Should we forget home finals and move on?

**Jon** · 17th June 2003, 12:53 PM

My two cents: Let's not get too worked up about them.

We're likely to play away, so the sooner we embrace the idea, the sooner we will become a force. We saw Port Adelaide shooting themselves in the head last year getting all worked up over this issue - pretty much for nothing. The GOT their home final, but then the fans revolted about the price of the tickets (another off-field issue) and before a pissweak crowd, Collingwood scored an upset. Port later bombed from the race.

Alternatively, Malthouse had ended the Adelaide hoodoo months earlier by talking up how much he and the boys "enjoyed" playing at Football park.

We should learn from this.

If Melbourne clubs sense we fear travelling down there, they've already won much of the battle.

What do people think?

**ugg** · 17th June 2003, 01:09 PM

We could finish top and then have nothing to worry about

I think we've played well in Melbourne (except for the Hawks game) this season and there is good support for the team in Melbourne so I don't think we are greatly disadvantaged by it. If it happens, it happens and we should just deal with it.

**Ganjaman** · 17th June 2003, 02:29 PM

It would be good for us Sydney based fans to have a home final, but in the end the GF is gonna be at the MCG and thats the one to win. So a game or two down there before the big one would'nt really harm the cause

**barry** · 17th June 2003, 02:59 PM

The rule has to be changed. Now!

I am quite prepared to give the opposition a bit of amunition this year as we re-work the rule, because once its fixed we will enjoy the benefits for decades afterwards.

**scurrilous** · 17th June 2003, 04:03 PM

Originally posted by barry
The rule has to be changed. Now!

I am quite prepared to give the opposition a bit of amunition this year as we re-work the rule, because once its fixed we will enjoy the benefits for decades afterwards.

Why?

**barry** · 17th June 2003, 05:19 PM

Originally posted by scurrilous
Why?

Because if we fix it now, and next year we finish 2nd, we are guaranteed home finals. And the year after that, and the year after that, etc, etc for the next 50 years.

We shouldnt sell out our principals for dubious short term gain of not giving the opposition a lift.

**footyhead** · 17th June 2003, 05:48 PM

God Australians can be a bunch of perochial and self centerd fools.
The reason that we need to fix this problem now is because it is not fair and hampers the development of the national leauge because of this fact.
Grow up

***NMWBloods*** · 17th June 2003, 06:11 PM

I don't think it's a big deal. All the interstate premiers are jumping on the band wagon because the interstate teams are doing well, yet half of them know nothing about football. If you can't win a flag by winning a couple of games at the MCG then you don't deserve to win a flag!! In what way is travelling to the MCG a huge problem for Sydney teams? It's hardly much of a trip and the support we will get there would be pretty good.

**Plugger46** · 17th June 2003, 06:13 PM

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I don't think it's a big deal. All the interstate premiers are jumping on the band wagon because the interstate teams are doing well, yet half of them no nothing about football. If you can't win a flag by winning a couple of games at the MCG then you don't deserve to win a flag!! In what way is travelling to the MCG a huge problem for Sydney teams? It's hardly much of a trip and the support we will get there would be pretty good.

Spot on!

**Bear** · 17th June 2003, 08:55 PM

a couple of Melbourne-based supporters views there...

but seriously it will probably work to our advantage where playing another interstater (likely this year) as a Melbourne game for us against (say) a WCE or Brisbane is a partial home game with all of our support in Melb and less travel than them...

overall a very unjust rule though and i could never support it with a clear conscience so i am totally against it

NB: you have to be in the GF to win it and the best way to do that is to WIN the week before. playing at home gives us the best chance to do this. i would so hate to play a "home" Prelim final against Feralwood at the MCG and lose due to their home ground advantage!

***NMWBloods*** · 17th June 2003, 09:06 PM

a couple of Melbourne-based supporters views there...

I'm actually Sydney based!

overall a very unjust rule though and i could never support it with a clear conscience so i am totally against it

What's silly about it is that the AFL can "bank" finals so in some years they don't have to have one at the MCG every week. It will be interesting to see what happens in a really contentious situation (eg: WCE v. Freo).