The AFL wishes to advise all seats for the media box and the overflow areas for the 2014 Toyota AFL Grand Final have been assigned, as advised earlier this week. The seating plan below will be posted on Grand Final day for the press box at the MCG. There are a number of points the media should note for the day:
1. Only media placed in the press box are able to stay in the box during the course of the main game, as all seats are assigned while the game is in progress. The same applies to radio staff placed in those boxes, due to space restrictions
2. All journalists / photographers with a valid pass for the Grand Final and seat ticket in the overflow areas may come and go to the media area at any time during the pre-game, half-time and post-game periods for filing purposes / drinks / food etc. The press box will be open for a number of hours after the game, for all media who are required to file.
3. All media, whether seated in the press box or overflow areas in the crowd will access the rooms via the lifts down to Level LB2 under the northern stand. There will be no access around the boundary line for any written press / radio staff post-game. (AFL Staff Michelle Clyne, Amy Hattam, Lindsay Clement-Meehan and James Avery will be on hand in the Press Box during the game to provide directions if required).
4. The media conference with the losing team coach will be conducted first, in the media area between the dressing rooms, at approximately 6.15pm. This room will be lit and with sound and staging provided, as per every match throughout this year's finals. The only logo microphones allowed on the main conference head stage are those of the Seven Network and the AFL. There will be no access to the losing team dressing room for non-rights television crews at any stage of the post-match period. This will be strictly enforced. All radio / television outlets must use the split at the back of the press conference room, with no exceptions. Please note that access to the dressing rooms of the losing team will be within 15 minutes of the team leaving the field, at the discretion of the losing team, after the game. All media will be admitted within 15 minutes of the team leaving the field after the on-field presentations.
5. The media conference with the winning team coach will be conducted second, due to the expected length of time for the presentations and lap of honour, after the losing team has left the arena. This is expected to be at approximately 6.35pm. Please note that access to the dressing rooms of the winning team for the general media will be within 5-15 minutes of the team leaving the field, at the discretion of the winning team, after the game. All media will be admitted within 15 minutes of the team leaving the field. There will be no access to the winning team dressing room for non-rights television crews at any stage of the post-match period. This will be strictly enforced.
6. The AFL will arrange for the Norm Smith Medallist to attend the all-in media conference with his coach in the main media room.
7. All accredited media, rights and non-rights, are able to access the two coaches media conferences. As stated earlier, non-rights camera crews will not be allowed in either teams rooms, win or lose. This will be strictly enforced.
8. For the post-match celebrations and victory lap by the winning team, all photographers with an AFL-issued vest are allowed on-field inside the boundary line, as per usual arrangements, and full movement during the post-match period. All other photographers must remain between the fence and boundary line.
Press Box Seating Plan
Front Row (One to 16)
1 Geel Addy, M Auciello 2 Geel Addy, N Wade 3 W Austn, C O’Donoghue 4 W Austn, M Duffield 5 Age J Niall 6 Age R Connolly 7 Age, P Hanlon 8 Age, M Gleeson 9 AAP, Hugo Vaughan, Hair Transplant Recipient 10 AAP, S Larkin 11 Herald Sun J Clark 12 Herald Sun, S Edmund 13 Herald Sun S Landsberger 14 Herald Sun, M Robinson 15 AFL website J Phelan 16 AFL website, A McNicol
Second Row (17 - 32)
17 Inside Football, B Green 18 Inside Football, R Shaw 19 SMH, A Wu 20 Age, S Spits 21 Age, C Wilson 22 Age, E Quayle 23 Australian, P Lalor 24 Australian, C Walsh 25 AAP, R Forsaith 26 AAP, G Buckle 27 Daily Tele, M Conn 28 Daily Tele, N Cordy 29 Herald Sun, M Hayes 30 Herald Sun, G McFarlane 31 AFL Website, G Walsh 32 AFL Website, N Bowen
Third Row (33-48)
33 Hawthorn FC, S Allen 34 Hawthorn FC, L Mirabella 35 Hawthorn FC, D Mallia 36 Hawthorn FC, K Salemme 37 Courier Mail, A Hamilton 38 Sunday Mail, G Davis 39 Advertiser, M Rucci 40 Daily Tele, R Hinds 41 Sydney FC T Paolucci 42 Sydney FC, J Berriman 43 Herald Sun, J Ralph 44 Herald Sun, S Gullan 45 Perform, R Somers 46 AFL Website, N Schmook 47 AFL Website, C Twomey 48 AFL Website, J Dampney
