It’s the contract threatening to break the back of the Sydney Swans. ANZ Stadium has never been a good hunting ground for them – it’s their home ground that really isn’t a home ground.
Aside from Friday night’s win against Hawthorn and the 2012 preliminary final victory over Collingwood, I can’t think of a game in recent memory where the Swans have come out and played scintillating footy.
On the other hand, the last few years’ fixtures at the SCG have been littered with commanding performances against good teams.
Right now, the Swans are locked into a contract that dictates they play regular season games – Hawthorn and Collingwood so far in 2014 – and all finals at ANZ.
It’s fast becoming a disaster for them, both on the field and off it. From a fan’s point of view, there’s little to like about it.
As such, the Swans faithful have voted with their feet. Crowds are on a downtick now, and have been for years. You can’t blame a lot of Swans fans, who face a long trek across the Harbour Bridge or out from the Eastern Suburbs to Olympic Park.
And the return journey is, more often than not, made longer because the Swans have lost. Or, worse, been totally embarrassed.
They don’t play like it’s their home ground. Perhaps that’s because it isn’t, in all but name. The SCG is the Swans’ home, the club’s spiritual centre, and it always will be.
The ANZ Stadium contract worked well in those early years, when there were crowds upward of 50,000 at the former Olympic venue, but even the prelim final two years ago only just surpassed that number. Regular season games have become embarrassing affairs from an attendance point of view, with the television cameras showing far too many empty seats.
Not just scattered seats, either, but great big blocks of them. The fact that the Swans frequently stink up the joint doesn’t help, obviously, but nor does so many fans coming from a long way away. Having to battle the notorious Homebush Bay Drive, particularly on a Friday night, as was the case before the Hawks game, is horrendous
Then, there’s the distinct and complete lack of atmosphere at ANZ. With anything less than 60,000 people, the atmosphere is almost non-existent. It’s a shame, considering a crowd of half that would have their real home, the Sydney Cricket Ground, absolutely rocking. I mean, that joint would be quaking from the foundations up.
Nor is the surface up to standard. I’ve seen drought-stricken horse paddocks in the alpine country in better condition than the ANZ Stadium pitch. Those overhead shots of the surface are shocking, showing giant welts on the wings, where the moveable grandstands are dragged backward to make the bigger AFL ground, as opposed to the rectangular configuration needed for rugby league. Footing is always an issue – games are chock-full of embarrassing skill errors, a lot of them due to do with the surface. That, also, isn’t a good look.
Let’s face it, with the advent of the GWS Giants, who play just across the street from ANZ Stadium, the Swans don’t need to be there. They shouldn’t be there.
Particularly now when you consider that the SCG has been renovated to within an inch of its life, and it looks absolutely fantastic. The new grandstands with supreme spectator facilities ring a surface that’s always immaculate.
When the current deal with ANZ Stadium ends, the Swans need to do the right thing.
That, of course, involves turning their back on the money that the stadium is obviously going to throw their way – something rugby league clubs haven’t been able to do. They must ensure that all games are played at the SCG, where there is a genuine home ground advantage, and where the team are going to be able to take advantage of a fantastic atmosphere.
The SCG is, and always has been, a fortress. A graveyard where other teams have very little success. It is a shame that the Swans have to go out to a ground that levels the competition for a handful of times a year, playing in front of meagre crowd. Given the situation now, you can only imagine that the AFL would be very receptive to the Swans abandoning their ANZ Stadium foray.
Leave playing in the west of Sydney to the team from the west of Sydney, the team called Greater Western Sydney. I know it’s a lot of cash to turn down for a club that, even when winning premierships, isn’t exactly a giant money-spinner in an NRL-centric city, but it’s a move that has to be made. Swans fans have suffered for too long.
Let’s reclaim the SCG as our one and only home. We don’t need anywhere else.
Andrew Kitchener
Roar Guru
SCG are obstinate. They refuse to change.
Homebush Rules
Guest
There's no doubt the Swans have become a more successful club since they started playing at Homebush. They never won a single final away from Sydney when they were an SCG-only outfit, and the finals they did win at the SCG were by unconvincing, skin-of-the-teeth margins. It's just not a good idea to become overly-dependent on the SCG. And let's face it - the new Bradman and Noble Stands have not been designed with the Swans in mind. They're more suitable for warm, lazy summer days than the cold and rain of winter.
