2006 Germany-Spend billions of Euro to build and upgrade Stadiums
2010-South Africa-Grand new stadiums and billions of Rand spend building and upgrading

2018-Australia-Victoria proposes larger video screens....

FFS

I don't get your post?

^^^^

The standard size of a football pitch is 105m x 65m and the dimension of a true football field is 120m x 80m according to FIFA.

The dimensions of the Maracana is 110m x 75m and the dimensions of the MCG is 174m by 149m. Clearly the Maracana is much better suited for football.

The dimension of athletics stadiums is 180m by 95m which is also better suited for football than the giant cricket ground although not ideal.

I don't get your post?
Victorians seem to think that they do not have to build or upgrade stadiums and putting large scoreboards will be enough.
We need more from the MCG and Victoria in general to have a successful World Cup bid.At the moment,the AFL cronies are completely derailing the bid.

^^^^

The standard size of a football pitch is 105m x 65m and the dimension of a true football field is 120m x 80m according to FIFA.

The dimensions of the Maracana is 110m x 75m

The field is much larger than that...Maracana has to be at least 150m x 115m based on line marking etc etc

2006 Germany-Spend billions of Euro to build and upgrade Stadiums
2010-South Africa-Grand new stadiums and billions of Rand spend building and upgrading

2018-Australia-Victoria proposes larger video screens....

FFS

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

^^ True, the Maracana is 162m/122m, the field of play is 110m/75m and like everyone else for the 2014 WC it will repainted at 105m/68m.

The dimension of athletics stadiums is 180m by 95m which is also better suited for football than the giant cricket ground although not ideal.

Well an 8 laned Athletics track will be (rounded) 175m/91m. This does not consider the press moat used in most major world class facilities, nor does it include the extra space needed for the javelin run up and the long jump track which runs parallel to the straight. Most Athletic Stadiums are a 190m/120m oval.
So up to 20m longer than most AFL/Cricket Stadiums in Australia but 20m narrower, so it's all compromise. One has the end seats closer, the other has the wings closer but non are ideal.

The MCG is great as it is. You can get over 100k in, close to town, trains, car parks, the whole enchilada.

Jo-burg, murder capital of the world, but it has a nice stadium for soccer only.

Give me the G anyday of the week, but with bigger screens like in Dallas.

That render looks immense!!!

OMG am i reading this correctly??? you are trying to argue that Football(soccer) isn't really that important or popular and that NFL and AFL would be more popular? :nuts:

its the most popular sport in the world, to think Aussie rules even comes close is laughable :hilarious

We are talking about Australia and Australian Football is by far the biggest and most successfull of the 4 football codes that play in the nation!Just this weekend in Melbourne an AFL "practice match" got a crowd and a soccer final between Melbourne and Sydney only 18,500 at the same ground the night before.

Personally I couldnt care less if we host the soccer WC or not and dont want any of my taxes wasted on this event!`
If soccer is SO popular then let FIFA pay for the circus themselves and keep all the profits!

I really hope if Australia does win 2022 they upgrade the MCG and use it as the final ground.

We are talking about Australia and Australian Football is by far the biggest and most successfull of the 4 football codes that play in the nation!Just this weekend in Melbourne an AFL "practice match" got a crowd and a soccer final between Melbourne and Sydney only 18,500 at the same ground the night before.

Personally I couldnt care less if we host the soccer WC or not and dont want any of my taxes wasted on this event!`
If soccer is SO popular then let FIFA pay for the circus themselves and keep all the profits!

http://www.jimbunch.com/images/ostrichpic.jpg

Every couple of months you whip out the same argument for not staging the world cup in Australia: "I don't want MY taxes wasted blah blah blah blah", and after your post I inform you that the world cup will most likely bring a massive financial windfall to the country and the AFL, NRL and FFA, as well as important sporting and social infrastructure upgrades to our cities.

I dont know how can you live with yourself when you keep ignoring whats staring you right in the face, but I guess ignorance is bliss and you would rather remain ignorant than come to terms with reality.

http://www.jimbunch.com/images/ostrichpic.jpg

Every couple of months you whip out the same argument for not staging the world cup in Australia: "I don't want MY taxes wasted blah blah blah blah", and after your post I inform you that the world cup will most likely bring a massive financial windfall to the country and the AFL, NRL and FFA, as well as important sporting and social infrastructure upgrades to our cities.

