Thousands of AFL club members could miss out on finals tickets as Victorians clubs surge towards September Peter Rolfe
Herald Sun
August 13, 2013 THOUSANDS of AFL club members could miss out on finals tickets as Victoria's powerhouse clubs surge towards September.
The strong performance of Victoria's most popular clubs, and an unprecedented growth in club memberships, mean fans will be scrambling for seats next month.
With as many as seven Victorian teams hoping to take part in the finals, Melbourne is poised for a finals series to remember.
Crowd favourites Collingwood, Richmond, Hawthorn and Geelong are almost certainly assured a finals berth.
Essendon can still make the top four if it escapes the wrath of the AFL Commission, which may cut its premiership points - and finals aspirations - in the wake of the Windy Hill supplements scandal.
Carlton and North Melbourne are in the queue to fill the final spot in the top eight should the Bombers be banished.
If results go the right way, Richmond could meet Collingwood in the first week of the finals.
The clubs have a combined membership of almost 140,000, meaning tens of thousands of members could miss out on a seat, even if the game is played at the MCG.
After 12 years in the wilderness, Richmond cheer squad president Gerard Egan said Tigers fans were desperate to see their team play finals and would lead the ticket rush. "Every person who says they even have a faint interest in Richmond will be after finals tickets," he said.
"If we play Collingwood getting a ticket will be a very tough thing.
"We've got 60,000 members, 10,000 hangers-on and we will be everybody's second favourite team in September so Etihad (Stadium) won't hold us."
The finals fixture is set to go down to the wire and, depending on results, may not be finalised until round 22.
But it is already clear many of the league's most rich and powerful clubs are finals-bound while teams short of money and members languish towards the bottom of the ladder.
The MCG can hold no more than 100,000 fans for finals but many seats are designated for corporate buyers and members of the MCC.
Etihad Stadium can hold an estimated 55,000 fans and is likely to host a match between a Melbourne-based club and an interstate team, probably Port Adelaide, in the first week of the finals.
AFL spokesman Patrick Keane said there was a possibility of four Melbourne finals in the first round but there could equally be two interstate fixtures depending on how Sydney and Fremantle finish the season.
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