The "Annual" Good Friday football discussion thread

[Hawkk]

Face the facts Essendon & Collingwood are the only ones with the pulling power to sell out a H&A match at the G, we regularly post 80k+ crowds against Richmond and Carlton, and generally sell out Etihad against Hawthorn and Geelong.

Easter Monday game between the two ladder leaders is a perfect example of how other teams struggle to sell out games, they'll push s@#t up hill to get 70K.

Nah not really bro

Hawthorn v Geelong actually pushed shit up hill and got 76,300 and 85,197 last year (the second highest drawing combined fixture all home and away season)

But yeah, Easter Monday will push shit up a hill and draw 70000 to 75000 on the back of the ridiculous ticket prices now set by the AFL for ANZAC Day and Easter Monday. That is, a fixture that was 13000 more than Essendon v Carlton, Carlton v Richmond, Collingwood v Richmond and Collingwood v Geelong.

But yeah

 

[Hawkk]

2005 the ground was under refurb as well. You can't take literally over the last 7-8 years comparing these games. For one, in mist years since 2005 The Essendon Collingwood game has been a dead contest with only pride and bragging rights on the line. In thus tine Geelong and Hawthorn games have been blockbusters between the two powers of the competition in that era. Hardly a sound comparison!!! I seem to remember prior to this when these clubs were nit playing fir oremiership positioning a crowd over over 50,000 in the later rounds the exception rather than the norm. You will say excuses, i respond with context and facts. Ridiculous comparison.Essendon and Collingwoid would outdraw Geelong and Hawthorn by 40,000 if the stadium was big enough on Easter monday. As it is, it will be well short of a sell out. That's context.

Yeah maybe not...

Take last year...

Hawthorn v Geelong
76300
85197
Total: 161497

Collingwood v Essendon
93373
69821
Total: 163194

40,000 more? Probably not bro...

 

[The Edukator]

Just please do not give the good Friday game to Essendon. They do not deserve if after the b.s. they've done. Take ANZAC day away from them too if you like. I would let Collingwood keep the fixture though. They don't deserve to be punished for Essendons tripe.

 

[yaco55]

I think Good friday will always be bigger then Easter Monday though.

How about Carlton and North get Good Friday while Carlton gives up the opening game of the season to another club. The opening rd 1 game hasn't been a real blockbuster game for ages now.

Seems like quite a few of the media journos are trying to stir things up here though since Greg Swann and JB were surpremely confident that the fixture was going to be a Carlton v North match up.

I am not fussed who plays on Good Friday. I want two games one in Melbourne and one interstate. Easter Monday is always a STAND ALONE game so there is potential to make it popular.

 

[Frank Grimes]

I would like to see the Kangaroos and Dogs get the Good Friday fixture. The fans of the smaller clubs complain that the reason they are small is because of the poor time slots given to them. Good Friday should be the best H&A time slot for exposure after ANZAC day. The challenge to those clubs should be for them to make the game a sell out at Etihad within 8 years then they keep it. That should be more than enough time and a reasonably easy target for them to achieve.

 

[Tassieboy]

Return games for Collingwood vs Essendon last 10 years.

2013 - 69821
2012 - 56491
2011 - 73163
2010 - 59277
2009 - 77699
2008 - 64785
2007 - 65531
2006 - 62940
2005 - 52507
2004 - 52983

Only 2 crowds over 70k. Hardly blockbuster stuff, in fact is pretty mediocre compared to the dribble that comes out of Collingwood and Essendon fans about being the 2 biggest/greatest teams ever with the biggest rivalry of all time. Clearly ANZAC day has been inflating crowds by 25k on a yearly basis. Simply the day, nothing to do with who is playing.

How about this for a novel idea though. What is the biggest game of the year?? Thats right the Grand Final. Why? Because you need to earn it. How about we stop the bullshit sense of entitlement that so many fans and club people have and come up with a way that rewards a teams success. Maybe the 2 highest placed VIC teams from the year before. Or the two highest scoring teams. etc. I dont know but something could be worked out that would make the Good Friday game potentially awesome every year as well as giving teams something that they can achieve the year before.

Nothing to do with Essendon being completely shit by then?

 

[sverik25]

The sense of self entitlement and selfishness of Collingwood and Essendon supporters on here makes me absolutely sick. Why should your clubs be the only ones who should play in marquee fixtures? Believe it or not the AFL would not exist with only two clubs.

I say give North and the Bulldogs a chance to make this a blockbuster.

 

[Tassieboy]

I love how people complain about 'not having the blockbusters'. Well shit, someone had to create them. What's next, Collingwood - Carlton can't play one another because someone else needs to play the 'blockbusters'. Anzac Day was for the most part very little before Essendon - Collingwood. And Dreamtime at the G was nothing before Essendon - Richmond.

 

[yaco55]

A lot of Victorian based suggestions/discussions are due to the RCH appeal is massive in Victoria on Good Friday and the opportunity to raise lots of money for them on the day by playing the game

I agree with Suma . We may as well rename this thread; Good Friday Footy in the Victorian State League. There should be two games - One in Melbourne and one interstate. And the sooner the AFL divorces itself from the RCH Appeal the better. Let Channel 7 continue with their commitment to the RCH appeal. The two games can be shown on 7 Mate and Foxtel.

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

I love how people complain about 'not having the blockbusters'. Well shit, someone had to create them. What's next, Collingwood - Carlton can't play one another because someone else needs to play the 'blockbusters'. Anzac Day was for the most part very little before Essendon - Collingwood. And Dreamtime at the G was nothing before Essendon - Richmond.

North created blockbuster Friday night games every week when they first thought of it and guess what happened, they got it taken off them.

