WHERE is Giants’ rent-a-crowd? Fans joked about the poor crowd for the GWS-West Coast semi-final but the AFL would have been embarrassed by the low attendance.
A WEEK after the AFL was lauded for record crowds for week one of the finals series, Saturday night’s clash between GWS and West Coast drew the lowest crowd for a final since World War I.
Just 14,865 attened the semi-final at Spotless Stadium and watched the Giants storm into the preliminary final with a huge win over the Eagles. It is the lowest VFL/AFL finals crowd since 1916 when 9690 watched Fitzroy win a semi-final in 1916 against Collingwood by six points at the MCG. There were plenty of empty seats at the ground, including on the wings, visible at centre bounces, and behind the goals at both ends of the ground and was glaringly obvious on TV. The top deck of the ground’s stands were basically empty. Footy fans have been quick to notice the empty orange seats, with some asking the whereabouts of “rent-a-crowd”. The lowest AFL finals crowd in recent years was 19,127 to see North Melbourne beat Sydney by 35 points in a 2008 elimination final at ANZ Stadium. The disappointing numbers also saw the NRL score a rare win over over the AFL after their crowds outdid their AFL counterparts by more than 9000 people across the codes’ semi-finals weekend. It was in stark contrast to last week’s finals where the AFL’s figure was three- times that of the NRL’s. RECAP Saturday’s match below.
That’s all we’ve got time for tonight, thanks for joining us. The preliminary finals are now locked in: Adelaide v Geelong and Richmond v GWS.
Below are the dates, times and venues for those matches next weekend. We can’t wait!
Friday, September 22
First preliminary final
Adelaide v Geelong at Adelaide Oval, 7.20pm ACST
Saturday, September 23
Second preliminary final
Richmond v Greater Western Sydney at the MCG, 4.45pm AEST
We salute these champions of our game.
For all that you've given, thank you. pic.twitter.com/hCaCrqcZVu
— West Coast Eagles (@WestCoastEagles) September 16, 2017
JOHNSON: I ALWAYS BELIEVED I HAD MORE TO OFFER
STEVE Johnson always believed he could still make an impact in the finals despite being dropped for last Thursday night’s qualifying final but six goals? Maybe even he is a little surprised.
Johnson had a modest opening half before exploding in the third quarter, booting four goals before adding two more in the last term to finish the with a game-high six majors.
“Things seemed to go my way tonight,” he said.
“I got a knock to the back of my head and that seemed to knock some talent back into me.
“I was pretty fortunate tonight, the ball was moving down pretty fast.
“I was always confident I could play a role even though I wasn’t selected last week.
“It was good that things turned around and we’ve got a bit of confidence going into next week.”
Johnson said while some doubt crept in last week that he could have played his last AFL game he knew deep down he still had more to offer.
“There was certainly doubts. When you’re left out of the team you never know what’s going to happen,” Johnson told Channel 7.
“We would have rathered have no injuries last week and maybe I wouldn’t have got a game.
“I always keep the belief that I could have an impact and you’ve got to have a full squad to go all the way.
“i got my chance tonight and was able to have a pretty good game but it’s not going to be this easy next week.”
Johnson and GWS will now play Richmond next Saturday at the MCG for a spot in the Grand Final.
For the man who ex-teammate Cameron Ling once said he was born to play in front of 90,000 people, Johnson said of the game: “I hope there’s 90,000 there, that’d be great.”
GAME OVER: GIANTS 19.11 (125) EAGLES 8.4 (52)
GWS is into the preliminary final! They will play Richmond at the MCG next Saturday for a spot in the Grand Final. Stevie J booted six.
It’s season over for West Coast and the end for some of the games all-time greats Sam Mitchell, Matt Priddis and Drew Petrie who are now retired players.
GIANTS 118 EAGLES 51
Six goals for Stevie J! That’s why you MUST play this man in finals. You never know what’s going to happen. The x-factor!
DELEDIO TO FACE HIS OLD CLUB IN A PRELIM
RICHMOND champion Matthew Richardson says it’s “unbelievable” former Tiger Brett Deledio will face his old club in a preliminary final.
Deledio left Richmond during the trade period at the end of last year and spent most of the season battling persistent calf issues.
GWS has played Richmond twice this year but Deledio missed both games.
“Brett Deledio, when he parted ways at Richmond, he could not have imagined he would then be playing Richmond in a Preliminary Final 12 months later,” Richardson said on Channel 7.
“Unbelievable.”
TIGERS TO START FAVOURITES AGAINST GIANTS
GWS will play Richmond next Saturday for a spot in the Grand Final but the Tigers will start favourites for that game with TAB.
Here are the odds for the two preliminary finals
$1.42 Adelaide
$3 Geelong
$1.57 Richmond
$2.45 GWS
GIANTS 106 EAGLES 51
Jack Darling adds another one for West Coast, GWS has put the cue in the rack and are now looking forward to next week.
This is a JLT Series type performance from West Coast.
— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) September 16, 2017
GIANTS 106 EAGLES 39
West Coast have kicked the last two goals in a row as they try to get some respectability back on the scoreboard.
They won’t want to end their season on a 100-point loss in a final that’s for sure.
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