I dont know how can you live with yourself when you keep ignoring whats staring you right in the face, but I guess ignorance is bliss and you would rather remain ignorant than come to terms with reality.

But but but what about the AFL..... :lol::nuts:

We won't get the 2018 or the 2022 in anycase. One day after that perhaps.

I think the FFA should be concentrating on building the A-League and the overall structure of the sport.

This is all taking away from what really needs looking at.

^^ Staging the world cup would be massive boost for anything soccer related in this country, hence why the FFA is so hell bent on staging it, and probably why auswankin is so against it.

It would give the FFA a massive financial boost and provide huge exposure.

If the cup isnt awarded to Australia, then nothing is really lost. Soccer and the bid gets a lot of discussion in the media so that is a positive thing.

One of the most overrated sporting stadiums in the world. Might have soemthign to do with the shit sport that's played there. I've attended a couple of AFL Grand Finals I don't think such a poor atmosphere and specticle exists for a stadium that size

Try the RL up in Sydney if you want completely shit atmosphere and a game that is just so shite it beggars belief why anyone would play it. A game for lemmings played by cretins.

One of the most overrated sporting stadiums in the world. Might have soemthign to do with the shit sport that's played there. I've attended a couple of AFL Grand Finals I don't think such a poor atmosphere and specticle exists for a stadium that size

You are acctualy kidding me? Right...?

^^ I have to agree with Weebie. AFL, or for that matter Rugby union or league, don't have the same culture of vocal support as soccer, and therefore the atmosphere at the games is much more subdued. I went to the Carlot v Collingwood blockbuster, and after having it built up by my mates for weeks, I was massivly dissapointed. The match is being played and you see rows of people chatting away, interspersed witht the sporadic middle aged dad, cursing and screaming abuse at the umpire and players.

In general there is no tradition of singing or chanting together, and the lack of a ultras means there is nowhere for the atmpsphere to come from. The cheer sqauds, made up of grandmas and their grand kids waving giant pom poms, doesn't do anything to create noise.

The size of the pitch doesn't do anything to keep in the atmosphere either. I've been to a lot of socceroos games there, and the noise is dispersed due to the sheer size of the ground.

Its a great ground for cricket though.

Overall its not a bad ground, but whenever you watch anything played there, they talk about it like its some holy stadium where the buzz is as majestic as anywhere in the world.

You haven't been to that many matches. When you get the big games, with big crowds the atmosphere is incredible.

The Essendon v/ Carlton prelim in 1999 was amazingly intense. It was a siege for 2 and a half hours. Fights broke out in the crowd. You simply do not get that kind of intensity in soccer.

It is like comparing the Napoleonic wars to the battle of Stalingrad.

That's 'cause soccer is so boring you need other distractions.

Try the RL up in Sydney if you want completely shit atmosphere and a game that is just so shite it beggars belief why anyone would play it. A game for lemmings played by cretins.

Predictable. :lol:

That's 'cause soccer is so boring you need other distractions.

Apparently you go to the game for the 'atmosphere', not the game itself.

^^ I think the billions of people who watch it on tv each year will disagree with you :)

RL is the most boring sport on TV I have seen.

You get 5 or 6 'tackles'. Very artificle how the guy who has just laid the tackle, then has to back off. It should be once you bring down the guy with the ball, the guy who tackled can strip the ball off them or the guy with the ball has to unload it. Would improve that game out of sight. It is just so fake. Any wonder only people in NSW and QLD play it. The mentality of that lot makes them a natural fit.

Soccer is flowing and requires a lot of skill. Anyone can appreciate it. It's simplicity makes it easy for anyone to understand it. Most well designed things are simple.

You haven't been to that many matches. When you get the big games, with big crowds the atmosphere is incredible.

The Essendon v/ Carlton prelim in 1999 was amazingly intense. It was a siege for 2 and a half hours. Fights broke out in the crowd. You simply do not get that kind of intensity in soccer.

It is like comparing the Napoleonic wars to the battle of Stalingrad.

