Opinion We need to move back to the MCG

[yodellinhank]

No point making finals on the back of a dominant Marvel record and then being unable to win at the 'G

 

[Happyskeret]

No point making finals on the back of a dominant Marvel record and then being unable to win at the 'G

So you’re saying we going to play finals

 

[yodellinhank]

So you’re saying we going to play finals

Anything less is a complete failure

 

[Happyskeret]

Anything less is a complete failure

I wholeheartedly agree.

 

[JayJ20]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/the-marvel-curse-staggering-numbers-behind-14-years-of-woes-for-marvel-stadium-afl-clubs/news-story/17beedc05ce7bed593be587a56632ae6

DONS DEPARTURE CONSIDERATION​

Perhaps Essendon should be careful what it wishes for.
The Bombers are closing in on a new agreement for their home games, in the hope of playing less at Marvel Stadium and more at the MCG.

But Brad Scott’s team may be giving up a big advantage by leaving Docklands, given Essendon has the best home game record at the stadium of any tenant club in the last four seasons.

The Bombers have won 17 home games and lost just 9 under the roof since the start of 2021.
That is miles ahead of their MCG home record of five wins, one draw and 10 losses in the same time span.
The winning percentage of 65.4 is the best of any Marvel Stadium club in that time, ahead of the Western Bulldogs (55.6 per cent).

Bombers coach Brad Scott, who led North Melbourne to four finals appearances as a Docklands tenant, said he had no concerns about where his side should play its home games.

“We will play wherever we are fixtured to play. Those discussions are more at the CEO and board level, I just coach the team wherever we are fixtured to play,” he said.

“If our biggest issue is between playing at Marvel or the MCG, we are going pretty well.”
Essendon will play seven home games at Marvel Stadium and four at the MCG in 2025.

Pretty lazy journalism.

We've been playing Melbourne, Collingwood, Geelong, Richmond and Carlton at the MCG. We've been losing to Bulldogs at Marvel for a decade. The MCG tenants have far been stronger than the Marvel tenants over the past decade so win-loss at each respective venue doesn't mean much. If Collingwood were spooners and North were premiers, then the record would be flipped.

If we're going like-for-like, our record vs Sydney at the MCG is far superior than it is at Marvel.

The clear advantage of playing more home games at the MCG is playing at a finals venue.

 

[ant555]

Lets face it. The only people driving this have a great love the the MCG as a venue. Has no real legs otherwise.

 

[Chief Hopper]

Lets face it. The only people driving this have a great love the the MCG as a venue. Has no real legs otherwise.

No way.

The article states how the teams there get no measurable advantage playing there. Also it is shown to detract performance playing at the MCG. Finals are played at the MCG. Big games are played at the MCG. 20 years should be more than enough scope to plot trends. Would you want another 20 years of data before you make a judgement?

And even look past the AFL team side of things. Look at it from a supporters view. Essendon was continuously getting 60-80k crowds at the MCG playing anyone before the Marvel move. Where on earth did our club think 20-30k crowds would go when we went to Marvel? I've spoken to numerous casual fans that cbf going to Marvel. Those people who made the docklands move set the club back in losing a large chunk of supporters that may have been made into members.

 

[ant555]

No way.

The article states how the teams there get no measurable advantage playing there. Also it is shown to detract performance playing at the MCG. Finals are played at the MCG. Big games are played at the MCG. 20 years should be more than enough scope to plot trends. Would you want another 20 years of data before you make a judgement?

And even look past the AFL team side of things. Look at it from a supporters view. Essendon was continuously getting 60-80k crowds at the MCG playing anyone before the Marvel move. Where on earth did our club think 20-30k crowds would go when we went to Marvel? I've spoken to numerous casual fans that cbf going to Marvel. Those people who made the docklands move set the club back in losing a large chunk of supporters that may have been made into members.

It is a furphy.
We won a flag playing home games at Docklands. They are using a narrow field of data to make some point. If going back to the MCG will make us better then we can just move back and hire Dodoro again. I have made a judgment. There are just too many factors to say that it makes any difference. It does not take into account that some clubs have been poorly run or under resourced like North. Or the fact we did not spend the money needed for 20 years. Dogs won a flag. Saints played in 2 Grand finals. Geelong have won flags playing most of their games on a narrow home ground. Melbourne did not actually win their flag at the MCG. It has only really been the Tigers and the Hawks who excelled. Pies had a win but they have been in the GF week in and week out. There are just too many other factors. We play 7 plus MCG games nearly every year anyway.

As for fans. I know they love the MCG. I love Docklands in Winter. No rain. Also like the fact that it is easier via public transport for my side of town. And just looking at 1999 , the last season we played home games at the MCG we only had two games with 70k plus. The crowds where generally 45k to 60k. I get it. Docklands is not as popular. I am not saying do not move. I am just saying playing all our home games at the MCG would not have made any difference to our last 20 years. Last time we had a good side we played home games at Docklands and played in 2 Grand Finals.