Opinion Will Geelong's boutique home ground ruin the Cats final chances?

[Ricky Vaughn]

So do you think Geelong should be able to host finals at Kardinia Park?

I do.

But only against Richmond.

 

[JohnZ]

When you look at the history of the VFL, playing finals and the GF at the MCG made sense. Before the 60s, it was the home ground of one club (Melbourne) who were largely successful in that era (coincidence?). H+A games were played in front of 90% home crowds (very similar to EPL crowds today) with every club having it's own ground, most with a capacity of about 35 to 45k. So the MCG was very much a neutral venue, much bigger than any suburban ground big enough to fit the capacity of both teams supporters.

Come 1970 and the VFL wants to gain control of it's premier event, the grand final away from the MCC who is increasingly wanting more and more money. So they build VFL park. The season VFL park opens, the competition increases from 20 games to 22 (yes before 1970 not every team played both home and away against all it's opponents, it was 2 games short). The extra 2 games per season were used to give every club at least one home game at VFL park. Since this point in time, no club has truly had all games at home.

From this point, the rest is history, as the VFL used clubs dire financial positions to force them into consolidating to new home grounds (Hawks and Saints to VFL park, Richmond to MCG, North to Princess park) and finally into expansion (south melbourne to sydney, fitzroy to brisbane). Eventually VFL park and princess park were closed to allow the new docklands stadium to be used 2 to 3 times a week (alongside the MCG) and we now have 9 clubs sharing 2 stadiums. All the while finals continued to be played between the MCG and VFL park, and now almost exclusively at the MCG.

If all 12 teams were still in Victoria, playing out of two stadiums, one of which was used exclusively for finals, there would be little problems. But that is not the case. Geelong play as many home games as the AFL allows them to in Geelong. All interstate sides play home games and home finals at their respective home grounds. GWS + Gold Coast don't play in their respective states largest AFL venues, and the AFL has already shown that they will be able to bypass the rule which sees Geelong play home finals at the MCG.

The AFL has dug itself a massive hole with the contracts it has signed with the MCG/MCC. Forcing Marvel/Geelong tenants to play home games and home finals at the MCG should not be allowed. It is just as ridiculous a notion that the Showdown should be moved to the MCG than it is for any Geelong game to be moved to the G. 1 hour drive v 1 hour flight. It's all the same to me.

The VFL once had neutral finals venues. This is no longer the case. MCG tenants and Interstate teams get to play all home finals at their home ground. Marvel tenants and Geelong do not get this opportunity. Saints, Bulldogs and North are some of the most disadvantaged clubs in the league. They play just as many games at the MCG as interstate clubs do, yet are forced to play home finals there. Brisbane and West Coast copped home finals at the MCG years ago before the contract was changed, surely the same can be done again so that every club has the opportunity to play home finals at their home ground.

 

[Socrates2]

You’ve raised the Tom Lynch thread several times. Here’s an idea, genius: rather than being a baby and using that as an excuse to start equally moronic threads, why don’t you point your ire at that thread?

This is a legitimate thread.Kardinia Park is an anomaly and it's time something was done about it imo.

 

[Wojcinski]

Our home ground is Punt Road Oval. The QF was played on neutral ground at the home of football, the MCG.

A ground that is 800m from the MCG and yet you haven't played a home game there in 50 years. Bloody AFL does everything to ruin your club don't they?

I don't know why so many people care about Geelong playing at KP. I mean it's in Geelong and they are Geelong... Half the Melbourne teams don't even have to go there anyway. If they get a soft run to the finals each year and then fail each year then isn't that a good thing? See Richmond 2017. Geelong finish top 2 and you are 3rd/4th and an MCG regular that's a bonus isn't it?

The fact that when Richmond were good they were rubbish away from the MCG was a positive. I'm more than happy to play a team that can't travel than a team like Hawthorn, Geelong, Sydney of recent years who I knew would come here and give us a real contest. And I'm sure Collingwood/Geelong were happy hosting us in 2011 when we were 11-1 in Perth and 6-4 away.

When Geelong were good they flogged teams at KP and won finals at the G. Since then they've been not quite as good and have flogged teams at KP and not won finals at the G. Such an odd thing people seem to get upset about. And I say as a fan of a team that pretty much forfeits when they play there.

Because it is how the Bay works, except this isn't the Bay and the OP is just lost.

 

[Wojcinski]

This is a legitimate thread.Kardinia Park is an anomaly and it's time something was done about it imo.

What do you suggest? Should every club just play every game at the MCG?

 

[Socrates2]

What do you suggest? Should every club just play every game at the MCG?

No, I say give Geelong 3 games at Kardinia and two of Saints, Bulldogs or North play 2 home games there, so all the money invested in it doesn't go to waste.
Geelong can make the G their main home ground and everyone is happy. Geelong benefit from increased exposure to the G.
Alternatively, buy some real estate on the non-Moorabool St side and widen the ground by 15 meters and make it symmetrical. At the moment there's too much local knowledge needed to win a game there imo.

 

[Wojcinski]

No, I say give Geelong 3 games at Kardinia and two of Saints, Bulldogs or North play 2 home games there, so all the money invested in it doesn't go to waste.
Geelong can make the G their main home ground and everyone is happy. Geelong benefit from increased exposure to the G.
Alternatively, buy some real estate on the non-Moorabool St side and widen the ground by 15 meters and make it symmetrical. At the moment there's too much local knowledge needed to win a game there imo.

