More than 10,000 supporters set to attend St Kilda-Western Bulldogs elimination final
After they struggled to draw a combined 2000 supporters in Round 18, the St Kilda-Western Bulldogs elimination final is expected to be much more popular. Here’s how many tickets have already been sold.
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Fears of the Gabba resembling a ghost ground for the St Kilda-Western Bulldogs elimination final have officially disappeared.
The Saints and Dogs have struggled to pull a crowd since relocating north with just 2060 people combined attending their final home games of the season.
In Round 18 only 1528 fans attended the Saints’ must-win clash against GWS on a Friday night, while the Dogs’ final home game in Queensland, against West Coast, drew just 532 people to Metricon Stadium.
But that looks set to change come 4.40pm on Saturday with the AFL confirming that more than 10,000 tickets have already been sold.
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The AFL is set to welcome close to 100,000 fans across three states to week one of the finals in a major win for the league.
The Gabba will increase its capacity from about 16,000 to 25,000 this weekend, and Friday night’s qualifying final between Brisbane Lions and Richmond has already sold out.
That will be Queensland’s biggest game for the year and deliver a nice audition for the historic night Grand Final on October 24.
While the Dogs and Saints are unlikely to sell every available seat they will make plenty of noise.
“Whatever we had last week against the Giants was unbelievable, because it was all us,” St Kilda football boss Simon Lethlean said on Thursday.
“They were loud and they booed the Giants and they cheered us and they sang in all different parts of the stadium.
“We’ll have a lot there. We have a big Queensland contingent and they’ve been bloody good. We hope lots of them tune in across the other parts of Australia. We know we’ve been putting smiles on their faces and not much else has been.
“To all those in Queensland who can get there, wear your colours and scream loud because it makes a difference.”
The Herald Sun reported during the Saints-GWS clash that it looked like there was 1500 there, and it sounded like 15,000 as the Saints took over the top deck behind the goals.
If the elimination final manages to pull 15,000 then the Dogs would’ve enjoyed a staggering crowd growth of 2700 per cent from their last home game.
The smallest AFL finals crowd in the modern era was in 2017, when 14,865 watched GWS smash West Coast at Giants Stadium in a semi-final.
HUGE BOOST FOR GRAND FINAL CROWD NUMBERS
Queensland’s steady coronavirus situation could allow more fans to attend this year’s Grand Final at the Gabba than first planned.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan on Monday said the league was “optimistic” the crowd would be bigger than the 30,000 target set earlier this month.
It comes as the AFL on Monday confirmed Byron Pickett would present this year’s Norm Smith Medal, while Malcolm Blight will hand over the Jock McHale Medal to the premiership coach.
Simon Black was also unveiled as the premiership cup ambassador as the AFL launched the finals series on Monday in Brisbane.
McLachlan said the AFL remained in constant discussions with the Queensland Government and the chief health officer over a safe increase in crowds.
A capacity of 28,000 has been set for Friday night’s qualifying final between Brisbane and Richmond and there are hopes 100,000 spectators will attend this weekend’s four finals across the country.
“It looks like there is a chance there might be more than 30 (thousand),” McLachlan said.
“I don’t feel it’s appropriate to talk to where it is. I can’t give a definitive number other than we are optimistic we might have a few more than 30,000 and we will announce that as soon as we can.
“In terms of the protocols and the rules and who can come, we have deferred to the relevant (chief health officer) – each state or federally, and the government.
“That’s for them to talk about because it’s their rules, they are setting the rule by which we can have a crowd at the Gabba both for the finals and the grand final.”
“To my knowledge it is no different to what it has been in 30-odd years,” McLachlan.
“We’re checking this but apparently Nathan Buckley was a community performer in the late 1980s.
“I don’t know if anyone can confirm that. I’m not sure if he was flying a flag or wiggling in one of those inflatable things.”
McLachlan added: “There will be paid artists and there will be community volunteers. We will always facilitate the community to participate to come out – generally – onto the hallowed ground of the MCG, this year the Gabba, and it’s something we’re incredibly proud of.”
McLachlan said the public storm around the call-out for volunteer performers came with the territory of being “the biggest sport in the country”.
“My job is to explain it and be clear about it. People can have their own views,” he said.
“We’re proud of the fact we showcase and we pay the best Australian artists – and there will be All-Australian artists this year being paid to perform – and then we involve the community.
“Young children and adults who are community performers and they get the chance to be involved in being watched by 3-4 million people and that’s part of what we are.”
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Originally published as More than 10,000 supporters set to attend St Kilda-Western Bulldogs elimination final