Venues slammed

By Mark Gullick and Gavin Staindl
CRANBOURNE coach Doug Koop has slammed the league administration for handing Berwick and Pakenham an advantage ahead of this week’s semi-finals.
Despite finishing higher on the ladder, Narre Warren will travel to Toomuc Reserve on Sunday to play Pakenham while minor premiers Cranbourne will play Berwick at the Wickers home ground on Saturday.
After making a complaint to the league this week, Koop said the Mornington Peninsula Netball Football League should swap the venues in the best interest of all four clubs.
“If the league had any balls, they’d make the decision and swap the games,” Koop said.
“The league, in its best wisdom, has decided to give Berwick and Pakenham home ground advantages (for the second successive week).
“I don’t see why they can’t just swap the games so we’ll go and play Berwick at Pakenham on Sunday, and move Narre and Pakenham to Berwick on Saturday.
“What does it matter? There’s no inconvenience to anyone.
“Why are we the only competition that doesn’t have impartial grounds for finals?
“For all I know, Berwick and Pakenham are probably training on their home ground as well… let’s just hand them a nice, comfortable run in the finals.
“It doesn’t make common sense.”
Koop said the MPNFL was forced to deal with similar conflicts in other divisions.
“(Hastings’ coach) Glenn Michie is a good friend of mine, and they had to play their qualifying final on a Sunday because Rye had a home ground advantage, so it was played on a Saturday (at Somerville instead of Rye),” Koop said.
“They do it in every other competition, why not do it with us?
“When it’s all said and done, we’re the poor cousin of the league, despite the fact that we provide half of the interleague side, they still treat us shabbily, I think. The league puff their chests out and say they’re going to do this and do that, but they don’t really do anything at all.”
Koop said the easiest solution was to swap the games or to host it at a neutral venue, but after contacting MPNFL general manager Ian Benson, the Cranbourne coach isn’t holding his breath.
“We’ve spoken to (Ian) Benson and he said, ‘put something in writing and we’ll consider it next year,’” Koop said.
“We’re in the 21st century for Christ’s sake, can’t they make a decision this week?”
“Every other competition in the league don’t give home ground advantages except in (our division).
“We’ll go and play in Doveton if we have to.”
Benson said clubs have been aware of the finals venues for several weeks.
“We allocated all of the actual finals for each ground as well, from the elimination final right through to the grand final – they were all allocated at the same time,” Benson said.
“If you do a survey around country Victoria, you’ll find that finals are played on a regular ground.
“It’s not uncommon for leagues to use the best ground in the competition, even if they are the home base of the competing club or not.”
Cora Lynn played the last three EDFL grand finals on its home turf.