By Michael DiFabrizio
April 8th 2009 @ 7:25am
Related coverage
AFL behind the times on Good Friday
Jimmy Bartel of Geelong & Chance Baateman of Hawthorn in action during the 2008 Toyota AFL Grand Final between the Geelong Cats and the Hawthorn Hawks at the MCG. GSP images
Look north of the border this Good Friday and you’ll find two NRL matches being staged, just like any other Friday night. Look to Auckland and Perth, and you’ll see a couple of Super 14 matches, too. Look to the AFL, however, and you won’t get a thing.
The league’s steadfast opposition to Good Friday footy has continued for another year.
It’s an odd thing, too.
Not only do the other competitions in Australia continue as per normal, there will also be fifteen – yes, fifteen! – Major League Baseball games on the day this year. The NBA has scheduled thirteen games.
You’ll find that a large number of footy fans can’t get their head around why the AFL shuts up shop for the day. So why is this such an issue?
Opposition to the idea generally stems from one of two sources.
The first is church leaders, who are vocally opposed to the idea because they believe it ignores the religious significance of the day.
This shouldn’t really be an issue in a secular society, particularly considering the AFL rolls on in spite of other religion’s holidays. And, of course, as mentioned earlier, most other sports stick to their usual fixture regardless, so why should footy be any different?
The AFL feels, however, that this belief is held by a big enough proportion of its supporter base that it can’t be ignored.
And that’s where Geelong president Frank Costa comes in.
You see, Costa is a practicing Christian – his autobiography was entitled Family, Faith and Footy – and his club has reportedly approached the league in the past about staging a game on Good Friday with St Kilda.
Costa said in the Herald Sun a while back that he’s a supporter of the concept only “if the game was after the day’s devotions and after 3pm, which is about the time of the crucifixion.”
Which is fair enough, especially coming from a man who would know all too well the arguments on both sides. If such a game were to finally eventuate, it would be crazy to bounce the ball earlier than 5pm.
The other main objection is from those who believe that the footy will take away from the Royal Children’s Hospital and its Good Friday Appeal, a major event in the minds of a lot of Victorians.
It’s a valid concern, but it’s one that’s easily overcome.
In fact, a footy game on Good Friday may just end up being to the Appeal’s benefit.
One need look no further than February’s bushfire relief match to see the role a game of footy can play in fundraising efforts. The AFL raised $1.2 million through that game for the Red Cross’ bushfire appeal.
The most recent plan handed to the AFL by clubs over Good Friday – Hawthorn and Carlton’s proposal in 2007 – indicated that having links to the Appeal was integral and the match would be used as a way to drive funds.
It can’t be denied that there are reciprocal benefits for both the AFL and the Royal Children’s Hospital in such a game.
Ultimately, it’s the AFL commission that determines whether the league will change its stance or not. Until their view changes, the current set-up will remain.
However, you get the feeling it mustn’t be a matter of if, but when.
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Albert Ross said | April 8th 2009 @ 9:05am | Report comment
The spirits of Arthur Rylan and his daughter are not dead.
Victoria is an insular, parochial place that makes Ireland during the Emergency look like Florence during the Renaissance.
Public probity but private vice and sleeze as exemplified by Rylah whose wife died in mysterious circumstances whilst he canoodled with his secretary,
They deserve the Onan Football League.
Kazama said | April 8th 2009 @ 9:41am | Report comment
I agree with you Michael, however I’ll admit I’m not a religious-minded person. If there is no outcry from other major sports here in or in other countries then I can’t see why the AFL is treating the day as untouchable. If the Americans, who surely have more Christian conservatives than we, can tolerate professional sports being played on Good Friday then there is no real excuse for the AFL avoiding fixturing matches on the day.
If there are any Roarers who actively celebrate Good Friday it would be interesting to hear their take on it.
Dave said | April 8th 2009 @ 10:02am | Report comment
Surely the Saints and the Demons on Good Friday!
Kurt said | April 8th 2009 @ 10:05am | Report comment
Will people not be happy until the shops are open 24/7 even over Christmas? I’m not a practicing Christian, but I think it’s great that there are still 2 days every year (Good Friday and Christmas Day) when we can take a break from the relentless shopathon that otherwise characterises our consumerist existence. And by refusing to play on Good Friday, the AFL supports efforts to keep this day at least reasonably free of commercial exploitation.
I know that ultimately this is a losing fight, and that eventually the Boxing Day test will be the Christmas Day test, Good Friday will just be another shopping day and Anzac day will be the day the department stores start their mid-season sales. But let’s at least resist the tide while we can.
Kazama said | April 8th 2009 @ 10:08am | Report comment
Lol Dave
I wonder if mascots have an impact on who the hardcore Christians support. Do Melbourne have less Christian supporters than other teams? Do St Kilda have more?
