Anywhere but there, says Fremantle
The AFL will schedule the Geelong v Fremantle qualifying final at Simonds Stadium, despite an angry reaction from the Dockers.
The AFL home and away season finishes today, but the match-ups for next weekend’s finals are all but assured.
Hawthorn will play Sydney at the MCG in a qualifying final on Friday night, with Geelong to host Fremantle at Simonds Stadium in the other qualifying final on Saturday.
Collingwood will almost certainly meet Port Adelaide in an eliminator at the MCG on Saturday night, with Richmond to face Carlton in the other sudden-death match on Sunday.
The only possible variation is if the Magpies smash North Melbourne by more than 110 points today, in which case they’ll face the Blues and Richmond will take on the Power.
When the option of a Simonds Stadium fixture became apparent Friday the Dockers responded, quoting club president Steve Harris as saying it was inconceivable.
“The club is strongly of the view that the location, capacity and facilities available at either the MCG or Etihad Stadium are superior to those available at Simonds Stadium in Geelong, and either venue is more deserving of staging what would be an eagerly anticipated finals game involving two top-four teams,” Harris said in a club statement.
“It is inconceivable that a venue such as Simonds Stadium with a capacity of 33,500 and which has not seen a crowd greater than 30,082 this season, and with an average of only 26,740 in 2013, would be considered for a game that is likely to attract 40,000 to 50,000 people, including several thousand people from Perth who would travel to Melbourne to see the game.
“As the world class 53,000 seat capacity Etihad Stadium would be available to host the game and has superior facilities for members, fans, corporates, players and coaches, it means that in the order of 19,000 football fans could be denied the opportunity to see the game live.
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“We trust that when all things are considered, that should we play Geelong, or Hawthorn for that matter, in Melbourne in week one of the finals series, the AFL will schedule the game at either one of the two best available stadiums in the city in either the MCG or Etihad Stadium.”
The Dockers have lost 12 of their 13 matches at Simonds Stadium.
By contrast, Fremantle have won three of their last five games at the MCG and they have a five-game winning streak at Etihad Stadium.
The location, however, is now locked in, which should be enough to fire up the Dockers for an upset win and subsequent home preliminary final.
