THE SYDNEY Swans remain hopeful of playing any home finals at the SCG this season, but say their fate is in the hands of the AFL.
In February, the Swans ended their ANZ Stadium deal one year early, allowing the club to play all its regular season home games at the SCG from 2016 onwards, but finals were still to be played at Homebush.
It meant that games against Collingwood, Essendon and Carlton were moved to their traditional home after originally being scheduled for ANZ Stadium.
The Swans are currently top of the ladder and can seal the minor premiership with a win over Richmond this week, but Swans chairman Andrew Pridham acknowledged that unless the AFL steps in and clears the move to the SCG, there's little the club can do about the issue.
Speaking on the turf at the SCG to announce a major partnership with Qatar Airways, Pridham said the club had made its feelings clear to league officials.
"The contract for finals is between ANZ Stadium and the AFL, and we're really in their hands as to what will occur," he said.
"The AFL is well aware of our opinion but from a football perspective we've played 10 finals at ANZ Stadium and won eight of them, so we have no fear of playing at either venue.
"If it could be at the SCG that's fantastic, but we'll just have to wait and see.
"There's always a chance but I don't think people should have high expectations."
Swans co-captain Kieren Jack, flanked by coach John Longmire, plus teammates Lance Franklin, Kurt Tippett, Dane Rampe, Luke Parker, Josh Kennedy and Isaac Heeney, said he has no issues travelling west if it meant playing in his home state.
"If we earn the right to have a home final in Sydney, it doesn't really bother us where we play," he said.
"We've had some great games at ANZ Stadium and finals games before, so at the moment that’s the contract, and that’s what we'll prepare for.
Jack missed last week's nine-point win over North Melbourne in Tasmania after rolling his ankle at the Swans' last training session before the game on Thursday, said he was confident of being fit to take on the Tigers at the SCG on Saturday.
"Yeah, the ankle is ok," he said.
"I've got a training session today (Tuesday) and a few boxes to tick, but I'm pretty confident I'll be 100 per cent right."