THAT's the biggest laod of shit I've ever read. I feel sorry for you that you will always be subject to boring specticles. I remember declining my free tickets to the 2006 AFL Grand Final. It was a waste of time from my point of view.

There were recent rumours that the Great Southern Stand world be demolished and rebuilt with a new stand similar to the Great Northern Stand. But that is very, very unlikely to happen in the near future, so the MCG looks fine with its current two stands.

There were recent rumours that the Great Southern Stand world be demolished and rebuilt with a new stand similar to the Great Northern Stand. But that is very, very unlikely to happen in the near future, so the MCG looks fine with its current two stands.
Last I heard was that they're redevloping it instead of tearing it down, which sounds like the better idea.

Structurally, it's still a fine stand; it just needs some sprucing up to match the rest of the stadium.

I don't know if the finances are in place for a full-on demolition and reconstruction, either.

THAT's the biggest laod of shit I've ever read. I feel sorry for you that you will always be subject to boring specticles. I remember declining my free tickets to the 2006 AFL Grand Final. It was a waste of time from my point of view.
well aren't you a hero. could have sold them on ebay for profit.

idiot.

We all know hes an idiot, we don't need to be reminded again.

Damn right, who wouldn't want to see the Eagles win?

was a f***ing awesome GF too, although the eags aren't quite up to it these days

Interesting records;

Sporting records
First international Cricket contest - 1862
First ever Test Cricket match (Australia v England) - 1877
First ever One day international Cricket match - 1971
Highest first class cricket score - 1107 (Victoria v NSW, 1926)
Australia's first international Lacrosse match (Australia v Canada, 1907, 30,000)
Fastest ball bowled in a Cricket match in Australia, 3rd fastest in the world - 160.7km/h (Shaun Tait, Australia v Pakistan, February 5, 2010)

Attendance records
Highest VFL/AFL attendance - 121,696 (Collingwood v Carlton, 1970)
Highest soccer crowd in Australia - 107,000 (1956 Olympics Soccer Final)[citation needed]
Highest Australian soccer crowd - 95,103 (Australia v Greece, 2006)
Highest single-day attendance in the history of Test Cricket - 90,800 in 1961 (Australia v West Indies)
Highest one-day international crowd - 87,182 (1992 World Cup Final England v Pakistan)
Highest Australian religious event attendance - 130,000–140,000 (Billy Graham crusade, 1959)
The first stadium in the world to have its annual number of visitors equal to the city's population[citation needed]

Stadium records
World's first all colour cricket scoreboard with instant replays
World's first electronic sightscreens
World's first super sopper
World's first scrolling signage at an oval-shaped ground
First time an international Cricket match was played on a one-piece portable pitch, Boxing Day Test, 2000
World's highest light towers

There would be more but cbf'd finding them.

Held the record for the largest Baseball attendance for 52 years (1956 / 2008). Estimated between 104 000 to 114 000.

The first stadium in the world to have its annual number of visitors equal to the city's population[citation needed]

Well, that one's got to be a load of bollocks. I bet a number of American baseball stadia in much smaller cities managed that earlier.

Well, that one's got to be a load of bollocks. I bet a number of American baseball stadia in much smaller cities managed that earlier.
and ESPECIALLY Lambeau

I wouldn't be shocked if it did hold that record, it gets around 170,000 each week (depending on the teams) for 22 weeks and ~350000 in September. it also gets 20000 for a Test match depending on duration and the teams playing. There is also state games and International cricket games. One soccer game each year as well. It wouldn't be ridiculous to think that it holds that record.

Come to think of it, this record was probably achieved before Lambeau was constructed.

and ESPECIALLY Lambeau

Pfft. Lambeau was built in 1956. Melbourne had 1.5mil.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne (I realise wiki can be iffy but overall this point stands anyway)

http://stats.rleague.com/afl/crowds/summary.html

Go to 1955, total: 2,654,044

That's forgetting other sports, tournaments, events etc.

So on afl alone, more people were going to the mcg every year than there were Melburnians.

I don't know about the old grounds like yankee stadium or wrigley field. But the mcg beats Lambeau field by some time (infact the mcg was surpassing Melbourne in the 1920s, as Melbourne reached 1mil by 1930 yet througout the 1920s, well over a mil was reached.

