MCG, SA, WA, NSW? Decision on Grand Final venue likely in August – AFL

GILLON McLachlan says the AFL is likely to make a decision on the location of this year’s Grand Final next month.
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As doubt grows around when games will return to Victoria after the state government’s return to stage three restrictions this week, attention has been shifted to where the 2020 Grand Final will be staged.
The AFL is contracted to play the premiership decider at the MCG until 2057, but the impact of COVID-19 has seen all 10 Victorian teams rushed out of the state for at least the next five weeks.
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Perth’s Optus Stadium, Adelaide’s Adelaide Oval and also Sydney’s ANZ Stadium have been raised as possible venues for this year’s Grand Final, but McLachlan said the AFL had not turned its attention away from the MCG yet.
“That’s where we’re contracted to play and where we’re planning on playing. It’s still a long way out and things are changing so fast. That’s where we’re playing until we’re not. It’s a bit of a non-answer because I don’t know where we’re going to go but that’s where we’ll be playing unless obviously we can’t,” McLachlan told 3AW radio on Friday.
“We’re in the hands of the community response and obviously our health and other officials in the next six weeks.”
A wide shot of a packed MCG at the 2019 Grand Final. Picture: AFL Photos
McLachlan said the AFL had not yet considered its back-up plan but would likely settle on that in August, with crowds at varying levels able to attend games in other states.
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“[We] haven’t got to that. Everything keeps changing but it is real, you don’t know where we’re going to be. We have great venues,” he said.
“I’ve said everything I’ve said about the MCG being our home but if it wasn’t, then obviously there’s great venues in every state and great footy markets – those developing markets,  as are South Australia and Western Australia.
“It will be something I reckon we will make a decision in August some time when we know more about how the landscape looks.”

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