Geelong Game

[#1GILL]

Any news on whether or not the cats game will be moved to the 'G'?
If not when will we know for sure as this decision will influence whether or not i go

[Batnoe]

u better state wether you go to the G or dont go to the G

just in case someone at the club is reading and they want or dont want you there

[saintbrat]

AFL considers switch for Cats-Saints game
26/05/2009 7:45 AM
Paul Gough
Sportal
The AFL is set to decide this week whether to switch the eagerly awaited St Kilda-Geelong clash in Round 14 from Etihad Stadium to the MCG.The match is shaping as one of the biggest in home and away history with the Cats and the Saints still unbeaten after nine rounds, having opened up a four-game break over the rest of the competition already.

No two teams have ever led the competition so emphatically at this stage of the season and it is the first time ever that two teams have still been unbeaten after nine rounds.

And there is a strong possibility both teams could still be unbeaten when they meet in Round 14.

Such is the interest in the clash between the league's two heavyweights that the 53,500 capacity Docklands' venue will have no hope of accommodating the number of people that want to see the game - which could even test the 100,000 capacity of the MCG.

AFL media manager Patrick Keane told Sportal on Monday the 'match is still under discussion for a change'.

"I would expect a decision in the next few days," he said.

While the match is still six weeks away, Keane said the AFL had to make a decision on where to play the game soon.

"The latest we could probably move a match, with all the work done easily, is about two weeks, but we’d like to do it before that," he said.

Melbourne Cricket Club spokesman Shane Brown said the MCG would love to host the match but was waiting to hear back from the AFL.

Brown said any move would also have to result in the MCG compensating Etihad Stadium with a return fixture to ensure the requirements in terms of the minimum number of matches that must be played at each venue each season are met.

The MCG is vacant on the day the Saints-Cats clash is scheduled for Etihad Stadium - Sunday July 5 - while the Docklands venue is vacant the following Sunday on July 12 when Melbourne and Port Adelaide are scheduled to play at the MCG.

This match, which will be lucky to draw 20,000 even at the MCG, is the game most likely to be shifted to Docklands in exchange for the MCG hosting the Saints-Cats match.

St Kilda media manager Matt Vagg told Sportal on Monday the Saints, who are the home team against Geelong, were happy for the game to be switched to the MCG so long as the club's fans were not disadvantaged.

"We need to ensure our members and our reserved seat holders (at Etihad Stadium) are adequately looking after if the game is moved," he said.

"But we have said we would be interested (in moving the game) so right now it's in the hands of the AFL."

While the record crowd for a St Kilda-Geelong home and away match is only 48,313 - set at Docklands in 2006 - the two clubs have only ever played one regular season match at the MCG and that was in 1995 at a time when the Cats were flying but St Kilda was struggling.

That match drew just 37,000 fans but the two clubs have a history of drawing big crowds when both are performing well with 71,653 fans watching last year's qualifying final meeting at the MCG while the record crowd for any Geelong-St Kilda match

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and I am assuming will then be up to the clubs and AFL as to whether game is ALL ticketed or not

of at Etihad would be a fair bet that it will be .- - BUT it is OUR HOME game.