Well, that one's got to be a load of bollocks. I bet a number of American baseball stadia in much smaller cities managed that earlier.
I don't know how true the claim is but remember the MCG has been around for over 150 years back when Melbourne had a population in the tens of thousands and before most nations had come to enjoy spectator sports. It is entirely possible.

Ann Arbor ?

I don't know how true the claim is but remember the MCG has been around for over 150 years back whem Melbourne had a population in the tens of thousands and before most nations had come to enjoy spectator sports. It is entirely possible.

OK, so I'm guessing the feat was probably accomplished around 1860 or so. That's about the same time that there was a surge in popularity in baseball in the USA, so it's not inconceivable that a team from East Bumfuck, Tennessee managed the same thing earlier simply by attracting 10,000 crowds to a dozen or so home games...

Circus Maximus ?

For many years, only Melbourne FC played football at the MCG during the regular season. I think the claim about the G is probably a wiki myth based on modern day usage.

OK, so I'm guessing the feat was probably accomplished around 1860 or so. That's about the same time that there was a surge in popularity in baseball in the USA, so it's not inconceivable that a team from East Bumfuck, Tennessee managed the same thing earlier simply by attracting 10,000 crowds to a dozen or so home games...

Agreed, I don't believe it either but who ever did it first in the modern age (forget Rome ;)), it was only going to happen in the Anglosphere. They weren't necessarily playing 80+ game baseball seasons back in the 1860's and the MCG was alwas a multi use ground. It still is possible but agian I don't believe it either.

MCG is breathtaking to say the least. The new "G" will only look better for commonwealth 2006 after full renovation. I remember reading in one of the Indian news paper with India visited Australia for full tour. It was stated, MCG looks literally like gladiators arena with sold out. True home of the cricket. If there is any cricket arena that comes close to mighty MCG is Eden Gardens at Calcutta when jammed packed. But still MCG is MCG, in the league of its own.

dude eden gardens is our pride in India and i would like to tell you there is nothing like it when India plays in eden gardens the ground is noisy crowd is awesome and atmosphere is electrifying.. i do agree that mcg is a great ground and its one of my 2 favorite venues along with eden gardens. can you tell me the size difference between eden gardens and mcg?? ground area i guess mcg is bigger but can you kindly give me the dimensions of both grounds??

http://www.theage.com.au/sport/facelift-for-mcgs-great-southern-stand-20100915-15bti.html?autostart=1

Facelift for MCG's Great Southern Stand

Twenty years after its completion, the Great Southern Stand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is getting a $55 million facelift.

Announcing the upgrade, Victorian Premier John Brumby said the renovation of seating, toilets, entrances and food outlets was intended to "maintain the Great Southern Stand at an absolutely first-rate level".

"The MCG is the icon, it’s the centrepiece of Australia's greatest sporting precinct and one we want to build into the greatest sporting precinct in the world," Brumby told SEN radio.

"I think the thing with stadiums is that you’ve got to keep investing in them, you’ve got to keep improving them.

"48% of the people who go to the G and watch footy are women, 25% are kids – you’ve got to have good facilities, quality facilities…

Mr Brumby said the MCC considers the development 'stage one' of a "twenty year rolling programme to make sure that the Southern Stand is continually improved."
Architect's plans for the redevelopment of the MCG's Southern Stand.

Architect's plans for the redevelopment of the MCG's Southern Stand.

AFL CEO Andrew Deemetriou says the work, expected to begin in mid-2011, would not inconvenience patrons.

"These guys are pretty skilled at making sure there's little disruption," he said.

The work is expected to be completed by the start of the 2013 AFL season.

The refurbishment will include upgrades to food and beverage areas, concourses and toilets, improved entry points, and updating function rooms and sports bars to provide improved viewing areas.

The government was forking out $30 million for the upgrade with the Melbourne Cricket Club contributing $25 million.

Mr Brumby admitted that he had been under pressure from AFL figures after funding the rectangular stadium now known as AAMI Park.

"There were obviously people in the footy world that thought we put a lot of money into the rectangular stadium, and we did.

"And we did that because we’ve got growing interest in soccer and we’ve got growing interest in rugby and that is a magnificent stadium and we need to do that.

