AFL explains why Metricon Stadium will host Richmond v St Kilda semi-finalGlenn Valencich
7Sport
4 October 2020 The AFL has confirmed Richmond will host St Kilda at Metricon Stadium in a cut-throat semi-final next Friday night.
The clash on the Gold Coast will kick off the second week of the finals before Geelong host West Coast or Collingwood at the Gabba next Saturday night.
The decision to schedule the reigning premiers’ game at Metricon - around the corner from their hub base - comes after Tigers coach Damien Hardwick made that preference clear on Friday night.
The Cats had requested to play their semi-final at the Gabba, with AFL fixtures boss Travis Auld acknowledging clubs were given a “greater opportunity to have a say in where they want to play their finals”.
“That was (Richmond’s) preference. We combine that with the fact we think it is a good opportunity to spread games throughout Queensland,” he told Channel 7.
“We have a number of finals at the Gabba (and) a final at Metricon works well.
“(The Tigers’ request) is certainly one of the factors. It has been a different year so we said upfront that we will give clubs more of a say where they play.
“Obviously the crowd variable is not the same as it is in a normal season. They are staying across the road from the stadium. It suits them.
“They have played a number of games there and that’s where they would like to play their first final.”
Meanwhile, Hardwick has declared Tom Lynch a certainty to return to face the Saints at the key forward’s former home ground on the Gold Coast.
Lynch missed the 16-point loss to Brisbane despite pushing to return from a hamstring injury.
He will line up on Friday, though, as the Tigers take on the unfamiliar task of the long road to the grand final, which will be played at the Gabba on October 24.
It will be Richmond’s first semi-final of their successful four-year run as a flag contender.
“For us it’s all about the growth that we take out of the game,” Hardwick said of the loss to Brisbane.
“A lot of things that we did tonight were areas that we can certainly improve.
“We’ll go to school on that and there’s a couple of things that we’ll take out of the game that will certainly get us better for next week’s opponent.
“We don’t really care who we play, we’re just looking forward to getting back out and playing a hell of a lot better than we did tonight.”
https://7news.com.au/sport/afl/afl-explains-why-metricon-stadium-will-host-richmond-v-st-kilda-semi-final-c-1362202
