AFL Covid-19 crowd updates: All the latest fixture and venue news
Footy fans will return to the MCG this weekend but the head of the MCG says the ground could have safely accommodated many more.
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Melbourne Cricket Club boss Stuart Fox has described the Victorian Government’s 25,000-crowd cap for Round 15 AFL games as “puzzling”.
And the respected footy leader has implored decision makers to ensure stadiums are open fully in time for finals.
The 100,000-capacity MCG will be 25 per cent full for Friday night’s Richmond v St Kilda match and also Saturday night’s Essendon-Melbourne clash.
Marvel Stadium has also been restricted to a maximum crowd of 25,000, but it means the Docklands Stadium will be about 44 per cent full.
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Fox said he was thrilled to have crowds back, but he questioned the cap.
“It’s been puzzling,” Fox told SEN radio.
“I’m thrilled with the government’s decision to get us back up and going but it has been difficult.
“ … We think we can manage 50 per cent quite easily and you have a think about the scale of the MCG, we can fit a lot of people in that building and social distance quiet successfully, and I think we’ve proved we can do that.”
The Government has said stadiums including the MCG can increase to 85 per cent capacity from next weekend and Fox hoped full venues weren’t too far away.
“I would have thought the Government, it’s in their interests and it’s in our interest to try and be at 100 per cent by the time the finals come,” he said.
“Our goal would be to open up to 100 per cent by the finals.”
Fox said the MCG has “ a handle” on how to deal well with Covid cases.
“We’ve now got evidence of two cases at the G, one during cricket and one during football, and there’s also been one at Marvel as well where it’s been managed really well and there’s no evidence to suggest that it spread inside a stadium, particularly in open air,” he said.
How to score a golden ticket to AFL’s Melbourne return
Richmond’s ‘Tiger Army’ will be represented by 13,000 members who are set to click through the MCG turnstiles for Friday night’s clash against St Kilda.
The majority of the game’s 25,000 tickets belong to paid-up Tigers, while St Kilda’s away members will be offered about 2000 seats.
The breakdown is expected to be; Melbourne Cricket Club 5600 tickets, Tigers members 13,000, Saints members 2000 and AFL members 4400.
Those allocations will fluctuate in order to help the AFL max out at 25,000.
SCROLL DOWN FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO BUY A R15 TICKET
The Tigers boast 103,301 members, however closer to 20,000-25,000 turn up at the MCG for most games.
Friday night’s contingent won’t be too far behind on the back of this week’s strong uptake in a membership ballot.
A bonus 500 or so tickets could also fall the way of Tiger fans, given the Saints’ away members are unlikely to exhaust their allocation of 2000.
The Victorian government on Wednesday pledged to boost crowds to 85 per cent capacity next week, restoring a pre-lockdown limit that is rarely encroached during the home-and-away season.
But this weekend’s five games in Melbourne have been handicapped by what the AFL and clubs believe was a grossly conservative crowd cap of 25,000.
The MCG will not open its fourth level as it prepares to cater for three identically small crowds this
Competing club and AFL members are likely to exhaust that allocation in multiple matches, meaning no general public tickets will be sold.
Tickets to the Melbourne Cricket Club went on sale on Wednesday, with the reserve’s capacity cut to 25 per cent (5600 fans) for all three round 15 matches at the MCG.
It was then over to the AFL to allocate the remaining 19,400 tickets for each of the games between Richmond-St Kilda on Friday night, Essendon-Melbourne on Saturday night and Hawthorn-Greater Western Sydney on Sunday.
Essendon wasted no time telling its 79,0000 members to brace for disappointment.
“The club is unfortunately only likely to be able to provide its reserved seat members the opportunity to redeem a ticket,” the Bombers said on their website.
Any leftover tickets will be offered to Essendon’s flexi members on Friday, with no public tickets available.
Collingwood and Carlton’s home games at Marvel Stadium are almost certain to be member-only affairs.
Club and AFL members will be given first crack at securing the entire allocation of 25,000 tickets for their respective matches.
Blues members have again been split into three priority groups to determine when they can secure seats for Sunday’s clash against Adelaide.