"But at the same time, we have provided significant funding to AFL, because its our homegrown code and we’ve got more kids playing that than any other sport.

"All of this helps to encourage young people participate in sport and play more sport, so its money well spent."

http://images.theage.com.au/2010/09/15/1928380/wbMCGaxo-420x0.jpg
http://images.theage.com.au/2010/09/15/1928387/wbMCGaxotext-600x400.jpg
http://images.theage.com.au/2010/09/15/1928390/wbMCGView-from-entry-600x400.jpg

95,000 there tonight.

MAy get 100k this week.

100016 there today for the AFL Grand Final between St. Kilda and Collingwood. No result yet.

EDIT: it was a draw...going to replay it next week so that'll be another 100k. And they have to put the bloody cricket pitches in - I heard they were planning to do it on Monday but I guess that plan is fucked.

^^

Watching this happen live now here in the States. Nothing like seeing 100,000 people all share the same "what the hell just happened" face as they come to the realization that they have to wait another week to crown the Premiers. I can't imagine how that would be treated here if this was the case in something like the Super Bowl. :cheers:

Just out of interest what was the attendance of the last superbowl?

^^

Watching this happen live now here in the States. Nothing like seeing 100,000 people all share the same "what the hell just happened" face as they come to the realization that they have to wait another week to crown the Premiers. I can't imagine how that would be treated here if this was the case in something like the Super Bowl. :cheers:

Are you an expat or an American dabbling in our sport? And if you're the latter, what do you think of the sport?

I seem to notice a disturbing pattern in your posts.........

I seem to notice a disturbing pattern in your posts.........
Who's multi are you?

As a Yank, I love the AFL and dislike the NFL. Collingwood Magpies are my adopted club from 5 years ago. I wasn't aware that the AFL has no OT laws for the game.

As a Yank, I love the AFL and dislike the NFL. Collingwood Magpies are my adopted club from 5 years ago. I wasn't aware that the AFL has no OT laws for the game.
Well, they do have OT laws for all finals but the GF. In '07 Colliwobbles and the Eagles drew in a semi-final(?) and went on to win.

A couple of other finals have gone to extra time in recent years. I always wondered what the feeling would be like to witness a drawn GF...now I know. Extremely strange feeling and one we will never experience again because surely the AFL will change the rules for the future. FWIW if scores are tied at full time next week, they will play two periods of overtime.

Will be interesting to see what next week's game holds re: build up, attendance and the result! Regardless, I think in years to come people will remember the drawn game more than the eventual result.

Just out of interest what was the attendance of the last superbowl?
74,059 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami.

The highest attendance was in The Rose Bowl in Superbowl XIV (1980) with 103,986.

It's all dictated by the size of the stadium, and NFL stadiums are rarely bigger than 75,000.

BTW: I was watching the game here in the US (couldn't sleep, and it was on). I started watching right before the white team started their comeback. Pretty exciting end to the game that could have been even better with some kind of overtime. I understand the rules (mostly) but don't ever follow the sport. It was interesting to see that Eric Bana's character in "Funny People" was rooted in some truth.

Are you an expat or an American dabbling in our sport? And if you're the latter, what do you think of the sport?

I'm an an American, but I've been watching the AFL for years. I happen to love it, and wish it was easier to find here, but for the most part I'm reduced to watching games online. One of my fondest hopes is that ESPN eventually creates an international oriented channel that can be utilized for televising such such things as La Liga and the EPL, rugby, the AFL, etc. Alas, they'd much prefer to show things like Poker and Drag Racing and Competitive Eating, rather than some of the jewels the rest of the world has to offer. I'm sure this is anything but a majority opinion here, but some of us would just as easily prefer to fill out their schedules with real sports rather than some of the garbage labeled as sport in this country.

Apologies for the slightly off-topic nature of the post. The 'G did look amazing for the match today. :cheers:

As a Yank, I love the AFL and dislike the NFL. Collingwood Magpies are my adopted club from 5 years ago. I wasn't aware that the AFL has no OT laws for the game.

