AFL players back reported move to scrap Grand Final replay

SHOULD the Grand Final replay be scrapped? These two AFL stars think so.

2010 Grand Final REPLAY. St Kilda v Collingwood. MCG. Leigh Montagna and Steven Baker

THE heartbreak of losing the 2010 Grand Final replay still burns for St Kilda veteran Leigh Montagna, who is in support of scrapping the traditional course of action when the Grand Final is drawn.

It is reported that a suggestion to ditch the Grand Final replay is set to be put to the AFL Commission, with Montagna and premiership-winning Collingwood opponent Travis Cloke both in favour of playing extra time to decide a winner on the day rather than both sides - and 100,000-odd fans - having to come back the following week, just as those two sides did in 2010.

The Magpies prevailed by 56 points in what was just the third Grand Final replay in AFL history, but Montagna doesn’t want any player to have to go through that again.

“I don’t think you’ll find a player who played in that Grand Final who wanted to play a replay,” Montagna said on Channel 9 last night.

“I think extra time, it’s common sense.

“I think it’s inevitable, it’s a national competition, it should be fair for all clubs.

“I know the feeling as players in that game was a very bizarre, hollow feeling.

“To know you’re going out there to play your final game in a Grand Final and to have to be told you’re coming back the next week, I don’t think that should happen to any other player ever again.”

Travis Cloke, centre, shared the 2010 replay win with father David and brother Cameron. Picture: NewsCorp

Cloke said “it’d be great” to send one team home as winner on the day.

“On the day everyone’s there, everyone’s ready to go,” he said on Channel 9.

“It’ll be interesting to see what actually goes on in the last minute of the game if that’s the situation.

“If it’s 10 minutes each way, five minutes, whatever it is, finish it on the day, everyone gets up and about and that’s the end of the season. It’d be great.”