2

 

[Fire]

The area of an elliptical isn't actually that simple, of the numbers you quoted the SCG is actually 93.4% of the size of the MCG.

16.556km2 compared to 17.718km2

17 square kilometers would be closer to a nuclear blast zone than it is to a footy oval.