AFLW facing venue dilemma if the Brisbane Lions secure hosting rights for the AFLW grand final

Cricket, a music festival and newly laid turf are making it tough for the Brisbane Lions to find a venue to host the AFLW grand final should they earn that right.

Brisbane Lions player Zimmorlei Farquharson likes the look of the AFLW trophy. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The Lions remain hopeful of playing the AFLW grand final at the Gabba if Brisbane earns hosting rights for the decider.

Brisbane is currently in the box seat to host the grand final after winning the minor premiership.

Victory over Richmond in Saturday’s qualifying final at Gold Coast venue Metricon Stadium will take the Lions to within a win of not only reaching the grand final but also hosting it.

However, that’s where the problems begin, with Metricon Stadium unavailable on the grand final date of November 26 because of a pre-booked music festival.

“We definitely can’t play it there if we host the game,” Lions chief executive Greg Swann said.

He said there were two options for the decider if Brisbane earnt hosting rights – the Gabba or the Lions’ new Brighton Homes Arena base at Springfield.

“We’ve spoken to Queensland Cricket about playing the grand final at the Gabba, but it is cricket season, so we’ll just have to see,” Swann said.

“There’s a bit to work out still. They are trying to move a Sheffield Shield game (starting on December 1).”

Lions player Zimmorlei Farquharson shows off the AFLW trophy at Wednesday’ finals launch. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Swann said it was “touch and go” whether the recently laid turf at BHA would be ready for use in time for the grand final.

“If we win this week, we get a week off and we can work around what happens then,” Swann said.

“It would be good if we could play the grand final at the Gabba, but we’ve just got to see if cricket will help us out there.”

AFLW boss Nicole Livingstone on Wednesday spoke of the “great relationship” that existed between the AFLW and cricket.

“We’ll continue to talk to cricket and also talk to the Queensland government (about the Gabba),” she said at the AFLW finals launch.

“I don’t want to put the cart before the horse – we need to make sure that Brisbane are going to be the hosts. We’ll continue to work with all stakeholders.

“We won’t make any announcements around (the) grand final right now because we still need to wait to see who’s going to make the grand final.”

Originally published as AFLW facing venue dilemma if the Brisbane Lions secure hosting rights for the AFLW grand final