Any chance we could make the season opener not the same teams every year?

[Wargreymon90]

P

good question, I don't think I have an answer- coll/ess reckon it's cause they played some close games on Anzac day, but if that was the case the Hawks and Geelong would have a marquee fixture by now, and they dont (do they?)

So a public holiday or signature timing is the critical ingredient + some historic grudge?

Good Friday Eve locked up by someone yet?

personally I would scrap all the permanent fixture games reserved for two sides and have the fixtures determined by the previous year.

For example:
Opener: hosted by the premiers v any side. Ie. it would be west coast v Brisbane this year. Of course the afl could manipulate it to have a bigger vic club.

Anzac Day: grand final replay.

 

[Ron The Bear]

good question, I don't think I have an answer- coll/ess reckon it's cause they played some close games on Anzac day, but if that was the case the Hawks and Geelong would have a marquee fixture by now, and they dont (do they?)

Easter Monday.

The clubs made a joint submission to the AFL to open the season with a big-drawing game between traditional rivals. As far as I know it's reviewed by the AFL every year.

It's not easy to manufacture "blockbusters" - witness the Eureka match and Good Friday.

 

[BanjoRed]

In regards to changing ANZAC Day - why change a winning formula? Essendon v Collingwood is a guaranteed 90k+ crowd for the AFL.

 

[GlocksTickin]

As some have pointed out already, it draws a big crowd and anticipation is huge being the opening game of the season. Last years game was pretty good, and for 3 quarters the Blues made a game of it on Thursday. With two heavyweight sides clashing last night, it made the Friday night spectacle even more juicy imo. Back to the first game, being the first game makes it a big deal anyway, even if the Blues aren't expected to do well. We're getting a blockbuster as a cheapie which means even more '' real '' blockbusters with the better sides playing.

85k or so isn't a bad gig.

 

[TiggerMan22]

P

personally I would scrap all the permanent fixture games reserved for two sides and have the fixtures determined by the previous year.

For example:
Opener: hosted by the premiers v any side. Ie. it would be west coast v Brisbane this year. Of course the afl could manipulate it to have a bigger vic club.

Anzac Day: grand final replay.

You really think the AFL would ever host ANZAC day somewhere other than the G?

 

[Ramify]

There is something just not right about having Richmond start off every year.
Surely the Bombers and Pies are equally as deserving to start the season off with a free hit?

 

[Senor M]

If it doesn’t matter then why are you arguing for it?
A West Coast V Collingwood season opener last night would of easily outrated the Tiges v Blues.
I am talking about the national audience not the Victorian audience.

Explain to me how a Thursday night West Coast V Collingwood game in Perth would've "out rated" Tiges Vs Rich???
728,000 people watched the game Thursday night, so it'd need to be higher than that.

One of the two things would've had to happen to have a Thursday night game in perth

• The game started in the middle of the afternoon in Perth (4:25pm if you use the same time slot as the Tiges V Rich game)
• The game would've started at a 'reasonable' time for the local audience (6pm or later)--- but then put the game into a 'death slot' in regards to Victorian audiences (9pm+)

The game on Thursday night finished just after 10pm in Melbourne--- which is ideal for viewership on the eastern seaboard; any later than that and neutrals would switch off and go to bed before the end of the game.

Either of those two situations would make a joke of the first game of the season--- when will people in Western Australia realise the game doesn't revolve around them and need to accept that the major market is Victoria, thus why there's an apparent 'VicBias'.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Explain to me how a Thursday night West Coast V Collingwood game in Perth would've "out rated" Tiges Vs Rich???
728,000 people watched the game Thursday night, so it'd need to be higher than that.

One of the two things would've had to happen to have a Thursday night game in perth

• The game started in the middle of the afternoon in Perth (4:25pm if you use the same time slot as the Tiges V Rich game)
• The game would've started at a 'reasonable' time for the local audience (6pm or later)--- but then put the game into a 'death slot' in regards to Victorian audiences (9pm+)

The game on Thursday night finished just after 10pm in Melbourne--- which is ideal for viewership on the eastern seaboard; any later than that and neutrals would switch off and go to bed before the end of the game.

Either of those two situations would make a joke of the first game of the season--- when will people in Western Australia realise the game doesn't revolve around them and need to accept that the major market is Victoria, thus why there's an apparent 'VicBias'.

I was thinking more of the lines of a Collingwood home game, my bad I put the teams wrong way around.

 

[Senor M]

I was thinking more of the lines of a Collingwood home game, my bad I put the teams wrong way around.

So maybe I should not be referring to you and more to the other posters who were suggesting "Grand Final re-match at the winning teams home ground".

 

[Captain_Bender]

I was thinking more of the lines of a Collingwood home game, my bad I put the teams wrong way around.

