Adelaide Oval tipped as finals home ground for West Coast
Adelaide Oval could host additional finals matches this season as West Coast considers asking the AFL to play ‘home’ finals in South Australia if circumstances don’t allow the matches to be hosted in Perth.
West Coast has tasted finals success at Adelaide Oval in the past, defeating the Power in an extra-time preliminary final in 2017 before going on to win the grand final against Collingwood the following week. Photo: Michael Errey / InDaily
Western Australia’s tight border restrictions have all but ruled out the Eagles’ chances of hosting a final at Optus Stadium after week one, with teams required to serve a seven-day hard quarantine on arrival in Perth before playing matches.
Most finals in 2020 will be played at Brisbane’s Gabba, including the grand final.
However, ladder-leaders Port Adelaide will be allowed to play lead-up finals at Adelaide Oval because clubs can travel freely between Queensland and South Australia.
West Coast football manager Craig Vozzo said the club would look at playing home finals at Adelaide Oval, especially if they are drawn as the home team against Brisbane.
The Eagles have an 80 per cent winning record at Adelaide Oval, with just two losses in 10 visits over six seasons.
It includes the famous 2017 elimination final victory against Port Adelaide, sealed by Luke Shuey’s after-the-siren goal in extra-time.
“If that’s permissible from an AFL perspective, we would,” Vozzo told TAB Radio on Thursday.
“We’ve enjoyed, over the years, playing at Adelaide Oval.
“Our players really like the environment there and have done quite well over the journey, so it’s certainly something in those scenarios that we’d consider.”
West Coast are currently fifth on the AFL ladder, only one win below top ranked Port Adelaide.
The AFL finals series will run over four weeks from the first weekend in October, culminating in a night grand final at Brisbane’s Gabba on October 24.
Adelaide Oval has been placed on standby to host the grand final, should a COVID-19 outbreak in Queensland impact the planned Gabba game.
Vozzo confirmed West Coast’s travelling party, currently in Queensland to complete the home-and-away rounds, plans to head home to Perth during the pre-finals bye regardless of where their first final will be played.
– AAP
