A motto of any team, any time, any where was put to the test last week when Fremantle seemed to take offence to being scheduled at Geelong's home ground.

Fremantle’s senior coach, president and CEO believe a significant final between the second and third top teams in the competition should be played at one of Melbourne’s venues.

According to senior coach, Ross Lyon, the Dockers’ fans will miss out on seeing their team play in what is one of the most important games of the year. He says not only is the capacity of the stadium low, he feels the facilities are not adequate for finals’ footy.

“The club representation was we think our members and fans (we haven’t experienced that many top four double chances) should have the best opportunity to get along and watch that game,” Lyon said told www.fremantlefc.com.au

“We know early in the year we had members and fans that couldn’t get a seat or a ticket down there (Geelong) because what does it sit 30 thousand fans? How many members to they have, 40 thousand? So I wouldn’t think they’ll be too many (tickets) floating around for the Dockers.”

“But outside of that we are a anywhere anytime team and we’ll go and play. But I suppose at the start of the year you thought if you finished third you wouldn’t be playing in a regional centre, you’d be playing in a metropolis at world class venues but it’s out of my control.”

Lyon’s could not understand why a venue like Etihad, that sits over 50 thousand and is in the heart of Melbourne, would be left to sit empty during the first weekend of finals.

“I’ve lived in Melbourne a long time, there are two world class stadiums there and clearly Etihad is an elite stadium for players, spectators, fans and the networks and the broadcasters,” Lyon’s explained.

“Simonds is behind that, it has been upgraded but it doesn’t sit in that league clearly.”

Before the qualifying final at Simonds Stadium was confirmed late Saturday night Lyon saw it as a last resort that was unlikely to occur. However, he said he’d ‘deal with it’ if the proposition did eventuate.

“It would be third cab off the rank, I think we’d only get to Simonds as a default on the others not being available, so from my end it’s not something I’ve given a lot of thought to,” Lyon said.

“The club has released a statement and Steve Harris our president and Steve Rosich our executive are in continuous dialogue and they’ve released a statement and I think there were a lot of pertinent points there. I’m fully supportive of their view and their position but my role as senior coach is to prepare the team.

“And I’ll deal with it if it occurs, we’ll play anywhere were given.”

Fremantle’s CEO Steve Rosich also felt the AFL would decide against Simonds Stadium being a finals’ destination this Saturday and he hoped it was just a thought with no action.

“It’s our view that it’s clearly the third rank out of those three stadiums,” Rosich told Sports Today 6PR.

“I think many people would have to agree given the location of the stadium, the capacity of the stadium and the quality of the facilities available at both the MCG and Etihad, which will be available for such a fixture.

“I’ve got no doubt that less people would travel if the fixture was at Simonds.

“Lets hope it’s just a consideration, with all our conversations with them (AFL) we believe from all perspectives fans, players, coaches and the TV broadcasts alike that the fixture is suitable and worthy of the MCG and I trust that will be the case.”

As far as Fremantle’s President Steve Harris was concerned the AFL’s decision to move a final from Melbourne down to a regional stadium was ‘crazy’.

“We just can’t see why you’d want to take the game down to Geelong when it hasn’t been done for 115 years,” Harris told Sports Today 6PR.

“It’s a good quality stadium and they’ve refurbished it but it’s not of the quality of the MCG and it’s not of the quality of Etihad.

“The last final we had against Geelong at the MCG last year I thought we had five or six thousand at least in the crowd.”

“The big concern for me is that finals’ football is meant to be the best football going around and you could be looking at a situation where 10, 12, 13 thousand people or more can’t get into the game and can’t even get a ticket, even if they’re in Melbourne because we’re playing at a ground with a significantly lower capacity.

Although, according to the AFL figures less than one thousand Fremantle fans attended last year’s final between Geelong and the Dockers at the MCG along with 5,800 Cat fans. Therefore a stadium that fits 33,500 will be enough to seat Fremantle’s members and fans.

However, another concern of Harris’ was Victorian weather.

“What happens if it rains? Etihad is sitting there with a roof, it is Melbourne we’re talking about.”

“We genuinely live by the motto any team, any time, any where, we’re not concerned about the on field aspects it just seems crazy for our supporters and our members and that’s the most bizarre thing about it.”