The Magpies host Fremantle on Saturday in what will be Robert Harvey’s first game as senior coach.
History could be made this weekend with wet weather football likely to be played for the first time at Marvel Stadium.
Rain is forecast for both Saturday and Sunday and the government has ruled that the stadium’s roof must remain open for both matches.
Fans will not be required to wear a face mask at their seats.
HOW TO BUY A TICKET
Friday June 25
Richmond v St Kilda – MCG
Ticketek.com.au
On-Sale times
Thursday 3pm – AFL members
Thursday 4pm – Richmond Members
Thursday 5pm – St Kilda Members
*Please note currently no general public on-sale for this match
Saturday June 26
Collingwood v Fremantle – Marvel Stadium
Ticketmaster.com.au
On-Sale times
Thursday 12pm – AFL Members
Thursday 1pm – Collingwood Members
Thursday 4pm – Fremantle Members
Friday 9am – General Public
Saturday June 26
Essendon v Melbourne – MCG
Ticketek.com.au
On-Sale times
Friday 9am – AFL Members
Friday 10am – Essendon Members
Friday 12pm – Melbourne Members
*Please note currently no general public on-sale for this match
Sunday June 27
GWS GIANTS v Hawthorn – MCG
Ticketek.com.au
On-sale times
Friday 9am – AFL Members
Friday 10am – GWS GIANTS Members
Friday 12pm – Hawthorn Members
Friday 2pm – General public
Sunday June 27
Carlton v Adelaide Crows – Marvel Stadium
Ticketmaster.com.au
On-Sale times
Thursday 12pm – AFL Members
Thursday 1pm – Carlton Members
Thursday 4pm – Adelaide Crows Members
Friday 9am – General Public
GREENE REVEALS GIANT UNCERTAINTY OVER EXODUS
Rebecca Williams
GWS stand-in captain Toby Greene said the Giants had been told to pack for two weeks for their mad dash out of Sydney.
“Sydney had a fair few cases today so unfortunately we had to get out of there fairly quickly,” Greene said on AFL360.
“I went hard with my packing … I guess two weeks was what we got told but who knows?
“I don’t really know what will happen in the next few days but we’re happy here and we’ve got a couple of big games coming up at the MCG so hopefully we can get the job done.”
Greene said the players would be able to enjoy more freedom in Melbourne.
“We got a (Covid) test late (Tuesday) night, we were getting tested until about midnight last night and they all came back negative so we are free to do whatever we want the next however long we’re here,” Greene said.
“It’s actually better than the restrictions we had while we were living in Sydney.”
The Giants will have a training run at the MCG on Thursday morning and will also use the Richmond Football Club facilities.
“We get to go train at the MCG, which is pretty cool,” Greene said.
“We are doing weights and all our afternoon rotations (at Richmond’s Punt Rd home) tomorrow.
“So, I think Richmond have looked after us and they might have spent a bit of time at our facilities so it’s nice of them to do that.
“I’m not entirely sure what next week looks like but hopefully we’re there because it’s pretty easy from where we’re staying.”
FIXTURE HINTS: SWANS-EAGLES LOOMS AS MCG CLASH
A throwback to the epic 2005 and 2006 Grand Finals could be on the cards next week with Sydney’s home game against West Coast a chance to be played in Victoria, and possibly at the MCG.
The AFL was not ready to finalise its Round 16 fixture on Wednesday night and was instead shuffling around Saturday and Sunday’s games to cater for Sydney, Fremantle and Adelaide’s travel arrangements.
The Dockers will now meet Collingwood at 1.45pm at Marvel Stadium so they can return to Perth following the match to commence four days in quarantine.
Sydney’s Saturday night match against Port Adelaide has been brought forward to the 4.40pm twilight timeslot so it can fly in and out on the same day.
The Swans will return to Melbourne on Saturday night, where they will be based indefinitely.
Adelaide’s match against Carlton on Sunday was also shuffled forward by 30 minutes, now starting at 4.10pm, to allow the Crows to fly in and out of Victoria on the same day.
The changes have left Essendon’s battle against Melbourne, which will go ahead in front of just 25,000 fans at the MCG, as the stand-alone game on Saturday night.
