GWS Giants set to host finals at Spotless Stadium but Geelong will have to wait and see
A TOP-TWO finish is set to earn GWS home finals at Spotless Stadium, but Geelong will be left sweating on its plans to stage September games at Simonds Stadium.
GWS
Don't miss out on the headlines from GWS. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A TOP-TWO finish is set to earn Greater Western Sydney a golden run to this year’s Grand Final with the AFL expected to lock Spotless Stadium in as the club’s venue for home finals.
But Geelong will be left sweating on its plans to stage September games at the upgraded Simonds Stadium with the match-up and the AFL’s forecasted attendance to decide where the Cats play home finals.
The second-placed Giants surged past 20,000 members this week, but their 24,000-seat stadium will remain suitable for September given their supporter base and attendance history.
MATCH REPORT: DEPLETED GIANTS SCORE STIRRING WIN
BIG MONEY: WHO ARE THE AFL’S NEXT MILLIONAIRES
“Spotless Stadium is their primary venue,” AFL spokesman Patrick Keane said.
The venue has drawn more than 20,000 only twice — for last year’s epic preliminary final against the Dogs and last year’s local showdown against Sydney.
The twilight preliminary final produced a brilliant atmosphere at the boutique ground.
The league’s contract with ANZ Stadium expired at the end of last season and the Giants are not expected to be shifted to the 46,000-seat SCG when finals begin.
The Giants declined to comment because they were yet to enter finals discussions with the AFL.
The Cats want their home ground’s $91 million redevelopment, which lifted capacity to 36,000, to secure home finals down the highway against any non-Victorian club in the first two weeks of September.
But it is understood the league’s No.1 priority is to ensure fans aren’t locked out.
In 2015 that forced the Western Bulldogs to host Adelaide at the MCG — and not their Etihad Stadium fortress — in the elimination final.
The AFL trumpeted that decision as correct when 60,872 watched the Crows’ nailbiting win, topping Etihad’s capacity of 53,000.
There were plenty of empty seats when the Cats hosted Port Adelaide with only 24,909 attending last Thursday night.
The Dogs and Crows drew less than 20,000 in a 2015 Etihad Stadium home-and-away clash before their September blockbuster later that year.
Excluding Grand Finals, Geelong has played seven MCG finals against non-Victorian clubs, pulling more than 50,000 on five occasions.
The smallest of those crowds was 44,460 — against Fremantle in the 2012 elimination final.
While the ladder is congested, five of the current top eight are non-Victorian clubs and Geelong only has to finish in the top six to be guaranteed a home final in the first two weeks.
The Cats have lost at Simonds Stadium just six times since 2007, recording their past two victories at the ground since it reopened.
They have won only seven of their past 17 matches at the MCG, including shock losses to Collingwood and Essendon this season.
The Giants also hold a formidable home record, winning 10 of their past 13 at Spotless.
The premiership fancies are a game clear in second and expected to regain Tom Scully, Steve Johnson, Rory Lobb, Jacob Hopper, Ryan Griffen, Nick Haynes, Devon Smith and Brett Deledio from injury in the next five weeks.
Originally published as GWS Giants set to host finals at Spotless Stadium but Geelong will have to wait and see
‘Third fiddle’: How does Stringer fit in the Orange Tsunami?
It’s not a guarantee that Jake Stringer will be playing for GWS in 2025, but if he is, there’s plenty to be excited about as a Giants fan. Lachlan McKirdy analyses how ‘The Package’ fits in.
The late draft pick that could deliver Stringer to Giants
Essendon is open to trading inconsistent star Jake Stringer to GWS as the 30-year-old considers a beefed-up offer from the Giants.