What incentive does My team, the Doggies and North have if we never get the chance to create a blockbuster and if we make one gets taken off us.

 

[blaze036]

North created blockbuster Friday night games every week when they first thought of it and guess what happened, they got it taken off them.

What incentive does My team, the Doggies and North have if we never get the chance to create a blockbuster and if we make one get it taken off us.

Big teams create blockbusters, not the doggies north ect

 

[yaco55]

There are sick children in children's hospitals throughout Australia that need money, not just in Victoria.

Spot on.

I've thought that the money raised from the RCH should be distributed to a number of hospitals. Many public hospitals could do with a few extra dollars.

 

[Crawb]

Big teams create blockbusters, not the doggies north ect

Do you need a history lesson. Friday Night? North? No?

 

[blaze036]

Do you need a history lesson. Friday Night? North? No?

Playing on friday night doens't make the game a blockbuster

 

[yaco55]

True but the RCH appeal is broadcast live from eithad so makes sense to have a game there and give money to RCH appeal in this instance.
If Adel Perth syd etc want money for their hospitals then align it with a derby, showdown game etc

You are missing the point. Good Friday has been around for hundreds and thousands of years, and it just happens that the RCH chose this day ( a sensible decision ) for their appeal. The RCH appeal and the AFL are separate instruments. And by the way, do Melbourne Storn or Melbourne Rebels or Melbourne Heart or Melbourne Victory contribute to the RCH appeal when they play on Good Friday.

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

Big teams create blockbusters, not the doggies north ect

Bullshit, Marketers create blockbusters not teams.

If it was an actual big game then it would sell out everyday off the week and anytime, you know like actual big games world wide.

 

[TheHoneyBadger]

Big teams create blockbusters, not the doggies north ect

Considering North pioneered Friday Night Footy only for it to be pillaged by clubs such as your own I'd suggest clubs such as the Bulldogs and North Melbourne are perfectly capable of creating blockbusters given the opportunities. The crowds between these two exceeded 65,000 on multiple occasions before they were relegated to awful timeslots so Collingwood or Essendon supporters can lap up the ideal fixtures.

Take Collingwood or Essendon out and play any other Victorian club on Anzac Day, and it'd be just as big. The event itself is far bigger than either of the two clubs that participate and it's disrespectful to suggest otherwise.

 

[yaco55]

I want two games on Good Friday. Switch the Hawks VS Cats Game to Good Friday and one interstate game. Then two new teams can take over Easter Monday - Note this game has been a stand alone fixture for the last few years. Big opportunities for teams to make Easter Monday their DAY.

 

[Crawb]

Playing on friday night doens't make the game a blockbuster

They're responsible for any Friday Night Blockbuster...my point. Hence the 'creation'

 

[blaze036]

Considering North pioneered Friday Night Footy only for it to be pillaged by clubs such as your own I'd suggest clubs such as the Bulldogs and North Melbourne are perfectly capable of creating blockbusters given the opportunities. The crowds between these two exceeded 65,000 on multiple occasions before they were relegated to awful timeslots so Collingwood or Essendon supporters can lap up the ideal fixtures.

Take Collingwood or Essendon out and play any other Victorian club on Anzac Day, and it'd be just as big. The event itself is far bigger than either of the two clubs that participate and it's disrespectful to suggest otherwise.

Western bulldogs V st kilda on anzac day would be just as big as Collingwood V Essendon? Okay if you are that delusional no point even arguing with you.

 

[blaze036]

They're responsible for any Friday Night Blockbuster...my point. Hence the 'creation'

The teams who work hard to create genuine rivalries and big support bases are the ones who create any blockbuster

You clearly don't understand what a real blockbuster is to us footy fanatics in victoria

 

[Gus Poyet]

Spot on.

I've thought that the money raised from the RCH should be distributed to a number of hospitals. Many public hospitals could do with a few extra dollars.

So reduce the quality of the ability to care for children just so a few other hospitals get some extra funding.

No thanks.

 

[TheHoneyBadger]

Western bulldogs V st kilda on anzac day would be just as big as Collingwood V Essendon? Okay if you are that delusional no point even arguing with you.

Had they been playing it for 20 years with absolutely no question?
You're deluding yourself if you don't think the enormous turnout has far more to do with the prestige of Anzac Day and the occasion than any delusions of grandeur on the part of Essendon and Collingwood supporters. There is no added prestige. They've just been afforded far more opportunity to push their brand on a national stage.
You talk of teams working hard to create blockbusters - that's because they're given the opportunity. The Bulldogs can't build an Anzac Day or Good Friday blockbuster because they aren't given the chance.
You seem to think you're on a whole other level as a supporter because you barrack for a bigger club. The insinuation being a supporter of a larger club makes you any more important than a supporter of a smaller club is demonstrably fallacious, and has me questioning any point in arguing with you.

But you know, more power to Collingwood. You can have Anzac Day, Good Friday and whatever else you'd like. We'll even book you in a permanent spot on Grand Final day and reserve 80,000 seats for supporters (would imagine more than a few would be empty seeing as dogs aren't allowed into the ground). Going even further, seeing as Essendon and Collingwood work so tirelessly for the furthering of the AFL and footy itself, why don't they just break away and play each other every week?

 

[the distributer]

This game (if it goes ahead) will be a stand alone national game, on a day many think is the most boring day of the year, and we really want to give that day to 2 clubs no one gives a shit about? Please.

You can sprinkle hundreds and thousands on a shit, but it's still shit.

 

[sverik25]

If a different fixture was given a little time on ANZAC Day to develop a story I'm sure it could be as big as Collingwood vs Essendon. The same with Good Friday, if two lower drawing teams were given the chance to make the fixture their own, it could become a significant event in its own right.