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Lions great Scott scoffs at footy code war

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6th September, 2020
27

Chris Scott lived in Brisbane long enough to know that there is no “fight to the death” between the country’s football codes.

The two-time Lions premiership player, now a Geelong title-winning coach, believes the Gabba hosting this season’s AFL grand final will leave a lasting legacy on the state.

But it won’t need to be at the expense of other codes.

The former Lions vice-captain is well aware of the sporting landscape in Queensland after being drafted in 1993 and playing 215 games for the Bears and Lions.

“It felt like it was a frontier of AFL footy in Australia and it’s come a long way,” he said of his arrival in Brisbane.

“There will be a legacy from this that lives on way beyond 2020 and that will be good for the game; it’s a situation of a rising tide lifting all boats.”

Scott and the Cats, now second and well set for another premiership tilt, have been staying on the Gold Coast overlooking football grounds the coach said are impressively stacked with young players, especially girls.

The AFL’s investment on the Gold Coast Suns and now the Gabba’s appointment to host the code’s biggest day are viewed as an attack on rugby league heartland.

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That’s disputed by Scott, who points out that it’s possible to enjoy and follow more than one sport simultaneously.

“I don’t buy into the competition between the NRL and the AFL,” Scott said.

“It’s a big state, it’s one of the best capital cities in Australia and there’s room for everyone.

“We’ll get to the stage, very quickly, where a lot of people follow both codes equally and that would be OK.

“There doesn’t have to be a winner in this, we don’t have to fight to the death necessarily.”

And as for the Gabba as a grand final venue?

“Anyone questioning the atmosphere that the Gabba can provide should come here when it’s full, because in my opinion it rivals anywhere,” he said.

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“You don’t need 60,000 to have a great atmosphere. This is a Colosseum and a very worthy venue.

“The NFL has no qualms holding the Super Bowl in stadiums of 60,000 and they’ve got many, many times the population we do.”

© AAP

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