Geelong Cats vs Richmond Tigers: AFL Finals live scores, blog

Kurt,maybe the the interstate sides are just far superior and overcame the unfair advantage? Of those GFs you mention though,it needs to be considered that two of the Eagles Premierships were when they almost had a full state side and were a class above the opposition,and 3 were Brisbane who were the greatest side of the modern era,also winning VFL centric Prelims.,they can still win with the odds stacked in the VFL clubs favour. I'd say it's more like the interstate teams would have just won by more had the GF been fair,and would have won by more on a neutral ground also. We can't just keep having the minor premier playing away because their not Victorian,last year the top side had to travel against a side that finished seventh,purely because the seventh side was Victorian,and the top side has a 90k people stadium they can use.

That's not possible Don. The Eagles just can't have won 3 premierships at the MCG, 2 of them against Victorian teams. Likewise the Lions winning 3 against Melbourne teams, or the Crows winning 2 against Melbourne teams, or the Swans winning in 2012. These things simply can't have happened, because of how insurmountable an obstacle it is for non Victorian teams to play at the MCG.

Hence my use of the numbers 14-15 to designate the years 2014-2015, which by logical definition excludes the year 2016. I understand this is complex stuff Matt, try to keep up.

Oh boo hoo with your lack of courtesy and respect. I've lived in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide and happen to understand the practical realities of hosting the GF at other grounds. Local leagues have nothing to do with it - I grew up in the Golburn valley and I'm not proposing we host the GF in Shepparton.

Kurt, this is a controversial position. The AFL is a nation wide league, it's popularity and financial success is due to this FACT. You are probably unaware of the existence of other state leagues and the role they have played in growing the game around the country... you may not even be aware of the financial contribution of other states in growing the AFL and showcasing the product in the best stadia in Australia. Did you know that Vic teams have players that aren't from Victoria? Yes, we are a silly lot, us non-vics, wanting to be shown a bit of courtesy and respect.

Eagles have won 3 there. Of course, Geelong has to travel further...poor sausages! What silly arguments. Grand Finals elsewhere would lose the sense of occasion, atmosphere, tradtion...the vibe! It's the vibe of the thing..its the vibe.

Hang on a minute,Hawthorn didn't even play in the 2016 VFL GF,in that game it was the 7th placed VFL side that got the home GF against the non Victorian minor premier. Why do you think this is all about Hawthorn?

You're right, we're not the size of England - we have a population less than half the size. Therefore our ability to sustain large numbers of 70K+ stadia isn't there. The biggest game of the AFL season is held every year at the biggest and best stadium. This is hardly a controversial position, so let's just stop with this silly argument.

The AFL Grand Final has had a 98k+ crowd this entire decade. So it should be played at a large venue to maximise revenue. You're right that this is not England but it's nothing like the US either, we don't have 70k+ capacity stadiums all over the country; we have 2, one is the MCG and the other is Stadium Australia, and if you think the AFL is any chance of dislodging the NRL finals from Stadium Australia you're not thinking.

It's no longer the VFL, it is the AFL. If Australia were the size of England, yeah keep it at the one venue, but Australia is the size of Europe, it is the size of the US. The AFL requests state govts spend 100s of millions, even billions of dollars on stadia to showcase their product... absolutely the AFL GF should be played in other venues. The largest venue argument is weak, especially when there is only about 3 games a year that go over 70k.

The location of the GF is not about such sensible, rational points however. It's about a handful of bitter supporters hurt by the Hawks threepeat and looking to denigrate it. The fact that non-Victorian teams still have a winning record against Victorian teams in GFs is considered irrelevant, what matters is excuses for the pathetic performances of the Swans and Eagles in 14-15.

I'd agree that the MCG tonight was nothing like a Geelong home game. Certainly can't even be considered a reason they lost - they lost because they were crap - but it was a very odd look from my perspective to see so, so many Tiger fans. But it appears you're making arguments about the Granny. I mean, on one level I agree: I'd love for a Grand Final to be hosted in Adelaide. Let's be realistic though. You'd be sacrificing half a potential crowd, the tradition, the best possible infrastructure and all those things, though. It's just not feasible. The 'G is the best place for it.

Yeah, and the worst thing is how this whole hosting the GF at the MCG idea has just come completely out of nowhere! For decades the GF has been rotated around the grounds, and now, the money hungry AFL have suddenly decided we should host the biggest game of the year at the biggest stadium, It's just not right.

Not handling this well are you? You're making the evening even more special for tiger fans with your snivelling

BT has been fantastic. Just gives such a sense of celebration. Much better than cynical criticism of how The Cats have folded.

Not right and needs to change. Adelaide have been the best team all year, number 1 seed, have done everything asked of them, yet could still find themselves lumped against an MCG tenant for the championship game. I guess it will be another premiership with an asterisk against it like 2014-16 where the lower seeded Victorian team was gifted a Grand Final over the high seed interstate team.

Don't think any team would have beaten Richmond tonight. Let's hope they haven't peaked too early! Can't see Geelong beating the bloods next week.

Likewise. Have a good weekend.

Finished 3rd and if they make the Grand Final would have played 3 home games in a row. You don't need to finish top 2 if you're a Melbourne based team.