The AFL’s decision to remove the Grand Final replay and replace it with two five minute periods of extra-time, may be six years too late for decorated St Kilda star Leigh Montagna, but he believes it is logical given the national status of the competition and the location of the big dance.
Grand Final replays have only occurred on three occasions in the game’s history, with the most recent played in 2010 when the Saints finished with all the momentum to force a draw against Collingwood, before the Magpies marched away with the premiership seven days later.
Reflecting on the hollow emptiness felt after the draw that resonated around the MCG, Montagna pictured the palpable atmosphere that will be present the next time the siren rings on Grand Final day and the scores are level at the end of regular time.
“I think it was inevitable. I think it’s common sense. I really like the rule. I think now with a national competition it’s fairer for the players and I think it’s more convenient for everyone,” Montagna said on AFL Tonight.
“You look at last year’s Grand Final, if West Coast and Hawthorn had have drawn, how big a disadvantage would it have been to go home and probably fly back to Melbourne three days later? It’s national competition it should be played there and then.
“As a player, just the feeling of that hollowness and a bizarre feeling of not knowing what to do after a draw. I think now, can you imagine Grand Final day, scores are level and the siren goes, the atmosphere around the stadium waiting for extra-time would be amazing.
“I think the difference at the ground between everyone knowing we’ve got to come back next week to extra-time would be huge.”
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In the event that scores are level once again at the completion of the additional time, the next score will decide the premiership, with the AFL still yet to decide whether the players or crowd will be notified of the game moving into ‘golden point’ territory.
Montagna conceded the golden point, rather than golden goal ruling is a contentious one, but supported the decision given the reality the game might not end for some time if it was reliant upon another goal.
“I think five minutes each way is the right way to go, obviously the contentious issue may be the golden point at the end, but I think that’s the right way to decide,” Montagna said.
“Teams will know if it’s five minutes into that second-half that they need to just get a score on the board because the sirens going to go anyway. I think it’s a great rule.
“I think the only issue with a golden goal is it could actually take another ten (minutes).
“Could you imagine an extra time in a Grand Final, it could actually take another ten minutes for a goal to be scored. I think the point is the right way to go, it will be open for a lot of people’s opinions but from my point of view I think it sounds pretty good.”
