Id prefer to play no home games whatsoever at Etihad, and unlikethe deal agreed to last time when Collo was Prez, I have full failth that Swann and Sticks will negotiate a great deal for us this time round...

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We play shit at Etihad but I prefer it as a venue to the MCG, especially in the middle of winter.

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I like Etihad, especially ag interstate teams and low drawing locals. It is beetr fro night games in winter (and sometimes other games in winter). There will be lots of revisionist views, but when this deal was orignially done we had no money, massive debt and the AFL told us in no uncertain terms that they would fixture us where they liked, not where we liked.

Now we are in the position to get a fabulous deal with perhaps a few extra MCG games, but I just don't get the hostility towards Etihad or the idea that playing in fornt of 25k ag GWS at the MCG is vastly superior

Ultimately, we play where the AFL wants us to play.

Back in the dark old days, the AFL wanted us out of Princes Park, and wanted us in to shore up attendances at Docklands. So the deal was done.

Then we were on our knees, had absolutely no bargaining power, and pretty much took the only offer on the table. Today, it's different.

I think it's vital for us to negotiate our way into the MCG as our home stadium. Splitting home games 50/50 is a headache for the club, in that it makes it very difficult to structure premium membership/sponsorship packages.

Although it's unlikely to happen, Melbourne is the club who should make way for us. Their crowds are ordinary, and it's only their history and the fact they were excellent before most of us were born that sees them still taking up a spot on the MCG roster.

Melbourne fans won't go to any other stadium to watch their team play, because they think they have some kind of permanent attachment to the 'G. They didn't go to Princes Park, they won't go to Etihad. Well, with a complete inability to draw anything close to a full house at their preferred stadium, what right do they have to be there?

Last time I looked, Etihad Stadium is in the City of Melbourne. The AFL should lean on the right people to shift enough Melbourne home games out of the 'G, to Etihad, and get us in there in their place.

Realistically its the Geelong and Hawthorn games that should have been at the MCG. That would give us a 7-4 split the MCG's way.

So Etihad only needs to get 2 more games. 1 from Melb, 1 from Geelong or Hawthorn.

On a cold Fri or Sat night, the comfort factor at ES is much higher than the MCG.

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T E A M

I see no problem with Etihad stadium, and other than playing Geelong or Hawthorn there I can't see any problem with the split. The deal however should be a lot better this time around and we need to screw collo to secure a MUCH better financial result from our games there.

For those that blame the ground for poor performances GET REAL. St Kilda made it to grand finals playing there, Essendon* did as well and the dogs have made prelim finals also. When we are good enough and disciplined enough to make a GF, then we will win the majority of our games there as well.

In summary, ANZAC games aside we have drawn the 7 highest crowds followed by Pies on 5 and Bombers on 2.

They can have their ANZAC Day - but Carlton -v- Collingwood IS ITS OWN EVENT!!!!! - no additional hype required.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

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interesting stat:
in 2009 we won 6 from 8 games at etihad (then Telstra)
in 2010 we won 3 from 9 there

anyone know if they changed the surface over that 09-10 break?
or is it just us?

I reckon the stadium name change has everything to do with it

One of the very reasons why we should just get out all together and quick.
Going by previous experiences we've had with the AFL & Etihad Management, why wouId we be even trusting them to make a deal like this ... written or not. Get out now and get back to playing our interstate teams at Princes Park!!!
There I said it ... come at me again - if you like.

My biggest gripe with the ground is the surface. It's no secret that players feel the pinch more after a match there than anywhere else.

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"We used to sit around and talk about how bad the game plan was." Anthony Koutoufides

A suitable set of custom made boots with extra cushioning isn't too much to ask from Nike (considering we sold out on our colours).

Our home ground is one of the most important decisions that the CFC Board ever has to make.

It effects all aspects of the Club, including: Premierships; membership numbers; broadcast revenue; the existence of a social club; quality of the fixtures; and football performance.

I have mentioned this on previous threads and happy to mention them again.

We must leave Etihad to the MCG for the Club's future.......

2009 was strange in that we were better at Docklands than the G. Would be the only season we had a good record there.

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"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

Why?

The balance of the mix is the area of debate.

Surely if we could secure the right deal, then Etihad would be a good fit for games against teams like port, GWS, suns, swans, Freo and even North as I highly doubt that we could get enough attendance to justify the MCG.

And good teams win the games they should!

I don't accept that we lose because we play at one ground or another, that mentality is for the weak and it's about time we stop making excuses!!!

We could always spend our upcoming fortune from pokie addicts on doing up Visy Park for those lower drawing games.

We'd probably all like this. But there's more chance of you playing full forward for the Western Bulldogs.

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Agree with previous sentiments, Etihad Stadium should just be for our home games against interstate teams. Games against Geelong and Hawthorn should be at the MCG.

On a related note, I'm still trying to work out why in 2011 we were fixtured to play our home game against Melbourne at the MCG but our home game against Hawthorn at Etihad Stadium?

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

While we clearly play better at the G, I do agree with you. I really didn't like Murph's response to a question on Before the Game about us playing better at the G and not liking Etihad. He said something about how we definitely prefer to play at the G than Etihad. I just worry that when the players have that sort of attitude it becomes self fulfilling.