Carlton close in on MCG home ground deal

CARLTON is closer to making the MCG its primary home ground after eclipsing 50,000 members for the first time in the club's history.

Carlton

CARLTON is closer to making the MCG its primary home ground after eclipsing 50,000 members for the first time in the club's history.

The Blues are confident they will secure a deal to play up to eight games a season at the MCG when their contract at Etihad Stadium expires at the end of next season.

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The controversial appointment of coach Michael Malthouse has helped the club set a membership record - which it needed to help prove it had outgrown the indoor venue.

Carlton has averaged a crowd of about 65,000 at its MCG games this year and expects almost 90,000 to attend its blockbuster Pratt Cup clash against arch rivals Collingwood on Friday night.

Carlton chief executive Greg Swann, who lured Malthouse at the end of last year, said there was no way to "hose down" the hype around the second match between the Malthouse-led Blues and his former club, Collingwood.

The grudge match could act as a finals decider as the Pies are clinging to eighth spot, two wins ahead of Carlton, in ninth.

"There is always a spring in peoples step before this game, there's no doubt about that and eighth versus ninth and all the things that come with that," Swann said.

"We've just got to start winning, that's what we've got to do and it would be a good way to start if we can do that on Friday night.

"On the weekend (against Sydney) was the first time we haven't been in font in the game, every other game we've been in front or controlled it for long periods.

"We've been really competitive but that's now got to translate into some wins, hopefully it starts this weekend."

Next season will be the Blues 150th AFL/VFL year and upsizing to the MCG for a minimum seven games would help draw more blockbuster crowds and deliver the club a major financial boost.

Swann said the club was waiting on a proposal from Etihad and was likely to have an answer on the club's MCG pitch by the end of the year.

"I think we are (in a strong position). Considering our average crowds we get at the MCG and from an AFL point of view they still want to maximise attendances, so I think for us to play more games at the MCG it fits all that criteria," he said.

"I'm pretty confident it will happen."

Swann said the club's members has sent a clear message they wanted "a better split" of games at the MCG.

"You survey all your members and those sort of things and one of the big things was they wanted to get back to the MCG and we said that's fine but it will help us if we have a lot of members and true to their word they've jumped on board," he said.

"So our people go there, they like going there. Hopefully this gives us a bit more ammunition to get more games there."