6 H&A games at MCG next year!!!

[saintspremiers]

That should be our minimum expectation.

Going to family day today, it struck me how serene and calm the conditions are at Etihad, compared to outside.

Our struggles in the wet made me think that perhaps playing a few home games at the G (as well as several away ones!) is not too bad an option.

Thoughts?

[Moods]

WHAT STRUGGLES IN THE WET? FFS we made the cats look second rate for most of the game. Missed a couple of sodas that would have taken the pressure off us a little in the last. In fact if anything the wet helped us - much harder to get through our zone as you need to handle the ball cleaner.

The big ground, the conditions, etc were NOT the reason we lost. IMO we wouldn't have played any better if the game was played at Etihad. Many of my neutral supporting mates at the ground, actually comeented to me at the breaks that when the rain comes down, the saints look more dangerous. Not playing at the G is not the issue imo.

The issue was taking our chances when presented with them - nothing to do with the ground.

[Eastern]

My guess; 3-4 H&A games at the MCG in 2010 !!

[Liam_G]

I thought when it rained, we looked the better team (more so than other times of the match when it rained yet we still looked the better team). I had my fingers crossed for more rain in the last quarter tbh. Really would have clogged the game up more.

[Sam23]

saints premiers what game were you watching?

i agree we should have more games at the G next year but HELLO we chopped the cats up for most of the game but didn't take our chances we handled the wet fine.

[3rd generation saint]

Plus we will make an extra $100,000 a game at Etihad thanks to the deal hammered out, why would we want to play at the MCG.
Good sides play good anywhere, in any weather.
Of course if the AFL keeps to recent tradition with the fair and unbalanced draw, we will play Geelong round 1 Friday night next year either at the G or Etihad.
Personally, I'd prefer a home game against them at Etihad, because I know where my reserved seat is.

[saint66au]

No arguments for me

Whilst Im happy enough to play all our home games at Etihad...we HAVE to play away games v the MCG tenant clubs AT THE G

Hawthorn, Collingwood, Richmond and Melbourne...theres 4 for starters..throw in Geelong (who I assume we will play in Round 1 on a Friday night) and thats a nice MCG/Etihad balance

Somone elses turn to play in Tassie...isnt it Collingwood??

[3rd generation saint]

Agree, Collingwood to Tasmania, actually, why don't they play in their sponsors homeland, sure Eddie can brag they can drag in a big crowd in the Middle East.

[saintspremiers]

Plus we will make an extra $100,000 a game at Etihad thanks to the deal hammered out, why would we want to play at the MCG.

You get an extra $100,000 at the MCG also, so no difference there - but the MCG is where finals are played, not Etihad.

[SaintDebi]

As a SPECTATOR I love watching games in the comfort of the shelter of Etihad, but as a SUPPORTER who wants what is best for our club, I hope we jump up and down and demand more games at the MCG.
For any team to get to R22 without stepping on to the G is absurd.
Just one of many anomalies of the fixture as it stands.

[saintsRrising]

I would imagine that we will get more G games..though 6 would seem unlikely.

Look for the GF re-match to be scheduled at the G though. Probaly bea Cats "Home" game and so they will get the cash benefit.

With the last two St Kilda v Cats games having been such great games this game is bound to be HUGE!!!


We played the Hawks in Tassie this year...so in 2010 if we play them twice at least one will be a the G.

[hAyES]

We need a minimum of five games at the G next year. Watching games at Etihad and comparing them to games we play at the G you can definitely see the confidence level in our skills and ball movement go down. We move the ball with the best of them at Etihad, but at the MCG we look a lot slower.

[saintspremiers]

I would imagine that we will get more G games..though 6 would seem unlikely.

Look for the GF re-match to be scheduled at the G though. Probaly bea Cats "Home" game and so they will get the cash benefit.

With the last two St Kilda v Cats games having been such great games this game is bound to be HUGE!!!

Plural.

We WILL play Geelong twice next year, BOTH games at the G - ie a home game for St Kilda at the MCG - I have no info on this, but would make a lot of sense wouldn't it???

[Eastern]

11 Home Games at the Dome

5 Interstate games

That leaves only 6 games between "away" games at the dome and MCG games (3 of each?) !!

