Richmond host Sydney in an AFL finals dress rehearsal on Thursday night, but neither club is thrilled with the choice of venue.

The top-two showdown, which pits the reigning premiers against the team widely expected to be their biggest challengers in September, is at Etihad Stadium rather than the MCG.

League rules dictate that even non-tenant clubs, like the Tigers, play at least one home game at the Docklands ground.

The public reaction of Swans coach John Longmire, whose side have played once at the MCG this year, was akin to that normally reserved for losing a star through injury.

“You don’t have any say in it. We take what we can get, as far as MCG games,” Longmire told reporters in Sydney.

Longmire expanded on his feelings, when pressed about interstate clubs’ desire to play more games at the home of football.

“There’s been talk about consideration in regards to that, and I think that needs to be discussed,” he said.

“I leave that to the presidents to sort out.

“If the grand final is played here, at Adelaide Oval or in Perth, I think that Melbourne people might have a bit of a different perspective on that. It just depends what lense you look through, doesn’t it. After all, it’s a home ground.”

The debate is nothing new; remarkably the Swans played a single game at the MCG in 2012 apart from the grand final.

But it has intensified behind closed doors following the deal signed in April, which confirmed the MCG will continue hosting the grand final until at least 2057.

“It’s a fairly significant commitment to be able to play all the grand finals – and the majority of the bigger finals – at the MCG for such a long period of time,” Longmire said.

“Clubs who don’t have that as a home ground, just have to deal with it.”

The Tigers haven’t hosted the Swans at Etihad since 2006.

In sharp contrast, they’re shooting for a venue-record 17 consecutive wins at the MCG.

“It is what it is. We can’t change it, we accept it. We have to play anywhere, anytime,” Hardwick told reporters in Melbourne.