Michael C said | April 8th 2009 @ 10:47am | Report comment
Personally, I like that the AFL has not moved onto Good Friday. That there’s been the conflict with Channel 7 and the GFA, is ony relevant to when Channel 7 has held the Friday night rights. We recently had 5 years of Channel 9 in that space.
However, if that (the GFA) were the main issue, then, how about a Friday night match up in Brissie or over in PErth and give it to Foxtel exclusively.
Anyway, for me – no major sports on a couple of ’special’ days would be nice. Just because the NRL does something is hardly ever worthy justification for anything.
btw – my club, North Melbourne has actively lobbied to get a regular ‘blockbuster’ GF match. So, ideally, I should be supporting it, but, I’m just a bit ambivolent towards it, even though I’ll happily eat red meat and lament the GFA appeal running all night long.
oikee said | April 8th 2009 @ 11:44am | Report comment
Sell fish and chips at the game and donate 1 dollar per pack to charity. For crying out loud, you Victorians are so insular your code will never really expand out of Melbourne. This is the 1st time i have heard of this and nobody outside Victoria has a clue what is going on down there. Your game i am sorry to say will never lose the Mexican tag because of your insecurity.
Lightin up for christs sake.
The only religion in Melbourne is Aussie Rules.
hazey.the.bear said | April 8th 2009 @ 12:16pm | Report comment
Interesting article Michael – you’ve raised a few crucial points.
As a theology student myself (*gasp* a religious person…NOOO!!), one of the subjects I have this semester is Early and Medieval Church history and it really sheds a lot of light on this issue, and really questions the logic of some church leaders who try to force a total ban on secular activities on Good Friday.
The origins of the Easter holiday are very interesting – Basically during the second century there was a dispute between the Quartodecimans, who observed Jesus’ resurrection on Nisan 14 (the Jewish Passover), while many churches had abandoned the Jewish calendar and remembered it on the Sunday after the first full moon of spring (which was based on a pagan festival – In fact the word “Easter” is based on the pagan goddess Ishtar). It’s still early in the semester and I haven’t found out where Good Friday comes into it or why this day seems to have greater significance, seeing as the early church saw the resurrection (Sunday) as the most important day…But then again, that’s why most churches have their weekly worship on Sunday (and that’s another topic in itself).
To be honest, I’ve never understood the fuss of having a game on Good Friday, and I personally think it’s a perfect opportunity to raise money for a cause. I understand your point, Kurt, but I don’t see the AFL as playing a sole hand in the whole consumerism thing. If you’re gonna blame anyone for that, blame the big-chain shops that ram Easter and Christmas shopping down our throats months before the actual event. And I’d also add, free will and personal choice and all that – you don’t HAVE to buy anything if you don’t want to!
But that’s just my two cents worth…I’m done.
oikee said | April 8th 2009 @ 12:35pm | Report comment
Sorry Father, i was not being derogrative with my post, just saying you need to come out of the shell Melbourne.
Turtles no longer win the race between the hare and the tortoise. Hare’s are faster.
Michael DiFabrizio said | April 8th 2009 @ 12:40pm | Report comment
Hazey,
You raise another interesting point. In the northern hemisphere at the moment, the issue with church leaders is that football (the round ball kind) games are being played on the Sunday. (The AFL, curiously, will have 3 games on the Sunday this year.)
Here’s an article about it: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6047319.ece
The EPL, which does not usually play on Fridays, has in the past broken from regular scheduling to have one or more Good Friday games, however as far as I can see that won’t be the case this year. Not sure why, but as I said, Fridays are not the norm there anyway.
Searly said | April 8th 2009 @ 1:11pm | Report comment
As a practising Christian and devoted footy fan (or should that be devoted Christian and practising footy fan? The latter I suspect….), I have to say I don’t have any problem with having footy on Good Friday. Of course the historical (eternal) events that Easter embodies are extremely important, but their significance is such that they are important every single day and it doesn’t stop us doing other things like playing footy on any other day, so why Good Friday?
The requirement to observe a particular ‘religious’ holiday has the whiff of faith as adherence to a human construct rather than a transcendant reality. Personally, if they had Good Friday footy, I’m sure I’d find the time and head space to BOTH go to church AND worship at the alter of footy (particularly if the Pies are involved!).
My only concerns would be along the lines of Kurt’s, namely the encroachment of 24/7 activity into life, but this is as much a secular as faith-based issue anyway.
Maybe a good middle-ground option would be similar to what they do at the MCG on Anzac Day – a pre-game service! As long as we can ensure the bloke preaching the sermon is interesting enough to ensure we avoid the spectacle of 90,000 people sleeping in the pews/seats. Ha!
