Geelong hoping its granted all home games at GMHBA Stadium as part of revised AFL fixture
The revised AFL fixture may allow Geelong to play all its home games at GMHBA Stadium, fulfilling a long-held wish by the Cats faithful.
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Geelong may be granted its long-held wish this year and play all its home games at GMHBA Stadium as part of the revised AFL fixture.
Crowds have long been the sticking point for the Cats to play all their home fixtures at their Kardinia Park fortress.
But with that impediment removed, the path has been cleared for Geelong to play this year’s home matches at GMHBA Stadium.
The club has previously campaigned for all its home games to be at GMHBA Stadium.
President Colin Carter said in 2017 it was “completely unreasonable” to play home matches at anywhere but Geelong.
“It’s unreasonable in competitive terms because often we’re playing it against a team who considers it their home ground,” president Colin Carter told SEN at the time.
Stadium deals and signage may still lead to Chris Scott’s side playing home games at other venues, but the ideal result would be eight or nine games at GMHBA Stadium.
Geelong has played nine games at home in each of the past two years, up from seven in 2017.
The club said on Wednesday: “We have been in contact with the AFL and discussed the importance of hosting home games at GMHBA Stadium.
“The AFL has a challenging task in formulating the fixture and we have confidence that they will take our views into account.”
Other deals, such as the Western Bulldogs’ commitment to playing games in Ballarat, also need to be considered.
North Melbourne has also said it wants to honour its pledge to play games in Tasmania.
Geelong’s home ground is considered one of the biggest advantages in the competition, with rival clubs seldomly walking away with the four premiership points.
Big-drawing Victorian clubs may also travel down the highway for the first time in many years.
Collingwood last played in Geelong in 1999 and Hawthorn’s last trip down the highway was 2006.
It also shouldn’t be ruled out that we may also see two non-Geelong teams play at the arena for the first time.
The AFL fixture is set to be released in the coming days, with the opening rounds only to be revealed as the league works through the remainder of the season.
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There will be 144 home and away games to complete the season and a traditional finals format.
The season will resume on June 11.
How many will be played at Geelong remain to be seen, but the Geelong faithful’s wish may finally be met.
Originally published as Geelong hoping its granted all home games at GMHBA Stadium as part of revised AFL fixture
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