ANZ stadium - the home of footy

[Swansongster]

Baz and Matt...patron saints of lost causes. Both love defending the indefensible.

In fact, both would be pretty handy in the trenches beside you.

As an avid reader of WW1 history, I think you make a really good point.

I sit on both sides of the argument here.

*SCG is our true home ground, always has and always will be. I cannot wait for the finals to back there in 2017!
* ANZ Stadium is good for 1 max 2 home games a year against big drawing Victorian clubs. Why neglect the 1000s of Swans fans out west who do find it easier to get to?
* I would follow and support the team if they played on the mud near Warragamba Dam.
* There is nothing we or the club can currently do about the contract arrangement presently in place so GET OUT to ANZ Stadium, put your whinging away for the next month, support our team and let's hope we see 3 wins there on the way to the MCG!!

GO SWANS!

Well said.

I'll be coming up from Melbourne for a prelim without hesitation (should we host it) and expect to enjoy the venue as much as I did in 2012 and as I similarly enjoyed the SCG prelim in 1996.

Big game with the Swans playing? I'm there, anywhere.

[Ludwig]

Swans fans who refuse to go to ANZ for whatever reason, eg:
- Cant get a decent decafe soy latte west of Surrey Hills. CHECK!
- Refuse to use public transport CHECK!
- As a rule never travel west of Annandale CHECK!
- Other CHECK!

cannot call themselves true Swans fans. They are "bandwagoners".

3 years ago I was headed to a game at ANZ. Since it was west of Annandale, I did what I usually do: I went to the airport. ?
Got off the plane 9 hours later. I've been up and down every street, but no ANZ stadium. I know I'm must be close, because everyone looks Asian. I had bacon and eggs on wholewheat toast and a great latte for $2.40 (The idiot who printed the menu must have put the decimal point in the wrong place). The Pies beat us by 4 points. Travis kicked 6. Glad I missed it.

Gotta hit the road again if I'm gunna catch the Tiges game.


Where is this place? Anyone who's been there before -- Is this it?

reader5397-9.jpg

[Margo]

I was enjoying reading this little stoush, with the amusing digs at each other, but please don't lower the tone. I see as many Asian spectators at SCG as ANZ and I love it. The Australian game is for all who love it.

[Doctor]

I was enjoying reading this little stoush, with the amusing digs at each other, but please don't lower the tone. I see as many Asian spectators at SCG as ANZ and I love it. The Australian game is for all who love it.

Agreed.

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I sit on both sides of the argument here.

*SCG is our true home ground, always has and always will be. I cannot wait for the finals to back there in 2017!
* ANZ Stadium is good for 1 max 2 home games a year against big drawing Victorian clubs. Why neglect the 1000s of Swans fans out west who do find it easier to get to?
* I would follow and support the team if they played on the mud near Warragamba Dam.
* There is nothing we or the club can currently do about the contract arrangement presently in place so GET OUT to ANZ Stadium, put your whinging away for the next month, support our team and let's hope we see 3 wins there on the way to the MCG!!

GO SWANS!

Well said!!

[Matimbo]

Yes. Whem I recall the great AFL games I have witnessed, most are at ANZ.

One of the best was the 2003 or 4 final against brisbane. We were no show but almost stole it.

The best AFL games I have witnessed (i.e. actually at the ground):

- The Nick Davis miracle game ... at the SCG
- The Plugger kicks a point after the siren to win game ... at the SCG
- The Plugger breaks the all-time goal-kicking record and fans flood the ground game ... at the SCG
- Swans v WCE GF 2005 - we break the drought ... at the MCG
- Swans v Hawks GF 2012 - probably the best GF I have seen in person or on TV ... at the MCG

I've been to lots of AFL games at Homebush and never experienced anything close to the atmosphere of these games.

On the other hand, I did attend some games at Homebush that did rival my list above for atmosphere, but none were AFL:

- Aloisi penalty shoot out goal to get Australia into the World Cup
- Wallabies v British Lions back in the early 2000s where we won a series against them for the first time
- Bledisloe Cup game in the early 2000s where Kiwis were up 24-0 after 10 mins, Wallabies clawed their way back to hit the lead late i the 2nd half only to have Jonah Lomu score a late try to win it for the Kiwis

All of these were incredible fever-pitch atmospheres ... I think the point for me is that Homebush has to be full or near to it to have a decent atmosphere. I go to see South Sydney NRL games with a mate every so often and the atmosphere is dead.

[Matimbo]

You did not witness the man on the moon, you saw a tv image of it.

Yeah, I saw that one on TV. Nearly smashed the tellie when Buzz missed from right in front after the siren. But his speccie to take the mark was pretty impressive ... at least 30 seconds of hang-time IIRC. And talk about a poor playing surface, complete dust-bowl. The AFL should never take another game there ... IMO it was a failed promotion, did nothing to convert any Sea of Tranquility fans.

[aguy]

Well I got my tickets to the game. Got reserved instead of the red zone so I can bring the family and not need to get there early

[Mel_C]

Instead of bickering about which ground is better, I hope to see ALL you Sydney based RWOers at the game cheering on OUR team against the Tigers and more importantly there the following week in our first final! I'm sure the players will appreciate the support and lift with a big home crowd!

Exactly! Please go and support the team so we can make it as unwelcoming to the opposition as they do in Adelaide and Perth.

