Port Adelaide premiership player Kane Cornes says the lack of MCG exposure for interstate teams is a serious problem facing the AFL.
Speaking on Nine’s Sunday Footy Show Cornes discussed with Damian Barrett the ramifications of the AFL’s ownership of Marvel Stadium and how it has taken games away from the MCG that previously would have given teams a chance on the biggest stage of all.
Barrett says the AFL has no interest in changing venues, but rather the time and day of games during a floating fixture.
Barrett: “Venues are assigned to teams and the games, it's just the timing of the game itself, which is floating, and the matches won’t be moved.”
Cornes: “There’s a lot of teams that get shafted when it comes to fixturing at the MCG. That’s why the competition is never fair, Richmond can have 13 games at the MCG, and it’s just accepted and surprise surprise they have a massive advantage.
“It’s just the way it is. I played for a club at Port Adelaide, and we cried out for more games at the MCG and could never get it.
“It’s just been accepted that Richmond and Collingwood get this free kick by having that many games at the MCG and other clubs get shafted like Freo.”
Barrett: “I agree with you, but the contractual component required to play a certain number of matches at Marvel Stadium means it just won’t happen, unfortunately.”
Fremantle played their one and only home-and-away game of the year at the MCG against Melbourne yesterday, becoming the first team to defeat the reigning premiers since Round 19, 2022.
The Dockers return to Melbourne four more times in the 2022 season, with all of those games coming at Marvel Stadium.
"Richmond and Collingwood, they get this free kick by having that many games at the MCG and other clubs get shafted like Freo."
— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) May 29, 2022
With Freo's win over Melbourne being their only game at the MCG this year, should the AFL make a switch?#9AFLSFS | @Channel9 pic.twitter.com/eb73YKs7Ld