Geelong's first final to be played at Simonds Stadium?

[NicoNicoNico]

Have the last 2 finals theyve played got mid 40s? (2010,2012)?

Yes, both around the 45K-mark and both involved a Freo team that had no chance at the flag (having finished outside the top 4).

 

[tony2000]

Vlad says Geelong deserve a home final if they finish 2nd. I agree.

The question for the AFL CEO then has to be why are they any less deserving should they be playing Sydney or collingwood?

Home state rule. If the AFL thinks it is viable they will go and do it and think obviously Fremantle is able to play at Geelong based on crowds. There were barely over 36K last time.

 

[blue harvest]

And why just freo... why are we singled out specifically as the only team this could ever happen to? why would a Geelong home final Vs Gold Coast, GWS, Port, Bulldogs, North or any other team that struggles to cobble together half a bus of fans in Melbourne not be played at Skilled?

Fremantle supporters have taken that quote out of context.
When Andy D said it would only be Fremantle, he was referring to Geelong's possible opponents in week1, ie Sydney or Fremantle. Out of those 2 it would only be the Fremantle game that could be conisdered for Simonds.

Obviously other low drawing clubs would be considered if that scenario presented.

 

[Catsmaninamerica]

I'm mad as hell about this shit.

Throughout our history people have been bleating about our carp record in Melbourne. You know "You need to learn to win at the 'G' (or Etihad) if you want to progress in the finals" etc etc.

Our whole travelling strategy in our Melbourne trips is adapting to playing at those grounds with our style of footy. We are starting to get pretty damn good at it too.

Now with the big dance nearing we are told we now need to learn to win at Arctic Park??

**** you AFL. **** you Victoria.

WAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!


harden up princess. And go see a doctor about removing that enormous chip that is glued to your little West Australian shoulder.

 

[thecatattack]

Finish above Geelong if you don't wanna play us at our HOME ground.

 

[randomhero4815]

Don't worry Freo, you can play us at the G in the Grand Final..

 

[JUBJUB]

AFL know that Geelong wont beat us at Etihad...Who is scared?

Judging by the hissyfits from the Freo CEO & the President I'd say Fremantle are shitscared

 

[blue harvest]

The problem lies in the fact that the AFL has openly said that, should Sydney be drawn to face Geelong instead that the game would not be played at Simond's. How is it acceptable for a national competition to openly and unashamedly practice prejudice and discrimination and in the same week find three individuals guilty of bringing the game in to disrepute?

Because Sydney have a lot more supporters in Melbourne and able to get to Melbourne.
It's not prejudice, it's scheduling games with larger demand at larger grounds.

 

[CatFan79]

Nothing says "hick league" like:

The WAFL

 

[Sttew]

If the prospect of playing in Geelong was mooted prior to the season starting I couldn't give a fat rats.

But it wasn't. So I do.

Look we all know it won't be happening - the AFL is just sounding out the football public for future years.

Now, having said that, where do you and other Freo people get off denying what Geelong, if it finished 2nd, should rightfully be entitled to - a home final. If Geelong / AFL guaranteed seats for the 500 or 5,000 Freo fans who'd come over, what's the issue?

 

[FunkyFreo2]

Fremantle supporters have taken that quote out of context.

I disagree. Mr D may made a typically broad non-contextual statement which can be interpreted in many ways. There's nothing in the context that backs your opinion. Maybe that is what he meant to say... could well be, but it is not what he said.

 

[blue harvest]

I must say that I'm surprised Geelong has so few fans that they are only expecting 32k turnout. It's a pretty piss poor effort for finals tbh.

Their fans have finals fatigue after 7 years of being near the top.
If it's at Etihad a lot just say we'll go to the next game instead.

 

[bradrowe#32]

WAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!


harden up princess. And go see a doctor about removing that enormous chip that is glued to your little West Australian shoulder.

Your hatred for WA excites me.

 

[clogged]

What's wrong with making it up on the fly when an exceptional set of circumstances present?

These aren't exceptional circumstances, they are pandering to Collingwood and Richmond and shifting what hopes to be a better quality game to a lesser venue.

This is the only the second time a game between top three opponents in Victoria won't be at the MCG since 1991, and the exceptional circumstances back then was that the MCG was under construction. The other time was when Geelong played Richmond at Waverley. It hasn't happened since the current final 8 was introduced.

 

[tripple1zero]

Because Sydney have a lot more supporters in Melbourne and able to get to Melbourne.
It's not prejudice, it's scheduling games with larger demand at larger grounds.

So why did less than 2,000 more people turn up to Sydney V Geelong than Freo V Geelong?
It was about 28,500 at the Sydney game last week compared at 26,700 at the Freo game earlier this year.

 

[Catsmaninamerica]

Your hatred for WA excites me.

There are some cool things about WA. Dont hate it all - But the last 5 years, its turned into a massively overpriced shithole, full of FIFO bogans. It's a country town - nothing is open after 10am or early in the morning for that matter, and a huge percentage of the locals have an enormous chip on their shoulder, about the "Wise men from the East" That said, Margaret River is not bad, the Little Creature Brewery is a good way to spend a day, and Ross Lyons tears excite me enormously. SO some redeeming parts of an otherwise barren desert...