Brian Ferrie said | April 8th 2009 @ 2:37pm | Report comment
AFL carries on screeching that it is a national game but makes it all its decisions based on the views of outdated Melbourners.
Art Sapphire said | April 8th 2009 @ 3:00pm | Report comment
I think the AFL is missing out on big time.
Ofcourse they should stage a game at the MCG on Good Friday.What a massive marketing opportunity.
After all we have already all sorts of rounds and games dedicated to all sorts of causes…women, the community, the indigenous community, eskimos (not to sure about the eskimos).
They can call it the Resurrection Round. We can use this round’s fixtures as an example.
The AFL can re-enact The Passion at the MCG before the big Geelong v Collingwood game on Good Friday.
This time Christ will be wearing a Collingwood jumper. The poor bugger gets beaten to a pulp and put on the cross. Collingwood lose by 100 points. We can explain this to the kids as Christ paying for our sins.
Come Sunday, before the game, he is resurrected wearing an Essendon jumper. He gets Matty Lloyd demoted and captains the Bombers to a famous victory over the arch-enemy, Carlton.
We can explain this to the kids as J.C leading his flock to the promised land, while at the same time dealing a blow to the money lenders.
Come on AFL…Get your act together.
oikee said | April 8th 2009 @ 3:20pm | Report comment
Ha Ha, good Brian Ferrie, now this is exactly what i mean, MC listen to this and learn something. Same applies to NRL in Melbourne. Nobody really knows whats going on down there in Mexico. We dont understand the culture and we definately are not going to reform to the culture. Its weird 1920’s outdated and rusted which the rest of oZ does not feel part of, or does not understand,. At the very least rugby league is now taking Origin to Melbourne on a regular basis and if they dont support the game we will move onto Perth and Aderlaide, maybe even tassie if we get bold enough.
What the AFL should have done is promote a game at the Gabba in the afternoon before the league game. Could have been good to maybe have a crack at both games. This might happen or be planned with the coast team. ? who knows .
Your starting to scare us humans. 
Nobody understands the culture, it’s dark middle age stuff.
Pippinu said | April 8th 2009 @ 4:04pm | Report comment
I don’t wish to pull rank or anything, but as a prelate in Opus Dei, and thus a firm believer of corporal mortification, there may well be a religious argument for playing on the day Jesus (not the 2m version) died for our sins, so that we would be saved (whether that promise extended to football clubs, I do not know – God only knows there are plenty of those that need saving).
The Bear said | April 8th 2009 @ 4:08pm | Report comment
lol. Good vintage Victorian bashing. Yes it’s a quaint place, but they look after each other… especially the Protestants. Decent folk. Slightly Amish, sure, but decent
Col the Bear said | April 8th 2009 @ 4:24pm | Report comment
Ahh more sport the better..Xmas day next..
Art Sapphire said | April 8th 2009 @ 4:28pm | Report comment
Pip – ofcourse you should pull rank. I recommend you be MC for my proposed Resurrection Round extravaganza at the MCG on Good Friday.You could even come in handy during after the game as I have dicovered : )
Cold Showers : Most numeraries take cold showers every day and offer it up for the intentions of the current Prelate.
Michael C said | April 8th 2009 @ 4:32pm | Report comment
Hmmm, I”m almost convinced. Let’s do it!!!! HOw many more squillion can be extracted on the broadcast rights??
Pippinu said | April 8th 2009 @ 4:37pm | Report comment
Offer what up??
No – don’t tell me – I don’t want to know!!
dasilva said | April 8th 2009 @ 4:37pm | Report comment
If AFL decides that organising matches on Good Friday will reduce the crowds as people spend their day in church or other religious activities instead of watching AFL. Then fair enough if that’s true (although there seems to be evidence of the opposite)
However I’m not too sure why religious group should object to having a sporting match on this day. Just assuming that there is something wrong for christians to watch a sporting match during good friday (i’m not religious so I don’t know) that doesn’t mean you should stop people who are non-religious or follow different religions from enjoying a good sporting event on that same day.
Searly said | April 8th 2009 @ 4:45pm | Report comment
I think the main thing here is that the AFL has no incentive to change their existing policy because they know that AFL fans will turn up to watch a match no matter when it is scheduled. So, they can maintain both their attendance and ratings numbers as well as the moral high ground!
Pippinu said | April 8th 2009 @ 5:21pm | Report comment
Christians have very long memories.
It is possible that attending a footy match at the MCG brings back long lost memories of how their own kind were mercilessly slaughtered in the stadia of pre-Christian Rome.
Joe O'Sullivan said | April 8th 2009 @ 5:36pm | Report comment
I support the AFL’s stand and hope they do not change it. Faith is not something that can be known through the head, rather it must be lived in the heart.
