AFL tips big crowd for Cats qualifier
A CROWD of more than 80,000 is expected to attend Friday week’s MCG qualifying final between Geelong and Richmond.
The closest AFL season on record came down to the last of 198 matches, as West Coast dumped Melbourne from the eight with a 29-point win against Adelaide at Subiaco.
At the 20-minute mark of the last quarter, the Demons were in the eight on percentage, but the Eagles kicked the last two goals to qualify.
The Cats take on the Tigers at the ’G and Adelaide will host Greater Western Sydney in the other qualifying final.
The Cats said yesterday they would accept the AFL’s ruling that their home final be played at the MCG, Richmond’s home ground, because of the anticipated crowd.
The Tigers and Cats have not met in a final since Geelong stopped Richmond’s 1995 charge with an 89-point victory in a preliminary final at Waverley Park.
Geelong has beaten Richmond in its past 13 meetings, the most recent a 14-point victory at Simonds Stadium in Round 21.
Despite accepting the AFL’s call, Geelong chief executive Colin Carter again called on the AFL to introduce a concrete set of policies on home ground scheduling in finals.
The Tigers have won eight of 10 MCG games this year.
Carter said recently all Cats finals bar the Grand Final should be at Simonds Stadium.
MCC chief executive Stuart Fox said the GeelongRichmond final, the only one in Melbourne in week one of finals, could draw a big crowd.
“After such an exciting home-and-away season, we’re looking forward to hosting two Victorian teams in a huge final at the ’G,’’ Fox said.
“We expect members and supporters of both clubs, as well as our own members, to really get behind this one and turn out in large numbers.”
Internal MCG estimates are that a crowd of more than 80,000 is realistic.
The winner progresses to a home preliminary final and loser plays a home semi-final.
“We understand (finals venues) is a huge issue, so we think it’s a subject for discussion when the AFL is not under the pressure of making decisions,” Carter told 3AW.