AFL open to four MCG finals in week oneDaniel Cherny
afl.com.au
20 Aug 2018The AFL is considering a return to playing a Sunday final in the event four MCG tenant clubs earn the right to host week one finals.
While seven clubs have booked finals positions, and Geelong need only to beat Gold Coast or have Port Adelaide lose to Essendon this week to secure the other September berth, finishing positions from second to eighth remain up in the air. Only Richmond (first) have locked up a particular spot in the eight.
Results could occur which would mean the Hawks, Tigers, Collingwood and Melbourne all finish in spots which would give them home finals in week one. For that to transpire, Sydney would need to beat Hawthorn at the SCG on Saturday night, the Magpies would have to defeat Fremantle in Perth on Saturday, depleted West Coast would need to lose at the Gabba to the Brisbane Lions on Sunday, and the Demons would have to beat Greater Western Sydney at the MCG on Sunday.
In that event, the qualifying finals would be Richmond v Sydney and Collingwood v West Coast, while the elimination finals would be Melbourne v Geelong and Hawthorn v GWS.
The introduction of a bye weekend between round 23 and the finals in 2016 has allowed the AFL to begin the finals on a Thursday night over the last two years, with the other week one finals occurring on a Friday night, Saturday late afternoon, and Saturday night, eliminating the need for a Sunday final and a subsequent six-day break for the winners ahead of the semi-finals.
If the AFL opted to retain the structure of the last two years, one final would need to be held away from the MCG. Hawthorn have twice before played elimination finals at Docklands (against Sydney in 2001 and Adelaide in 2007). The Hawks are aware they would be the likely candidate to again host a final at Docklands if the AFL opted to head down that path.
Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett tweeted his concerns about a possible final at Etihad, which will be known as Marvel Stadium from September 1.
“Wait until next week’s games are played. Everything will be clearer then. Trouble with Etihad is it only holds approx 50,000 fans. I think all games will attract more than that and I hope the AFL will give as many people as possible the opportunity to attend each game,” Kennett said on Sunday night.
However it’s understood the AFL are contemplating playing one final on each of Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday if the four MCG tenant clubs finish 1st, 2nd, 5th and 6th. This would allow the MCG to host all four week one finals. The AFL won’t confirm its week one finals fixture until after the top eight finishing order is confirmed, although it’s believed about 20 options are on the table.
The Hawks could still finish as high as second, and can avoid a home final against the low-drawing Giants by beating the Swans and ensuring they finish in the top four.
If the Eagles, Sydney, Melbourne and Collingwood all win this week, the Eagles would host the Pies in week one, with the other three finals in Melbourne.
Both Thursday night finals have been held outside of Victoria, and the AFL would be keen to play an Eagles qualifying final at Optus Stadium on a Thursday night, should West Coast finish second.
Six elimination finals have been held at Docklands since the venue opened in 2000, the most recent of which came when Sydney beat St Kilda in 2011. That match was played on a Saturday night, with the other three finals that weekend all held at the MCG.
Geelong have wanted to host more finals at GMHBA Stadium but it won’t happen this year given they cannot finish higher than seventh.
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/sunday-session-afl-open-to-four-mcg-finals-in-week-one-20180820-p4zyjv.html