Brian Ferrie said | April 8th 2009 @ 5:46pm | Report comment
Interesting that the NRL and Storm have never played in Melbourne on a Good Friday. Have they got the balls to try it in 2010?
Col the Bear said | April 8th 2009 @ 9:02pm | Report comment
oh my god..
Redb said | April 9th 2009 @ 8:15am | Report comment
What has probably been missed but only briefly touched on in this article is the Royal Childrens hopsital Appeal on Good Friday – this is a tradtional event in Melbourne that has always been covered live for 10-12 hours by Ch 7 for decades, as they have covered the footy for albeit 5 years out of 50 and most of their resoruces go into the appeal I think this has been a practical impediment in the past.
The AFL may have steered clear of offending religious groups but the kids hospital appeal looms as just as a big a reason so as not divert the publics attention and overcoming the difficulties of the Ch 7 full media resouces devoted to the appeal.
Do we need Good Friday?, not really. But there is no reason the game couldn’t start at 5pm and turn into an appeal game (as mentioned above) with Ch 10 covering it, if Ch 7 will let them. Ch 7 usually covers Friday night football.
Redb
Searly said | April 9th 2009 @ 9:04am | Report comment
If Channel 7 is so worried about the clash of broadcasts, why don’t they use their high definition channel to show the footy while the appeal goes on uninterrupted on the main channel. Come to think of it, being a Sydney resident, why on earth can’t they show the footy on Seven HD on a Friday night, while the usual kiddies movie runs on the other channel rather than making us wait until 11:30pm, while the kiddies movie has been running for the last three hours on ALL THREE of Seven’s channels!
Redb said | April 9th 2009 @ 9:47am | Report comment
Searly,
I’m saying this is the historical reason, as you suggest there are alternatives.
Redb
Timmuh said | April 9th 2009 @ 7:00pm | Report comment
I like the fact that AFL has a day without footy. Once a year state and local leagues can hope to draw a crowd without having to compete with the juggernaut of AFL on television.
Brian Ferrie said | April 10th 2009 @ 8:01am | Report comment
So it’s legit for “state and local league” Aussie rules teams to play on Good Friday? Aren’t those players paid $ for playing? What makes it ok for those men to play on Good Friday but not the AFL then? Unless all Victorian rules is called off on Good Firdays then what is going on? It’s a half-hearted token to the community?’
Timmuh said | April 10th 2009 @ 9:26am | Report comment
Brian, I wasn’t saying that its not “legit” for the AFL to play games on that day, just that its good for other leagues to have one day without having to compete with the AFL. I don’t see any religious or social reason for the AFL not to play on the day, but I do like the fact that they don’t.
Again, not for religious or social reasons, but for the fact that other levels of footy can have at least one day a year without being monstered by the big league. The AFL is slowly, or in Tasmania not so slowly, killing the game at other levels; giving them one day free of the monolith is at least a start.
Sam said | April 10th 2009 @ 9:36am | Report comment
Timmuh
In all fairness I don’t think that one day of is going to help the local footy if it is ‘monstered’ the other 364 days of the year.
Timmuh said | April 10th 2009 @ 10:33am | Report comment
Sam, not much, but its better than zero days.
Max Lamberto said | April 10th 2009 @ 12:16pm | Report comment
The NRL had a Good Friday match at Docklands in 2001 when the Storm played the Northern Eagles.
Michael C said | April 10th 2009 @ 9:53pm | Report comment
Timmuh, Sam etc
Local leagues are doing pretty well. Local attendances are fine. The lower levels that suffered were the state leagues, eg SANFL and WAFL when the ‘AFL’ clubs became established in those states. And the ‘local’ level though, Saturday arvo has actually become one of the least competitive time slots. i.e. the AFL invariably only plays one Saturday arvo game. Call that ‘monstered’ if you want??
BF -
I know you’re just trying to stir – but, you’ve actually touched on a bit of a political issue presently, in that ‘footballVictoria’ is rapidly becoming ‘AFLVictoria’ with the AFL seeking to effectively take control.
However, a large part of what they want has been based upon poor integration of auskick groups with junior clubs with senior clubs, also, the administration of leagues has been an issue here and there. So, the capacity for the AFL to rule over all of the lower tier footy in Victoria is probably going to increase soon.
Timmuh said | April 11th 2009 @ 10:05am | Report comment
Hobart pulled over 2000 to their TSL game on Friday, which probably would have been around 500 with live AFL up against it. Apparently their gate and bar taking was close to the whole season last year (in the southern league, there was no state league last year).
There are some other reasons, reverting to being the Tigers, first home game in the new state league, etc, but playing the game on Good Friday with no AFL to compete against may end up being the difference between breaking even or not for them in 2009. Why one of the other games isn’t Sunday night I don’t know.