 

[clogged]

There are some cool things about WA. Dont hate it all - But the last 5 years, its turned into a massively overpriced shithole, full of FIFO bogans. It's a country town - nothing is open after 10am or early in the morning for that matter, and a huge percentage of the locals have an enormous chip on their shoulder, about the "Wise men from the East" That said, Margaret River is not bad, the Little Creature Brewery is a good way to spend a day, and Ross Lyons tears excite me enormously. SO some redeeming parts of an otherwise barren desert...

You whinge about it a lot for someone who lives in America.

 

[blue harvest]

I disagree. Mr D may made a typically broad non-contextual statement which can be interpreted in many ways. There's nothing in the context that backs your opinion. Maybe that is what he meant to say... could well be, but it is not what he said.

The context was very clear when the original statement was made a few days ago.
They were talking about the finals, why would he say something about teams not even playing?
Obviously there are other teams that could be scheduled there if the same scenario presented, to come to the conclusion that Freo is the only one is just childish.

In the article in the Age today he says
"If they were playing a Victorian team or the Sydney Swans you'd have to play it at a larger ground capacity but it's certainly a real possibility but we won't know until we see how the dominoes fall over the weekend."

 

[CF]

reasoned as would an AFL business exec.

it's all about the moolah.

what ever happened to the concept of transparent sporting principles? why is this relegated to the rubbish

What about the team finishing 2nd on the ladder getting a reward for doing that. That's the most transparent sporting principle in this whole debate. Which people like you conveniently forget in your selfish little hissy fits.

 

[Catsmaninamerica]

What we are forgetting here is that for Gelong, this is just another week. We've played in a huge amount of finals the last several years, so this one isnt a big deal. But for Freo, this is MASSIVE. It's kind of like the good looking athletic guy in school who get's as much sechs as he wants from hot chicks, and the kid who plays clarinet in the school band and is the president of the Chess club. So when a genuine 6 out of 10 offers the band geek a pleasant time behind the library after band practice, he's off shopping for wedding rings straight away, and its the biggest deal in the world. If his mates bag said girl, he cries and wants to fight them all. The Sporty kid however is smiling thinking, "ill let her have a crack, but either way im not fussed, cos Im gonna get it again and again and again, from way hotter chicks. Geelong is the sporty kid, and Freo are the band geek.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

I do not like Freo at all so no attachment here but surely this is a joke.
I heard Demetriou and Fitzpatrick the other night quote on many times about integrity?????
Etihad is available, it holds 50K people. It is still a massive home advantage to Geelong.
Geelong deserves a home final which they will get. At Etihad.

Yes Geelong should have some entitlement over Freo based on ladder positions. But yes also Freo have some entitlement over Collingwood, Port, Richmond and Carlton.

I wish the AFL would make up their mind, is this comp about money or not? If it is then lets make it simply most money wins.
But stop trying to make it about integrity for one game, money for another. The AFL has zero integrity and we all know that.

This is like playing a final in WA at Fremantle oval, just because we can. It is simply stupid with not one bit of logic to support it.
If Etihad was not available then it would be logical. Etihad is available. The game should be there.
In fact the game should be at the MCG, and sort out the 5-8 sides wherever you like. They have earnt no rights over the top 4 sides.

 

[Oneiros]

1. its less than an hour on the VLine - a SIGNIFICANTLY more comfortable ride than the bogan infested piss stinking carriages Perth offers up.

I've been on the V-Line to Geelong on my way to Kardinia and I have been on Transperth a lot.

And I can honestly say I don't know what parallel dimension you are posting from.

a wk 2 final in perth will be friday night. sunday would be out of the question.

thus, no matter whether FRE finish 2nd, 3rd of 4th, their final in wk 1 will be on friday night or saturday arvo to get them (or their opposition if it's in perth) back home by saturday evening.

The problem with a friday night game in Subiaco is going to be Eddie freaking out about a reduced break for Collingwood on top of interstate travel (witness his freakout sessions on AFL360).

 

[thebarry111]

For an established club it always surprises me how few Geelong supporters go to watch the football

Did you ever stop to consider the reason why? If you live in Geelong and you play a "home" final at the MCG you are looking at about a 1.5 hour trip to the MCG, by the time the games over and you travel 1.5 hours home it makes for a big trip. Even longer for people who live outside of Geelong. It's slightly annoying when the majority of Geelong supporters can be at their home ground within 10 to 20 minutes walk. I can see Freo's point, but it would be nice to actually play a final at our real home ground.

 

[tripple1zero]

What about the team finishing 2nd on the ladder getting a reward for doing that. That's the most transparent sporting principle in this whole debate. Which people like you conveniently forget in your selfish little hissy fits.

Most Freo supporters agree with this, but don't like that it wont apply to Sydney either (or a Vic team). As I pointed out earlier, only about 1,800 extra went to SS to see Sydney last week than Freo at the same ground in Round 14.

 

[Lord Eddard]

I can't argue with this really. Geelong played well this year you can't begrudge them playing a final at their home ground.

Sorry if I'm not the first to say this but it'd be nice if in the future if the Swans play a final against a lower drawing team if we could play it at the SCG instead of ANZ. I think one year we played the Roos at ANZ and pulled 17,000. Esp now that the SCG is getting a 50,000 or so capacity would love the home ground advantage. Consistency and all yknow.