Geelong to avoid fixture changes due to new stand construction issues
The stand at the northern end of GMHBA Stadium may not be ready this year. Will that impact Geelong’s backended home fixture?
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Geelong will not lose any of its marquee matches this year and the club is not expecting to fall into a financial hole despite construction issues likely pushing back the opening of GMHBA Stadium’s new stand to 2024.
Work is under way to refabricate imported steel at the ground’s northern end and Geelong admitted to members on Monday it was likely the new stand would not be open this season.
Despite pushing the AFL for the backended schedule, the Cats have not considered moving any of its games to draw bigger crowds in Melbourne venues.
The AFL confirmed there were no plans to move any of the games and it would only happen if the Cats made a formal request.
The Kardinia Park Stadium Trust had planned for a May 1 opening date and then hoped it would be ready mid-season after securing a heavily backloaded home fixture, with six of their last 10 games to be played at GMHBA Stadium.
That run home includes potential top-eight blockbusters against Melbourne (round 15), Port Adelaide (round 21) and Western Bulldogs (round 24).
High-drawing side Essendon will also play its first game in Geelong outside of Covid years since 1993 in round 18.
Geelong played to reduced capacity at home last year, drawing a season-best crowd of 22,106 against the Western Bulldogs in round 20.
The club has begun planning to fit more members in the ground by opening up more seating to members who don’t hold a designated seat.
“The club will make additional seating available for general admission members during season 2023 at GMHBA Stadium with the reduced capacity now confirmed,” Geelong chief operating officer Simon Kelleher told members.
Kelleher said the club was “disappointed” by construction delays.
After planning for a capacity of beyond 40,000 in the backhalf of the season, Geelong believes it will avoid falling in a financial hole given it has budgeted to play at a reduced capacity for the opening months of the year.
The Cats are also hopeful of claiming a windfall by hosting a crowd in excess of 90,000 for a round 1 blockbuster against Collingwood at the MCG and Geelong also has hosting rights for its traditional Easter Monday clash with Hawthorn.
The project’s builder, Besix Watpac, is set to pay for refabrication on about 15 steel columns in the $142m stand.
A state government spokesman told News Corp earlier this month it was “disappointing that the latest stage of the Kardinia Park upgrade is unlikely to be completed until after the 2023 AFL season due to issues with imported steel selected by the builder”.
Geelong will host a grand final rematch against Sydney in its first game at GMHBA Stadium this year when it unveils its flag on in round 6 on April 22.
Originally published as Geelong to avoid fixture changes due to new stand construction issues
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