Brisbane Lions midfielder Josh Dunkley has weighed in on the debate surrounding the disadvantages non-Victorian clubs have in the AFL.
Referencing Grand Final week, Dunkley has offered a solution that would help even out the playing field for clubs like Brisbane making their way down to Melbourne for Grand Final day.
As it stands, teams from outside of Victoria would make their way down to Melbourne on Thursday, they would then have a captains run on the MCG on Friday morning before heading the parade in the afternoon.
That would mean they would get just one look at the MCG prior to Saturday afternoon which is a genuine disadvantage as non-Victorian teams are lucky to get two or more looks at the G’ during the home and away season.
“I’ve always thought of the idea that if an interstate club was playing in the Grand Final for them to potentially going down to Melbourne straight away and do a normal week down in Melbourne so you can train on the MCG for your main sessions,” Dunkley told SEN’s Crunch Time.
“You obviously take your family down so with guys with kids and all that sort of stuff can have them involved.
“But I feel like getting used to the surface because if you’re not getting used to the surface because if you’re not playing on it a lot throughout the year and you’re playing in the biggest game of the year on Saturday it’s a big moment and you want to be ready to go and well prepared for what’s coming.
“Especially if you are playing against Melbourne teams that are playing there all the time, that’s for sure.”
Having played for the Western Bulldogs in his first seven season which included a premiership in 2016, Dunkley has provided an insight into the differences Victorian and non-Victorian teams face when it comes to travel.
“The in-season travel element that I’ve noticed is incredible,” Dunkley added.
“You get used to flying pretty quickly because you’re flying every second week, this week is actually one our only weeks where we’re playing two games in a row at the Gabba.
“When you’re a Victorian club throughout the season you definitely underestimate the amount of work that interstate clubs have to do, I completely agree with that.
“There are little things and whether that’s a competitive advantage or not and whether you embrace travel as a I feel like our group has really embraced the travel this year and we love getting away together and little things like that whereas in Melbourne when you’ve got to travel it’s a bit more of a dampener because you’ve got to go somewhere and play because you’re used to playing in Melbourne all the time.”
Should the Lions make the finals this year, Chris Fagan’s side would have only played on the MCG twice during the home and away season just as they had in 2023.