Freo supporters tune out now.
This one is a bit of an opinion piece about a decision by the AFL that really bothers me and I am surprised is not getting more attention.
I have a real issue with this Gold Coast v Fremantle game being played at the new Optus Stadium in Perth this weekend and I would be interested to see if any of you agree.
As most of you are probably aware, Gold Coast are unable to play at their home ground of Metricon Stadium for the first half of the 2018 season due to the Commonwealth Games using it.
This forces them onto the road and apparently means we all need to just accept a compromised fixture.
This weekend the AFL have inexplicably allowed Gold Coast to sell their home game against Freo back to them.
This means Freo play 'away' at their own home ground against Gold Coast.
What a joke!
This should not be allowed to happen under any circumstances.
Fremantle now get 12 home games this year as opposed to the 11 that every single other team gets.
How is this fair and reasonable?
How can the AFL maintain integrity (a word they love to reel out a lot) and claims to running a fair competition, when they allow this sort of advantage to one team?
As a supporter, how upset would you be if your team missed the 8 on % to Fremantle knowing they got an extra home game that your team didn't?
- The new Optus stadium -
Further more and maybe more seriously, the sliding door affect could see punters who back a team to make the 8 just miss to Freo.
You may say this as not the AFL's problem, they didn't force the punter to bet on it.
And your right, it's not.
The punters had access to the fixtures before they placed the bet so they made an educated decision.
However, this does not mean the AFL's hands are completely clean here, far from it.
It is well documented that the AFL receives millions of dollars in gambling revenue each year.
The second the AFL accept that money, they are obligated to a whole new level of integrity and professionalism.
It's not acceptable to give one team such a transparent advantage.
They are riding a slippery slope here.
Imagine this,
This season in the Premier League, Tottenham have no home stadium as White Hart Lane is being rebuilt.
-White Hart Lane under construction -
Does the Premier League let them sell away games back to a Man U or a Chelsea?
God no, imagine the uproar by Arsenal and Liverpool fans if Man U were getting an extra home game and they weren't!
Could you imagine the fall out if Man U then won the title or made the Champions League by a point?
Tottenham were required to play all their home games for the season at the neutral Wembley Stadium to keep the integrity of the league intact.
- Design for new White Hart Lane -
This is what a "grown up" competition decides to do when faced with fixturing challenges.
This is the professional thing to do.
I love the the AFL and I think it is the greatest game in the world, but it really is still amateur hour in some ways, compared to overseas ran competitions.
Just take a look at our attempt at Free Agency if you want another example.
If I was in charge of any betting agency that is forced to contribute money to the AFL, I would be looking at my options right now.
I would at the very least be demanding to pay a lot less this year.
As you can see the AFL is literally paid to provide a fair competition and they are not delivering on their part of the deal right now.
Happy days if you are a Fremantle supporter right now
I would love to hear your thoughts below
Thanks for Reading
- Dahmsy79