"The home of football"

[mottrain]

Maybe make a move for the nrl granny to Vic from Sydney.

 

[Crawb]

If we ever have a Derby/Showdown/etc Grand Final, then play it in that respective state. But apart from that it should always be at the MCG.

 

[Moo]

The G is the spiritual home of footy, fine as it is.

 

[JackFlash]

Someone is having a laugh here surely?

 

[Matt Stevic]

The MCG is our biggest stadium, and now that Waverley was sadly knocked down we have no viable alternative. It also helps that half the teams are in one location.

To move the grand final away from the MCG just because of home ground advantage is a bit like throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Yes it does provide an advantage, but the better question to ask is why are so many teams playing at the MCG in the first place? Get teams back to their traditional homes and the MCG wouldn't provide a home ground advantage any more!

Does the NRL move the GF away from ANZ if an interstate club finishes top? Is the FA Cup final moved away from Wembley if a non London club is competing? Fair enough, they don't have the stadium problems that we do thanks to Wayne Jackson. That same jealous interstater Wayne Jackson who had a major chip on his shoulder regarding Victorian footy. How ironic that this South Australian is responsible for giving some Victorian teams (including mine) an advantage on Grand Final day.

 

[MisterMarcus]

Is that really a good enough reason to hold the Grand Final there every year, no matter who finishes on top of the ladder?

For all the talk of equalisation these days, this is often a topic that gets overlooked. If those championing equalisation want to be taken seriously then they have to also instigate change here. Whoever finished higher out of two Grand Final combatants gets to play the game at their home ground. Doesn't matter if that means the game is played at the GABBA, Patersons or the MCG.

It's not the VFL anymore, and you can't be giving Victorian clubs such a huge advantage over the interstate clubs by guaranteeing that they'll be playing the GF on their home ground and won't have to travel each and every year. This isn't just a Swans complaint, it's going to be a problem for all interstate sides at point or another.

inb4 some like whoring cola comment in first post.

In all seriousness,

If the SCG could hold like 75-80k people, I reckon I'd be okay with it.

But ANZ is a soul less, shite-hole of a stadium with a terrible surface, and would probably be taken by the NRL most of the time anyway. And none of the other stadia can hold anywhere near the crowd that would need to be catered for (the new sooper-dooper WA stadium might be different, I don't know?)

 

[Zerg]

No, but spreading the cost around makes it fairer.

Why should people outside of Victoria have to continually foot the bill of travelling for the Grand final?

Because they choose to.

There is a contract in place to play it there, simple.

 

[Kwality]

A very cool tradition I think, but I'm genuinely surprised one of those Swans - Eagles Grannies never ended up going to Homebush. It's the kind of thing the AFL would do...

The AFL has traded away any chance to pick up big bucks, interestingly its on the plate in the NRL:
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/nrl-grand-final-could-be-on-the-move-from-spiritual-home-of-sydney-20140920-10jonx.html

 

[Plugger35]

In all seriousness,

If the SCG could hold like 75-80k people, I reckon I'd be okay with it.

But ANZ is a soul less, shite-hole of a stadium with a terrible surface, and would probably be taken by the NRL most of the time anyway. And none of the other stadia can hold anywhere near the crowd that would need to be catered for (the new sooper-dooper WA stadium might be different, I don't know?)

That new WA stadium is only going to be about 60k capacity, initially anyway they might increase it later.

I think if you asked the players they'd want the GF played at the MCG due to the tradition, atmosphere and sense of occasion. Winning a premiership at some other stadium in front of a smaller crowd wouldn't be as special.

 

[Kwality]

Just wouldn't feel like a GF if it wasn't at the MCG, the GF in 1991 at Waverley was awful.

ANZ is the only other ground with the capacity to host it but that shouldn't even be a finals venue let alone a GF venue.



.

Why is attendance even a consideration as long as competing club members dont miss out?

 

[base615]

If you've ever seen your team win a flag at a sold out MCG you understand why it should never be moved. It's not just the stadium either but the atmosphere outside before and after. It wouldn't happen like that anywhere else IMO.

