Geelong coach Chris Scott has ramped up the pressure on the AFL to allow the Cats to host home finals at their Simonds Stadium fortress.
The Cats enjoy a strong home-field advantage at the ground but would likely only be allowed to host a final there if they are slated to meet Greater Western Sydney.
Few, if any, of the fledgling club’s supporters would be unable to get tickets to a final at the 34,000-seat venue.
But it would be a different story if the Cats faced a big-drawing Victorian opponent, with such a match-up almost certainly to be scheduled at the MCG.
“The finals are absolutely run by the AFL … and we respect that,” Scott said on Thursday.
“But at some point … I think it would be an interesting one to ask the question ‘do we as a competition prioritise the integrity and fairness of the competition above things like attendance and revenue?’
“And if we don’t then that’s OK.
“(But) let’s just be honest about it and say ‘we understand that we are doing something that is not fair, but we don’t care because we prioritise attendance and revenue’.”
The third-placed Cats can still claim a top-two finish or slip out of the top four altogether with two rounds left in the home-and-away season.
Geelong take on Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday and will regain important midfielder Mitch Duncan from suspension, with ruckman Rhys Stanley (calf) also set to take his place in the side.
The Pies are out of finals contention, but Scott said his team can ill-afford a slip-up and must keep their focus on this week and not their looming finals campaign.
“I think, at times, everyone dreams about what’s possible in September, but the real pros get back to the job at hand,” he said.
“We’re not going in just expecting to win the game – we need to play at our absolute best to beat this opposition. Their best this year has been very good.
“If we go into the game hoping for their worst we’ll get pantsed I reckon.”
Joel Selwood continues to make strong progress towards a return for week one of the finals, but Scott conceded they will know more about his chances of playing in the finals at the bye round.
Shane
Guest
They should also free up the corporate tickets given to people with cash and no interest in the teams involved.
Cat
Roar Guru
Why does it matter where the other finals are? It is either about money (it is) and attendance figure bragging (it is) or it's what is fair to the team that earns the advantage to be the home team (AFL has never ever put fairness first).
Cam
Guest
As it looks. Victoria might be getting bugger all finals games this year. What games they do get will be at the MCG. In 2013 when they hosted Fremantle, in the first week there was 4 games in Victoria. 3 at the G, 1 in Geelong.
James
Guest
I for one am so pleased that the AFL is so concerned about fans missing out on tickets for finals. With their concern for fans being so great and nothing about money, then the only other logical move is that a new 200k - 300k capacity super stadium needs to be built to cover the demand for grand final tickets.
Cat
Roar Guru
I won't miss out but yes if it was a choice between my club having their home field advantage or me having a seat, I'd gladly give up my seat every single time. I'd rather my club have the advantage they earned than me have a seat. My club's potential success is far more important to me than me seeing the game in person.
Birdman
Guest
Cat, would you be happy to miss out on a ticket to a Cats home final at Kardinia?
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Haha, yeah I realised how obvious the answer was just after I asked.
Cat
Roar Guru
I am.
Penster
Roar Guru
It's safe to assume Gene is a member of the Cats, up there with death and taxes.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
You a member of the Cats?
Cat
Roar Guru
Its actually quite easy to get tickets (I've already got mine lined up for whatever games the Cats will play). All you have to do is plan ahead. Like many things in life – first in best dressed.
truetigerfan
Guest
Alienate the fans who go week in week out? Not a good idea. Hard enough for members to get finals tickets, certainly GF tickets, as it is.
Seano
Roar Rookie
I'm with Cat, the cats deserve to play there final at home. Even if it's against the bombers or the pies. Too bad if you can't get a ticket finals is finals. Any clubs that complain should do some amazing work and get the cash to build there own. I would be happy with a new 49,000 seat windy hill.
Cat
Roar Guru
Is lining pockets with additional money more important than giving the team the home ground advantage they earned? Is that really 'in the best interests of the game'?
Cat
Roar Guru
Has nothing to do with the fairness of the match.
King Bob
Guest
Teams deserve to have Home games regardless of the ground size. This was demonstrated last year with GWS vs Dogs Prelim at Spotless with 22,000 spectators. AFL clubs need to speak up against the unfair treatment by the AFL which puts Money ahead of Fairness.
Penster
Roar Guru
Fans attending matches has EVERYTHING to do with footy. Seriously Cat, you're usually more erudite than that.
Birdman
Guest
in the best interests of the game IMHO
Birdman
Guest
and I doubt Hawthorn's 9,000 Tasmanian members see it as treacherous. BTW Geelong are not the only Vic club to be forced to play 'home games' at Etihad.
Cat
Roar Guru
What does fans not getting seats have to do with the fairness of which team earned home ground advantage? That's right nothing at all. That's purely caring about attendance numbers