The "Annual" Good Friday football discussion thread

[vaughany]

Well that's not exactly true as testament to the attendances Essendon were getting towards the end of Knight's tenure...

That said both clubs benefit greatly from being fixtured so early in the season. As a point of reference, Collingwood v Essendon return fixtures have drawn underwhelming attendances (relative to Collingwood's default attendances against big clubs) in recent seasons

I'll admit figures dropped with Knights at the helm, they were dark dark days that we prefer were errased from the memory
In regards to the second time we play them later in the season? AFL scheduling Ess v Coll on a Sunday twilight lasts season doesn't help and skews the stats.

 

[Suma Magic]

I can't see how a stand alone fixture is the best outcome for all 18 clubs.

Just add it to the days that footy are played on and decide who plays when the fixture is done each year.

 

[Tuco]

Remember 10 years ago when Collingwood and Brisbane was the next BIG rivalry?

Then a few years later when other sides could only aspire to a rivalry like Sydney and West Coast?

It's rare for club rivalries in world sport to survive continental divides ( Syd v WC) or 1000+ kms in the case of Bris v Coll. They exist. But the biggest ones are always agsinst teams in your own city where the distance is a suburb or two.

I'll be voting for a Syd GWS fixture on Good Friday in ten years when we can get 50k regularly for that very reason. You just can't count on ladder position to convince 10,000 fans to make the trip otherwise.

For Good Friday footy in melb it can't be too low drawing clubs from different states. It won't work as a blockbuster. It'll just be another game. But then again is thst necessarily such a bad thing?

 

[Underarm]

You've got a pretty ignorant grasp of football history if you're comparing Hawks and Cats to Sydney and West Coast. The Hawks v Cats rivalry goes back to the 1960s and the Kennedy and Davis feud (that resulted in one suing the other in 1963). Geelong buried a Hawk under Kardina Park and embarked on a 44 year hiatus (and in the meantime Hawthorn won 8 flags). Fast forward to the mid 1980s and you've got the Neville Bruns incident, Gary Ablett's decision to leave Hawthorn, the 87 final round game, 89, 91 and countless close ties during the 1990s. In fact Geelong and Hawthorn were the first clubs to play in a final at Docklands, under the current finals system (which the Hawks won by less than 2 kicks). Fast forward to 2002 and the Hawks knocked Geelong out of the finals race with a last round upset win.

To compare it to West Coast and Sydney which aside from a magical stretch between 2004-2006 has little rivalry to its name is pretty insulting

Let's not change history here. In 2000 both teams drew less than 40k. In 2007 Geelong had to play in Tasmania. Before 2008, I can't find any match getting more than 50k. That's not a rivalry.

Let's see where it is in 10 years time.

 

[Smiling Buddha]

I'm a bit old-fashioned and believe that we ought to have a fair draw, not just in terms of who plays who but when each club gets to play. I know, radical, right? Anyway I've posted ideas on how to facilitate this before.

But IF we have to have annual fixtures allocated to certain clubs on 'special' days it would be ludicrous to not give this one to smaller clubs who are currently shafted every season, whether it be St Kilda, Footscray, Melbourne or North Melbourne.

Obviously I am biased towards wanting it to go to North however I think any fair observer would agree that after all of the lobbying North have done on this one for so many years, they've earned this more than anybody else.

I hear people say, 'but what if they can't get the crowds to justify the day?' Well how is this for a solution: Tell whoever is awarded the fixture (eg North and Dogs) that if they can't get x number of people to turn up on average over the first two seasons (say 60k or whatever), they get pulled and it goes to two other clubs.

If the two clubs can't get 30k fans through the turnstiles each then, in this absurd, money-is-all-that-matters joke of a competition, they really can't complain about not getting such a fixture imo.

Thoughts?

 

[Rioli magic]

But without being disrespectful, your club, amongst others, cannot guarantee the attendance and prestige necessary for that game.

What a wank, a necessary attendance and prestige for an ANZAC day game of sport. F*** me.

Remember 10 years ago when Collingwood and Brisbane was the next BIG rivalry?

Then a few years later when other sides could only aspire to a rivalry like Sydney and West Coast?

Remember when Collingwood and Essendon was the BIG rivalry? No else does either.

 

[vaughany]

What a wank, a necessary attendance and prestige for an ANZAC day game of sport. F*** me.



Remember when Collingwood and Essendon was the BIG rivalry? No else does either.

LOL not sure if serious? Ask that question to the 90,000 people at the MCG on Anzac Day

 

[ManWithNoName]

What a wank, a necessary attendance and prestige for an ANZAC day game of sport. F*** me.



Remember when Collingwood and Essendon was the BIG rivalry? No else does either.

When did Hawthorn last get 90,000 to a H&A game?

Also you'll note I didn't mention Hawthorn in that post. At all. Settle little boy.

 

[Pessimistic]

Let's not change history here. In 2000 both teams drew less than 40k. In 2007 Geelong had to play in Tasmania. Before 2008, I can't find any match getting more than 50k. That's not a rivalry.

Let's see where it is in 10 years time.

Ever heard of trends ? And I believe richmond asked to play in tasmania

Lets say you are right, hawthorn and geelong were not deemed to be presigeworthy back then but the easter monday fixture seems to have emerged and its now one of the most anticipated games each year. Not contrived, no dreamtime ( where one team hadnt any indigenous players ffs) gimmicks needed

Its a proof that these 'fixtures' dont have to include safe crowd drawing clubs, and an annual event can build up between a couple of so called minnow clubs

 

[FootyJunkie]

When did Hawthorn last get 90,000 to a H&A game?

