Good morning to everyone except the AFL.
This is the first in a series of (probably) just one opinion pieces, sparked by this weeks amazing Champions and Europa League scenes.
In economics, GDP stands for Gross Domestic Product, and represents the total value of goods produced, and services provided, in a particular country over the space of year – but in sporting terms, AFL is a gross to watch domestic product.
I don’t know a single person who enjoys watching the current version more than its previous iterations. That said, I’m not here to change how the game is played, just where it’s played.
Nothing we do locally will be able to reach the heights, or match the drama, of European footballs grandest club competition, but we can at least try to reproduce the atmosphere found at every home teams pitch when there’s a match of consequence taking place.
This morning, at Stamford Bridge a mass of Blues supporters arrived to see a tense game be decided in the cruellest of ways, a penalty shootout. Ninety five percent of them were fans of the eventual winners, Chelsea. When it went to spot kicks, it was very much to their advantage, but it had been all night in fairness.
You see, Chelsea played 19 EPL games at home this season for a solitary loss. Although close, tonight was always unlikely to be different.
They’ll meet Arsenal in the final. Despite horrible away form, the Gunners have suffered just two home defeats this season as well - a testament to the atmosphere at the Emirates. But they both defer to Liverpool, the Home Ground Advantage kings.
The Reds haven’t lost at Anfield all season. The most remarkable of their wins on Wedneseday morning our time, in front of 50,000 ravenous Reds fans, pulling their Champions League semi final out of the fire to win 4 – 0 against a team many believed to be the Worlds best.
The last three goals that night/morn (depending where you were) came in the second half in front of the rabid Kop. The celebrations and singalong between players and supporters post match was like nothing seen in this country. That got me thinking, why can’t we replicate this atmosphere and hostile home ground envinronment?
Well, there’s a few reasons. But in the interest of being somewhat brief, I’m going to focus on one – our two major stadiums outsize our clubs supporter bases.
Let’s put aside the fact Marvel Stadium is in the City, nowhere near Essendon, St Kilda, or Carlton, and not exactly the Western Suburbs either. Teams from each of those areas play their home games at the Docklands location, a place with no history or emotional connection for fans and players alike. It’s nothing more than neutral territory, far from a would-be colosseum.
If you're thinking, what about interstate - I hear you. It's true, on the other side of the country, the new Perth Stadium, shared between The Eagles and The Dockers, rocks when the co-inhabitants meet. Even on their own, provided they're going well, both sides can cultivate an intimidating atmosphere, making things difficult for travelling teams.
The Adelaide Oval is also a cauldron when the Crows are up and about. Their rare breed will fill the place when things are going well – and it’s fantastic when they do.
Their players benefit from a rare, but true, home ground advantage, gaining a large moral boost from “the nineteenth man”, and often glean a substantial amount of "good fortune" from the three little men in green, or yellow, or white. This biased pro Adelaide support has even been given a name, thanks to the neighbouring Port Power coach, Ken Hinkley, describing it as the noise of affirmation.
It's perfectly put, being affirmation that a filled stadium with one eyed supporters makes a difference to the result, and the conditions the match is played under.
For an away team player, it’s hostile, and difficult, and ultimately satisfying to test yourself in that environment. These occasions are the closest Australian Rules players and supporters come to what's experienced right across Europe on a weekly basis.
But back to Melbourne, and this intense environment has virtually never happened at Marvel Stadium, and outside of 95,000 Richmond supporters one time versus GWS Giants, it doesn’t happen at The MCG, either.
So what’s the answer?
Well, before there was the Docklands, there was Princess Park. The Blue Baggers were still playing there in 2005. Not so long ago, hey. We also had Windy Hill, The Western Oval, and Victoria Park. The latter two hosted football well into the late nineties.
Former players proudly tell tales of cold showers after games on the road, and visiting supporters share stories of unease when daring to make the trek into these suburban football strongholds.
I bet it was great to be a home team supporter, too. Knowing you would be among your own. There’d be a sense your collective voice could make the difference.
These stadiums did however have reduced capacities, so fewer people would see the action live. I'm sure that's what the AFL would tell me. But it's a situation that occurs in every large sporting event, worldwide. So why not here? I mean, I can never get a Grand Final ticket. The place is packed full of corporate flogs who don't know who won until the Captain holds the cup up.
Abroad, I can't go watch the NBA playoffs, or drop into the Champions League final in Madrid. So missing out is nothing new. But for those lucky enough to be inside, they’re treated to an atmosphere unlike anything the AFL footy fan can comprehend.
Instead, we have stadiums with a blend of both teams supporters, and empty seats out-numbering any particular cohort of humans.
THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO BRING BACK THE SUBURBAN FOOTY GROUND.
Imagine the hair-standing-up on the back of your neck moments to be had, shared with thirty or forty thousand new friends, after a close home victory. Or the satisfaction in being part of the travelling supporter base when you knock off an arch rival at their place.
That is what football is about, and that is what football lacks here, in the HOME OF FOOTBALL.
So AFL, you money hungry tossers, serving us up 18 teams, and nine average games a week in your sparsely filled stadiums, whereby no Victorian team has any true home ground advantage (Geelong play home games at both the MCG and Marvel, too) - bring back the suburban football ground and invest in your clubs spiritual homes.
With their return watch as the sport rediscovers some of the charm that made the past eras so great.
Don't try to build an embarrassing pre-season competition, and half-assed, eight round, female league to improve your Gross Domestic Product. Refurbish these old stadiums, and renovate the past.
Before I get lambasted, let me say I’m not calling for the removal of the AFLW. I think it’s been nothing but positive and am suggesting it could be played in Winter, at the teams suburban home ground, either before them men, or on the weeks the men don’t play there.
Am I onto something here, or should this definitely be my last editorial? Nah, I'm right. BRING BACK THE SUBURBAN FOOTBALL GROUND.
Paul Morello.