Well, they do have OT laws for all finals but the GF. In '07 Colliwobbles and the Eagles drew in a semi-final(?) and went on to win.

eeew! Collingwood are like the Dallas Cowboys with the fan base of the Oakland Raiders. ;)

As for OT. The West Coast Eagles and the Collingwood Magpies drew in an Qualifying Final in 1990 in Melbourne. West Coast had to fly the width of the Country again the next week to get thumped in the rematch. After that the AFL thought rematches during the finals series (except for the Grand Final) too distruptive to the finals calendar where Collingwoods 1990 Grand Final opponent Essendon played no Football for and extra week while waiting for the Coll vs WCE result (and many feel where the Bombers lost mommentum).

Not sure how many draws have happened since the AFL introduced OT for all finals but the Grand Final in 1990. 2007 Semifinal, a young Collingwood did beat an injury ravaged West Coast in OT.

I'm just bloody glad the two opponents in Collingwood and St Kilda are Melbourne based for the replay. It would suck donkey balls if one of the teams had to fly cross country. The AFL may be thinking "more money" but I really do think they will change it. I'm also interested to know if the replay will have any effect on the following days NRL Grand Final such as in TV viewers, probably nothing much.

Collingwood definately seem to be the team for drawing big games, they drew the last gf in 1977 with North Melbourne, 07 semi with west coast, and now yesterday. Not to mention they also drew with Melbourne earlier on this season. Will be good to see St Kilda come out and destroy them next week!

I'm an an American, but I've been watching the AFL for years. I happen to love it, and wish it was easier to find here, but for the most part I'm reduced to watching games online. One of my fondest hopes is that ESPN eventually creates an international oriented channel that can be utilized for televising such such things as La Liga and the EPL, rugby, the AFL, etc. Alas, they'd much prefer to show things like Poker and Drag Racing and Competitive Eating, rather than some of the jewels the rest of the world has to offer. I'm sure this is anything but a majority opinion here, but some of us would just as easily prefer to fill out their schedules with real sports rather than some of the garbage labeled as sport in this country.

Apologies for the slightly off-topic nature of the post. The 'G did look amazing for the match today. :cheers:
http://www.usafl.com/ Theres an Aussie Rules team in quite a few cities.

I'm an an American, but I've been watching the AFL for years. I happen to love it, and wish it was easier to find here, but for the most part I'm reduced to watching games online. One of my fondest hopes is that ESPN eventually creates an international oriented channel that can be utilized for televising such such things as La Liga and the EPL, rugby, the AFL, etc. Alas, they'd much prefer to show things like Poker and Drag Racing and Competitive Eating, rather than some of the jewels the rest of the world has to offer. I'm sure this is anything but a majority opinion here, but some of us would just as easily prefer to fill out their schedules with real sports rather than some of the garbage labeled as sport in this country.

Nice! :cheers:

We've got the same thing here, channel one plays bull riding, drag racing and other fluff. Plays some good stuff but god there's alot of car racing docos on it seems. The best site for watching afl games online is the afl website, afl.com.au, has a game analyser for each game up top on the website beside every game. Don't know a good website to watch a game live though.

Apologies for the slightly off-topic nature of the post. The 'G did look amazing for the match today. :cheers:

That it did, although the crowd was a little uneven for my liking.

That it did, although the crowd was a little uneven for my liking.

Always is for Collingwood. Their supporters may be nicknamed the filth but the supporters are the loudest and most loyal. The AFL site puts the full replay of every game out about ten hours after, the next day basically. The GF creates an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in Australia and can match it with the best in the world. Two 100,000 attendances in a row seem likely.

eeew! Collingwood are like the Dallas Cowboys with the fan base of the Oakland Raiders. ;)

As for OT. The West Coast Eagles and the Collingwood Magpies drew in an Qualifying Final in 1990 in Melbourne. West Coast had to fly the width of the Country again the next week to get thumped in the rematch. After that the AFL thought rematches during the finals series (except for the Grand Final) too distruptive to the finals calendar where Collingwoods 1990 Grand Final opponent Essendon played no Football for and extra week while waiting for the Coll vs WCE result (and many feel where the Bombers lost mommentum).

Not sure how many draws have happened since the AFL introduced OT for all finals but the Grand Final in 1990. 2007 Semifinal, a young Collingwood did beat an injury ravaged West Coast in OT.

