[iouiyyut]

While its fresh I thought I would get one in and hope for a response.

The crowd at yesterdays Grand Final surely would be considered a fail by the WAFL. To have 28,000 empty seats at the leagues major fixture for the year seems a real waste. We continue to percevere with battling the AFL in the attention stakes during the most challenging month of the year. The general feeling for a football fan after the AFL Grand Final is that instant feeling of flatness. Knowing there is no more footy for 6 months, it almost borders on depression for some. Having the WAFL Grand Final on the week after the AFL season is over at least gives the footy fan something to look forward to again for at least another week.

Not only that but the timing of the WAFL Grand Final each and every year limits thousands of potential footy people even having an option to attend the big game. I had a nephew yesterday attend his clubs wind-up and trophy presentations yesterday and there would have been 500 adults and kids at this thing. I do know of one other mates kid who had the same thing yesterday and there must be countless other junior, amature and country football clubs who do the same thing. None of these kids or young adult footballers or the volenteers attached get the chance to attend the WAFL Grand Final. Is see many of those 28,000 empty seats with their names on them, but unfortunately the timing never allows it.

I think the time has well & truly passed to ignore these potential stumbling blocks and start actively planning something real significant to get the 30,000 we should be getting to the Grand Finals.

The last time we had a Grand Final after the AFL Grand Final was in 2000 when 30,174 attended. This was a forced move due to the Sydney Olympics, but I thought it would be the start of a regular occurance. We need to find ways to enable these young kids to attend this game. That must be the priority and whether that means getting in early next year to the junior football clubs and schools with special Grand Final passes, then we should seriously look into it. The State of Origin football games back in the early 80's I remember as being very focussed on schools. The entire mid-section of the 3 tier stand was allocated to school kids and their teachers. The city end of Subiaco Oval is an area of some 10,000 seats that must be utilised for something similar.

Country football clubs do have connections with the WAFL due to the fact they see the WAFL every week on TV. This connection allows them to watch their own country players plying their trade in the city every week. Having the WAFL Grand Final after their finals have finished gives them the chance to come to Perth and make a weekend of it. Having the game on a a Saturday also allows them to get here and perhaps stay in town the night, having Sunday free to travel home for work on the Monday.

I just see many more things we can do to build up the attendance at the Grand Finals. Promotion is the key, but we also must think through the obstacles. These days are different to the old days. There is too much opposition in all of our everyday lives and that has an adverse effect for sure. Which is why we must try to think outside the standard lines.

I know this is a Q & A section, and this question is a bit long.... But in short form, all I am asking is are the WAFL now considering a change along the lines of what has been working well for the South Australians in terms of when their Grand Final is played ? Thanks and I hope for a response.

[Pashtet]

To be honest as well Gas and not trying to be too hard on those 3 little girls(they did there best) but how amateurish was the singing of the National Anthem?

The pre-game entertainment reflects the crowd numbers on the day...pretty poor.

They have to come up with better than whats dished up in terms of GF entertainment.

[feroiodpiop]

Everything associated with the Grand Final should be a "Keep it simple" plan of attack.

Perth has some terrific singers and what better way to promote our own than having one of our prominent pub & club bands playing at the Grand Final. I would have one band playing sets outside the ground in the build up to the big one. It creates an atmosphere outside the ground too & builds the excitement. And invite someone with a prominent powerful voice to sing the anthem. That should never be compromised.

Having the kids involved is important, but there should be more. We need things like Skydivers and even arranging the RAAF to do some flyovers with some fighter jets. The AFL did that a few years ago and I remember being at the MCG thinking how awesome that was. It just gets the adrenalin rushing and gives everyone a feel that the game coming up is no ordinery match. It should have a different feel about it. This is why the Colts boys should be part of the big day. They should want to aspire to the league before they dream of getting to the AFL. The WAFL could put these boys up in one of the many social rooms at Subiaco Oval and give them a good feed and some more formal presentations afterwards. Keep them at the ground to watch the main game a few hours later.

We have big screens at Subiaco and these screens should be utilised between quarters on the day showing highlights of past WAFL Grand Finals. Starting from the reserves game breaks and onwards. People love to reminise and at least know that what they are about to watch will be looked upon in history years down the track as well.

I know I harp on this subject alot, but the event itself is a marketers dream. If people who arrange a Lilac Hill cricket event for a percentage of old hacks on a stinking hot day can attract a packed house, then I am absolutely confident the WAFL Grand Final can be the same. Yes having teams with a larger supporter base does help. Swans supporters were very effective in last years match. But we must dismiss this attitude of planting the game on a given day and being done with it. It is about so much more..... It can be a success if the directive is towards getting the right date. Before anything else can work, the timing is crucial.

The only question Im asking is will the WAFL consider the sanfl vision. Thats first and foremost before everthing else.

[Sotmoigma]

yep i agree, the saturday after the afl grand final should be the day.

[bloriMal]

Everything associated with the Grand Final should be a "Keep it simple" plan of attack.

Perth has some terrific singers and what better way to promote our own than having one of our prominent pub & club bands playing at the Grand Final. I would have one band playing sets outside the ground in the build up to the big one. It creates an atmosphere outside the ground too & builds the excitement. And invite someone with a prominent powerful voice to sing the anthem. That should never be compromised.

Having the kids involved is important, but there should be more. We need things like Skydivers and even arranging the RAAF to do some flyovers with some fighter jets. The AFL did that a few years ago and I remember being at the MCG thinking how awesome that was. It just gets the adrenalin rushing and gives everyone a feel that the game coming up is no ordinery match. It should have a different feel about it. This is why the Colts boys should be part of the big day. They should want to aspire to the league before they dream of getting to the AFL. The WAFL could put these boys up in one of the many social rooms at Subiaco Oval and give them a good feed and some more formal presentations afterwards. Keep them at the ground to watch the main game a few hours later.

We have big screens at Subiaco and these screens should be utilised between quarters on the day showing highlights of past WAFL Grand Finals. Starting from the reserves game breaks and onwards. People love to reminise and at least know that what they are about to watch will be looked upon in history years down the track as well.

I know I harp on this subject alot, but the event itself is a marketers dream. If people who arrange a Lilac Hill cricket event for a percentage of old hacks on a stinking hot day can attract a packed house, then I am absolutely confident the WAFL Grand Final can be the same. Yes having teams with a larger supporter base does help. Swans supporters were very effective in last years match. But we must dismiss this attitude of planting the game on a given day and being done with it. It is about so much more..... It can be a success if the directive is towards getting the right date. Before anything else can work, the timing is crucial.

The only question Im asking is will the WAFL consider the sanfl vision. Thats first and foremost before everthing else.

Exaclty Gasman, couldn't agree more. Unfortunately the WAFL grand final always seems to be seen by some as an opportunity for some young kids to get some experience in front of a big audience. It doesn't sit well with me seeing 3 kids singing the national anthem, probably the brain child of some school principal. In fact i don't like anyone signing it at all, just play the bloody tune like it's done at major sporting events like the Olympics or when a driver or rider wins a grand prix. Singers usually make compromises because they can't hit the notes.

[Vapepreab]

I don't like the way in wafl and afl that the anthem is sung before every final now. I'm pretty sure it used to be only before the grand final and it gave the big day its own special moment and got the crowd and players more pumped.. by the time grand final days come around now we've listened to about 15 anthems over 3 weeks and it loses its touch