GEELONG has entered a request with the AFL to have next weekend's clash against Richmond, scheduled for the MCG, moved to GMHBA Stadium.
The Cats have been fixtured to play their home match against the Tigers next Sunday at the MCG at 1.45pm AEST with the afternoon slot brought forward due to the Tokyo Olympics.
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However, given the COVID-19 outbreak in Victoria in recent days and the possibility of no crowds being able to attend matches next weekend, the Cats have asked the League to consider relocating the round 19 clash to GMHBA Stadium.
The Cats returned to Victoria on Friday afternoon after dismantling Fremantle at Optus Stadium on Thursday night, a day after three games scheduled in Melbourne were moved to Queensland due to Victoria's COVID-19 situation.
Richmond's clash against Brisbane, originally scheduled for the MCG on Friday night, was moved to Metricon Stadium, however chief executive Brendon Gale told 3AW on Thursday he expected the Tigers would return to Victoria after the match.
Three matches will proceed in Victoria this weekend – St Kilda-Port Adelaide (Marvel Stadium, Saturday), Melbourne-Hawthorn (MCG, Saturday) and Collingwood-Carlton (MCG, Sunday).
The Cats have been vocal in recent years on their request to play as many home matches at GMHBA Stadium as possible. In 2021, nine of their 11 home matches have been fixtured to be played at their home base.
"This is not really even a Geelong position, this just should be an industry-wide fact," coach Chris Scott said in 2019.
"There are 11 home games and there are 11 away games. Every club should choose where they play their 11 home games."
Next weekend's clash will be the second Toyota AFL Grand Final re-match this season after the Cats accounted for the Tigers by a whopping 63 points at the MCG in round eight.
Should the request be approved, it would be Richmond's first match at GMHBA Stadium since they lost to the Cats in round 21, 2017 before the Tigers claimed their drought-breaking flag.