[jono2707]

Yeah, I saw that one on TV. Nearly smashed the tellie when Buzz missed from right in front after the siren. But his speccie to take the mark was pretty impressive ... at least 30 seconds of hang-time IIRC. And talk about a poor playing surface, complete dust-bowl. The AFL should never take another game there ... IMO it was a failed promotion, did nothing to convert any Sea of Tranquility fans.

Ah you give up to easily - the AFL have committed to opening a new market on the moon and are willing to fund a new lunar expansion team for at least 20 years. They will also be providing the new team with a range of draft concessions to build the strongest team in the solar system and once the team starts winning, fans will materialise from the landscape that was previously considered barren....

[Untamed Snark]

Yeah, I saw that one on TV. Nearly smashed the tellie when Buzz missed from right in front after the siren. But his speccie to take the mark was pretty impressive ... at least 30 seconds of hang-time IIRC. And talk about a poor playing surface, complete dust-bowl. The AFL should never take another game there ... IMO it was a failed promotion, did nothing to convert any Sea of Tranquility fans.

Ah you give up to easily - the AFL have committed to opening a new market on the moon and are willing to fund a new lunar expansion team for at least 20 years. They will also be providing the new team with a range of draft concessions to build the strongest team in the solar system and once the team starts winning, fans will materialise from the landscape that was previously considered barren

....


Well played

[wolftone57]

I was disappointed when they announced they weren't going to change the seating. IMO, the seating angles are the basic viewing problem.

Yes the problem is the seating doesn't go down to the fence at ground level on the Red Zone side. It is impossible to see all of the ground from that seatinf. It is simply put CRAP!

[wolftone57]

Totally unwarranted criticism by erica and captain, who should know better.

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The changes I saw were to make the ends slide in and out. This would have extended the angled seat problem from just a few seats around half forward, to the pockets. Good job to avoid this IMO.

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Surely there are other ANZ members in RWO. Its the best value ticket in town.

You are wrong to criticize them for their criticism. You ANZ members might have a great place to watch footy but if you are a Red Zone member you don't. It is the worst place to watch any form of sport, especially our game in the Southern Hemisphere. Stick ANZ up your proverbial. There is only one place for Red Zoners to get a full view of the ground and that is in the Bar!

[ernie koala]

The best AFL games I have witnessed (i.e. actually at the ground):

- The Nick Davis miracle game ... at the SCG
- The Plugger kicks a point after the siren to win game ... at the SCG
- The Plugger breaks the all-time goal-kicking record and fans flood the ground game ... at the SCG
- Swans v WCE GF 2005 - we break the drought ... at the MCG
- Swans v Hawks GF 2012 - probably the best GF I have seen in person or on TV ... at the MCG

I've been to lots of AFL games at Homebush and never experienced anything close to the atmosphere of these games.

Can I add a few:
Cressa's mark and goal to beat Hawthorn.... 1996 qualifying final.
Cressa's after the siren goal to beat North Melbourne...(early 2000s)Eade charging onto the ground with his shirt half off.
Andreis Everitt goal at the death, to beat the Cats... 2012 or 2013.
etc etc etc , there are many to choose from.

[wolftone57]

Its this sort of misinformation that Dick Warburton would be proud of.

Our win/loss ratio at ANZ is SIGNIFICANTLY better than any other ground. We may only play there 3 or 4 times a year, but Richmond havent played there since 2002, and if we meet Port in the first final, they have never played there. A massive home ground advantage at the business end of the season.

ANZ is our finals jewel, and the length prepares us much better for away games than the postage stamp SCG. No point being SCG specialists when the granny is always at the MCG.

It's not our home ground Barry, the SCG is. We play there twice maybe three times a year other than finals. We don't train there, even before finals games. So definitely no home ground. As to the MCG we have to play the GF there just like any other side. The Victorian sides are always going to have the advantage in the Granny as they play there no less than 8 times a year. SCG specialising is not too bad if you win every game there but being able to play on good grounds like Pattersons, Adelaide. MCG, Gold Coast, Gabba is also good and we do that. Notice I didn't mention Docklands or ANZ & that is because one being great for viewing (Docklands) & not a great surface the other not good for anything. We do play well at both venues. The surface & the viewing at ANZ are substandard Barry. If they managed to fix both I would be happy for us to play there but I am sick of losing players in finals due to that @@@@ surface!!! Two last year!

[wolftone57]

Swans fans who refuse to go to ANZ for whatever reason, eg:
- Cant get a decent decafe soy latte west of Surrey Hills.
- Refuse to use public transport
- As a rule never travel west of Annandale
- Other

cannot call themselves true Swans fans. They are "bandwagoners".

I go Barry but I don't have to like it. Half the time if the play is on our side of the ground I might just as well be at home watching it. I would at least be able to see the play on my TV. I have to watch the monitors at the ground if we have seating. The only day I saw most of the game was when we stayed in the bar to watch it.

Enough of you @@@@ about Eastern Suburbs latte sipping twats too. I live in the inner city and have never had a soy latte, hate soy milk. The people I go to footy with come from all parts and will go to every Swans match. We just get the @@@@s that Rwed Zone Members are treated like @@@@ at ANZ. We can;t even see the whole game. Not like that at SCG. We get good viewing & great facilities there and generally the ground doesn't rise up to eat the players there.