After a month without crowds at Melbourne games, fans are set to return to the MCG for Round 15. But what will the ‘magic number’ be?
Sam Landsberger and Jon Ralph - Herald Sun
June 20, 2021
Footy fans will almost certainly return to the MCG on Friday night with crowd capacities of up to 30,000 set to be allowed.
The AFL’s application for the Victorian Government to sign off on a 50 per cent crowd capacity in Melbourne is expected to be denied in coming days.
It is understood 20-30 per is likely to be the magic number when Victorian health officials meet early this week to thrash out the return of crowds, pending the continued containment of the virus.
The expected outcome is 30 per cent, which would allow 30,000 fans to attend the MCG, and was also the number that was set for last year’s Boxing Day Test against India.
A decision is likely to be made on Monday or Tuesday, which will provide enough time for fans to purchase tickets and for venues and AFL clubs to prepare.
The AFL expects its Round 15 schedule will proceed as planned if there is not an escalation in Covid figures across Australia, with a positive case in Queensland on Sunday and the NSW cluster now up to nine.
With the NSW border not closed by South Australia, Sydney is expected to be allowed into the state without 60 hours of quarantine to take on Port Adelaide on Saturday night.
And Fremantle will likely fly into Melbourne on Friday to take on Collingwood the following day.
Richmond is expected to play in front of a small home crowd against St Kilda on Friday night. Picture: Michael Klein
The AFL’s hope is that continuing low coronavirus numbers over the weekend continue — there were zero positives on Sunday — allows the Government to continue to ease restrictions.
That 20-30 per cent figure shapes as a blow to Richmond and Essendon, who had been desperately hoping that a joint push by the AFL and Melbourne Cricket Club to secure up to 50,000 fans at their home MCG matches in round 15 would be approved.
The Tigers host St Kilda on Friday night while the Bombers host the ladder-leading Demons on Saturday night.
Friday will mark 33 days since an AFL game in Melbourne has been staged in front of spectators.
The Victorian Government has not yet publicly committed to allowing fans to return in Melbourne and on Sunday it said “medical advice” would determine this week’s decisions.
But all signs point to a combined crowd of up to 60,000 fans attending next week’s MCG matches.
While the AFL applied for 50 per cent capacity, the approval of a smaller figure will at least ensure those games remain at the MCG.
Recent matches between Richmond-Essendon (Perth Stadium), Melbourne-Collingwood (SCG) and Hawthorn-Essendon (Launceston) were all relocated interstate because the MCG could not host crowds.
The Victorian Government allowed a 20 per cent capacity crowd (7000) made up of locals to attend Geelong’s home game at GMHBA Stadium on Friday night.
Sam Landsberger and Jon Ralph - Herald Sun
June 20, 2021
Footy fans will almost certainly return to the MCG on Friday night with crowd capacities of up to 30,000 set to be allowed.
The AFL’s application for the Victorian Government to sign off on a 50 per cent crowd capacity in Melbourne is expected to be denied in coming days.
It is understood 20-30 per is likely to be the magic number when Victorian health officials meet early this week to thrash out the return of crowds, pending the continued containment of the virus.
The expected outcome is 30 per cent, which would allow 30,000 fans to attend the MCG, and was also the number that was set for last year’s Boxing Day Test against India.
A decision is likely to be made on Monday or Tuesday, which will provide enough time for fans to purchase tickets and for venues and AFL clubs to prepare.
The AFL expects its Round 15 schedule will proceed as planned if there is not an escalation in Covid figures across Australia, with a positive case in Queensland on Sunday and the NSW cluster now up to nine.
With the NSW border not closed by South Australia, Sydney is expected to be allowed into the state without 60 hours of quarantine to take on Port Adelaide on Saturday night.
And Fremantle will likely fly into Melbourne on Friday to take on Collingwood the following day.
Richmond is expected to play in front of a small home crowd against St Kilda on Friday night. Picture: Michael Klein
The AFL’s hope is that continuing low coronavirus numbers over the weekend continue — there were zero positives on Sunday — allows the Government to continue to ease restrictions.
That 20-30 per cent figure shapes as a blow to Richmond and Essendon, who had been desperately hoping that a joint push by the AFL and Melbourne Cricket Club to secure up to 50,000 fans at their home MCG matches in round 15 would be approved.
The Tigers host St Kilda on Friday night while the Bombers host the ladder-leading Demons on Saturday night.
Friday will mark 33 days since an AFL game in Melbourne has been staged in front of spectators.
The Victorian Government has not yet publicly committed to allowing fans to return in Melbourne and on Sunday it said “medical advice” would determine this week’s decisions.
But all signs point to a combined crowd of up to 60,000 fans attending next week’s MCG matches.
While the AFL applied for 50 per cent capacity, the approval of a smaller figure will at least ensure those games remain at the MCG.
Recent matches between Richmond-Essendon (Perth Stadium), Melbourne-Collingwood (SCG) and Hawthorn-Essendon (Launceston) were all relocated interstate because the MCG could not host crowds.
The Victorian Government allowed a 20 per cent capacity crowd (7000) made up of locals to attend Geelong’s home game at GMHBA Stadium on Friday night.