FREMANTLE has hit out at the possibility of playing a final against the Cats at Geelong's Simonds Stadium in the first week of the finals.
Dockers president Steve Harris said if the game was played at the venue thousands of football fans from Perth and Melbourne would be denied the chance to see the game live.
Harris said the MCG and Etihad had much better facilities than Simonds Stadium and deserved to host the final.
With finals match-ups still up in the air, he slammed the decision to even consider the prospect.
“It is inconceivable that a venue such as Simonds Stadium, with a capacity of 33,500 and which has not seen a crowd greater than 30,082 this season, and with an average of only 26,740 in 2013, would be considered for a game that is likely to attract 40,000 to 50,000 people, including several thousand people from Perth who would travel to Melbourne to see the game," Harris said.
Geelong would need to finish second and Fremantle third for the two teams to meet in a qualifying final and for the game to be played in Victoria.
Fremantle has twice played Geelong in finals in Victoria. Both games were played at the MCG. It lost the first match in 2010 by 69 points and won last year's encounter by 16 points.
Earlier the AFL confirmed a final could be played at Geelong's home ground if it finished second on the ladder and plays Fremantle in the first week of the final.
However the AFL has ruled out the prospect of playing a double-header at the MCG if four finals are played in Melbourne.
Although the AFL had previously ruled out the Cats' prospects of a home final it will now entertain the possibility, but only if Geelong is drawn to meet Fremantle in week one of the finals.
"Simonds Stadium is an option for a final, but only if it was a Geelong v Fremantle match and not for any other game," an AFL spokesperson said.
Night football can now be played at Simonds Stadium and the completed Players' Stand has increased capacity to 34,000.
While the finishing position of teams in the final eight will not be known until Saturday night at the earliest, if results go to expectation four Victorian clubs would fill the first and second and fifth and sixth positions on the ladder and thus qualify for a home final.
Expected results would see Hawthorn beat the Sydney Swans on Friday night and finish on top and play the Swans the following week.
If the Cats then defeated the Brisbane Lions at Simonds Stadium on Saturday and Fremantle beats St Kilda it would leave Geelong playing Fremantle in Victoria.
However if Hawthorn loses to the Sydney Swans the Cats may claim top spot and be drawn to play the Swans. The AFL would not consider playing that game at Simonds Stadium.
Simonds Stadium is available in all four timeslots and the AFL would be responsible for organising the game so it would have no impact on Geelong's preparation for the final.
The AFL would however need to consider travel arrangements for Fremantle and take into account the potential schedule of both clubs for the following week.
The use of Etihad Stadium remains a viable option, with the AFL contracted to play a final at the venue if more than two finals are played in Victoria in week one of the finals.
However if a final is not played at Etihad the AFL can compensate the venue – as it has in the past – by scheduling extra home and away games the following season.
Geelong would obviously be pleased to play a final at Simonds Stadium however its coach Chris Scott declared on Tuesday it would be happy to play anywhere.
"We don't decide the draw. We don't have any influence over it at all," Scott said.
"Our home ground is Simonds Stadium first and the MCG second. We'd love to play there but we would love to play at Etihad as well."