So you're suggesting that Geelong Cats, the team located in Geelong, stop playing home games in Geelong so instead teams located in St Kilda, Footscray and North Melbourne (all ~80kms from Geelong) play home games there instead of the MCG which is 2-5kms away from these clubs. Geelong should instead play home games at the MCG?

You're also suggesting that clubs can't figure out the ground despite having almost the exact same dimensions as Adelaide Oval, Spotless Stadium and Etihad Stadium? Even with the millions these clubs put into player development, training practices and research they can't figure out a way to let the team know the ground is skinnier than the MCG?

I'm just scratching my head to be honest.

 

[Wojcinski]

Culture ok. i suppose we need to be more like Geelong AKA hand bags!!

GeLlOnG hAnDbAgS



Got eeeeem

 

[a_fighting_fury]

How come Punt Road isn't listed as Richmond's home ground?

https://www.topendsports.com/sport/afl/grounds/index.htm

Here's why. You haven't played a H&A game at the Punt Road oval since, what, 1965

Brilliant, you answered your own question!

Thanks for coming.

 

[Socrates2]

So you're suggesting that Geelong Cats, the team located in Geelong, stop playing home games in Geelong so instead teams located in St Kilda, Footscray and North Melbourne (all ~80kms from Geelong) play home games there instead of the MCG which is 2-5kms away from these clubs. Geelong should instead play home games at the MCG?

You're also suggesting that clubs can't figure out the ground despite having almost the exact same dimensions as Adelaide Oval, Spotless Stadium and Etihad Stadium? Even with the millions these clubs put into player development, training practices and research they can't figure out a way to let the team know the ground is skinnier than the MCG?

I'm just scratching my head to be honest.

No, I said you should play 3 games there.I'm sure the smaller Melbourne clubs wouldn't mind a trip to Geelong twice a year for a home game, better than the Dicklands.

 

[Wojcinski]

No, I said you should play 3 games there.I'm sure the smaller Melbourne clubs wouldn't mind a trip to Geelong twice a year for a home game, better than the Dicklands.

 

[Scotland]

LOL if Geelong don't play at least 7 or 8 games a year at KP then what is the point of having KP?

After all the gubment investment into the ground recently they are only going to play there more, not less.

Just not in September.

 

[BIRDBRAIN]

This is a legitimate thread.Kardinia Park is an anomaly and it's time something was done about it imo.

Nuke the site from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.

 

[Cheapie out the back]

No, I say give Geelong 3 games at Kardinia and two of Saints, Bulldogs or North play 2 home games there, so all the money invested in it doesn't go to waste.
Geelong can make the G their main home ground and everyone is happy. Geelong benefit from increased exposure to the G.
Alternatively, buy some real estate on the non-Moorabool St side and widen the ground by 15 meters and make it symmetrical. At the moment there's too much local knowledge needed to win a game there imo.

I hope for your sake that you're only 13. Time to put the white flag up mate

 

[BIRDBRAIN]

There's plenty of room on the non-moorabool side but it's the car park for cats pokies, bringing misery and destitution to their own fans.

 

[Stucky]

My question is. If the Cats were not sitting two games clear on top of the ladder would this thread of been created?

l think the OP has too much time on his hands and is extremely upset about last Friday night.

 

[evolutionbaby]

This is a legitimate thread.Kardinia Park is an anomaly and it's time something was done about it imo.

Anomaly....oddity.....yeah I get it.....

 

[Socrates2]

My question is. If the Cats were not sitting two games clear on top of the ladder would this thread of been created?

l think the OP has too much time on his hands and is extremely upset about last Friday night.

Yes, I've been banging on about this for years now.

 

[Ricketz]

Culture ok. i suppose we need to be more like Geelong AKA hand bags!!

Maybe try looking at your own problems rather than invent lame reasons for losing?

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Richmond are two days away from trying to keep their season alive and we have a supporter still melting about a loss that happened 5 days ago.

Bizarre

 

[Biscut]

You've got an unfair advantage and it gets you to the finals ,you struggle to win finals at the G for whatever reason.

Alright, you have an unfair advantage by playing at the G all the time. So in light of that, any team that does not play at the G and beats a G tenant should be awarded 5 points instead of 4, so we non tenants can get some advantage back.

 

[PhatBoy]

Yes, I've been banging on about this for years now.

So in years your argument hasn’t improved.

There’s probably a message in that

 

[Biscut]

Our home ground is Punt Road Oval. The QF was played on neutral ground at the home of football, the MCG.

Stop being a flog. Punt rd is your training venue, not you home ground.

 

[Socrates2]

The funny thing about Kardinia Park is that the goals are not in the middle of the ground due to the Moorabool St side being shorter in width. Check out this picture. It should be in the rules that grounds have to be symmetrical imo.

 

[Sttew]

Richmond are two days away from trying to keep their season alive and we have a supporter still melting about a loss that happened 5 days ago.

Bizarre

A supporter who, by his own admission, has also made it his life long ambition to see Geelong stripped of it's home ground because...just because