The Roar
The Roar

AFL
Advertisement

Opinion

Brisbane deserves to host the AFL grand final

Roar Guru
19th August, 2020
Advertisement
Autoplay in... 6 (Cancel)
Up Next No more videos! Playlist is empty -
Replay
Cancel
Next
Roar Guru
19th August, 2020
118
1430 Reads

With the 2020 season coming to an end, we are still wondering who will host this year’s AFL grand final.

There have been many candidates, but the capital of the Sunshine State deserves the chance.

Coronavirus cases and restrictions
COVID-19 has caused many schedule changes for the AFL, however the Queensland government have started to ease restrictions.

But those restrictions are still in place and could be for a while.

For example, the Sydney-based teams were forced to move out earlier than expected due to new NSW rules. Victoria is in a Stage 4 lockdown until at least 13 September and it could take a while to get out of Stage 3 too.

But the biggest is Western Australia, with Mark McGowan announcing that Optus Stadium won’t be at full capacity until at least 24 October, which is one of two days that could potentially be grand final day – the other being 17 October.

The Gabba holds fewer people than Optus Stadium, but if Annastacia Palaszczuk allows at least 50 per cent to come back in, then I don’t see why Brisbane shouldn’t host it. It is loud even when only 10,000 are watching their Lions.

Advertisement

Team locations
Every team has now found a home in either Queensland, WA or South Australia. But when Footy Frenzy 2.0 comes, every Victorian team excluding Hawthorn and 15 of a possible 18 teams will be based in north of the Tweed.

Port Adelaide are contenders and if Brisbane made the grand final it’d give them an advantage, but if Adelaide host the big dance, Port would have a massively unfair advantage – and if Perth held it, West Coast would also be given the leg up.

Sports opinion delivered daily 

   

And if it was in Perth, teams would have to travel a couple of weeks earlier due to potential restrictions, which would be massively unfair to them and fans eager to watch the game.

If Melbourne or anyone hosted it too, Queensland would feel hard done by since they’ve hosted practically every Victorian team, along with every other team, since Round 6.

In the end though, it’s up for the AFL to decide. Yes, there’s paperwork to deal with if it’s not in Melbourne, but if they do decide not to play in the state of Victoria, Brisbane deserve their chance.

Advertisement
close