Injured Mannix sidelined
Adela ide Oval or in Perth, I think that Melbourne people might have a bit of a different perspective on that. It just depends what lens you look through, doesn’t it? After all, it’s a home ground.”
The debate is nothing new; remarkably the Swans played a single game at the MCG in 2012 apart from the grand final.
But it has intensified behind closed doors following the deal signed in April, which confirmed the MCG will continue hosting the grand final until at least 2057.
“It’s a fairly significant commitment to be able to play all the grand finals — and the majority of the bigger finals — at the MCG for such a long period of time,” Longmire said.
“Clubs who don’t have that as a home ground just have to deal with it.”
The Tigers haven’t hosted the Swans at Etihad since 2006.
In contrast, they’re shooting for a venue-record 17 consecutive wins at the MCG. GEELONG netballer Emily Mannix faces an indefinite period out of the game after surgery on an injured finger.
The Melbourne Vixens keeper went under the knife on Sunday night after dislocating her finger in the third quarter against Magpies Netball on Sunday.
Mannix will meet with a surgeon later this week to determine the full extent of the injury and a time frame on her return to the court.
The injury is a blow to the Australian Diamonds squad member, who was making the most of her clear run over the past year following the retirements of Bianca Chatfield and Geva Mentor.
Mannix finished runnerup in the Vixens’ MVP award last season and had kicked off 2018 in similarly strong form.
The surging Vixens have moved to fourth and travel to Sydney to play the sixthplaced Swifts on Saturday.
Seventh-placed Magpies host ladder leader West Coast Fever at Margaret Court Arena on Saturday night.