AFL Grand Final location debate

Eddie McGuire has been a vocal supporter of the AFL Grand Final remaining at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The following people have publicly advocated for the AFL Grand Final to remain in Victoria.

• Daniel Andrews (Premier of Victoria).[5]
• Kevin Bartlett (player, coach, commentator).[6]

"Good luck with that one! Even in the latest stadiums being built, they don’t hold 100,000 people. It’s like Augusta, that’s where they play The Masters. You think about Australian rules football as a sport, over the years it has seen the MCG as being the home of football. I think people in South Australia, Western Australia, Sydney and Brisbane, they recognise the fact there is a symbolic ground where the Grand Final is played and that is the MCG" – Kevin Bartlett.[7]

• John Brumby (Former Premier of Victoria).[8]
• Eddie McGuire (administrator, commentator).[9]

"I laugh because it’s not going to change, it is what it is, and if they get a head up about it well so be it, but that’s the way it is, full stop and 2058 is the next time that the Grand Final won’t be at the MCG...Get over that" – Eddie McGuire.[10]

• Gillon McLachlan (administrator).[11]

Brownlow Medallists Patrick Dangerfield and Michael Voss along with premiership coaches Mick Malthouse and John Longmire have supported sharing the AFL Grand Final across Australia in the interests of fairness and to help grow the game.

The following people have publicly advocated for the AFL Grand Final to be shared across Australia.

• Peter Beattie (Former Premier of Queensland, Rugby administrator).[12]
• Jude Bolton (player).[13]
• Rob Chapman (administrator).[14]

"Should it be shifted around? Absolutely!" – Rob Chapman.[14]

• Rohan Connolly (commentator, journalist).[13]

"Scrap the agreement that the MCG must be the venue, clearly the biggest handicap against non-Victorian sides being able to win a flag. In this scenario, highest-qualified team hosts, no arguments." – Rohan Connolly.[13]

• Graham Cornes (footballer, coach, commentator).[15]

"American football takes the finale of its season, the Super Bowl, to cities and stadiums all over the country. It becomes a celebration of the game that the whole country has an opportunity to share." – Graham Cornes.[15]

• Frank Costa (administrator).[16]
• Patrick Dangerfield (player).[17]

“It’s not fair as an interstate club that you finish top of the ladder and then you’re playing at the MCG instead of playing at Optus Stadium or at Adelaide Oval or at Metricon Stadium … I don’t think you can argue against that...If you talk fairness around the competition, it’s still not fair. We understand the reasons why, but I think if we finish in that position and earn the right to play a home final then we should get that right...It shouldn’t be changed just because of the size of the crowd a stadium can hold. I think the fairness of the competition should override how many spectators can come and view the game” – Patrick Dangerfield.[17]

• Mark Duffield (commentator, journalist).[18]
• Kate Ellis (politician, administrator).[14]

"If we’re going to consolidate as a national competition then we have to become less Victorian-centric" – Kate Ellis.[14]

• Xavier Ellis (player).[19]

"This decision ensures that for the next 40 years, “Advantage Victoria” will well and truly be in effect before a ball has even been bounced on grand final day." – Xavier Ellis.[19]

• Chris Fagan (player, coach).[2]
• Dan Hannebery (player).[20]
• Will Hodgman (Former Premier of Tasmania).[21]
• Andrew Ireland (administrator).[2]
• Glen Jakovich (player, commentator).[9]
• Josh Jenkins (player).[22]
• David Koch (administrator, media personality).[23]
• John Longmire (player, coach).[24]
• Michael Malthouse (player, coach, commentator).[25]
• Steven Marshall (Premier of South Australia).[21]
• Mark McGowan (Premier of Western Australia).[26]
• John Olsen (former Premier of South Australia).[14]

"I think it should shift around the country, and even if you go lower than 100,000 people to a grand final that’s not the issue...If it’s truly a national competition then the grand final should shift around the country from time to time." – John Olsen.[14]

• Don Pyke (player, coach).[2]
• Andrew Pridham (administrator).[27]
• Michaelangelo Rucci (commentator, journalist).[28]
• Chris Scott (player, coach).[29]
• Michael Voss (player).[30]

"I sit in the basket where the Grand Final should be played in different states every year and states should bid for the Grand Final. It would improve the infrastructure of our game throughout the country. I only see massive positives on being able to do that." – Michael Voss.[30]

• Craig Vozzo (administrator).[20]