Brisbane one-night stand firms for AFL grand final
The AFL will announce not only the grand final venue but also a start time and rules governing finals this week.
The AFL’s grand final announcement this week will include the exact start time of a likely night game on October 24 and the rules governing where teams can play home games.
But the AFL will delay an announcement on fixture slots for Round 18 and is yet to officially rule out a contentious switch of the Roos’ game against West Coast to Optus Stadium.
The Kangaroos say they have broad support of the teams around them on the ladder for West Coast to buy that Round 18 clash for around $700,000.
The league is reluctant given the danger of that decision backfiring and leading to an attack on the competition’s integrity.
If West Coast played in Perth instead of Queensland and leapfrogged a rival into the top four with a massive percentage boost, there would be an outcry.
Yet North Melbourne is keen to recoup some of the $3 million it lost after missing out on games in Tasmania this year and continues to push the idea with the Eagles.
The Eagles are in fifth spot, and while they would be expected to beat a beaten-up Roos at any venue, their percentage is similar to many fellow contenders.
If the AFL did approve the decision it would allow the Eagles to fly back into Perth straight after Round 17, stay for Round 18 and the pre-finals bye.
They could potentially even play a home final there in week one of the finals, depending on ladder position.
The league will separate its grand final decision with the Round 18 fixture release, keen to secure more time to ensure a grandstand finish to the home-and-away season.
The AFL is yet to announce it will have a pre-finals bye but, as reported last week, it was a certainty to help players freshen up.
The Essendon-Melbourne and St Kilda-Giants games are contenders for marquee Thursday or Friday night slots in Round 18 but also could be dead rubbers by then if any of those teams slump from finals contention.
So the league could wait until closer to Round 18, given teams know their opponent and the venue is largely irrelevant apart from that Roos-West Coast clash.
The AFL’s Commission is set to meet tomorrow and will review a recommendation from the AFL and its fixture boss Travis Auld on where the grand final will be held.
Commission members Gill McLachlan and Richard Goyder were in the Zoom pitches from Queensland, Western Australia, NSW and South Australia. But the league will say only that a decision on the finals will come this week, with McLachlan among the travelling party entering Queensland hubs tomorrow.
Queensland is the white-hot favourite to host the grand final, with the Herald Sun revealing last week the state’s pitch was for a 7pm encounter.
Victorian racing authorities want clean air for the October 24 Cox Plate past 6pm.
Queensland identities including ex-Lions Chris Scott and Alastair Lynch, believe a grand final in the state would boost the game’s aspiration to be a truly national competition.
Herald Sun
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