Melbourne Renegades are bound for Geelong this BBL season

Attendances have been dropping for BBL games in Geelong over recent years but a bump could be on the way.

Aaron Finch talks to the media ahead of the Melbourne Renegades visit to Geelong this month. Picture: Alan Barber

GMHBA Stadium is hoping for a total crowd of around 30,000 for the two Melbourne Renegades clashes in Geelong later this month.

Crowds for BBL matches in Geelong have slowly dwindled from the record of 23,586 that was posted in January 2018, as the competition’s lustre and Renegades form has faded.

Renegades fans watch the cricket in January. Picture: Alan Barber

But even as the capacity of GMHBA Stadium sits at around 21,000 while the northern grandstand continues its redevelopment, Kardinia Park Stadium Trust chief executive Gerard Griffin is eyeing a return of strong crowds.

He pegged crowd estimations between 10-15,000 for each game, with the Renegades hosting Brisbane Heat on December 21 and Sydney Sixers on January 30.

“We’re hoping for somewhere between 10-15,000 both times,” Griffin said.

“That is where our hopes are. You need a bit of luck with the weather but with ourselves and the City of Greater Geelong and the Renegades promoting pretty hard, we hope to get a good crowd.

“Coming off the T20 World Cup, the place presented well and performed pretty well to host cricket then so we hope for a repeat performance.”

The surface at GMHBA Stadium has been virtually untouched since Geelong’s AFLW elimination final loss on November 5.

The BBL will return to Geelong on December 21. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

The male Cats have returned to pre-season but largely trained elsewhere as the pitch goes through its final preparations.

“The field is in fantastic condition and the wicket the guys will use has recovered well post-T20 World Cup,” Griffin said.

“Provided we can get a bit of sun and wind it will dry out and be pretty bouncy.”

The final Renegades game will follow the trust’s festival of sport, a free afternoon full of games to get spectators back into activity.

The day will wrap up a big 2023 for the stadium, which included the wildly successful Foo Fighters concert in March.

Griffin said discussions were constantly ongoing to bring more concerts to Geelong next year.

“We are looking forward to a bumper ‘23 with cricket, mens and women’s footy and we continue to talk to the right parties such as (concert promoters) Always Live to have us in their thoughts for future concerts,” Griffin said.

“I think in ‘23 we will have a really good calendar.”

Finch set for ‘huge tournament’

Melbourne Renegades captain Nic Maddinson says Aaron Finch has been “overlooked slightly” ahead of a new Big Bash League season and is ready to have “a huge tournament”.

Maddinson, Finch and the rest of the Renegades BBL squad kick off their campaign on Thursday and are due to hit GMHBA Stadium for two games this month, against Brisbane on December 21 and Sydney Sixers on December 30.

The first clash is set to be a Christmas theme and the second will see the return of Geelong Festival of Sport at Kardinia Park.

Finch enters the BBL season averaging 32 in his last 10 T20 games, however Maddinson believes the 36-year-old is refreshed and ready to respond to critics.

“It seems stupid to say for someone like Finchy who’s up there with the leading run scorers in Big Bash, but I think he’s being overlooked slightly this year in what he can produce,” Maddinson said.

Aaron Finch in action during the last BBL season. Photo by Mike Owen/Getty Images

“The way he’s batting at the moment, he’s hitting the ball so clean.

“I’m really excited and I think he’ll be definitely one to watch and I think he’s going to have a huge tournament.”

Maddinson added that Finch has been in superb touch through the Renegades practice matches.

“He (Finch) has started really well for us, he’s played some club cricket, he had a bit of time off since the world cup to refresh,” he said.

“(He) scored 80 not out in a practice game a few days ago and played really nicely.

“I think he’s a huge part for us this season.”

The Renegades have welcomed a host of new players following three-straight wooden spoons, including Jon Wells, Peter Handscomb, Tom Rogers, Andre Russell, Martin Guptill, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ruwantha Kellapotha, Akeal Hosein and Corey Rocchiccioli.

Nic Maddinson whips one away last season. Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

“I think the main focus for us was recruiting some guys that can play a role for us in different parts of the game and also add some experience and I think we’ve done that,” Maddinson said.

Maddinson added Geelong has become a home away from home, the Renegades having played games at GMHBA Stadium since 2018.

“It has become that (a home away from home), we enjoy going down there,” he said.

“To connect with the fans down there as well is pretty important for us … hopefully we can get some fans to come out and support us as well leading into Christmas.

“I think it’s been a place where all Renegades teams have loved coming to play.”

Originally published as Melbourne Renegades are bound for Geelong this BBL season