SCG final....maybe

[ernie koala]

Re the roof. I beleive it will be retractible, so the open area will be the same as it is now.
A roof will allow them to determine how much water the grass gets and not leave it up to the rain gods.
Wind, you dont need

Wrong on both counts.

A retractable roof doesn't vanish into thin air, it requires housing.

The open area will be significantly smaller than what is existing.

Air movement is also crucial for grass growth and strength...

No wind creates 2 problems...

1) Grass roots don't knit to the soil. Therefore it is loose and prone to shifting.

2) Fungal and mould type disease are much harder to control.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

It's so hard to predict the turn a thread will take.

[barry]

Have you ever seen mud at etihad?

[erica]

It's so hard to predict the turn a thread will take.

Not at present. Every thread seems to develop into a series of posts about ANZ stadium. I wish they could all be lumped under their own thread. It's getting tedious.

[Conor_Dillon]

Yeh i'm sure the AFL have already said that a Friday night prelim would be moved to the SCG if necessary. But let's just worry about Saturday's game first...everything else will sort itself out.

[Meg]

Have you ever seen mud at etihad?

7 April 2013. Geelong defeated North Melbourne at Etihad in pouring rain.

They only close the roof at Etihad for day matches if rain is forecast for the time of the match. It wasn't that day, the roof was open and it poured in the last quarter.

The roof is left open for day matches when it is expected to be fine for the reasons I've set out elsewhere - to provide maximum sun and air circulation for healthy grass. It is closed for all twilight and night matches.

[Meg]

Not at present. Every thread seems to develop into a series of posts about ANZ stadium. I wish they could all be lumped under their own thread. It's getting tedious.

Sorry Erica! In fairness though Andrew Ireland did spend some time talking about the ANZ Stadium in his interview.

[Plugger1300]

We only had 57,000 for the pies prelim 2012. What makes anyone think that Hawks or Cats would garner more.
SCG is the preference

[ScottH]

7 April 2013. Geelong defeated North Melbourne at Etihad in pouring rain.

They only close the roof at Etihad for day matches if rain is forecast for the time of the match. It wasn't that day, the roof was open and it poured in the last quarter.

The roof is left open for day matches when it is expected to be fine for the reasons I've set out elsewhere - to provide maximum sun and air circulation for healthy grass. It is closed for all twilight and night matches.

I think they may have changed that policy since then.
They forgot Etihad is in Melbourne that day.

[Mel_C]

7 April 2013. Geelong defeated North Melbourne at Etihad in pouring rain.

They only close the roof at Etihad for day matches if rain is forecast for the time of the match. It wasn't that day, the roof was open and it poured in the last quarter.

The roof is left open for day matches when it is expected to be fine for the reasons I've set out elsewhere - to provide maximum sun and air circulation for healthy grass. It is closed for all twilight and night matches.

I was at the game and was front row sitting near the interchange. It was a hot day with no forecast of rain and after half time it just bucketed down.
North just lost the game...(or you could say choked)...and after the siren Brad Scott was very animated with an AFL official.

There has been debate this year whether the roof at Etihad should be open even on a fine day. The way the ground has been built means the players are looking directly into the sun so they don't want it open. Gillon came out and said that the fans want it open so where possible it will be open. Don't think the players were happy with that!

[Meg]

I think they may have changed that policy since then.
They forgot Etihad is in Melbourne that day.

Statement as recent as 6 August this year:

"Closing Etihad Stadium?s roof for all games, as sought by the AFL?s TV broadcaster, will damage the playing surface, according to the stadium?s boss."

?I think what?s missed in all of this is, as you can see, this is natural grass," he said. "Natural grass needs sunlight, air circulation and rain. It?s not multiple choice, it needs all three.

Close roof and grass will die, says Etihad Stadium chief Paul Sergeant

[barry]

ANZ should insist on a design that the roof can be opened and closed in 5 minutes with people in the stadium at the time. How hard can it be?

- - - Updated - - -

We only had 57,000 for the pies prelim 2012. What makes anyone think that Hawks or Cats would garner more.
SCG is the preference

Crowds are up this year and buddy v hawks could sell out ANZ.. about 70,000

[Plugger1300]

Cats V Hawks prelim had 85,000 last year at the MCG.

Not sure we could get 70,000 even with Buddy.

60-65,000 possibly

Still take the SCG

[Zlatorog]

People, we need to win the QF first before dreaming about the PF. If the players start the game as they did against the Tigers there is a possibility we wouldn't even make it to the PF.

[mcs]

ANZ should insist on a design that the roof can be opened and closed in 5 minutes with people in the stadium at the time. How hard can it be?

- - - Updated - - -

Crowds are up this year and buddy v hawks could sell out ANZ.. about 70,000

Hope your willing to pay plenty of extra $$$ on your stadium membership Barry for such a speedy roof. I believe the fastest roof in the world is on Margaret Court Arena at Melbourne park, which is about 5 minutes, but on an arena a fraction of the size of ANZ. Most are 15-20 minutes minimum to open or close.

Even with buddy, jack all chance of a sell out at ANZ - anything about 55K would be a great result, though 60-65 wouldn't suprise me.