The Grand Final should be hosted at a neutral venue

[crownie]

the eagles earn't it isn't a good enough argument when the fixture itself seems to be a lottery most of time.

 

[footyfan1978]

Richard Branson when he organizes travel service to Mars or Moon could work something out to build a neutral stadium there. He's seen a game now so you never know what he is willing to do.

 

[The Passenger]

The clubs from other states that want to play more games there just have to move one of their home games there each year. Maybe two.

A little bit left field, but depending on the draft fixture it could actually be mutually beneficial for two clubs like West Coast and Sydney to play both their games at the MCG. Most people would baulk at the idea and think it's stupid, but if both clubs agreed it would negate any home/away advantage from the two clashes so that is even. Doesn't work so well if only one club gives up a home fixture. Two extra games at the MCG against quality opposition is not going to hurt two teams vying for a flag.

 

[footyfan1978]

A little bit left field, but depending on the draft fixture it could actually be mutually beneficial for two clubs like West Coast and Sydney to play both their games at the MCG. Most people would baulk at the idea and think it's stupid, but if both clubs agreed it would negate any home/away advantage from the two clashes so that is even. Doesn't work so well if only one club gives up a home fixture. Two extra games at the MCG against quality opposition is not going to hurt two teams vying for a flag.

How about each year, Freo and West Coast play one of their games at the G. Freo one year as home team and West Coast the next. Plenty of ideas to come up with if clubs get creative enough. Same with Crows and Port Adelaide. Just imagine 30,000 Crow fans and 30,000 Port fans travelling over one weekend a year to play each other at the G.

 

[MinerBoy]

Hawthorn won the last two premierships having lost the minor premiership i.e. not the best team - this indicates the home ground advantage may have an impact.

And lost one when they were the minor Premier, suggesting the GF is simply won by the better team on the day.

 

[MinerBoy]

Eagles Pumped em 3 weeka ago at Subi, Hawks Pumped em today at the G.

If you think it isnt a factor then i think you need to ask your guide dog for help.

We also won twice in Perth in the past 2 months.

 

[JeffDunne]

What I don't understand most about this discussion is why anyone would want to risk diminishing the Grand Final.

Even more so when the justification is really based on nothing more than an excuse for losing (i.e. the thread wouldn't exist if the Eagles had won).

I know it hurts the sensibilities of people from cities like Perth & Adelaide but those cities don't host major events for a reason.

 

[screech]

And lost one when they were the minor Premier, suggesting the GF is simply won by the better team on the day.

Hence why every effort should be made to ensure other factors are reduced or removed (ie home ground advantage) so that it is the best team on the day, not the team that gets the best advantage or overcomes the advantage

 

[Masto]

I have a proposal that will never get up but would keep everyone happy: make the GF a best of 3 series. In this instance it would be...

Game 1 - Subiaco
Game 2 - MCG
Game 3 - Subiaco

That way MCG still get their GF and the interstate teams aren't disadvantaged.

 

[Smokeyr67]

Build a 150,000 capacity stadium in Canberra. Call it Capital City Stadium and host every GF there. The annual pilgrimage to CCS will be a thing to behold.

This could be the mascot

 

[bomberclifford]

The issue isn't that the GF is played at the MCG, the issue is that a select few teams play there during the season as their home ground.

If the MCG is the 'spiritual home' of football then all clubs deserve to play there multiple times during the season, regardless of crowd factors.

 

[Monkey King]

Its a cricket ground

Australian Football was founded by cricketers; so where else would you expect to find the home of football?

 

[Monkey King]

The issue isn't that the GF is played at the MCG, the issue is that a select few teams play there during the season as their home ground.

If the MCG is the 'spiritual home' of football then all clubs deserve to play there multiple times during the season, regardless of crowd factors.

This is absolutely spot on. If the GF venue (any venue) is going to be fair, then there shouldn't be a big difference between how many games competing teams have played there in the previous couple of seasons.

 

[footyfan1978]

The issue isn't that the GF is played at the MCG, the issue is that a select few teams play there during the season as their home ground.

If the MCG is the 'spiritual home' of football then all clubs deserve to play there multiple times during the season, regardless of crowd factors.

