Surburban grounds or stadiums? Debate over AFLW venues

However, the Kangaroos captain is still excited about Sunday's decider against the Brisbane Lions being at the 13,000-capacity Ikon Park.

Tickets for the first AFLW grand final to be played in Victoria since 2018 sold out less than three hours after going on sale to the general public on Monday.

After tickets were quickly snapped up, calls came for the AFLW showpiece to be moved to Marvel Stadium.

But the AFL-owned Docklands venue recently held big concerts and a World Supercross championship event, meaning the surface is currently unsafe to host football.

After six seasons played in the heat of summer, the AFLW last year shifted to a September-December window so games were not regularly taking place in oppressive conditions.

But an intended consequence of that move has meant stadiums like the MCG, Optus Stadium, Adelaide Oval and the Gabba are unavailable for AFLW games.

"I like playing at these community grounds. It's great to have a packed sellout crowd (at Ikon)," Kearney said on Saturday.

"In the future it would be great to have it at bigger stadiums.

"We're going to have to move the months, though, because cricket takes over at the moment.

"We can't have the Gabba, the MCG or those grounds available but I prefer a packed stadium like Ikon compared to a half-full Marvel."

The Lions hosted last year's grand final against Melbourne at the club's new Brighton Homes Arena headquarters, a capacity of about 8000.

Brisbane have previously played AFLW games at the Gabba and Heritage Bank Stadium on the Gold Coast.

Lions captain Bre Koenen said she loved the opportunity for clubs to host a grand final rather than a venue be locked in every year.

"I think it's pretty unique to our competition, having that home advantage, home state advantage," she said.

"It's an interesting one ... I'm just grateful to be here.

"So wherever we play, just pretty happy to be in this game.

Australian Associated Press