Geelong fans will be up in arms as the AFL has dug deep into the contracts that will deter the club from playing a potential home final at the new-and-improved GMHBA Stadium.
The Cats reopened the fully refurbished Kardinia Park with a new capacity of 40,000 supporters, which came close to being filled (39,352) in Round 1 against St Kilda.
However, according toย Channel 7's Mitch Cleary, the AFL's contracts will trump the club's desire to play a true home final, which has only hosted one solitary game in September.
In 2013, Geelong got their wish to welcome a rival club down to its headquarters, with Fremantle making the trip down the highway for the Qualifying Final.
The request was mainly agreed upon because the other three finals games were played at the MCG, with Hawthorn hosting Fremantle, Collingwood versing Port Adelaide and Richmond taking on Carlton.
In 2024, the top-eight make-up looks vastly different, with the majority of interstate clubs holding key positions that will likely land them a home final.
As a result, the Cats will likely be forced to play at the MCG if they finish in the positions of 1st, 2nd, 5th or 6th, a position the club is โincreasingly resigned' to.
โThe AFL has gone into the contracts and it shows that if there's only one final in Victoria in weeks one, two and three, it has to be played at the MCG,โ Mitch Cleary said onย Talking Footy.
"The AFL has gone into the contracts...if there's only one final in Victoria in weeks one, two or three, it has to be played at the MCG."
Even if the Cats secure a home final against an interstate team, it appears likely they'll play at the MCG, reports @cleary_mitch. pic.twitter.com/QOopqz4TlX
— 7AFL (@7AFL) August 14, 2024
โSo right now even if Geelong finish second and host a home qualifying final, that has to be played at the MCG if there's no other final.
โThe Cats, behind the scenes, are increasingly resigned to the fact that they'll be playing their home final at the MCG regardless of where the other games will be played."
Geelong and coach Chris Scott has been vocal about the proposition of the club playing all its home games down at GMHBA Stadium.
The Cats continue to host two MCG home games per season against top-drawing Victorian opposition.
โI think every team should play their 11 homes games where they choose,โ Scott said in July.
โIf they choose to farm them to Alice Springs, or Darwin, that's fine. But you shouldn't be forced to play home games away from your home venue.
โThat's the Geelong choice to play all 11 home games down at Geelong.โ
Geelong coach Chris Scott was pressed about whether GMHBA Stadium would host a final in 2024.
"What I know 100% is the AFL controls the final series," Scott said.
"And believe it or not, I think we've been consistent on that for a long time. That's the reality.
"People can debate whether they make the right decision but we (Geelong) do respect the AFL control the final series and dictate where the games are played.
"I think it's a very different situation to my opinion on what the home and away season should be."
And so Geelong will have to embark with (yet) another finals campaign stacked against it, certain to face an opponent who is given all the free hits, and home ground advantages.
The question remains – how does Geelong win so many grand finals when it is deprived a well earned home ground advantage – and how come the ‘wobbles have won so few, in spite of continually having a home ground advantage, earned or not, over it’s opponents….. on top of having 18 or more home ground games each minor round…..
…. and does this have something to do with “KPI” driven bonuses?