That game against Collingwood at Waverley in the early 80s?

 

[Lance Uppercut]

Lot of fuss over nothing really. The way I read it is it's only a one off anyway. There's nothin to suggest the teams who "get" it this year will play it again the following year. It's just about the MCG being unavailable

 

[rumply]

If EF is to become an annual football event then it is time for a couple of smaller clubs to make their mark in this regard, Saints V Dogs would be my choice.

 

[DapperDon]

Would be a massive slap in the face to North if they don't get it.

North v Dogs, give them a leg up for a change.

 

[Rioli magic]

When did Hawthorn last get 90,000 to a H&A game?

Also you'll note I didn't mention Hawthorn in that post. At all. Settle little boy.

Maybe you should note I haven't mentioned Hawthorn anywhere. At all.

Then you introduced Hawthorn in this post. Who is the little boy?

Commercial exploitation does not make a rivalry.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Maybe you should note I haven't mentioned Hawthorn anywhere. At all.

Then you introduced Hawthorn in this post. Who is the little boy?

Commercial exploitation does not make a rivalry.

That was pretty much my point...

 

[Doss]

I personally have no interest in Essendon getting Good Friday.

Share it among the smaller clubs, give them a leg up. That said, if North and Carlton get it, that'd be fine by me too. It was them that first pushed the concept.

There's also an argument to be made that we already have enough fixture inflexibility as is, without locking yet another date in exclusively to two teams. But shared among North/St Kilda/Footscray- that would be my first preference.

 

[Rioli magic]

That was pretty much my point...

What's good for the Goose...

 

[lionbear]

I don't think any club should be allowed to have both Anzac day and Good Friday, its an 18 team competition and perhaps a couple of clubs who get no access to blockbuster games should be given there chance.

Considering North have asked for this game for 20 years, I can't see how the AFL could not award it to them if they decide to go ahead.

Personally I like the no footy on Good Friday, but don't have an issue if they decide to introduce it.

 

[PACatter]

No way should Essendon get the game.

Give to North and Western, and make a portion of proceeds go to the RCH. It'll draw enough to make it worth it. And if it doesn't, give it to two other smaller teams the next year. Just get the game on.

 

[Underarm]

Ever heard of trends ? And I believe richmond asked to play in tasmania

I won't deny that right now it's a big thing, Easter Monday is a great idea that they have cornered. But we don't know what this rivalry will look like after one of these teams 'bottoms out'. It could peter out, like any rivalry could. At the moment Queens birthday is getting awful crowds, despite Collingwood/Melbourne being a massive rivalry many years ago.

Lets say you are right, hawthorn and geelong were not deemed to be presigeworthy back then but the easter monday fixture seems to have emerged and its now one of the most anticipated games each year. Not contrived, no dreamtime ( where one team hadnt any indigenous players ffs) gimmicks needed

Its a proof that these 'fixtures' dont have to include safe crowd drawing clubs, and an annual event can build up between a couple of so called minnow clubs

And I agree, though just choosing 2 clubs and expecting people to show up won't work. Easter Monday game works at the moment because people want to watch Geelong and Hawthorn, not watch on Easter Monday.

 

[Doss]

I won't deny that right now it's a big thing, Easter Monday is a great idea that they have cornered. But we don't know what this rivalry will look like after one of these teams 'bottoms out'. It could peter out, like any rivalry could. At the moment Queens birthday is getting awful crowds, despite Collingwood/Melbourne being a massive rivalry many years ago.

Melbourne have been about as 'rock bottom' as imaginable over the past two seasons, and even then they still drew 64k and 50k to QB. As recently as 2011 they got 76k. Not that awful.

 

[The Dustbin]

I like Peter Gordon's example of playing Melbourne v GWS. Guaranteed 60K crowd over 5 years.

 

[Pessimistic]

I won't deny that right now it's a big thing, Easter Monday is a great idea that they have cornered. But we don't know what this rivalry will look like after one of these teams 'bottoms out'. It could peter out, like any rivalry could. At the moment Queens birthday is getting awful crowds, despite Collingwood/Melbourne being a massive rivalry many years ago.


And I agree, though just choosing 2 clubs and expecting people to show up won't work. Easter Monday game works at the moment because people want to watch Geelong and Hawthorn, not watch on Easter Monday.

Some clubs dont see a cycle of bottoming out as a regular thing. Sure it happens but the point is when in a losing phase to take steps to get back up and stay as long as possible

But i think you are using facts to fit an argument, I agree with what you say, but neither argument shows repeating fixture between less popular clubs must fail. And if it does succeed, it will be because it has been promoted properly and is attractive. Not because nuf nufs turn up and watch shit each week like some badge of honour.

It can work, the popular clubs already have recurring fixtures. Why not do something different ?

 

[PoopingHindi]

the AFL have been trying to kill off North Melbourne since they took Friday nights away from them.
considering they refuse to die might as well do a little something to help them grow.

so Kangas v someone for mine....probably the Dogs but Hawthorn works for me too.

 

[slashin_velvet]

If you wanted to share around the "blockbusters" (public holiday and significant event timeslots), you'd have to take Dreamtime away from Essendon and Queens Bday away from Collingwood (assuming ANZAC day is not going to change) - using only Melbourne clubs:

This would leave:
- ANZAC day - Collingwood v Essendon
- Good Friday - North v Carlton
- Easter Monday - Geelong v Hawks
- Dreamtime - Richmond v Saints
- Queens Bday - Melbourne v Bulldogs

Bulldogs, Saints & Carlton are movable, but best to leave for a few years to settle it as "tradition".

Give the season opener to interstate teams given the lack of availability of the MCG.