I'm just bloody glad the two opponents in Collingwood and St Kilda are Melbourne based for the replay. It would suck donkey balls if one of the teams had to fly cross country. The AFL may be thinking "more money" but I really do think they will change it. I'm also interested to know if the replay will have any effect on the following days NRL Grand Final such as in TV viewers, probably nothing much.


I chose Collingwood a few years ago because my Euro Footy team is the Newcastle Magpies. The Collingwood Magpies kits are the same as NUFC, as well as the same nickname. Logical choice for me without having to do any research whatsoever on any AFL team. haha

http://www.usafl.com/ Theres an Aussie Rules team in quite a few cities.

Yea we have the NY Magpies here in NYC. I just don't have the time to get involved unfortunately.

Only in the AFL could they stage a Grand Final rematch, since most of the clubs are based around Port Phillip.

I could see it being a problem if the West Coast Eagles or Brisbane Lions played to a draw...

Only in the AFL could they stage a Grand Final rematch, since most of the clubs are based around Port Phillip.

I could see it being a problem if the West Coast Eagles or Brisbane Lions played to a draw...

We would be screaming bloody murder if that happened and the other opponent was a Victorian Team. If both from outside Victoria then there wouldn't be a large disadvantage for either team.

The problem with the AFL is that they don't change rules even when there is a clear possibility of a team being seriously affected. They have already come out and said they will not make a "kneejerk" decision to introduce OT even though it is clear that oneday it will happen again and could very well include a non-victorian team. The AFL in the late 90's continued a contract with the Melbourne Cricket Club to ensure a Final be played at the MCG each week of the finals even though the league had 16 years before begun to expand nationally. The league totally ignored the reality that with more non victorian teams in the competition, there would occasionally be weeks in the finals that no Victorian team earnt a home fixture. That very contract had already cost West Coast (twice) and Adelaide (once) home ground advantage to inferior Melbourne teams. It wasn't until Brisbane had to play a "Home" Preliminary Final against Geelong at the MCG that the AFL acted. Adelaide and West Coast losing the rights to Home finals wasn't a problem in the eyes of the AFL but as soon as a team in a development state (Queensland and New South Wales) where the game only has a niche market was affected then it had to change.

So God knows what the AFL will do. It might be called the "Australian Football League" but it sometimes feels more like a return to the "Victorian Football League" especially under the current CEO.

We would be screaming bloody murder if that happened and the other opponent was a Victorian Team. If both from outside Victoria then there wouldn't be a large disadvantage for either team.

The problem with the AFL is that they don't change rules even when there is a clear possibility of a team being seriously affected. They have already come out and said they will not make a "kneejerk" decision to introduce OT even though it is clear that oneday it will happen again and could very well include a non-victorian team. The AFL in the late 90's continued a contract with the Melbourne Cricket Club to ensure a Final be played at the MCG each week of the finals even though the league had 16 years before begun to expand nationally. The league totally ignored the reality that with more non victorian teams in the competition, there would occasionally be weeks in the finals that no Victorian team earnt a home fixture. That very contract had already cost West Coast (twice) and Adelaide (once) home ground advantage to inferior Melbourne teams. It wasn't until Brisbane had to play a "Home" Preliminary Final against Geelong at the MCG that the AFL acted. Adelaide and West Coast losing the rights to Home finals wasn't a problem in the eyes of the AFL but as soon as a team in a development state (Queensland and New South Wales) where the game only has a niche market was affected then it had to change.

So God knows what the AFL will do. It might be called the "Australian Football League" but it sometimes feels more like a return to the "Victorian Football League" especially under the current CEO.

Please excuse my ignorance here since I know very little about the AFL. I just saw the grand final on ESPN and it was the first time I watched the sport since I was in Australia six years ago. Anyways, why would it be such an issue if a West Coast team were involved in a replay?

Only in the AFL could they stage a Grand Final rematch, since most of the clubs are based around Port Phillip.

I could see it being a problem if the West Coast Eagles or Brisbane Lions played to a draw...

Not sure how it would be any different as the Grand Final is always staged in Melbourne.

The only disadvantage is that they would need to fly interstate again, which all AFL teams do constantly throughout the season.

