Season 12: The Finals Countdown | SYD v MVC | 6.55pm SS2

Someone needs to buy those Perth fans alot of alcohol.

1000 times this point. It is going to ruin the game, not enhance it. Get rid of it. What's next? Two referees as in Rugby League? FFS.

Am I right in thinking that every VAR decision made in the HAL so far has resulted in a Sydney goal?

Yep, 3 times the VAR has over ruled the ref for 3 Sydney goals.

#metrics

with the VAR did the right decisions happen finally?

Looked to me in that game that they did. 

First one could have gone either way IMO but I don't know how refs are told to interpret that law these days. Defender might have made it close enough for a desperate lunge which might have made the attacker shoot worse even if he didn't reach the ball, but I know the rule about interfering with play in an offside position is pretty narrowly interpreted. Second one was legit. The one vs us was wrong. So of the 3 calls so far, I call it 1.5 correct. They may as well flip a coin at this rate.

2nd VAR was an obvious error that was over ruled, so that is fine. 

1st VAR depends which decision they review imo, Green ruled a goal but then over ruled his call after talking to the assistant. The VAR looked at the first call, saying it wasn't an obvious error and ruled it a goal. If the VAR looks as the second call, he probably rules it wasn't an obvious error and the no goal call stands. 

ARTICLE: Ill North ruled out of semi final (via FourFourTwo) https://t.co/Ln7wkwtfXJ #GoRoar #aleague

— Ultimate A-League (@ultimatealeague) April 30, 2017

I thought the offside player interfered with play. Distracted keeper and prevented defender from attempting a covering tackle...

Tough one. An interpretation call.

Why was the ref doing the TV signal? Weren't we all told that it would happen automatically? Weird.

Predictions? MV 3-1 BR

1-1 then MV on penalties

Head says Roar, heart says Victory. A Big Blue Grand Final makes for a good narrative and some rather salty fans whatever the result for us neutrals to enjoy.

Head has won over, Roar 2-1

Roar look out on their feet, not sure they can get back into this after Berisha opened the scoring. 1-0

Roar 90 min under the pump, deserved win for Victory.

Biiiiiiiiig Bluuuuuue!

Efforts to move the @NSWWaratahs game from @AllianzStadium for the @ALeague GF have collapsed. @SmithiesTele https://t.co/PtkpUnHm4R pic.twitter.com/2eqrgYOQLu

— telegraph_sport (@telegraph_sport) May 2, 2017

Shambles. 

If the pitch goes to shark after the rugby, and leaves it a mess for Sunday does that not destroy any last ounce of credibility the FFA has? 

Waratahs worried that North Sydney Oval holds only 15k? Fudge me sideways - didn't they only get 10k the other week? Add to that the flak the Aussie rugby is taking at the moment and the fact that they're battling large drop in crowd attendance. 

Maybe it's just the ARU playing hardball because they've got a team on the chopping block...

I wonder if the FFA have ever brought up the #metrics conversation with their cross code rivals? 

I honestly have no issue with the rugby refusing to budge. Imagine if the Hurricanes asked the Nix to move one of their games across town because their game was the day before a rugby final! We'd all be up in arms and bemused about the whole thing!

To be fair, the Waratahs should be worried about a 15k stadium. Their average attendance this season is 14,164, last year it was 20,323. Last game they only got 10,555 (their worst ever), however I am willing to cut them some slack as it was the Kings. Sure the Kings actually beat them in the end, but how hard is it to get excited about a team that you've only played once before (four years ago in the middle of the night and beat them by 62 points), and you know will not exist when you are next scheduled to play them in 2 years time. Throw in that that team has no history in the competition and only 3 international players (2 of them Namibian and the other played the last of his 3 tests in 2007). 

Australian crowds are traditionally lower against SA teams than NZ teams. I'd be shocked if they got less than 15k this week for the Blues game. Sure Aus rugby is in a bad way, but if at your lowest point ever you still get 10k through the gate for the lowest profile team in history, then you can't be pushed around by a club, who in the best season in the history of the A league, only averaged 16,001 (actually remove the derby and the Waratahs attendances are better than SFC).

  

I get what you are saying but it is not quite the same is it? If Rugby required a pristine surface and football not then that would be a better comparison. Don't see why they just can't switch days. 

Rather a large oversight to not approach them until 5 days ago.

I thought having an inappropriate venue was just an A League grand final tradition

The FFA have bookings at all the teams stadia for the first Sunday in May for the Grand Final. Moving the Rugby was mooted in response to seeing the state of the turf for the semi final. The Stadium keeps saying that the turf will be fine but it never recovers as they say it will.

David Squires on ... the A-League grand final between Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory https://t.co/IJEUdEdsgo

— Guardian Aus Sport (@GdnAusSport) May 3, 2017

Best bit!

As a tragic Blues supporter, I'll be quietly cheering on every re-set scrum, stuck maul and general turf ripper that takes place.

Sure beats trying to cheer on my team.

So the A-League final isn't live on Sky Sport?

It wasn't on my electronic program guide when I looked yesterday.

All I could find was a replay scheduled on Monday night.

Nope you're right, it's not on Sky live. All channels have live sport and pop ups have other stuff on. 

Suddenly thought had wrong day, nope still not on Sky on sunday.

Can't say I expect much more from Sky. Piss poor.

They shown every other game, so I'm sure they will show the final.

To be fair to Sky, it's hard to find a gap in your schedule for a live grand final when you've also got content like a replay of surfing or two channels showing European golf highlights

They have replaced the European golf highlights with the A-League finals now. It will be on Sky Sport 2 at 6.55pm

I am surprised there isnt 4 sports channels full of replays of the various rugby games from the rugby channel.

The game is being shown on SS2: https://www.sky.co.nz/tvguide

all those people who were planning on watching the 10th golf highlights of the day will be gutted. 

Needs more rugby!

I'm sure surfing is fun to do but every time I turn it on it's either a layday or the commentators are talking and an empty shot of the ocean is all that is onscreen.

I reckon Sydney 1-0, with Grant picking up the Joe Marston Medal.