Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk pokes fun at WA saying ‘it’s only fair’ they host an AFL Grand Final

The Queensland Premier has posted the front page of today’s The West Australian on Facebook as she stepped-up her campaign to host the AFL grand final in the rugby league State.

Annastacia Palaszczuk this morning shared with her 150,000 followers the front page, which said: “SURE, LET’S GIVE THE GRAND FINAL TO NRL STATE”.

It came after Ms Palaszczuk said she had told AFL boss Gillon McLachlan that if the season were to be largely hosted in the Sunshine State then the “grand final should be played here, too”.

On Thursday she tweeted: “Western Australia appears upset with the idea of the AFL Grand Final being played in a so-called NRL state...

“But if they can host a State of Origin, I think it’s only fair we host an AFL Grand Final!

“It’s because of Queensland’s strong health response and the strict COVID-safe plans in place that we can host the AFL and continue our plan for economic recovery. #AFL#queensland.”

WA Premier Mark McGowan, her Labor Party colleague, was tagged into the post.

She also light-heartedly addressed the issue in Parliament during Ministerial statements.

Optus Stadium last year hosted a rugby league State of Origin clash, in which 59,721 watched NSW thrash Ms Palaszczuk’s Queensland.

Her light-hearted Facebook jibe quickly backfired, with even Queenslanders quick to tell their premier that the AFL premiership decider should be played in Perth.

SIGN OUR PETITION TO BRING THE AFL GRAND FINAL TO WA

“Bias aside it should be in Perth, WA has the best COVID response in the country and Optus Stadium is far better equipped for the Grand final then the Gabba,” one said, another added: “Actually Optus in WA is a better stadium than the Gabba. It holds more people. It is newer. It would be embarrassing if the AFL Grand Final was held in a stadium which was not full.”

Brisbane’s 42,000-capacity Gabba is now favourite with the bookies to host footy’s showpiece after the AFL announced the 10 Victorian teams would be based in Queensland for the rest of the home-and-away season.

That’s despite the average AFL attendance at the ageing cricket ground last year being almost half that of Perth’s Optus Stadium — 24,700 compared with 47,000 — and having just a third of corporate hospitality facilities.

AFL fixtures boss Travis Auld last night revealed the league is looking to schedule the 2020 Grand Final for October 17, the day of the Caulfield Cup.

Momentum for moving the AFL grand final to Perth is building with The West Australian’s petition calling for the marquee fixture to be played at Optus Stadium this year passing 9000 signatures.

WA Sports Minister Mick Murray yesterday said the Gabba “wasn’t up to scratch” and the AFL owed Perth a favour given the code contributed no money to the construction of Optus Stadium.