Opinion Which club currently has the biggest home ground advantage in the AFL?

[Noidnadroj]

MCG tenants have won 9 flags out of 17 since 2008, it would be 10 if it wasn't for Covid in 2021, yet people still have you believe it's a "neutral/fair" venue that gives no advantages lol.

2018: Richmond finish 2-games clear on top. First final v co-tenant Hawks. PF v co-tenant Pies.

2018: Eagles get first final in Perth v Pies, then PF in Perth v Demons.

So… which team out of Tigers or Eagles were provided the easiest path to the GF?

Sometimes being an MCG co-tenant is beneficial, other times it isn’t.




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[smasha]

Geelong.

 

[Elixuh]

Geelong. Mangled dimensions of Pork Barrel Park gets the oppo every time. That and the fact no oppo supporters can get in because the stadium seats about 15 people.

 

[Noidnadroj]

Doesn't happen much in grand finals. Usually if an MCG tenant makes the grand final they play an interstate team. Off the top of my head only Sydney in 2012 and West Coast in 2018 have been able to win in that situation since Brisbane's great era '01-'03.

In 2018 as an example, who had by far the easiest path to the GF? Tigers who played Hawks and Pies at neutral MCG, or Eagles who played Pies and Demons in Perth?

So whilst an MCG tenant may often have the advantage in the GF, it’s often a much easier path for non-Vic teams to make the big dance.

So would you rather a finals run for an MCG tenant v a non-VIC team of:

MCG tenant: Neutral / Neutral / Home

Non-Vic: Home (95% crowd) / Home (95% crowd) / Away

The odds across the entire finals series are heavily stacked for the non-Vic team … but everyone only ever focusses on the GF, not lead-in finals.

Even Geelong in 2007 were not done any favours in comparison to Port, who got 2 x huge home ground lead-in finals and Cats played MCG tenants on their way to the GF.

Keeping in mind a non-Vic team gets very generous crowd support at the Grand Final, especially Lions and Swans.

So I don’t shed any tears for non-Vic teams , as they often have a much easier path to the GF than MCG co-tenants.


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[STPer18]

That and the fact no oppo supporters can get in because the stadium seats about 15 people.

This is the capital and largest city in QLD btw.

 

[PhatBoy]

Geelong. Mangled dimensions of Pork Barrel Park gets the oppo every time. That and the fact no oppo supporters can get in because the stadium seats about 15 people.

Except if you’re one of the teams that grows a spine and realises it’s just a patch of turf and wins there. There’s those occasions.

 

[Elixuh]

Except if you’re one of the teams that grows a spine and realises it’s just a patch of turf and wins there. There’s those occasions.

You could play the state of origin down at Pork Barrel Park and you wouldn’t even need to change the dimensions from the ground the cats use.

 

[PhatBoy]

You could play the state of origin down at Pork Barrel Park and you wouldn’t even need to change the dimensions from the ground the cats use.

Probably why GWS have no problem winning there #amiright

At some point, after working out what goes in sausages, some of the other coaches will go to Sports Power and buy some plastic cones and mark out some new ground dimensions to train with before heading to KP. Innovative.

 

[Cam Payne]

Not sure I want to read some of the 10000 word essays posted, but there's no way it's Geelong. Not given their finals record at home.

 

[Elixuh]

Probably why GWS have no problem winning there #amiright

At some point, after working out what goes in sausages, some of the other coaches will go to Sports Power and buy some plastic cones and mark out some new ground dimensions to train with before heading to KP. Innovative.

I’ve always been a proponent for changing the rules of games played down at Pork Barrel Park to allow tries, field goals, knock ons etc

 

[PhatBoy]

I’ve always been a proponent for changing the rules of games played down at Pork Barrel Park to allow tries, field goals, knock ons etc

I’ve always been a proponent for allowing other teams to learn how to match our record for winning away from home.

 

[Sttew]

I’ve always been a proponent for changing the rules of games played down at Pork Barrel Park to allow tries, field goals, knock ons etc

Not sure if you have been asked this but have you actually been to a game at GMHBA Stadium, and since the new grandstand was completed?

 

[Mr Meow]

In 2018 as an example, who had by far the easiest path to the GF? Tigers who played Hawks and Pies at neutral MCG, or Eagles who played Pies and Demons in Perth?

So whilst an MCG tenant may often have the advantage in the GF, it’s often a much easier path for non-Vic teams to make the big dance.

So would you rather a finals run for an MCG tenant v a non-VIC team of:

MCG tenant: Neutral / Neutral / Home

Non-Vic: Home (95% crowd) / Home (95% crowd) / Away

The odds across the entire finals series are heavily stacked for the non-Vic team … but everyone only ever focusses on the GF, not lead-in finals.

Even Geelong in 2007 were not done any favours in comparison to Port, who got 2 x huge home ground lead-in finals and Cats played MCG tenants on their way to the GF.

Keeping in mind a non-Vic team gets very generous crowd support at the Grand Final, especially Lions and Swans.

So I don’t shed any tears for non-Vic teams , as they often have a much easier path to the GF than MCG co-tenants.


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I wasn't shedding tears for them. Those interstate teams have ultimately not been good enough in the same way Geelong haven't been good enough the years they've failed.

But concerning finals, MCG teams naturally have the optimal run unless it's a year where they're going to be playing multiple finals against each other (the home team would be unlucky in that case). Especially with this era of Geelong mostly being thereabouts.

The reason has been laid out a lot of times for a reason: higher chance of more home finals (advantage against Geelong and Marvel tenants) and then the GF is guaranteed to be home or neutral. Technically an MCG tenant could play 4 finals in a row as the away team and all of them at the G. Only Port and Brisbane during Covid had similar home finals set up (and hilariously blew it).

