Home final fight

FEW readers of this newspaper will be surprised to learn we believe the Cats should — if they earn the right — get to host an AFL final here in Geelong.

The Addy is a passionate supporter of its hometown team.

But this stance is not about parochialism. It’s about fairness.

All other teams in the league would be afforded a home game in the first week of finals, were they drawn against a lowerplaced opponent.

But when it comes to the league’s only regional team it’s finals hosting rights remain uncertain and unclear.

The AFL needs to clear this up by making a firm decision, and declaring a fair policy that applies to all teams equally.

The time to do that is now, while clubs are still jockeying for places in the final eight.

A decision should not be delayed until the brink of finals or when the combatants are known.

Cats chief Brian Cook has put the club’s case to the AFL, and has been more than reasonable. He’s only requested a home final should the Cats be drawn against a lower-placed interstate team. The Addy goes one step further. We believe all four higher-ranked teams in week one of the finals should earn a final at their primary home.

Without putting ‘the mozz’ on the Cats, they stand a strong chance of being one of the teams that earns a home final.

Whether that final would be a true home final at Kardinia Park’s presently relies on the whims of the AFL.

Potentially, Geelong could end up being fixtured against a lower-placed Melbourne rival, such as Collingwood or Richmond, at their home ground; the MCG.

It’s happened plenty of times in the past. but Kardinia Park is a high-class venue now with enough seats — and further improvements on the horizon.

Many readers will recall that Geelong has a hosted a home final once before, and it resulted in a shock loss to Fremantle.

So, Cats fans will be careful what they wish for. But, if things go their team’s way for the next eight weeks, it would only be fair for the team — and the town — to get another crack at it.