Round one AFL at the MCG on Wednesday 16th March should be a sellout as footy comes back to Melbourne. The match will be live on Channel 7.

The AFL season 2022 opens with a blockbuster – a Wednesday night Grand Final Replay between the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne Demons.

Last September Melbourne approached the AFL with their request for the replay to give their Victorian-based supporters a chance to share in the Grand Final spectacle in a way that wouldn’t get them sent to jail.

Melbourne exec Gary Pert said: “Demons supporters feel like they missed out on the [Grand Final] experience.”

This is a chance for both clubs to say thanks for “your amazing support for the whole year when you couldn’t get to games was incredible… and this is the closest we can do.”

Supporters of both clubs can secure amazing Medallion club Melbourne v Western Bulldogs tickets to the Round 1 match. For those fans keen for an exclusive experience, MCG corporate box tickets are selling fast.

Melbourne broke their 57-year premiership drought to beat the Bulldogs in the 2021 Grand Final held in Perth, 21.14 (140) to 10.6 (66).

The two other times the Dogs and Demons met in 2021 were round 11, Bulldogs 8.11 (59) going down to Melbourne 13.9 (87), and round 18 with Melbourne losing 9.11 (65) to the Western Bulldogs 13.7 (85).

The Demons and Dogs had only played off in two Grand Finals, so this rivalry is not the fiercest. The two clubs still have some interesting links.

Coach Luke Beveridge played 42 games for Melbourne, before moving to the Bulldogs where he played 31 games.

Melbourne’s recruiting boss Jason Taylor, who was instrumental in rebuilding the club, is a good mate of Luke Beveridge. Taylor is currently tought of as the best talent spotter in the game, and recently signed a long-term deal to stay with the Demons.

Tim Lamb, Melbourne’s list manager, also has footy links to the Bulldogs coach. Lamb was assistant coach with St Bedes/Mentone Tigers when Beveridge lead the club to a legendary three premierships in three grades in three years.

Fast forward to the 2016 national draft. Lamb and Taylor at the Demons snapped up Mitch Hannan, who had been recruited into the Dogs VFL team, with a plan to draft him.

“It pissed me off;” said Beveridge of the coup by the Demons.

Beveridge got the last laugh over his old mates as Mitch Hannan is now at the Bulldogs. Shame about the Grand Final.

Round 1, 2022

Western Bulldogs v Melbourne
Wednesday, March 16
MCG, 7.10pm AEDT

Of course the two great clubs get to meet a second time later in the year at Marvel Stadium so make sure to get the best Western Bulldogs v Melbourne tickets in the house.