Collingwood vs West Coast at the MCG during a H&A game would draw in the 60000s at best

 

[Carringbush2010]

The main motivation for the AFL is the two clubs involved will always reasonably fill the ground if it’s the season opener, and people at home will always watch it. But this probably wouldn’t happen later on.
Then the GF rematch will always have a massive interest regardless of when you play it.
There’s multiple other combinations aside from Richmond v Carlton that would be similar too. It’s just Richmond v Carlton is the tried and true one.

That’s the AFL’s reasoning though.

I’ve said it before and I’ll probably say it again, a fiery or otherwise interesting match up between two finalists from the previous year would be a good compromise. Gives the AFL that little extra boost, and is more likely to give the season a great start.

Like I've said before and I'll say it again, having finalists from the last year open the season lends itself to the possibility of a "lesser" opener. The example in my last post is the possibility.

Why would HQ stray from tried and true?

 

[Mara Singha]

Premiers vs finalist would be good

 

[Gavin Excell]

Probably not a popular sentiment but I'm looking forward to Thursdays match

If tiger's are vulnerable it would be earlier on season

 

[vandelay11]

Probably not a popular sentiment but I'm looking forward to Thursdays match

If tiger's are vulnerable it would be earlier on season

Would look forward to Richmond v Brisbane a lot more.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Happy to let another club have the first game of the year as long as we're in the last game.

 

[Firestarter]

I'm surprised this has lasted longer than: LOL no. $$$ bitches suck it.

 

[RUNVS]

Wasn't so long ago that the first match of the season was between the two Grand Finalists. Should go back to that system as Carlton vs Richmond is a moronic "tradition"

 

[juss]

Premiers vs finalist would be good

I'd propose 2 options,
GF replay, premiers host.
Premiers vs other top 4/expected top contender.

This is what the NRL did with Storm v the premiership favourite and it was great.

This year could be something like Richmond v Brisbane or Richmond v Port Adelaide at the MCG.

Games like that would be highly watched and easily still get 70k+ crowds (COVID aside)

 

[Altum Volantes]

If they insist on continuing to play it on Thursday night they are welcome to keep it.

Only really becomes a thing if they are both shit...I mean, that couldn’t happen again for a extended period of time....could it?...

 

[juss]

There is something just not right about having Richmond start off every year.
Surely the Bombers and Pies are equally as deserving to start the season off with a free hit?

Free hit? It's easy to say when we are winning, we got towelled for years when this fixture started.

I don't necessarily agree it should be the set season opener, but I guess the AFL banks on the fact that it's pretty much a guaranteed big crowd and viewership regardless of the teams' form.

I'd love to see the Premiers host against the previous runners up or other prelim/semi finalists.

 

[btdg]

Wasn't so long ago that the first match of the season was between the two Grand Finalists. Should go back to that system as Carlton vs Richmond is a moronic "tradition"

I agree. Plus, Carlton vs Richmond is a huge draw card at any point played in the first month. It’s almost a waste to make it a feature game

If your goal is to maximise viewers and money compare the two:

Round 1 Thursday - Richmond vs Geelong on Thursday
Friday: Carlton vs Collingwood
Saturday: Essendon vs Hawthorn
Round 2: Thursday: Richmond vs Carlton
Friday: Geelong vs Brisbane
Saturday: Collingwood vs St Kilda/Bulldogs

Vs

Round 1: Thursday Richmond v Carlton
Friday Collingwood v Bulldogs
Saturday: Essendon v Hawthorn
Round 2: Collingwood v Carlton
Friday: Geelong vs Brisbane
Saturday: St Kilda v Melbourne

The latter is the 2021 fixture. I think the former is demonstrably better in every way, but because we are locked into Richmond v Carlton is throws everything else out

 

[Mara Singha]

Carlton vs Richmond is a moronic "tradition"

6-year tradition

 

[dean33]

Wasn't so long ago that the first match of the season was between the two Grand Finalists. Should go back to that system as Carlton vs Richmond is a moronic "tradition"

Wasn’t that long ago? I don’t think that’s happened since the 80’s.

 

[dean33]

6-year tradition

Actually 13 years.

 

[dean33]

I agree. Plus, Carlton vs Richmond is a huge draw card at any point played in the first month. It’s almost a waste to make it a feature game

If your goal is to maximise viewers and money compare the two:

Round 1 Thursday - Richmond vs Geelong on Thursday
Friday: Carlton vs Collingwood
Saturday: Essendon vs Hawthorn
Round 2: Thursday: Richmond vs Carlton
Friday: Geelong vs Brisbane
Saturday: Collingwood vs St Kilda/Bulldogs

Vs

Round 1: Thursday Richmond v Carlton
Friday Collingwood v Bulldogs
Saturday: Essendon v Hawthorn
Round 2: Collingwood v Carlton
Friday: Geelong vs Brisbane
Saturday: St Kilda v Melbourne

The latter is the 2021 fixture. I think the former is demonstrably better in every way, but because we are locked into Richmond v Carlton is throws everything else out

Think grand final rematch played anytime in the first 10 weeks is going to generate huge interest, how much interest would there be in a Richmond v Carlton game in rd 7 if the blues have won 1 game?