Hawthorn v West Coast at Etihad - Strange venue choice

[parano1a]

This Friday night Hawthorn meets West Coast for the first time ever at Etihad Stadium.

The two teams have played 41 times before, at the following venues:

Subiaco Oval 18
Waverley Park 7
York Park 6
MCG 4
Princes Park 3
WACA 3

It seems very strange for the AFL to schedule this particular game at Etihad and not the MCG. Does anyone know the reason for this scheduling?

 

[Jaeger]

It's a weird one. Something to do with the need for a certain amount of blockbuster games at the venue.

Hawthorn don't want to play any home games at Etihad.

Then there's St Kilda v Melbourne at the G...

 

[longsuffreosupp]

Being a Friday night, gotta be a contract thing, or is there something else on a the G at the same time?

 

[WWSD]

Last years game against WCE in Round 23 on a Friday Night we got 50,000. Now it's Etihad for some unknown reason. Nice one Demetriou you fat Tub of Goo.

 

[Forward Press]

We play Etihad better in my view so for selfish reasons I like it, but it's incredibly baffling. I am not aware of any MCG scheduling conflicts so surely it must be contractual.

 

[FootyJunkie]

Apparently Etihad is contractually obligated to remain a relevant footy ground.

 

[greennick]

Not looking forward to this game, don't give us a chance! Doesn't make a difference where we play them...

 

[Strahany]

Then there's St Kilda v Melbourne at the G...

We only get three games (home games and away games combined) at the MCG this year....

 

[Vince12]

It's stupid as well because this weekend is typically when the most WCE members make the trip east for a game (mid season). Exact same thing happened last year when we played Collingwood at Etihad.

Seems odd that in 2 years we'd play the biggest teams at Etihad yet play Melbourne at the MCG.

All that said though I don't understand why Victorians hate Etihad so much. Every time I go there I reckon it's fantastic and no worse than the MCG really.

 

[ashley12]

It's stupid as well because this weekend is typically when the most WCE members make the trip east for a game (mid season). Exact same thing happened last year when we played Collingwood at Etihad.

Seems odd that in 2 years we'd play the biggest teams at Etihad yet play Melbourne at the MCG.

All that said though I don't understand why Victorians hate Etihad so much. Every time I go there I reckon it's fantastic and no worse than the MCG really.

Last year we played Collingwood at the G I am 99% sure... Went down by a couple points...

 

[ashley12]

Confirmed

http://finalsiren.com/MatchDetails.asp?GameID=5938&Code=0aca46020fb0abb59c239f213ea265b4

 

[FootyJunkie]

All that said though I don't understand why Victorians hate Etihad so much. Every time I go there I reckon it's fantastic and no worse than the MCG really.

MCG is to Etihad as a VFL side is to Gold Coast/GWS.

Etihad isn't a bad ground, but forcing MCG tenants to play home games there is just plain stupid.

 

[Superstar swan]

As long as hawthorn win, i don't care

 

[HappyChappy35]

Every MCG tenant has at least one Etihad home game this season, so it's only fair the Hawks have one too. Would've only drawn 40,000 to the MCG anyway with the form West Coast are in.

So yeah, I don't see what the problem is.

 

[DrEvil]

It's stupid as well because this weekend is typically when the most WCE members make the trip east for a game (mid season). Exact same thing happened last year when we played Collingwood at Etihad.

Seems odd that in 2 years we'd play the biggest teams at Etihad yet play Melbourne at the MCG.

All that said though I don't understand why Victorians hate Etihad so much. Every time I go there I reckon it's fantastic and no worse than the MCG really.

Etihad's surface sucks arse. Players losing their feet and injure themselves much more.

 

[Jaeger]

We only get three games (home games and away games combined) at the MCG this year....

Your home ground is Etihad...

 

[WWSD]

Every MCG tenant has at least one home game at Etihad this season, so it's only fair the Hawks have one too. Would only have drawn 40,000 to the MCG anyway with the form West Coast are in.

So yeah, I don't see what the problem is.

The problem is Hawthorn are NEVER the home team at Etihad and why would they start now? We haven't been the Home team at Etihad Stadium since Round 2 2006 against Collingwood. Also the last time we were the home team at Etihad against an interstate side was way back in 2001 against Fremantle. Almost 12 years ago.

 

[Damon_3388]

Etihad's surface sucks arse. Players losing their feet and injure themselves much more.

Didn't this stop being an issue a few years ago?

 

[FootyJunkie]

Etihad's surface sucks arse. Players losing their feet and injure themselves much more.

If Etihad didn't have surface issues (no car park underneath), and no roof, and was built at an angle that uses the sun better, and there was no need to force MCG tenants to play there and big games were able to be moved from there to the MCG at decent notice, Etihad would look more favourable amongst the Melbourne general public and accept it as a true footy ground. Something that complements the MCG in Melbourne, but doesn't intrude on its territory.

 

[Scotland]

Last years game against WCE in Round 23 on a Friday Night we got 50,000. Now it's Etihad for some unknown reason. Nice one Demetriou you fat Tub of Goo.

I don't think this year's fixture will attract as much interest anyway for a mid-year fixture with us struggling to stay in the 8.

Not really sure why this game is at Etihad Stadium. It's not a dud fixture that will attract 10,000 people, nor is it a mini-blockbuster that is unlikely to draw more than 45,000 so is a good 'look Etihad isn't just for dud fixtures' game. I'm just happy it's not in Tasmania, not that it will make much difference the way we're going.

 

[DrEvil]

Didn't this stop being an issue a few years ago?

Juddy lost his feet rather awkwardly, there are a few more on Friday night too.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

Last years game against WCE in Round 23 on a Friday Night we got 50,000. Now it's Etihad for some unknown reason. Nice one Demetriou you fat Tub of Goo.

I agree, very weird that it's at Etihad considering the crowd number last time the teams played in Victoria, but the AFL know best apparently

 

[Strahany]

Your home ground is Etihad...

And we're forced to write off cheques as a result. All I'm saying is that a few games given to other clubs isn't going to hurt.

 

[Damon_3388]

Juddy lost his feet rather awkwardly, there are a few more on Friday night too.

Can't be the case that they just, you know, fell over?

 

[HappyChappy35]

The problem is Hawthorn are NEVER the home team at Etihad and why would they start now? We haven't been the Home team at Etihad Stadium since Round 2 2006 against Collingwood. Also the last time we were the home team at Etihad against an interstate side was way back in 2001 against Fremantle. Almost 12 years ago.

Should that matter? Other MCG tenants (Collingwood, Richmond, and Melbourne) have started playing some home games there in recent years against interstaters and lower-drawing Vic sides. Why should that be any different for Hawthorn?