The Grand Final should be hosted at a neutral venue

[JeffDunne]

But they are different degrees of the same thing. The AFL will argue the "event" of big Friday night rating games or the "event" of big MCG blockbusters is worth rigging the draw accordingly. I can't see how you can argue against one but be perfectly fine without the other, unless you are purely blinded by personal bias

You don't need to rig the draw to play the biggest drawing games at the biggest venues.

Hell you could even play Collingwood/Essendon every Anzac day and still keep the fixture fair (like the NFL manage to do with Thanksgiving games)

What I complain about is the blatant competition rigging that tries to determine who plays in the Grand Final - not where the Grand Final is played.

Moving the GF from the 'G is to me like moving the Melbourne Cup from Flemington.

It's borderline treasonous to even suggest it!

 

[The_Flying_Egg]

Where was the 1954 Grand Final played again ?

I think we played the 1945 Bloodbath grand final on our own ground at Princes Park because the MCG was busy with being used as barracks for World War Two , but all other premierships never won on our home ground. Grand Finals have never been about giving any side a homeground advantage. It has been about playing it at the biggest and best ground for the league. Every club knows it will be at the MCG. Every club use to play one or two home games at Waverley Park in the 1980's. Time for most clubs to organize a way to play at least one of their "home" games at the MCG.

Don't get me wrong, I think the Granny should always be at the G. It wouldn't be the same anywhere else and the crowds would be embarrassing.

All I'm saying is if they ever did start giving interstate teams home Grandfinals, then Etihad teams should get Etihad as well.

Plus some interstate fans are complaining because they don't get the chance at a home Grandfinal .. however some Vic teams never play a final of any kind at their home ground. West Coast played at home their first 2 finals ... Dogs, Saints, Essendon and North never play finals at their home ground

 

[pazza]

People are forgetting there is a long standing and legally binding contract to play the match there. So far we are 15 years into the 35 year deal. So it will be another 20 years before anything can happen.

Should the game ever be threatened to move from there, I would give the MCC 30 minutes before seeking a Supreme Court Injunction on any move.

 

[JeffDunne]

If the AFL ever got close to considering a move the Victorian Government would stop it dead in it's tracks.

Wouldn't matter who was in power either.

 

[Jaeger]

Hawks at the G is the real house of pain.

 

[pazza]

If the AFL ever got close to considering a move the Victorian Government would stop it dead in it's tracks.

Wouldn't matter who was in power either.

Good point.

Cain did that in 1984.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I highly doubt it'll even move after 2035.

It would take a tremendous shift in football political power to move it from Victoria.

It's simply the home of football. It always has been and I don't see how that's changing in the next 20 years.

 

[SeaEagle]

Stand to be corrected, but doesn't the A League and Super Rugby which will be played in 5 countries next year organise their Grand Final venues in the week leading up to the final rewarding the higher placed team?

Surely for one game of the year and the integrity of the competition it shouldn't be about how much money can be made or how big the crowd is. It should be about who earns the right throughout the home and away season.

 

[VFL13]

Will never happen. This is the most corrupt competition in the world. They hide drug takers and cheating clubs under their wings. Rig the draw and take money off some clubs and give it to others whilst letting some clubs dictate to them how to run the game. The A(V)FL will always compromise integrity and fairness for $$$$$$.

 

[kozi]

The AFL's deal to have all Grand Finals at the MCG for the next thousand years is more iron clad then our national constitution.

 

[pazza]

Stand to be corrected, but doesn't the A League and Super Rugby which will be played in 5 countries next year organise their Grand Final venues in the week leading up to the final rewarding the higher placed team?

Surely for one game of the year and the integrity of the competition it shouldn't be about how much money can be made or how big the crowd is. It should be about who earns the right throughout the home and away season.

As mentioned there is a legal document in place. The document was signed as part of the payment for the new grandstand on the northern side of the ground in part. The Melbourne Cricket club, as ground custodians, would be well within their legal rights to challenge the AFL and whoever else, should the match be moved. They signed the agreement in good faith. The AFL as tenants haven't got a leg to stand on.

 

[Lensen]

As mentioned there is a legal document in place. The document was signed as part of the payment for the new grandstand on the northern side of the ground in part. The Melbourne Cricket club, as ground custodians, would be well within their legal rights to challenge the AFL and whoever else, should the match be moved. They signed the agreement in good faith. The AFL as tenants haven't got a leg to stand on.

Very true, I'd be surprised if anyone arguing for change would expect the grand final to be moved next year or even in the next few years. But the closer you get to the end of that contract the less compensation or trade off that is required to break the contract and thus it's a very worthy discussion point even now.

Not that I'm comparing the two in terms of $$$ or importance to the MCC, but don't forget 11 years ago there was 30 years left on a contract stating there'd be at least one prelim at the MCG every year.

