Ammos pitch for Easter match
GEELONG Amateur president Simon Farrell says his club is put at a financial disadvantage by playing away from home every Easter.
The coastal clubs have been favoured in the past to host fixtures over Easter to capitalise on the tourism traffic that passes through over the long weekend.
But Farrell has described the situation as unfair.
“We really want an Easter (game),” Farrell said.
“The coastal teams get a massive boost, like a $20,000$30,000 kick on us all, like us, Modewarre, Newcomb.
“It’s not really fair — that’s our biggest gripe with the whole thing.
“Can you imagine the crowd we’d get at Queens Park if we were the only game in Geelong? It would be massive.
“We didn’t even put it in because we know we’re just wasting our time, because we have every other year.
“It’s just bull---- how it doesn’t get shared around. It’s pretty much like getting your own little grand final.”
AFL Barwon region general manager Will McGregor said he expected the coastal towns to host all five BFL games again next Easter, but is open to sharing the games in the future.
“Obviously everyone heads to the coast that weekend, so the drawcard is that those clubs receive an increase in gate takings, which means increased bar takings, canteen takings,” he said.
“So there’s definitely benefits to those coastal clubs that get to host over that weekend.
“Over the course of the next year or two, I’m certainly open to looking at ways to make sure everyone gets an opportunity to play across those weekends.”
The Ammos have requested a stand-alone Sunday home game against Torquay in the middle of the season for the Bethany Cup to promote conversation about family violence.
They have also made a bid to play as many home games as possible in the first half of the season.
“Just to get the maximum use out of that surface,” Farrell said. “Because it (the ground) is in such good nick — by the end of cricket season, it just looks like the MCG. When all that grass dies off, it looks like a desert.”