SA Footy

I'll preface this by saying I quite enjoy going to Football Park to watch the SANFL Finals series. Perhaps because I grew up near there and have fond memories of going to this stadium growing up, however, I have two questions...

Why are this years finals not at Adelaide Oval?
Given the ground is a proven popular SANFL Finals location and there are no renovations going on at the moment, I would have thought it would be a perfect opportunity to play at Adelaide Oval.

When renovations are complete and AFL is being played at Adelaide Oval, where will SANFL Finals be played?
I'm sure I read somewhere that they are considering still using Football Park for SANFL even after the relocation. I understand the Crows will still train there so the ground will still be functioning.

IMO if I was selling the SANFL brand and trying to attract the most interest and bigger crowds I would have scheduled this years finals (including Grand Final) at Adelaide Oval and when relocated I would have all SANFL Finals at Adelaide Oval as well. Does anyone know the answer to these questions?

It's a conspiracy to ensure that Glenelg loses all its finals.

But seriously folks: I would vastly prefer Adelaide Oval for finals purely as a matter of spectator comfort. Well serviced by public transport, surrounded by decent watering holes, and superior atmosphere to Concrete Park.

The SMA and SANFL were unaware of the exact construction times when the AO redevelopment was finally announced and confirmed and, as such, did not schedule any finals there.Simple as that.

In all reality, if the Government had been able to pass the bill earlier, to redevelop, the stands could already be coming down.

I heard Leigh Wicker say this recently.

Booney wrote:The SMA and SANFL were unaware of the exact construction times when the AO redevelopment was finally announced and confirmed and, as such, did not schedule any finals there.Simple as that.

In all reality, if the Government had been able to pass the bill earlier, to redevelop, the stands could already be coming down.

I heard Leigh Wicker say this recently.

Fair enough. That answers my first question, thanks for that. Mind you, they did reschedule Port vs Melbourne which I would have thought would have been logistically more difficult than rescheduling the SANFL finals series.

Fair point.

C'mon Aerie, what's the problem?

At AO you can sit on the Eastern Wing in the sun.
At FP you can sit in the cold shadows.

At AO you can take your beer back to your seat.
At FP you can take your beer back to your seat, with a cover & a straw on it.

At AO you can get a feeling of an atmosphere.
At FP you sit so far away from anyone else that you can't feel anything.

At AO you can stand & watch the footy, anywhere you like.
At FP you can stand behind the yellow-line.

At least the same amount of WESLO Wallys attend both venues & do the same amount of ZERO!

Go You Eagles!!!

wouldve been easy to get the finals at AO and they couldve left the tarps in the shed

the elimination final is being played at adelaide oval. we have to make sure all south players go to adelaide oval

going forward would like to see the higher side on the ladder getting home finals and the g.f. being played at adelaide oval

story of my life wrote:going forward would like to see the higher side on the ladder getting home finals and the g.f. being played at adelaide oval

I like the idea of every spot offering an advantage of some sort so home finals to the higher ranked team would be perfect, apart from the GF obviously and a prelim should go to the winner of the previous match if they met in that year's finals already. However, the double headers are fantastic. radio and TV would need to try to cover 2 games at different grounds or they might not even bother. Plus being able to get there early or stay late to see another game (and possible opponents the following week) is too good to give up IMHO. Until AO can fit closer to 40k people though the GF should be at AAMI. It's the SANFL's #1 ground for a few more years and I'd hate to turn people away when we could have had it at a different ground and got everyone in.

Would love to see clubs host home finals, I believe it would work and would also give clubs an incentive to finish higher. Glenelg V South at Brighton Rd, what do you reckon 5000 to 7000 if not more. Norwood V Eagles at Coopers again conservative estimate 5000 to 7000 but more likely up to 9000. Total app 14,000 with a fantastic atmosphere at both grounds. How many at Footy Park? 7000 to10,000 absolute tops. For me its a no brainer, has worked at amateur level for a few years now, so why not give it a go.

LEH wrote:C'mon Aerie, what's the problem?

At AO you can sit on the Eastern Wing in the sun.
At FP you can sit in the cold shadows.

At AO you can take your beer back to your seat.
At FP you can take your beer back to your seat, with a cover & a straw on it.

At AO you can get a feeling of an atmosphere.
At FP you sit so far away from anyone else that you can't feel anything.

At AO you can stand & watch the footy, anywhere you like.
At FP you can stand behind the yellow-line.

At least the same amount of WESLO Wallys attend both venues & do the same amount of ZERO!

Go You Eagles!!!

Apart from the last line, that would be one of the best posts I have read on here in ages

FRED wrote:Would love to see clubs host home finals, I believe it would work and would also give clubs an incentive to finish higher. Glenelg V South at Brighton Rd, what do you reckon 5000 to 7000 if not more. Norwood V Eagles at Coopers again conservative estimate 5000 to 7000 but more likely up to 9000. Total app 14,000 with a fantastic atmosphere at both grounds. How many at Footy Park? 7000 to10,000 absolute tops. For me its a no brainer, has worked at amateur level for a few years now, so why not give it a go.

Ive been after this for years but usually get shot down. Great idea, the atmosphere at a suburban ground for finals would be awesome

Interesting the WAFL did this on the weekend, about 3000 to their 2nd semi, and 2500 to the 1st semi on the Sunday.

Jim05 wrote:

FRED wrote:Would love to see clubs host home finals, I believe it would work and would also give clubs an incentive to finish higher. Glenelg V South at Brighton Rd, what do you reckon 5000 to 7000 if not more. Norwood V Eagles at Coopers again conservative estimate 5000 to 7000 but more likely up to 9000. Total app 14,000 with a fantastic atmosphere at both grounds. How many at Footy Park? 7000 to10,000 absolute tops. For me its a no brainer, has worked at amateur level for a few years now, so why not give it a go.

Ive been after this for years but usually get shot down. Great idea, the atmosphere at a suburban ground for finals would be awesome

Don't disagree, but I reckon a neutral venue is important for a final. Other factors like centrality are also desirable. I'd plump to see finals at a neutral suburban venue; Norwood/Richmond/etc.

A neutral suburban ground is also a good idea. Richmond would be fantastic for a neutral match.

Slightly off topic but can anyone see the day when we play a night final in the SANFL?

Ideally at Adelaide Oval. The lighting is ordinary at other venues except Norwood , it's average for supporters and I believe needs to be brighter if a TV game.

Why not reward a club for finishing higher, cause at the moment clubs recieve no advantage at all. I know it didnt make any difference this year but in previous years clubs knowing they would finish 2nd or 3rd (or 4th/5th) going into the final round might lets say rest a couple of players, not go in as hard etc etc. you get the picture. Seriuosly how good would this weekends games be if they were played at suburban grounds, and maybe the Norwood game a night game? The SANFL should have a serious look at this and hey, why not give it a go and see what happens. I know for one as a neutral this weekend there is no way I am going to concrete park, Norwood on a Saturday night or Sunday arvo, very tempting.

Clubs finishing higher do get rewarded.Only 4 & 5 don't.