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Clash of dates looms in Sydney
Paul Gough
afl.com.au
2:54:31 PM Tue 2 September, 2003
The AFL is confident it will be able to grant Sydney a home semi-final at Telstra Stadium next weekend despite a potential clash with the start of the National Rugby League finals.
The Swans will qualify for a home final at the 80,000 capacity Olympic stadium if, as expected, they lose to minor premiers Port Adelaide in this weekend?s qualifying final in Adelaide.
However next weekend also heralds the start of the NRL finals series with three Sydney teams in line for opening weekend finals.
The AFL wants to play the Swans? final in western Sydney starting at 7.30pm on a Saturday night but this could clash with one of the NRL?s proposed finals.
The NRL has already scheduled its first week qualifying final between the teams that finish third and sixth for 5.30pm on Saturday.
And if this final involves the Canterbury Bulldogs, who are expected to finish third following the completion of the home and away season this weekend, this match could be played at the Telstra Stadium.
The Bulldogs could also play the match at Sydney Showgrounds but their final is expected to attract a crowd in the 30-40,000 range - exceeding the 22,000 capacity of the showgrounds.
However the Swans final should attract a crowd of at least 50,000 while if they were to play Essendon ? which would have to first beat Fremantle in Perth this coming weekend ? the crowd could push the record attendance of 72,000 which saw the Swans? round 21 game against Collingwood at Telstra Stadium.
AFL football operations manager Andrew Demetriou told afl.com.au on Tuesday the Swans would definitely play any final next week at Telstra Stadium and not at the smaller SCG.
?It will definitely be at Telstra Stadium and the game will be on a Saturday night,? he said.
?I?m not sure when the NRL finals are but I know we are earmarking that game (the Swans? home semi-final) to be played at Telstra Stadium on a Saturday night.?
When asked if he envisaged any problems securing Telstra Stadium for an AFL game in the advent of a possible clash with the NRL, Demetriou replied: ?Not to my knowledge, no.?
Demetriou said he was also confident the MCG?s capacity would be at 80,000 in time for the grand final.
The Melbourne Cricket Club is in a race against time to have the bottom level finished in time for the grand final ? which would add an extra 7,500 seats to the current capacity of 72,500.
However because the upper levels of the new stand are still under construction, the MCC will need permission from the building authorities before it can open the level one seating to spectators.
But Demetriou is confident the tight deadline will be met.
?We are absolutely confident there will be at least 80,000 people at the grand final,? Demetriou said.
?The (additional) seating will be there and with a bit of luck we might even be able to pull it off for the preliminary final.?
?We have got faith in the MCC and constructors, who are doing a wonderful job in getting it (the new stand) ready for the finals series.?
The AFL also confirmed the presenters of the major honours for grand final day this year with Elsie Rose ? the widow of the late Collingwood champion Bob ? to present the premiership cup to the winning team while the Bulldogs? 1954 premiership captain and coach Charlie Sutton will present the Jock McHale Medal to the premiership coach and St Kilda?s 1966 premiership captain Darrel Baldock will present the Norm Smith Medal to the player adjudged best afield.
Paul Gough
afl.com.au
2:54:31 PM Tue 2 September, 2003
The AFL is confident it will be able to grant Sydney a home semi-final at Telstra Stadium next weekend despite a potential clash with the start of the National Rugby League finals.
The Swans will qualify for a home final at the 80,000 capacity Olympic stadium if, as expected, they lose to minor premiers Port Adelaide in this weekend?s qualifying final in Adelaide.
However next weekend also heralds the start of the NRL finals series with three Sydney teams in line for opening weekend finals.
The AFL wants to play the Swans? final in western Sydney starting at 7.30pm on a Saturday night but this could clash with one of the NRL?s proposed finals.
The NRL has already scheduled its first week qualifying final between the teams that finish third and sixth for 5.30pm on Saturday.
And if this final involves the Canterbury Bulldogs, who are expected to finish third following the completion of the home and away season this weekend, this match could be played at the Telstra Stadium.
The Bulldogs could also play the match at Sydney Showgrounds but their final is expected to attract a crowd in the 30-40,000 range - exceeding the 22,000 capacity of the showgrounds.
However the Swans final should attract a crowd of at least 50,000 while if they were to play Essendon ? which would have to first beat Fremantle in Perth this coming weekend ? the crowd could push the record attendance of 72,000 which saw the Swans? round 21 game against Collingwood at Telstra Stadium.
AFL football operations manager Andrew Demetriou told afl.com.au on Tuesday the Swans would definitely play any final next week at Telstra Stadium and not at the smaller SCG.
?It will definitely be at Telstra Stadium and the game will be on a Saturday night,? he said.
?I?m not sure when the NRL finals are but I know we are earmarking that game (the Swans? home semi-final) to be played at Telstra Stadium on a Saturday night.?
When asked if he envisaged any problems securing Telstra Stadium for an AFL game in the advent of a possible clash with the NRL, Demetriou replied: ?Not to my knowledge, no.?
Demetriou said he was also confident the MCG?s capacity would be at 80,000 in time for the grand final.
The Melbourne Cricket Club is in a race against time to have the bottom level finished in time for the grand final ? which would add an extra 7,500 seats to the current capacity of 72,500.
However because the upper levels of the new stand are still under construction, the MCC will need permission from the building authorities before it can open the level one seating to spectators.
But Demetriou is confident the tight deadline will be met.
?We are absolutely confident there will be at least 80,000 people at the grand final,? Demetriou said.
?The (additional) seating will be there and with a bit of luck we might even be able to pull it off for the preliminary final.?
?We have got faith in the MCC and constructors, who are doing a wonderful job in getting it (the new stand) ready for the finals series.?
The AFL also confirmed the presenters of the major honours for grand final day this year with Elsie Rose ? the widow of the late Collingwood champion Bob ? to present the premiership cup to the winning team while the Bulldogs? 1954 premiership captain and coach Charlie Sutton will present the Jock McHale Medal to the premiership coach and St Kilda?s 1966 premiership captain Darrel Baldock will present the Norm Smith Medal to the player adjudged best afield.
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