Brisbane will play in their fourth grand final next Saturday after narrowly defeating Geelong last night.
I didn't get to see the game but I understand it was another hard fought contest. We can only hope (against prior experience) that next week's game will be of a similar standard.
It will be worth noting the level of interest in Melbourne as they host their first ever non Victorian grand final. Of course, it should be played in Adelaide where there would be some passing interest in the result, but we all know the AFL would rather sacrifice their first born than move a grand final from 'the home of football.'
Sure both games of footy were fantastic and the result is a non-Victorian grand final but did anyone else feel like something was missing having to watch the games at an unsatisfactory time?
Don't get me wrong, I like night time footy games but the month of September is about the smell of the fresh cut grass as two teams run out on a fine afternoon for footy to be played under the best conditions. This move to play footy at night takes away from some of the speed and skill the game is famous for.
Being in Sydney I feel we are destined for a diet of mostly Saturday night fixtures with the occasional 1.10pm Sunday game thrown in. Doesn't make it much of a family affair does it? How many cold and wet winters nights can you drag the kids along to the footy?
Let's hope the grand final remains a Saturday afternoon affair.
And as a quick aside - how great is it to know that tonight Nathan Buckley can't possibly win the Brownlow Medal unless Pigs really do Fly - and there's absolutely nothing that can be written in the media about how he was robbed yet again of the games highest honour or as last year was reported, how unfortunate he was to have had to share it..................
May as well comment here and not hijack Graham's site.
The Grand Final is contracted to the MCG for the next 30 years, not much you can do about it.
Besides, after the redevelopment, the capacity at the MCG will be up around 110,000. In terms of atmosphere, it'll be a lay down mizzare. Beat that AAMI? Don't think so ;)
And you think you'll get 110k at a game similar to this one? The Gee wasn't even full for the Geelong / Brisbane game and a third of the ground's missing!
I suspect the agreement with the MCC won't last the 30 years. At least the AFL itself seems to recognise its responsibilities regarding running a national competition. They were embarrassed to the extent that they offered $1M to the MCC to allow last weeks game to be played at the Gabba. They were annoyed when the MCC didn't accept this, and have threatened to schedule low patronage games at the Gee next year. I suspect the AFL will play hard ball when the home and away contract is up for renewal.
We hear lots of bleating from Melbourne about salary cap concessions to Sydney and Brisbane, but not a whisper about winning teams being forced to host away finals at the Gee. The Victorian public and Melbourne clubs would do well to remember that the 'A' in 'AFL' stands for Australian. Interstate footy fans didn't ask the VFL to create the modern national competition. But they did. The salary concessions are being phased out and the finals agreement with the MCC should go the same way.
I totally agree with you regarding the national competition, however the competition needs to be fair and balanced. The AFL since it's inception in 1990 has bent head over heals to accomodate interstate teams, ESPECIALLY Sydney and Brisbane because of the demographic bias towards rugby league. The AFL need bums in seats and premierships achieve that. S.A. and W.A. teams can well feel burn't by this bias, as they've barely received squat from the AFL but have won premierships in their own right (Adelaide and West Coast) whereas Brisbane have had their h�nd held the whole time.
I am saying that the dominance of Brisbane over the last 3 years is a product of the AFL's interstate policy and I'm disgusted that they haven't done anything about the salary cap sooner. No other team in the AFL gets $ to retain home-sick players, yet they are all losing them. Where is the fairness in that?
And on the capacity of grounds. AAMI seats, at 100%, 51,300 and the other night you got 46,978. The game between Brisbane and Geelong (which you linked to) achieved 55,768 at the MCG when the capacity is at around 81,000. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's one interstate team vs a Country team and they get that many people?
The revenue which is attained at the AFL finals is equally shared between ALL clubs. I'm sure Port Adelaide and Adelaide will love to have less dollars as a result of a decreased attendance at the Grand Final.
When Adelaide builds a better stadium, then come bleating that it needs to be changed.
Scott, a couple of comments:
whereas Brisbane have had their hand held the whole time ... You don't think good recruiting, club organisation and coaching might have had a bit to do with it? You could ask Richmond for their success formula ....
The AFL need bums in seats .... Yes, but whose bums? Not the supporting teams followers! It doesn't help the Lions at home much by having the finals in Melbourne. And how many of the 110k gf spectators do you think will go to the competing clubs? 20k? 30k? Certainly no more than that.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's one interstate team vs a Country team and they get that many people? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Geelong is not that far from Melbourne. It was a pathetic crowd. They would have sold out the Gabba, as the AFL wanted to do, and got about the same number of people.
I'm sure Port Adelaide and Adelaide will love to have less dollars as a result of a decreased attendance at the Grand Final. Actually, they would! Most of the AFL's income comes from TV and sponsorship, having the gf away would not cost much at the end of the day. And it wouldn't happen every year. 10 of the 16 teams are from Melbourne. You must have more confidence in their ability!
An finally. When Adelaide builds a better stadium, then come bleating that it needs to be changed. Firstly, I'm from Sydney, and we have a lovely new stadium, thanks very much. Secondly, Football Park is a good AFL ground. Big isn't necessarily better. Thirdly, finals should be earned. If Victorian teams can't cut it, so be it.