The AFLW’s decision to fixture a semi-final an hour before the Matildas play across the road at a low-capacity venue is “ridiculous”, says SEN’s Andy Maher.
The league released the semi-finals fixture on Sunday evening, with Richmond to play North Melbourne at 1:40pm before Adelaide and Collingwood play later in the afternoon.
But in a twist that could take away from the finals spectacle, the Matildas play Sweeden at AAMI Park on the same day in their first game in Melbourne since 2019.
With that game starting at 2:45pm, Maher suggested many fans will be forced to choose which to attend.
“The scheduling of the semi-finals on the (upcoming weekend)… the Richmond vs North Melbourne game starts at 1:40, it starts about an hour before the Matildas game starts pretty much across the road at (AAMI Park),” Maher began on SEN’s The Run Home.
“There’s no sports divide, by and large, in the women’s sporting community. They want to go absorb it all and consume it all.
“There would have been a great opportunity for a whole lot of people to go the game at Punt Road and then wander across the road and take in the Matildas’ game thereafter.
“Now that’s not going to happen because they start within an hour of each other. The scheduling of it is ridiculous, I can’t believe (it)... I can only assume there’s a whole lot of other scheduling (factors).”
The AFLW final sold out soon after tickets were released, with the AFL stating no more will be offered.
However, given Punt Road can host only a bit over 2000 fans, the league has again missed a trick in failing to schedule to maximise attendance.
“The second part of it is, and this is no pot on Punt Road… the last time these two sides played, only a couple of weeks ago, 3,500 packed out Arden Street and it was an unbelievable vibe,” Maher continued.
“I understand they can’t play this one at Arden Street, you can only get 2000 people into Punt Road.
“It’s not a great venue (to watch from), one of the grandstands you can’t sit in and on the outer side of the ground, three quarters of it can’t be used.
“I know Richmond has earned the right, but a neutral venue, Victoria Park is sitting there, they should have played this at Victoria Park.”
Maher also suggested Marvel Stadium should have come under consideration, with the Herald Sun reporting that venue is available for the weekend.
Richmond CEO Brendon Gale told the Herald Sun that the club owes it to its players to give them the best chance of winning, defending the decision to keep the final at Punt Road.
The Tigers have unveiled plans for a significant redevelopment of Punt Road Oval, which will increase capacity to around 8000 patrons.