Banking A Final?????

[Rob-bloods]

The 6.00 news on SEN said the AFL were considering banking a final again!

I thought there was "no way" this could happen?

Perhaps the prospect of 70000 at the Stadium has made them think..

[barry]

Lets be realistic. A first week final against WC is only going to draw 40,000 to stadium Australia dont you think ?

The 70K was for a prelim.

[Glenn]

Possible final in Sydney

I will believe it when I see it

Edit: with decent weather and promotion probably 50,000+ at Stade de Oz IMHO

[Damien]

I think this has only come about because of Sydney.

I don't think the AFL would be as flexible with any other interstate club..the fact is that Sydney is so important to their long term plans that it would be plain out stupid not to play a final up here.

I am sure they will be annoyed if it ends up in Perth!

[j s]

Originally posted by Damien

I am sure they will be annoyed if it ends up in Perth!

I certainly will be!!

[Damien]

Originally posted by j s
I certainly will be!!

haha Yes I agree, but if they deserve it, they deserve it.

If we are good enough, we shouldn't have any issues against Richmond this week, therefore stay in 6th.

[ROK Lobster]

Originally posted by Damien
I think this has only come about because of Sydney.

I don't think the AFL would be as flexible with any other interstate club..the fact is that Sydney is so important to their long term plans that it would be plain out stupid not to play a final up here.

I am sure they will be annoyed if it ends up in Perth!

I think you are right - and I don't think we will get an announcement until next week. If Sydney finish ahead of WC it will be in Syd, if WC finish ahead it will be in Melb. Great result for us but it is becoming a bit of a debacle.

We would have to get 55-60K to a final wouldn't we? International rugby is finished, the Olympics will be over, we will only be competing with the league. But oh how I hope (in vain I'm sure) that it is played on Sunday - I don't think people should be allowed to get married in Sept.

[Thunder Shaker]

The AFL should wait until after round 22 to make their decision.

But let's assume that the finals are as follows:

Port vs Geelong
Brisbane vs St Kilda
Sydney vs West Coast
Melbourne vs Essendon

There's only one home Victorian final in this fixture.

But it gets more interesting when we consider the likely outcomes of these finals.

If both Port and Brisbane win, there will be 2 finals in Melbourne in the second week. This is the scenario that the AFL fears - the banking of a final in the first week, then the results of that week's finals making the banking unnecessary. But Brisbane will be required to play their home preliminary final in Melbourne.

What if Geelong beat Port and St Kilda beats Brisbane? There will be two semifinals outside Victoria, but two preliminary finals in Melbourne.

[barry]

Originally posted by Thunder Shaker

There's only one home Victorian final in this fixture.

But it gets more interesting when we consider the likely outcomes of these finals.

If both Port and Brisbane win, there will be 2 finals in Melbourne in the second week. This is the scenario that the AFL fears - the banking of a final in the first week, then the results of that week's finals making the banking unnecessary. But Brisbane will be required to play their home preliminary final in Melbourne.

What if Geelong beat Port and St Kilda beats Brisbane? There will be two semifinals outside Victoria, but two preliminary finals in Melbourne.

Thats the stupid thing. There is a good chance we will get 5 MCG finals anyway this year with the prelim rule, and we dont even have to pay back the banked final of last year until 2005.

[Doctor]

I'm trying not to think too much about it until we have played Richmond as I don't want to jinx us, but I hope sanity prevails.