Tad
Roar Rookie
Drop in pitches work well, the Gabba before the SCG though.
Phillip Meisner
Guest
No, not really.
Andrew Kitchener
Roar Guru
I like it for quick travel time, that's it!
Andrew Kitchener
Roar Guru
Nope, it was left in. The harder-than-usual centrefield was one of the topics raised by the MLB guys during media availabilities.
maurie
Guest
Absolutely agree ,The trip to Homebush from Mona Vale ,took every bus over 90 minutes ,should be 60 ,but break downs and the extra traffic for Buble Concert ,caused mayhem . Then to have to watch First Class players making skill errors caused by the Terrible surface (After all the ground is built on a swamp ,no wonder the ball is like a cake of soap), just makes the night even worse. Add that to the appalling service and cost of food and drink ,it was no wonder that despite the Sydney Win ,the return bus trip was just a bus load of tired and Grumpy Kids and their parents and grand parents ,begging The Swans to leave ANZ for ever.
ciudadmarron
Guest
This is something that tends to get overlooked. A game at homebush involves arriving for the game via car or PT and then leaving at the full time whistle, because unless you are a Gloria Jeans afficionado or leave a bit early to get into the one pub you have no options for before or after the game. It's a nice sight to see the crowds walking up to the monolith across the pavement but it doesn't last long. In Melbourne on game day the city and suburbs surrounding are awash with people coming from all directions. I've enjoyed people watching in richmond while I get a bite to eat before hand or relaxing in the botanic gardens watching the hordes walk through to cross the yarra. Everyone able to make their way to the stadium with plenty of time and with freedom to soak up the atmosphere as they wish. Moore park isn't quite the same but it still has a bit of that vibe. I live closer to homebush but I don't mind a bit of extra travel for the better experience. And as you say the SCG is beautiful, day or night.
ciudadmarron
Guest
Got knocked out stone cold on a cricket pitch once. As you say, not fun at all. I know it was a multi-million dollar process but did the MLB game not take the pitch out?
Andrew Kitchener
Roar Guru
SCG's food selection from MLB weekend forward has got to be the best of any stadium in Australia!
Andrew Kitchener
Roar Guru
Highly unlikely that the Grand Final ever leaves the MCG.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
Agree. Please ditch the ANZ when contract runs out...terrible ground and terrible 'home', terrible 'ground' and overall poor system for foods/drinks etc. It's a joke of a stadium really. What they need to do at SCG however is put lights on the large concrete pillars that have the location names for buses so people can see them. This is especially for new fans and those from other states as often they do not know where to go to catch a train. As a Swans member who attends just about every home game, I have no issue. Also, orderly lines going into the buses...amount of people that push in, can't wait for anything or anyone is ridiculous...
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
Gene you are right, as it has been like that for years. Over a number of years, players have also complained about it, Jude Bolton to name one and McVeigh from memory. numerous times people fall over as well, like on Friday night due to the poor surface.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
Gene you are right, as it has been like that for years. Over a number of years, players have also complained about it, Jude Bolton to name one and McVeigh from memory. numerous times people fall over as well, like on Friday night due to the poor surface.
Andrew Kitchener
Roar Guru
I bet if they'd known that the ground would look as it did, they might've only tossed in $1 million!!
Andrew Kitchener
Roar Guru
Everything about the SCG is solid after the renovation. Love it!
Martin
Guest
If ANZ Stadium was to be reconfigured as a rectangle, then that would snuff out any chance of an AFL grand final being rotated to Sydney for a year or two. Although with a capacity of 81,500 I guess it fails to meet the minimum capacity requirements anyway, since that something close to 100,000 would be more appropriate. On a positive note, at least you could say that ANZ Stadium is future proof.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
No doubt that the SCG is one of the very best AFL grounds, and our newest ovals are wonderful additions as well.
alicesprings
Guest
Im surprised in this concussion sensitive/OHS world we now live in that the SCG & the GABBA haven't had to revert to drop in pitches. Getting tackled on a cricket pitch is not very fun i can assure you. It will happen eventually despite the tough talk from chairman's.
alicesprings
Guest
Just can't see it happening..either the NRL comes up with a heap of cash to make it rectangular along with government fundings or/and the AFL/cricket walk away. Would be very surprised if this were to occur!