MP homes in on MCG finals
Unfair to Cats, Marles tells Parliament
THE debate surrounding Geelong’s right to host home finals at Simonds Stadium crept its way into Parliament last night.
Corio federal Labor MP Richard Marles took the debate to the nation’s capital, using his speech to the House of Representatives to demand the Cats be allowed to play home finals at their home ground.
“Geelong finished second on the ladder this year. The three other sides who finished in the top four got to play their final at home,” Mr Marles said.
“Geelong played their home final at the MCG, a ground where we played five matches this year. Richmond, the away side, played 11 matches at the MCG this year.
“Who’s home ground do you think the MCG was?” he asked.
Marles rubbished the AFL’s argument that more Geelong fans were able to watch the game at the ’G.
“I say that’s beside the point,” he said.
“No other side in the competition has to give up home games for this reason.”
He argued that more than $150 million in investment from all levels of government to upgrade Simonds Stadium needed to be taken advantage of.
“Sustained investment of taxpayers’ money has given our city a wonderful asset,” he said. “Now that we have it, we have to make the most of it.
“There’s no point having a world-class stadium and playing games somewhere else. We’ll only get value for the investment the community has made if we play our home games at home.”
Mr Marles labelling the decision to play no finals games at Simonds this season as “unacceptable”.
“The time has come. The ground is ready. The team is ready. The city is ready,” he said. “It’s time Geelong Football Club played our home finals games in our home ground.”