 

[jono23]

You filthy interstaters should just be thankful you're allowed in our comp.

Ah no mate, you're lucky we came into your comp and paid your extortionate licence fees; if we didn't, your comp would have been bankrupt.

 

[jono23]

To be fair, this is Victoria's league. You interstaters should be thankful we let you play in it at all.

Ah no mate. You should be thankful we came into your comp and paid your extortionate licence fees; if we didn't, "your" comp would have been bankrupt.

 

[TiggerMan22]

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.

The ground is a disgrace to start with.
Second unless its a Sydney GF then there is literally no reason to hold it there over the MCG.
Sydney doesn't give a shit about AFL. Victoria is the heart of AFL. You really think that the grand final parade would be anywhere close to the one in Melbourne?
MCG is the best stadium we have, its in the place that cares about AFL the most. Makes sense to have the biggest and best game of the year there.

 

[wowlace]

How so?

The MCG is the home ground for more teams than any other ground in the country. Therefore, averaged over the entire league, the MCG is the most neutral ground.

 

[The_Flying_Egg]

Will never happen. This is the most corrupt competition in the world. They hide drug takers and cheating clubs under their wings. Rig the draw and take money off some clubs and give it to others whilst letting some clubs dictate to them how to run the game. The A(V)FL will always compromise integrity and fairness for $$$$$$.

I love when interstate fans call it the VFL like they're so mistreated ... the GWS and Suns are basically bank-rolled by the AFL ... Brisbane are less sustainable than any Vic side and the AFL will never let them die. Sydney got extra salary cap for years. The victim complex is laughable, people complained about the AA team when the last 2 seasons interstate players have got in at a higher rate.

 

[FreoGirl]

I really don't think the venue made WC play like they did, it was more to do with the occasion, wouldn't have mattered much where they played IMO.

I agree. There's not a lot you can do about the venue, but perhaps instead of saying, "The Hawks are the best team of all time", it might be more accurate for them to claim, "The Hawks are the best team at the MCG."

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

The ground is a disgrace to start with.

I'm sure that could be remedied.

Second unless its a Sydney GF then there is literally no reason to hold it there over the MCG.

Um, because it's the second biggest stadium in the country?

Sydney doesn't give a shit about AFL.

I guess that's why the Swans have the biggest game day crowds of any sporting team in NSW. I guess that's why the three highest-rating AFL Grand Final telecasts of all have been 2005, 2006, and 2012.

Look, don't get me wrong, I don't have any particular attachment to the Olympic stadium. But this soppy sentimentalism about the MCG being the "spiritual home" of footy, this implication that somehow there is some magical atmosphere there which is impossible to recreate anywhere else, is just sick-making BS.

 

[FreoRicci]

This argument is so old. Unless there's a stadium that can hold 100k +, have 21st century technology at the ground it's not going anywhere. Maybe interstate teams need to adjust their game plans when playing away from home.

 

[Jables]

You never heard this around 2006ish lol. It's always good to debate this kind of stuff, but to suggest it's a factor in how hard it is to win a GF is farcical. Growing up as a kid I always went for the Vic team (even Essendon! Half heartedly) because interstate teams won all the bloody time.

 

[Mr MysteryGuest]

You filthy interstaters should just be thankful you're allowed in our comp.

To be fair, this is Victoria's league. You interstaters should be thankful we let you play in it at all.

To be fair? lol no, to be stupid. I didn't realise there were people who still think this way, what a disgustingly backwards view. This idea that the comp was originally the vfl, and so vic clubs should continue to have an advantage over the rest is simply ridiculous, goes completely against the meaning of having a fair competition. It's meant to be the national league now, you can't have that if you say no non-vic clubs.

 

[Flukey!]

I would think that all teams would want to play at the best stadium and in front of the biggest crowds.
Where else but "The G"?

 

[TiggerMan22]

I'm sure that could be remedied.

Um, because it's the second biggest stadium in the country?

I guess that's why the Swans have the biggest game day crowds of any sporting team in NSW. I guess that's why the three highest-rating AFL Grand Final telecasts of all have been 2005, 2006, and 2012.

Look, don't get me wrong, I don't have any particular attachment to the Olympic stadium. But this soppy sentimentalism about the MCG being the "spiritual home" of footy, this implication that somehow there is some magical atmosphere there which is impossible to recreate anywhere else, is just sick-making BS.

So the reason to hold it at ANZ insteda of MCG is its the second biggest stadium. Great logic there.
Give me any actual reasons.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

So the reason to hold it at ANZ insteda of MCG is its the second biggest stadium. Great logic there.
Give me any actual reasons.

Think you'll notice the thread is discussing whether the GF should always be held at the G. I would think part of that discussion is considering what other venues in Australia would be suitable. Sheesh.

I already told you, I don't give a stuff about ANZ.

I don't give a stuff about the MCG either. They're all just hollow rings.