 

[Elixuh]

Not sure if you have been asked this but have you actually been to a game at GMHBA Stadium, and since the new grandstand was completed?

Nah, I don’t have an off road car so I’d have to hire one to get down there.
Maybe one day.

 

[Sttew]

Nah, I don’t have an off road car so I’d have to hire one to get down there.
Maybe one day.

Well maybe reserve judgment? I've got a mate (a Demons supporter) who went to a game at GMHBA in 2024 for the first time in his life and was blown away by the facilities and how close spectators are to the game (as opposed to being in the Gods at the MCG). Sure it is a narrow ground; it always has been. But my view is that a narrow ground lends itself to playing corridor football which is more attractive.

It is no coincidence that some clubs, notably Swans, GWS and Freo, seems to have mastered playing on a narrow ground.

 

[Elixuh]

Well maybe reserve judgment? I've got a mate (a Demons supporter) who went to a game at GMHBA in 2024 for the first time in his life and was blown away by the facilities and how close spectators are to the game (as opposed to being in the Gods at the MCG). Sure it is a narrow ground; it always has been. But my view is that a narrow ground lends itself to playing corridor football which is more attractive.

It is no coincidence that some clubs, notably Swans, GWS and Freo, seems to have mastered playing on a narrow ground.

A very fair point. I have been told that since the Ford factory closed Geelong is hell on earth. But I will ignore that until I’ve been to see it myself.

 

[L_W_P]

If Geelong only plays at Marvel once or twice a year (as we have every year since the return of relatively normal fixturing post-COVID) how is that any different to a Melbourne team travelling to GMHBA? Marvel's as much of a foreign ground to Geelong these days as GMHBA is to St Kilda.

Geelong play at Marvel 1-2 times a year. Most Vic teams play in Geelong sporadically, especially the bigger clubs.

Stack up the number of games each team plays at those stadiums and I think you'd find that GMHBA is pretty foreign to every team when compared to Marvel.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Hawks 4-0 in Tassie for 2024 and won the last 6 on the trot down there.

Two of those four were a goal or less, the third 13 points, North a total blowout being the exception to close games. And of the four opponents only GWS made finals.
That 100% record may not be as strong as it looks. Hawthorn would have been expected to win at the MCG, perhaps by more in some cases.

 

[Pistol Night]

A very fair point. I have been told that since the Ford factory closed Geelong is hell on earth. But I will ignore that until I’ve been to see it myself.

I dont see why one would do that to themselves

 

[Duckimus Prime]

Gold Coast went 9-2 at Carrara and Marrara and 2-10 everywhere else. Until the last month of the season, when teams who can't make the eight naturally drop their bundle a little, they were unbeatable at home and a guaranteed four points to the opposition any time they travelled. How can it be anyone but them?

But of course Geelong's winning the poll by a country mile, despite (as the OP shows) their record in 2024 being 6-3 at GMHBA and 10-6 (including finals) at "not GMHBA". And which teams did we beat on our home ground? St Kilda, North Melbourne, Richmond, Hawthorn, Adelaide and West Coast. Of that group, the only opponent whom we didn't also beat (comfortably) away, and/or who wasn't a bottom 3 side was St Kilda.

But keep voting for Geelong by all means, hope you've got that off your chest. For those who actually care though, we aren't as good at Kardinia as you probably think and we're not as bad away from Kardinia as you think.

And West Coast got thumped by just about everyone in Perth, so I guess there's no advantage to playing in Perth?

 

[Sttew]

A very fair point. I have been told that since the Ford factory closed Geelong is hell on earth. But I will ignore that until I’ve been to see it myself.

I don't live in Geelong but still have family there, and I definitely think the reverse is the case. Ford wasn't the only big company to pull out - Alcoa, Pilkington Glass, International Harvester to name some that have closed over the years. But instead of the loss of major manufacturing killing the place it is flourishing. Geelong is now one of the fastest growing cities in Australia and it is a planned growth.

Deakin University dominates the Waterfront area which has been done up very nicely. They're building a major convention centre with hotel. Major employers now are the hospitals (2 tertiary hospitals), WorkCover, TAC and NDIS all of which have their HQ in Geelong.

I agree, ignore what you may have heard until you visit the place, and when driving into Geelong avoid the northern suburbs which are ugly (take the Ring Road).

 

[Elixuh]

I don't live in Geelong but still have family there, and I definitely think the reverse is the case. Ford wasn't the only big company to pull out - Alcoa, Pilkington Glass, International Harvester to name some that have closed over the years. But instead of the loss of major manufacturing killing the place it is flourishing. Geelong is now one of the fastest growing cities in Australia and it is a planned growth.

Deakin University dominates the Waterfront area which has been done up very nicely. They're building a major convention centre with hotel. Major employers now are the hospitals (2 tertiary hospitals), WorkCover, TAC and NDIS all of which have their HQ in Geelong.

I agree, ignore what you may have heard until you visit the place, and when driving into Geelong avoid the northern suburbs which are ugly (take the Ring Road).

Thanks for the advice, yeah I’ve heard those northern suburbs are a bit like the hills have eyes.

 

[schmuttt]

I think right now it is Brisbane. Unique conditions like Geelong but much more of a travel factor.

 

[Sttew]

Geelong play at Marvel 1-2 times a year. Most Vic teams play in Geelong sporadically, especially the bigger clubs.

Stack up the number of games each team plays at those stadiums and I think you'd find that GMHBA is pretty foreign to every team when compared to Marvel.

It would be fair to say the Saints play GMHBA like they've never been there before

 

[bradfisher14]

Swans no doubt. The SCG is basically an AFL7s size pitch and they have the perfect gamestyle/players to play it. Comes back to bite them when they have to play on real ovals such as grand final day though.