GFL Grand Final: Geelong West pull out of hosting race
AFL Barwon’s search for a GFL grand final venue will be with one less suitor as a major contender pulls out of the race.
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GEELONG West has all-but ruled itself out of hosting the GFL grand final in 2022, further placing AFL Barwon’s pursuit of a suitable venue into turmoil.
West Oval has been confirmed as the location for the opening two weeks of the finals, but the league is expected to make a decision the venue for the final two weeks of the finals soon.
AFL Barwon was due to meet with the Kardinia Park Stadium Trust this week, but the Trust has reservations about the availability and suitability of GMHBA Stadium as it undergoes its stage 5 redevelopment.
Geelong West chair Sarah Naylor said the ground “would not hold up” to the level of traffic for four weeks of finals.
West Oval was fixtures to host the entire GFL finals series in 2021, before it was scrapped due to Covid.
“There would be a lot of traffic on the ground if we got four weeks of finals, the ground does get muddy and there is not a lot of grass coverage around the ground,” she said.
“There was a lot of uproar about it last year when we got four weeks of finals, and the state of the ground is exactly the same.
“The GFL deserves a great game on a great ground.”
West Oval’s stage two of its $11 million redevelopment has no timeline for completion, with the grandstand being finalised in May 2021.
The bike track around the playing surface will be removed, and the ground will be resurfaced, risen, made wider and moved south.
Naylor said the project was five years in the making, but she had no idea when the facility would be completely finished.
“We have no idea on the timeline, there’s been lots of lobbying and we were allocated funds five years ago,” she said.
“Until stage two of the redevelopment is completed the ground will not be suitable to host the grand final.”
The GFL grand final was recently moved back a week to September 17, avoiding a clash with the GDFL decider, which will be staged on September 10 at St Albans.
The St Albans ground is one of few venues seen suitable within the GFL for a grand final.
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Originally published as GFL Grand Final: Geelong West pull out of hosting race