Toyota AFL Grand Final, St Kilda v Geelong at the MCG, 2.30pm. Geelong and St Kilda will meet in a grand final for the first time in AFL/VFL history this Saturday at the MCG.
It has been a 43-year wait since St Kilda captured its sole flag, though it heads for the final stage with the knowledge of a win over Geelong in round 14 – the only time the sides met in the 2009 home-and-away rounds.
Venues right across Sydney will be hosting their own Grand Final day, where you can kick back, relax and watch the final battle for the premiership play out.
The Alexandria Hotel in the Sydney's inner west is famous for its love of footy. Run by a former Sydney Swans player Darren ‘Harry’ McAsey, the pub has plenty of Swans memorabilia decorating the walls and is a known favourite for AFL supporters since McAsey took over the hotel license six years ago.
“Grand final day is always terrific here at the Alexandria, it is always one of the biggest days of the year for us, no matter who is playing,” said Harry McAsey.
“This year we will have up to 14 big screens on the go both inside and outside, along with a great menu and we always encourage people to come down to the Alexandria and make a real day it.”
The Windsor Castle in Paddington in Sydney’s Eastern suburbs is also a well known AFL stomping ground and is guaranteed to serve up all things AFL on the last Saturday of September. Known as the ‘Bat cave’, the pub plays a role as Club house for the UTS BATS (University of Technology Football Club) who make their way up the hill from Trumper Oval to regularly convene at the local watering hotel.
Club Swans in Kings Cross will also be dedicating all four levels of the building to this year’s Grand Final along with also advertising their special Grand Final menu. The broadcast at Club Swans will kick off at 10:30am.
Heading across town, The Courthouse Hotel in Newtown will be screening the big day right throughout the pub and beer garden, as well as hosting a sausage sizzle along with their normal lunchtime pub fare.
The Forest Lodge in Arundel Street Glebe is also getting ready for Grand Final Day and is known to screen almost every televised Aussie Rules match of the season and is frequented by Aussie Rules players from nearby local clubs and also sponsors the Sydney University Men's and Women's AFL Clubs.
The Mean Fiddler in Rouse Hill will broadcast the Grand Final across the hotel’s big screens. The Mean Fiddler is long renowned as one of Sydney’s premier venues boasting a grand old pub environment, hotel quality food and drinks and is well known for its family friendly atmosphere.
Rooty Hill RSL, “The Home of Sport” in Western Sydney is gearing up for the big day in TSB, The Sports Bar, where the telecast will be running all day, as well showing the main game on the big screen in the Fred Chubb lounge. So wear your team colours and head out west to enjoy all the atmosphere.
Or head to the newly open Sports Bar at The Castle Hill RSL which boasts over 21 plasma screens so that sports fans can watch all the action from all the angles.
Thinking about staying at home and hosting about a barbeque with your mates? Channel Ten will be broadcasting right throughout the day including all the pre match entertainment from 8:00am, with season highlights, traditional pre match entertainments and the first bounce at 2:30pm EST.
Alexandria Hotel - 35 Cnr Henderson Rd and Garden Street Alexandria
The Windsor Castle - 72 Windsor Street Paddington
The Forest Lodge- 117 Arundel St, Forest Lodge
The Court House Hotel - Australia Street, Newtown
The Mean Fiddler- Cnr Commercial and Windsor Road, Rouse Hill
Castle Hill RSL- 77 Castle Street, Castle Hill
Rooty Hill RSL- 55 Sherbrooke St Rooty Hill NSW
Balmain Dockers Football Club – Drummoyne Sports Club 2 Hythe St Drummoyne