Agreed. Hopefully your club give up at least one home game to play at the spiritual home of football as a designated home game. I am sure the MCC would be willing to host a home game a season for any club willing to shift a game from another one of their so called football homes. As a Carlton supporter certainly would hope we move at least 2 more games from Docklands to MCG at next opportunity. I think we played a home game there against Port and Adelaide this year. Port would be wise to play one or two of their home games at the G and be a trend setter for clubs from over the border thinking big picture of finals success.

 

[footyfan1978]

I have a proposal that will never get up but would keep everyone happy: make the GF a best of 3 series.

I would NOT be happy with that. Stuff that for a joke. The grand final is about getting one chance to show your stuff and win. No bloody best of the three bullshit. It is called the one big day for a reason. Lets not kill any more gooses that lay golden eggs. There is nothing like getting to that big day and knowing it is now or never.

 

[Beutbrute]

I don't think a neutral venue would have helped the Eagles yesterday, however I do think the Grand final week should not belong to one stadium/state in a national competition. Why would the AFL expect the expansion into the northern states to work when they won't even let a grand final be held there?

I think it should be up to states/stadiums to bid on the grand final. Any bidding process would take into account seating capacity etc, but would allow some sort of flexibility.

 

[The Joker]

We also won twice in Perth in the past 2 months.

Yes but the only time you faced a full strength team you got pumped, just ask you guide dog what happened.

 

[MinerBoy]

Yes but the only time you faced a full strength team you got pumped, just ask you guide dog what happened.

Was that the full strength team without Priddis, Masten etc...

they won that day with a less than full strength team because they played much better. Yesterday we played much better, like we did against Freo in WA the week before.

 

[Furn2]

It is unfair for sure but as it stands who has a stadium that can host it ?

I think 60k is enough but only stadium Australia has that and thats not a decent ground for footy.

 

[Thrawn]

This game was over before it began. Hawthorn gifted the easiest, most unfair national premiership ever thanks to the AFL's stubbornness.

ANZ stadium or Adelaide oval would have been perfectly suitable alternatives. The "hurr durr tradition" argument is BS. The 1991 Grand Final was played at some soulless venue. If the AFL was about tradition then Fitzroy would still be around.

The decision to keep playing the Grand Final at this venue every single year is a blight on the competition

Okay. St Kilda wouldn't even exist today if not for West Coast / Adelaide

Hilarious, sounds like sore loser talk. Wonder what Goku would say about this?

Let's face facts - it wouldn't have mattered where you played, Hawthorn were just too good. They rose to the occasion, you guys didn't.

 

[TiggerMan22]

Of that 100k how many are actual supporters of either team?

Does it matter? You will fill a 100k stadium for every grand final.

 

[TiggerMan22]

ANZ kicks arse if there's 80,000 there. For that reason, it would be a perfect GF venue. Just don't use it the rest of the time.

Too bad the stadium and ground are a pos and that's why the players dont want to play there.

 

[TiggerMan22]

I would like to see all Victorian teams get equal games at MCG and Docklands, so it's a home city thing rather than home ground.

No

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

ANZ is a hole, heck people did not even wanna go there when Sydney played in the finals so I can really see a bunch of people flying over from Perth then taking the train out to Homebush.

We'll have to agree to disagree. I know there have been dozens of "ANZ is a hole" threads. I don't get it. It's just a f***en stadium. Any place with 80K in it is dripping with atmos. And any place which can hold 80K is "soulless" when the crowd isn't huge.

I was at the Swans/Collingwood game that drew 72,000, still the biggest-ever AFL crowd outside Victoria. I was at the Swans/Lions PF in 2003 (I think). So it can pull a big crowd. And the atmos at both was incredible. Likewise when I went to S.O.O and Bledisloe Cup there.

No idea why people haven't been going lately. Much closer to the demographic heart of Sydney (which is west of Parramatta) than the SCG is. Train service right to the door. (There's an airport right next to the MCG? First I've heard of it. As far as I was aware, a bunch of people flying over to Melbourne from Perth also have to then take a bus in to the MCG).

Anyway, that's for one of the seemingly-endless ANZ Is a Hole threads. I'm clearly of the minority.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Too bad the stadium and ground are a pos and that's why the players dont want to play there.

See my post above.