- Feb 12, 2017
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It wouldn't. Not to say the result might not be different the next time we play in Melbourne, but the same could be said if we play again at Kardinia Park.
When did Kardinia Park’s dimensions become a thing?
- Thread starter The_Koulouriotis_Fan
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I'd say, along with some of the arguments presented above, that the expansion and reco of the stadium is having an effect. When completed there will be a bigger chance for the Cats getting a legitimate home final. That is adding to their anxiety and hate.
I don't hear anyone complaining about Gold Coast playing at Metricon and not at the Gabba when it's an hour down the road.
Look.
Just face it!
We are cheats.
Just face it!
We are cheats.
- Sep 26, 2017
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Bigfooty would melt if we got 12 home games like every other side does let alone get to play finals too
As mentioned previously, it’s only an issue because the cats have been a good team for a long time…basically since 2004. Commentators and opposition fans can’t handle it and want to take the club down a peg or two. It’s just your typical tall poppy syndrome. It definitely won’t be an issue if/when the cats eventually drop off the cliff.
I remember the Dogs fans complaining loudly about the GWS prelim in 2016, but not that the AFL GAF.
MLB has had different shaped and sized fields for more than 100 years. Some are iconic. Some teams construct their roster based on their home field. Got a shorter right field fence, load up on lefty power hitters(old Yankee Stadium). Even the fence height is taken into account. Each team had is own style as a result. How will one team fare playing in another's park. The old Yankees playing at Fenway with its Green Monster. Classic matchup.
If the AFL refuse to decrease the number of metro Melbourne clubs, then they should try to find a way to have a boutique stadium or two outside of the center of the city. They should not go the way of the airlines and make it all economy class seating in identical looking fields.
Unfortunately the newer ones, are designed with computers and lack any true character. Everything has to be artificially generated with technology. In a way they are not ball parks anymore.
If the AFL refuse to decrease the number of metro Melbourne clubs, then they should try to find a way to have a boutique stadium or two outside of the center of the city. They should not go the way of the airlines and make it all economy class seating in identical looking fields.
Unfortunately the newer ones, are designed with computers and lack any true character. Everything has to be artificially generated with technology. In a way they are not ball parks anymore.
The Swans have an extremely successful record on a ground the size of a postage stamp but I don't think I've ever heard an opposition fan describe it as a 'cheat ground.'
I wonder why
Plus Freo have rolled us at Kardinia a few times - not just the 2013 final, but 2015 and earlier this year. Plus, they could have easily won in either 2017 or 2019 (not sure exact seasons, but Mundy kick on the siren and Walters with about 2 seconds to go).
Someone else said that Brisbane used to have no trouble coming down and rolling us until we finally turned it around in 2004... since then, they've been pretty crap for a good chunk of the subsequent 18 years. Probably should've won last year, if we're being honest.
But then... I don't think most non-Vic club fans are complaining. It's Melbourne-based club supporters who are endlessly bitching about it, which kind of gives away their motive right there.
- Apr 6, 2017
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I wouldn’t lose a moment of sleep over it.
You see, we are really the only Victorian team with a home ground.
The angst will continue to grow for decades.
We didn’t sell out (almost did). And right at a time when we were on our knees.
Carlton for example didn’t have to leave princes park.
Collo did that. And I wonder who was running docklands at the time.
It’s never going to be reversed. No club is going to pony up $500 mil to build a home ground.
They have all snookered themselves. We didn’t.
You see, we are really the only Victorian team with a home ground.
The angst will continue to grow for decades.
We didn’t sell out (almost did). And right at a time when we were on our knees.
Carlton for example didn’t have to leave princes park.
Collo did that. And I wonder who was running docklands at the time.
It’s never going to be reversed. No club is going to pony up $500 mil to build a home ground.
They have all snookered themselves. We didn’t.
I don't think that's 100% true. When Lockett went to Sydney - and also when Roos set up a dour but effective side based on stoppage dominance - there were plenty of comments about the SCG being small. Waverley Park was infamous for being utterly enormous - people used "suited to the wide open spaces of Waverley" as a synonym for "a bit scared".
I was referring to KP specifically I guess.
Waverley was a whopping 182 by 142!
People would pass to each other with torps.
Found an interesting graphic which shows different ground shapes. I can see why cat’s ground could catch you out...
Tom Hafey may have hated the ground more than most, his first season as coach in '83 saw us win just two matches there, the same as in 1945 when the side was rebuilding after the war hiatus. But maybe clubs seem to conflate that it's this magical ground that makes Geelong the 'cheat' team, when the reality is that since 1989 Geelong would have won the most games of all sides in that 30+ year period. And indeed i was regularly there in that late 90's and early '00's period when we were smashed particularly by the interstate sides. Even Brisbane, who sacked Merrett as their coach that week in 1998 beat Geelong when we were 7-5 and just smashed the Dees at the 'G by almost 100 points. The Bulldogs also won a sequence of matches spanning the late 90's and early '00s....about 5 in a row with the embarrassment of being 10 goals down to the 1-13-1 Dogs at 3/4 time.
I think the spirit of the side generally also has helped, the players embrace the venue as a fortress and that was what Costa, Cooke and Bomber wanted to do in the 00's. Geelong was close to losing the right to keep games in Geelong unless the ground was upgraded, and the fact we now have a genuine fortress which is modern and should be good for a home final again is a testament to the great work of the administration of the club. Those whinging clubs can just suck eggs, we are Geelong, always have been, and we have our ground here. Hence, we play our home games (all 8-9 of them) in Geelong, and put up with 13-14 games elsewhere, which is a worse deal than many. And remember the Dees, St.Kilda, norf, Hawks sell their games to places all around the country.
