"Downright disgrace": Jenkins slams decision over Bulldogs 'home' Wildcard final

With the Western Bulldogs hosting Collingwood at the MCG for a Wildcard Final next week, Josh Jenkins believes the club should have the right to host it at their home ground of Marvel Stadium.

Following their unexpected win against the Demons on Saturday, the Bulldogs finish the home and away season in eighth place, earning a home Wildcard final.

The Footscray-based club will play ninth-placed Magpies in the AFL’s first edition of the Wildcard Finals, which the club confirmed will be at the 100,024-seater stadium.

This is despite Marvel Stadium being the Bulldogs’ home ground and means the Magpies are playing at their home ground for an ‘away’ final.

As a result, the 149-game player for Adelaide and Geelong criticised the AFL for not protecting that home ground advantage for the higher seed.

“It's always been something that's irritated me,” Jenkins prefaced on SEN’s Crunch Time.

“I cannot stand the fact that teams are forced to play a home final at someone else's home ground.

“I think it's one of the most inequitable situations that happens in the game.

“It's something that often gets linked to Geelong, but we've talked about St Kilda, we've talked about the Western Bulldogs, we've talked about North Melbourne as well.

“I think it's a downright disgrace.”

Jenkins doubled down on his view, noting that in all likelihood, there will be more Collingwood fans for the game in comparison to Western Bulldogs fans.

“What is the point of earning a home final if you turn up in the finals as the highest seed and play at the other mob's home ground in front of the other mob’s fans?” he continued.

“Let's say 75,000 people turn up at the MCG next week. There'll be more black and white than there will be red, blue, and white.”

Since moving into the then Colonial Stadium in 2000, the Bulldogs have not played a finals match at the ground, having instead held those games at the MCG or at UTAS Stadium in 2021 due to Covid-19.

Only six finals have been played at the roofed venue. All were elimination finals, with the last being 2011 between St Kilda and Sydney.

This clash marks the third time the two sides have faced in finals since 2000, with both sides claiming one win and one loss in their previous encounters.