[jk23]

Maybe they should leave the roof open so we can play in any conditions.

[Zed]

saints premiers what game were you watching?

i agree we should have more games at the G next year but HELLO we chopped the cats up for most of the game but didn't take our chances we handled the wet fine.

Agree 100%

If anything the wet suits our zone defense by slowing the ball up.

[Enrico_Misso]

Do all of our home games have to be played at Jihad?

We are clearly a hot ticket item.
It is not hard to predict that our games against Geelong, Carlton, Essendon and Collingwood will easily attract 70,000+ at the MCG.
That is where they should be scheduled, unlike that R14 debacle that "couldn't be moved".

And get rid of those stupid twilight games !

[LaUrEnCe]

Yes! We need more at the G

[Schillaci]

Hopefully we get these 5 games at the MCG Geel x2, Coll, Ess, Carl. Would make a lot of sense to play the block busters on the biggest stage in front of the biggest crowds. It'd be nice if at least 3 of them were home games too. Don't think it'll happen though.

[Thomas]

Am I missing something here? where do we train? outside is it not? therefore we should be used to wet and windy conditions,I admit there is no game pressure at training, but we have played 8 games in the open during the H&A season and prior to the GF, we won them all, so how is playing more games at the G, going to improve our appaling kick for goal on the big day?

[saintspremiers]

Am I missing something here? where do we train? outside is it not? therefore we should be used to wet and windy conditions,I admit there is no game pressure at training, but we have played 8 games in the open during the H&A season and prior to the GF, we won them all, so how is playing more games at the G, going to improve our appaling kick for goal on the big day?

Umm, yes we train in the open but match day is totally different to training!

As for goal kicking - in case you didn't notice - if it's very windy, even at the G, with it's mammoth stands, the wind has a significant effect on the ball movement in the air.

Whilst we can practice goal kicking in windy conditions until the cows come home at Moorabbin, nothing beats the experience playing in adverse conditions
on match day.

As for leaving the roof open in foul/wet/windy weather at Etihad, it possibly can't happen due to insurance/litigation reasons.

Considering they have a cloesable roof, Collo has possibly an agreement with their insurance providers that the roof is always closed in wet weather, to reduce the likelihood of injuries to both players, and more relevant spectators should they slip over - this clause would likely significantly reduce the premiums vs. what an outdoor stadium (eg. MCG) has to pay for public liability insurance.

[mullet]

Dont the 2 grand final teams normally play again in the first round. Surely this game would be at the MCG.

[Stillwaiting]

WHAT STRUGGLES IN THE WET? FFS we made the cats look second rate for most of the game. Missed a couple of sodas that would have taken the pressure off us a little in the last. In fact if anything the wet helped us - much harder to get through our zone as you need to handle the ball cleaner.

The big ground, the conditions, etc were NOT the reason we lost. IMO we wouldn't have played any better if the game was played at Etihad. Many of my neutral supporting mates at the ground, actually comeented to me at the breaks that when the rain comes down, the saints look more dangerous. Not playing at the G is not the issue imo.

The issue was taking our chances when presented with them - nothing to do with the ground.

Agree 100%, nothing to do with weather or the G, we blew it.

[barks4eva]

WHAT STRUGGLES IN THE WET? FFS we made the cats look second rate for most of the game. Missed a couple of sodas that would have taken the pressure off us a little in the last. In fact if anything the wet helped us - much harder to get through our zone as you need to handle the ball cleaner.

The big ground, the conditions, etc were NOT the reason we lost. IMO we wouldn't have played any better if the game was played at Etihad. Many of my neutral supporting mates at the ground, actually comeented to me at the breaks that when the rain comes down, the saints look more dangerous. Not playing at the G is not the issue imo.

The issue was taking our chances when presented with them - nothing to do with the ground.

Agree 100%, nothing to do with weather or the G, we blew it.

Riewoldt would have pansted Taylor on a dry day, Kossie would have had more impact and because of the weather we had to rely on Milne and Schnieder to kick our goals!

We still should have won regardless, but the weather did not help our cause, nullifying the impact of Riewoldt and Kossie.

[degruch]

Would rather have those 6 games at home...why the MCG? Why not AAMI Stadium, at least thenm I'll get to see more Sainters!