MCG ‘HOME’ BONUS

Cats expecting to be treated as tenant club for payment

GEELONG is confident it will be eligible to receive funding from the MCC for any “home” matches it plays at the MCG this year.

The Cats have held discussions with both the MCC and the AFL in the past 24 hours to seek clarification on whether they would benefit from the cash injection.

MCG tenant clubs will get $180,000 for every home game they play at the ’G in 2020.

The Cats believe they would have the same rights for any games they are fixtured to host at the venue.

But Geelong chief executive Brian Cook stressed his club’s preference still was to play all home matches at GMHBA Stadium, despite the funding boost the Cats would pocket for hosting a match at the home of football this year.

The rolling fixture means the AFL schedule remains largely up in the air this season, with only the next four rounds currently released.

Cook said if the Cats missed out on getting all home games in Geelong, it would be a welcome bonus to receive the financial benefits other Melbourne clubs are set to receive.

“My early communication with the MCC is that if we play a home game at the MCG we would be treated the same way as tenant clubs,” Cook said.

“We still want to play every game at GMHBA Stadium.

“We want to play all eight there, but we can’t control that.

“So if the AFL do happen to fixture us at the MCG as a home game then we would expect to be treated in the same manner. So it is comforting to know that if we don’t play at home, and if we are playing a home game at the MCG, that we would receive similar treatment.”

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire has previously praised the work done between the AFL and MCC, in order for the MCG clubs to be handed millions of dollars in 2020.

After one senior executive described the move as “an early Christmas present”, McGuire labelled the decision “a great result”.

“This is what happens when football clubs sit through the building of stands and stick fat with the MCC,” McGuire said on Footy Classified.

“Particularly those who didn’t go down to Marvel when it was Colonial days.

“The MCC and clubs have got together with the AFL and worked this through and hopefully it will spill onto the other clubs as well.

“It’s a great result. In times of trouble, they’ve offered the hands of friendship.”