Former Melbourne captain Garry Lyon has revealed why he thinks home field advantage is so important in the finals.
While playing at home has always been vital, the two-time Demons best-and-fairest winner believes a newly coined phase relating to the umpires has enhanced its importance.
“More than ever before is home ground advantage in the finals going to be significant because of the noise of affirmation,” Lyon told SEN Breakfast.
Saints coach Alan Richardson, when discussing an unfair umpiring edge for West Coast in Perth in a round two match, first said the phase, the ‘noise of affirmation’. Since then, it has become a buzzword for debating umpiring bias.
On Friday night, the Crows had a 28-14 edge in free kicks against the Swans, a game played at the Adelaide Oval.
“I don’t like to ever talk about the umpiring but the bias against Sydney on Friday night was horrendous,” Tim Watson said.
“The umpires will come out today and say every one of those Adelaide free kicks were there and they may have been. But conversely, there were so many times Sydney didn’t get rewarded a free kick because there was no noise.”
The teams that received the most free kicks in the AFL, Geelong, Brisbane and Adelaide, all have home ground advantages that other Victorian teams don’t.
With a top-two spot secured, the Crows are guaranteed to host a Qualifying Final.