Because they're a Perth team which is thousands of kilometers away, meaning they'd either have to travel back and back again, or stay for weeks. It's not a massive imposition if they find a suitable ground but it is a stupid rule. Then again, I'm looking forward to another grand final. :lol:

Because they're a Perth team which is thousands of kilometers away, meaning they'd either have to travel back and back again, or stay for weeks. It's not a massive imposition if they find a suitable ground but it is a stupid rule. Then again, I'm looking forward to another grand final. :lol:

There would be no shortage of suitable training venues that the AFL could allocate them, even if they temporarily used a rival Melbourne teams training facilities. At the end of the day it all comes under the AFL.

^^ From a fans perspective I dont think the odd grand final rematch is too much of an issue. Everyone has another BBQ and GF to look forward to the next Saturday. That said if it happened often it could be kind of annoying.

If one of the teams involved was from Perth however, it would be totaly unfair. Like Richo said the team would either need to travel twice by plane, thereby loosing a few days of preperation time, or have to stay in hotel rooms and train in unfamiliar surroundings while the Victorian players can return home to families and some kind of normaility. I could understand the frustration if that happened.

As a Yank, I love the AFL and dislike the NFL. Collingwood Magpies are my adopted club from 5 years ago. I wasn't aware that the AFL has no OT laws for the game.

Heathen!

Not sure how it would be any different as the Grand Final is always staged in Melbourne.

The only disadvantage is that they would need to fly interstate again, which all AFL teams do constantly throughout the season.

There would be no shortage of suitable training venues that the AFL could allocate them, even if they temporarily used a rival Melbourne teams training facilities. At the end of the day it all comes under the AFL.

Yes the Grand Final is always in Melbourne and that is a consession non Victorian teams and fans accept as acceptable logically (best and largest stadium) and for Tradition. But consessions have to be returned and it seems as if the non Victorian clubs have to scrap to the nail to get otherwise logical and fair ammendments made. As for ALL teams traveling constantly, you know thats BS. No conspiracy or ill feeling, just reality of the geographic spread. Brisbane and Sydney will travel interstate 11 times a year while Essendon and Collingwood will travel out of Victoria 4 times (sometimes 3.)

Yes the likes of West Coast have to travel every second week but it does matter. Till the mid 90's the AFL would send West Coast, Brisbane, Sydney and Adelaide on extended road trips that would make the Vic team scream blue murder if it was done to them. During the 1991 finals West Coast traveled to Waverly Park 3 weeks in a row despite being the top seeded team and it showed during the Grand Final with a record breaking West Coast starting very well then colapsing in the second half to a Hawthorn team playing on their own home ground. Leigh Matthews and Mick Malthouse have stated that the likes of the early 90's West Coast team had to be that much better than the rest of the competition just to pull off the 92 and 94 premierships, which if they were a Melbourne club there would have been a very good chance that they would have won more, travel was the great leveler.

In specific regards to a Grand Fianl replay involving a non Victorian team and a Victorian team the disadvantage comes from the added psychological burden of staying that extra week away from their normal enviroment and routine in contrast to the potential Victorian opponent in such a circumstance. Psychologists suggest that it is better to "sleep in your own bed", return to your normal surrounding to achieve peak performance. It is clear that teams or even business people on extended road trips begin to faulter in their ability to perform at optimum levels so the renting of another clubs facilities is irelevent. If a non Victorian team choose to fly home then they have the physical burden of flight fatigue and one days less recovery time then their Victorian opponents.

Its not a coincedence that West Coast has never produced a 300 game player, the bulk of there early 90's team retired around 150 games. West Coast and other non Victorian teams understand that this is jus tthe reality of being part of a league with an out of balanced geographical distribution of clubs. To ask a non Victorian club to cross country or stay out of their own home for an extra week is just one step too far. One I can't see being anyway equal to what a Victorian club would be struggling with.

I wouldn't give a shit about the playres having to travel, its the supporters of those teams I'd feel sorry for having to fork out alot of money to again travel the length of the country

Can the Great Southern Stand be redeveloped to have the same look as the Great Northern Stand or should those recently announced modifications to the Southern stand be enough?

I wouldn't give a shit about the playres having to travel, its the supporters of those teams I'd feel sorry for having to fork out alot of money to again travel the length of the country

was thinking about that as well.