SA Government wants to host the AFL Grand Final but is sitting idle while WA makes a move
South Australia is set to push its case for the AFL Grand Final to be staged at Adelaide Oval, but the government’s bid is lagging behind Western Australia and Queensland.
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The SA Government wants to host the AFL Grand Final at Adelaide Oval but has done nothing to convince the league it deserves it, as WA lodges a formal submission to bring the showcase game to Perth.
SA Premier Steven Marshall on Friday reiterated his position that Adelaide Oval would be a perfect venue for footy finals which are all but certain to be locked out of Melbourne due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
But while WA gets on the front foot to bring the Grand Final to Optus Stadium, Mr Marshall said SA had not made any request.
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“I don’t think the AFL are calling for official submissions to be lodged by a certain date, but it is fair enough to say that we are very interested in playing finals footy here at the Adelaide Oval,” Mr Marshall said.
“It’s an excellent venue and we’ve proven time and time again that the Stadium Management Authority can manage large crowds very efficiently and I think South Australia should be considered.
“I think we’ve put ourselves in a really good situation to bid for a large number of events but of course they’ve always got to be assessed on an individual basis to make sure we can keep the patrons who are attending and the more broader community here in South Australia safe.
Asked whether that included the Grand Final, Mr Marshall said: “Yes”.
It comes amid reports the WA Government has lodged a formal submission to the AFL to host this year’s AFL finals series - including the premiership decider - backed by Covid-19 protocols to protect players, staff and fans.
It is understood significant work has also been done on a detailed proposal for Queensland to host the 2020 Grand Final.
But a spokesman from Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s office on Friday said it was “premature to talk about” the possibility of Queensland hosting the decider.
“Queensland is happy to be in a position to help the AFL season continue and allow fans - especially those in Victoria - the chance to cheer their team,” he said.
“As the temporary home of the AFL in 2020, Queensland is well positioned to secure the AFL grand final which will deliver a major boost for Queensland’s tourism sector.”
But with the MCG holding a contract to host the Grand Final until 2057, AFL chief executive Gill McLachlan tempered any talk that it could be on the move this year despite no football being played in Victoria since the first week of July.
“I don’t want to sound too sort of structured about this but we have got a contract to play the Grand Final at the MCG and until that changes that’s where the Grand Final will be,” McLachlan said on 3AW radio.
“I don’t want to sound naive or silly but clearly there are people making assessments about where things are at in Victoria and if we are unable to play it here or that changes then clearly we’ve got a lot of great alternatives in Western Australia, which have made it clear they are keen, and Queensland are keen as are others.
“We’re lucky we have got great interest but I don’t feel right now it is appropriate to be looking beyond that when we have got an existing agreement, challenged as that might look in the current environment.”
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