About time the NRL showed some balls:
http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=226958
Sydney-Geelong at the SCG
6:46:16 PM Sun 4 September, 2005
Paul Gough
Sportal for afl.com.au
The AFL has announced that next weekend's second semi-final between Sydney and Geelong will be played on Friday night at the SCG after Telstra Stadium was unavailable due to rugby league commitments.
The announcement of a Friday night final will upset the Cats, who had asked for a seven-day break before the knockout clash following their win on Saturday against Melbourne in the elimination final.
However the AFL decided to stage the final on a Friday night, starting at 8pm, even though Telstra Stadium was unavailable.
The 80,000 capacity venue will instead host an NRL qualifying final on Friday night with the Swans' to play their semi-final at their traditional home - the SCG - which has a capacity of just over 43,000.
It will be the Swans' first finals appearance at the SCG since 1998 with Telstra Stadium hosting their two most recent home finals in 2003 against Brisbane and last year against West Coast.
The AFL could not stage its other semi-final - the All South Australian blockbuster between Adelaide and Port Adelaide - on Friday night because Port would have only had a five-day break after thrashing the Kangaroos in Sunday's elimination final.
That semi-final will be played on Saturday night at AAMI Stadium - starting at 7pm - with tickets expected to sell-out within minutes of going on sale, such will be the demand for tickets for the first finals meeting between the Crows and Port.
AAMI Stadium has a capacity of 51,515 and such will be the interest the match would be capable of attracting probably three times that many with Adelaide members to get 57 percent of the available tickets and Port 43 percent based on the two club's respective adult memberships.
St Kilda and West Coast will enjoy next weekend off after earning direct passage to home preliminary finals in week three by beating Adelaide and Sydney respectively in this weekend's qualifying finals.
The Saints will host the winner of the Sydney-Geelong preliminary final at the MCG in a fortnight's time while West Coast will host the winner of the South Australian showdown in the other preliminary final at Subiaco.