 

[Shoei]

The MCG is our biggest stadium, and now that Waverley was sadly knocked down we have no viable alternative. It also helps that half the teams are in one location.

To move the grand final away from the MCG just because of home ground advantage is a bit like throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Yes it does provide an advantage, but the better question to ask is why are so many teams playing at the MCG in the first place? Get teams back to their traditional homes and the MCG wouldn't provide a home ground advantage any more!

Does the NRL move the GF away from ANZ if an interstate club finishes top? Is the FA Cup final moved away from Wembley if a non London club is competing? Fair enough, they don't have the stadium problems that we do thanks to Wayne Jackson. That same jealous interstater Wayne Jackson who had a major chip on his shoulder regarding Victorian footy. How ironic that this South Australian is responsible for giving some Victorian teams (including mine) an advantage on Grand Final day.

No club teams play any games at Wembley. It is completely neutral for both sides. All semi finals are played now at Wembley too so both teams that make the final will have already at least once played at the ground.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Tradition

Biggest stadium

Best stadium

Wasn't the first ever game (like ever) played in Yarra Park? Pretty cool if so

Interstate clubs have a great record v Vic clubs so doesn't seem to be unfair

Can't think of a single reason to move it.

 

[base615]

Can't think of a single reason to move it.

The AFLs apparent desire to **** things up?

 

[base615]

No club teams play any games at Wembley. It is completely neutral for both sides. All semi finals are played now at Wembley too so both teams that make the final will have already at least once played at the ground.

Spurs might be playing their home games at Wembley while the new stadium is being built.

 

[Kummerspeck]

Contractual obligations caused Hawthorn to play 18 hours later than normal, screaming about conspiracies, AFL pets, etc. Contractual obligations mean that the minor premier has to travel to the home ground of the lower placed qualifier, silence or justifications from aforementioned hissy-fitters.

 

[Plugger35]

Why is attendance even a consideration as long as competing club members dont miss out?

Because the AFL would lose money at a smaller venue and the AFL is all about maximizing revenue, the GF at the MCG is a huge money spinner for them.

 

[LeverPuller]

Super Bowl is only rotated because every city is capable of catering to it. Even then it's not wholly rotated. You won't see a Super Bowl at the Oakland Coliseum - it's a dump. Nor will you see one at Foxborough (home of the Patriots) - the weather risk is far too high.

FA Cup is always at Wembley.
Tour de France always finishes on the Champs-Elysses.
Tennis slams.
Augusta.

There's a lot to be said for venues holding the event yearly. If there was another stadium comparable to the MCG for AFL I'd say maybe, but there isn't. Nothing offers that kind of capacity and that kind of venue.

 

[Indie_]

Tradition

Biggest stadium

Best stadium

Wasn't the first ever game (like ever) played in Yarra Park? Pretty cool if so

Interstate clubs have a great record v Vic clubs so doesn't seem to be unfair

Can't think of a single reason to move it.

Do you think it's fair that Sydney have to play the Grand Final at Hawthorn's home ground despite the fact they finished first and Hawthorn finished second?

 

[Zerg]

Do you think it's fair that Sydney have to play the Grand Final at Hawthorn's home ground despite the fact they finished first and Hawthorn finished second?

Do you think contracts should be adhered to?

 

[Shoei]

Do you think contracts should be adhered to?

Contracts can always amended. Nothing is set in stone.

 

[Zerg]

Contracts can always amended. Nothing is set in stone.

It is if one side refuses to budge.

 

[Indie_]

Do you think contracts should be adhered to?

Well if the AFL actually want to have an equal competition they should break their contract with the MCG. Chances are the GF would be held at the MCG most years anyway.

 

[Zerg]

Well if the AFL actually want to have an equal competition they should break their contract with the MCG. Chances are the GF would be held at the MCG most years anyway.

We don't currently have an equal competition and how do you propose that the AFL "break" their contract?

 

[clogged]

Build a stadium that holds 100,000.

They tried to, but apparently everyone in Sydney hates it.