The league is now considered unlikely to release the dates and times for next week’s matches until Friday as clouds of uncertainty reappear above games.
The Swans-Eagles game appears little hope of going ahead as scheduled at the SCG after another alarming day for New South Wales and its rising coronavirus concerns.
The Swans are likely to be based in Melbourne again next week and so hosting the Eagles at the MCG, Marvel Stadium or GMHBA Stadium shapes as a relatively straightforward solution.
Cross-town rival Greater Western Sydney will call the MCG home when it ‘hosts’ Hawthorn on Sunday.
MCG SET FOR BIG CROWD BOOST
The only thing standing in the way of a near-packed MCG next week will be the AFL’s dull Round 16 fixture with crowd capacity set to soar to 85,000 on July 1.
Victorian health officials have unveiled their plans to safely welcome 25,000 fans at this weekend’s matches before pushing the limit to a figure seldom seen in the home-and-away-season.
The changes will come into effect before Round 16, although Collingwood-St Kilda and Melbourne-GWS are the only matches scheduled for the MCG next week.
Meanwhile, Marvel Stadium is likely to host wet weather football for possibly the first time in its 22-year history this round.
Collingwood hosts Fremantle on Saturday while Carlton will meet Adelaide at the venue on Sunday.
Rain is forecast for both Saturday and Sunday and the Victorian government requires the roof to remain open for both matches.
Tickets for Melbourne Cricket Club members will go on sale at 3pm on Wednesday for both matches scheduled at the MCG.
The MCC reserve will shrink to 25 per cent capacity (about 5600), which is in line with the overall capacity.
The AFL will then divide up the rest of the tickets for the highly-anticipated matches.
Collingwood and AFL members will be given first crack at all 25,000 tickets for Saturday’s clash against Fremantle.
Public seats will only be sold if membership allocations are not taken up.
ROUND 15 CAPACITY REVEALED
Crowds of 25,000 will be allowed at the MCG and Marvel Stadium this weekend, as the government baulked at the AFL’s request for 50 per cent capacity for Round 15.
Health officials will on Wednesday reveal their magic formula for the return of sporting crowds after Melbourne’s fourth lockdown, with outdoor stadiums set to be limited to 50 per cent of their capacity, with a cap set at 25,000.
It means the MCG, which can host 100,000 patrons, will be 25 per cent full, while Marvel Stadium, which has room for about 57,000 fans, will be at about 43 per cent capacity.
Indoor stadiums will be able to host up to 5000 fans, which will apply at John Cain Arena for Melbourne United’s grand final series against Perth Wildcats.
The Victorian government’s decision to unwind the stadium capacity formula will allow 50 per cent capacity at AAMI Park for Sunday’s A League decider, with 15,000 soccer fans to pile into a half-full stadium.
Footy stakeholders have grown frustrated with Victoria’s overly cautious approach.
On Sunday the Herald Sun revealed that the AFL and Melbourne Cricket Club were set to have their joint application for 50 per cent crowds in Round 15 denied.
The AFL did not pressure the health department to reconsider its initial bid on the back of the A-League effectively winning a 50 per cent capacity crowd.
There are five AFL games in Melbourne this weekend — three at the MCG and two at Marvel Stadium.
Geelong’s GMHBA Stadium is also on standby for Saturday’s Port-Adelaide-Sydney clash.
The biggest loser from the softly, softly approach will be Essendon, which hosts the ladder-leading Demons on Saturday night.
That marquee match could’ve drawn more than 70,000 fans in normal circumstances, given the recent fortunes of both clubs.
Clubs haemorrhage cash when they are forced to play in front of reduced crowds.
Geelong lost $500,000 last Friday night when just 7000 fans attended GMHBA Stadium, despite the match being staged in a regional Victoria city which had not recorded a coronavirus case since last September
The Cats would love their crowd capacity boosted to 75 per cent (27,000 fans) for next week’s clash against Essendon, however the early frontrunner is 50 per cent.
A half full GMHBA Stadium would see the Cats almost break even.
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Originally published as AFL Covid-19 crowd updates: All the latest fixture and venue news
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