Melbourne won their premiership in Perth and went out straight sets mcg last yearDisagree.
Richmond, Hawthorn, Collingwood, Melbourne have all won flags in that period on what is their home ground, where they play the majority of their games during the season, and can stick to a far easier match day routine.
Geelong also has to simply travel up the Princes Hwy (in their own cars) for a 1 hour drive and get to sleep in their own beds. Some of their players live in Melbourne anyhow.
Almost all of those wins were against interstate teams (Bris/WCE/Adel/Freo/Syd/GWS) who play in Melbourne a handful of times per year, and have to deal with fortnightly air travel and staying in hotels to play games, including the GF.
If we had to play our GFs interstate every season, against a home team in their own city, we wouldn’t have such a great strike rate either.
It’s a factor for sure. Far more genuine than some purported “inferiority complex”.
Before the hawthorn and Richmond dynasties the interstate teams had won more grand finals v vic teams at the mcg …a sample of about 14 grand finals over a 20 + year period
Simply if you are goog enough you win