Will runaway ladder-leader Geelong’s dominance truly be rewarded with home final?

Geelong could finish four games clear of Richmond, yet face the Tigers at the MCG in week one of finals. Whether they get a home final is an issue which won’t go away.

Gryan Miers, Tom Hawkins and Luke Dalhaus celebrate a goal during Friday night’s victory over Richmond. Picture: AAP Image/Julian Smith.

Geelong president Colin Carter has staked a bottle of Grange Hermitage on someone finding a system in world sport which could disadvantage the home side as much as the AFL’s finals system.

In 2017 that disastrous outcome pitted second-placed Geelong against third-placed Richmond in an MCG final where the Tigers feasted on their home track.

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This year as the AFL refuses to allow the Cats to play home finals against Victorian rivals at GMHBA Stadium, the injustice could be even more pronounced.

The Cats could finish as many as four games clear of a fourth-placed opponent like Richmond and still have to march down the highway despite their dominance.

As Carter said on Friday night, that bottle has still gone unclaimed.

There are neutral grounds in world sport where titles are decided — like in the NFL’s Superbowl — but where else does a home team have to play at an away venue in the first weeks of the finals series.

Gryan Miers, Tom Hawkins and Luke Dalhaus celebrate a goal during Friday night’s victory over Richmond. Picture: AAP Image/Julian Smith.

Non-Victorian fans should feel aggrieved their teams have to travel to Melbourne for the Grand Final, but Geelong might at least have a chance to win this fight.

The Cats can’t be seen to getting too far ahead of themselves, but this issue will only get bigger if Geelong keeps surging ahead.

Why shouldn’t they get a home final at GMHBA if GWS gets a home final regardless of the potential crowd?

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The issue is the capacity at GMHBA Stadium, around 34,000 for football games but likely to get to 40,000 by the time the new northern stand is completed.

Geelong’s record at the MCG this year is 4-0 but clearly playing at GMHBA Stadium in a final would hand them a huge advantage over any rival, notwithstanding their loss to Fremantle there in the 2013 qualifying final.

Geelong went down when it hosted Fremantle in a final in 2015. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images.

How hard do Geelong lobby the AFL mid-season and risk a distraction they can do without?

Back in the old days John Elliott would have threatened legal action.

Would Geelong be any chance to win that battle anyway given it would potentially shut-out as many as 55,000 fans?

Their best hope right now is publicly stating their case and hoping they draw one of the five non-Victorian finalists in the eight — GWS, West Coast, Brisbane, Port Adelaide or Adelaide.