TOPIC:

Let us not get distracted by debates about which ground should have got the Grand Final and focus instead on yet another monumental stuff up by the so called WAFC. The T20 world cup has been on the calendar for at least 12 months and yet none of the highly paid executives at the Commission had the foresight to ask the question whether the ground may not be available and develop a contingency plan at the start of the season. Maybe they could have negotiated with the WACA at the time or changed the fixtures so that Optus would be an option. By the time they realised it was a problem it was too late.
The Leederville option is the best of a bad list of alternatives but every time the WAFL grand final is played away from the premier stadium in the state, it diminishes the competition further.

I see the game between Subiaco and East Perth hasn't been switched elsewhere so even more damage will be done to the surface with the heavy rain forecast this weekend
The WAFC needs to get it's act together because it's obvious the current rabble in charge couldn't organise a turd in a toilet even if there was a mass bout of Gastro
The SANFL is so far superior a product it's just astonishing
The 8 traditional clubs need to move against this regime at the end of the year now

Good comments by all re the Waca.
Important to remember that during the construction of Optus Stadium.The designers, state government and stadium managers had multiple things changed from the original design.
What that gave us was voted the best stadium in the world,3 years in a row.Its not to late to rejigger the Waca to make it a relevant modern stadium.aka 25,000 capacity.

Bazza wrote:

It's almost like someone at WAFC is taking the piss, or is on Meth picking Leederville after this months shambles, and what about its farcical; scoreboard...

Why has its capacity dropped to 14K? Smallest venue with the worst surface - WAFC in normal brain dead form.

14k is laughable, maybe if the chunder are in it but otherwise there will be plenty of pissed off punters jumping the fence. Will be fun to watch the pathetic security guards shit themselves

A sensible decision. Leederville caters best for both spectators and team changerooms. Arena Joondalup now has the luxury of teams being able to use WP's old changerooms now they have their own new facility but catering and seating is pretty pathetic.

Leedy has the best comfort for supporters with the old grandstand and Subi's and EP's members areas and bars and food options plus the tin shed with seating and the terraced outer and it's a good central location, bang on the railway WITH A STATION and stacks of options to grab a bite and a frothy before and after the game. I think Leederville will be buzzing on grand final day. The old dings will be salivating returning to the old motherland on GF day if they make it.

It's just a shame 40k will be totally wasted on a makeover of the playing surface for the GF when it could have and should have been done years ago to completely rip up the playing surface that was laid by the Eagles with Victorian mud shipped in to replicate the bog heaps in Melbourne back in the 90's.

The Eagles should be paying for it to be ripped up and the WAFC can then pay for new drainage and a new surface. Long term I think Leederville should be redeveloped as the premier WAFL ground for state games and as an alternative GF venue should Optus be unavailable.

I think it’s a grave error of judgement by the WAFC to hold WAFL GF at anywhere other than Optus. I went back and had a look at some correspondence regarding WAFL fixturing for 2022, and came across this featuring Scott Baker: www.wafc.com.au/news/21551/2022-wafl-fixtures which indicates the GF on October 1 with a “venue to be decided”, no mention of Optus in this regard. Pretty clear the WAFC’s preference was always having the GF after the AFL over having it at Optus, hence there’s been no appetite from the WAFC to change the fixturing as some have proposed such that the GF could have been at Optus in spite of the cricket fixture. The “Locked in” article on the WAFL website is kind of like they’re proud of what they’ve done. I fear this is the way now, there hasn’t been any learnings, rather a “venue to be decided” approach will continue. Such a shame for the conclusion to such an interesting season to not use the premier venue.

JM this decision and many before and after I am sure only reiterates what many of us WAFL diehards have believed for some time and that is the WAFC dont really want to grow the WAFL competition, they are more than happy it sits in this niche small corner of the market.
They are more than happy for the AFL to be the only footy competition that the younger demographic know or hear about in the media and played on the big stage.
The fact they chose the ground with the smallest possible attendance achievable out of the 3 or 4 in running and then have the gall to say nobody will miss out or words to that effect is yet another slap in the face to WAFL supporters.
The fact is 30,000 attended last years GF with one of the clubs involved in Subiaco having one of the smallest supporter bases in the WAFL says there is still a lot of love and support out there for our 137 year old WAFL imagine if that was a SF vs EF or a WP vs SF GF etc 35,000+ is well and truly achievable.
Too many at the WAFC are from the East Coast (CEO, WAFL Manager etc) and have no idea or care of the history or heritage the WAFL competition has within the state and the large dormant supporter base many of the clubs have out there that are just itching to see some success after a long time in the doldrums!
 

JohnMc wrote:

I think it’s a grave error of judgement by the WAFC to hold WAFL GF at anywhere other than Optus. I went back and had a look at some correspondence regarding WAFL fixturing for 2022, and came across this featuring Scott Baker: www.wafc.com.au/news/21551/2022-wafl-fixtures which indicates the GF on October 1 with a “venue to be decided”, no mention of Optus in this regard. Pretty clear the WAFC’s preference was always having the GF after the AFL over having it at Optus, hence there’s been no appetite from the WAFC to change the fixturing as some have proposed such that the GF could have been at Optus in spite of the cricket fixture. The “Locked in” article on the WAFL website is kind of like they’re proud of what they’ve done. I fear this is the way now, there hasn’t been any learnings, rather a “venue to be decided” approach will continue. Such a shame for the conclusion to such an interesting season to not use the premier venue.

They have to get their act together - it speaks volumes that SANFL is miles ahead in terms of organisation along with protection and growth of their foundation clubs within their communities
I note their Grand Final is at Adelaide Oval

Spot on Beas, I’m glad we won’t be in it this year. My advise if going, bring your wire cutters!

WAFC true to form, put this one down as the biggest wack job decisions in years.

All very well to talk about the spectator experience , but people tend to forget that is a about the actual game, and the biggest and final one for the year, so for mine the first starting point for any venue is the best quality  sports facility for the best quality game, and if you havent got a playing surface to play the actual game on then you aint got no game.

Piss poor patch up, the ground looked as bad as ever on the weekend.

They are spending 40K on the ground surface before the gates even open despite the fact 3 other ovals had ovals that had a surface that didnt need a cent spent on them.

Could of got 17K at Freo, 18 or 19k at Joondalup and Basso.

Are the WAFC on meth?