The three flags and i guess the three finals wins en-route by the Tigers make them seem indignant about playing at the Cattery, but until 2017 you had to be almost 50 y/o to recall Geelong losing to the Tigers with any regularity. And the Dees? Well, if they didn't rise to beat Geelong after the siren last year, may they have even had the confidence to go on with it? They seemed to gain great belief with that win, pricked our confidence and they dominated September. So why are they complaining?!
Probably no surprise our record there was horrid, a win rate of just over 40%, and just a handful of finals wins. Significantly bigger than KP. Glad it's real estate now.
But don’t you know, its just the vibe of the place. Those wings suffocated the poor inside mids for Melbourne and they shat themselves. Wouldn’t happen on the G (the one true dimension)
100%. Richmond is funny because they gave up on punt rd back in the 60s (the ultimate sellout), but every other club got sucked in by fake numbers at Marvel (we did too) and made the move to central Melbourne. What an utter disaster it has been. And then Carlton. They knew Docklands was s**t and still moved (Collo must have got a fat bonus for that - new tenant plus competition removed).
The AFL needs a ~40k stadium in both the NW (either near Ardern station or Princess Park) for North/Bulldogs and some Blues/Dons games and one in the SE (either Junction Oval or Moorabbin) for Hawks/Saints games and the occasional Melbourne game. Each boutique ground would see 30 games each which is more than enough to cover costs and still make the clubs money. MCG would continue to host 40ish games a year.
Marvel is either turned into more apartments/high rises or converted into a rectangular stadium for international sports and concerts.
Who remembers when Richmond played 7 straight games at the MCG to end the 2019 season. Nothing cheat about playing so many games straight at their home ground and the ground Finals and the Grand Final are played at?
Or how about when Collingwood played 7 straight at the MCG to end the 2010 season. They then played 4 finals (including the GF replay) there. They played 14 H&A games there that season.
Imagine if we got to play 14 games in Geelong and then Finals down here too.
Or how about when Collingwood played 7 straight at the MCG to end the 2010 season. They then played 4 finals (including the GF replay) there. They played 14 H&A games there that season.
Imagine if we got to play 14 games in Geelong and then Finals down here too.
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Willo_
Trust the Process
- Apr 27, 2010
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It's largely because footy fans are simple folk who simply follow the pack in terms of opinions.... Look at any moron filled comment section in social media posts etc.. Moron after moron completely free of independent thought trotting out the exact same comments as each other.
The whole "cheats ground" and only reason we make finals/guaranteed H&A season wins thing conveniently ignores the fact that we would generally beat all the teams we play in Geelong out of Geelong as well and that we have been an unbelievably successful side for a very long time... So they need to find something to try make themselves feel better or distract them from their own mob I guess.... Bomber fans I'm mostly looking at you
The whole "cheats ground" and only reason we make finals/guaranteed H&A season wins thing conveniently ignores the fact that we would generally beat all the teams we play in Geelong out of Geelong as well and that we have been an unbelievably successful side for a very long time... So they need to find something to try make themselves feel better or distract them from their own mob I guess.... Bomber fans I'm mostly looking at you
Just give me 11 home games and finals weeks 1-2 (if not 3 as well). The bare minimum that every club should get.
The fact that Collingwood are contracted to 14 games at the MCG plus 2 home games at Marvel (and one away) is a joke
You make an excellent point
I never bought into - or considered the advantage - and disadvantage re the above - or the fact that we get 8-9 games at KP and enough games at the MCG - even when we are the away side - like this Sat night night against Carlton
However what i have grasped - say in the last 8-10 years - is the tremendous disadvantage all the interstate clubs have - if they play a Rich - Melb or Coll - in a big final or most importantly a GF at the MCG
You take 2017 GF - Richmond would have played what 15 games at the MCG against Ade - who probably only played 2-3 times that year
That is a massive advantage - because they are so more familiar with that ground - kicking for goal - if theres a certain breeze - where to position on the ground - the distance of kicks - the bounce of the ball - the whole blooody lot - its just human nature - if you play so many more times at a certain venue - it is a huge plus
I do think the interstate clubs come the GF are at a big disadvantage - especially if they play Rich Coll or Melb
catempire
Premium Platinum
I remember when I was a kid in the early 1990s someone explaining the unique dimensions to me.
But it wasn’t until we won a big streak of games there - was it 20-something? - from 2008-ish that I remember anyone suggesting we were a good team because of the ground dimensions.
But it wasn’t until we won a big streak of games there - was it 20-something? - from 2008-ish that I remember anyone suggesting we were a good team because of the ground dimensions.
I thought I'd look it up.
2017 Richmond played 11 H&A games at the MCG and then 3 Finals. Adelaide played 3 H&A games at the MCG, round 2 against the Hawks, round 15 against Carlton and then round 19 against the Pies. They then only play at the MCG for the Grand Final after that.
2019 Richmond played 13 H&A games at the MCG and then 2 Finals. Including 7 straight games from rounds 17 to 23 to finish the season. GWS played 3 H&A games at the MCG and then 2 Finals.
That's an absolutely absurd home-ground advantage someone like Richmond or Collingwood gets considering the biggest game of the year is only ever played at the MCG. Not only do they get to play a lot of games there, they rarely travel too.
Like even we rarely travel interstate. I don't agree with VICBIAS but interstate teams get shafted with their travel and fixtures most seasons.
29 in a row from round 3 2008 to round 20 2011. We were also like 43-1 at one stage with the only loss being that game against Sydney.
