Maher questions “extremely disappointing” GWS finals turnout

The GWS Giants were not able to hold on in their home Semi Final clash with Brisbane, but perhaps more disappointing than the result was the lack of attendance at Engie Stadium.

On what was described as a perfect night in Western Sydney, only 18,357 fans showed up to catch the game, failing to sell out the stadiums 23,500 capacity and leaving several visibly empty seats despite the massive stakes of the elimination contest.

With 36,629 official memberships at the Giants in 2024, it sparks concern over the relatively poor turnout, as SEN’s Andy Maher expressed on The Run Home.

“Extraordinarily disappointing,” he stated.

“18,000 and a bit turning up to that game, we were up there, it was a privilege to be there, it was a privilege to see two so evenly matched teams fight it out the way they did.

“Brisbane could have chucked the towel in on a couple of occasions, they did not, they fought it right out, the Giants are now going to have some Demons that they’ve got to confront about their own inability to win these games and put them away.

“It was a perfect day. The weather could not have been better, the story was a beauty, it was a final, everything was cherry ripe for that joint to be as occupied as it’s ever been.

“For 18,300 people to turn up, I’m not going to say it’s a disgrace because people can do with their lives whatever they want, but it is a real worry.”

Maher believes that given the immense amount of commitment, both in the form of time, money and competition-based compensation, that the AFL have handed the club, the lack of fanbase within Western Sydney may start to cause real worries within the league’s upper house.

“It is a real worry that from an AFL perspective,” he continued.

“The amount of money that they have invested in that place, in trying to make this team the team of the west, and without winning a flag they have been a towering success.

“For them to only be able to get 18 and a bit (thousand) turn up for that game, on that night, is a real worry.”