The AFL needs a real blockbuster to open season

Columnist

By Michael DiFabrizio, 26 Mar 2010 Michael DiFabrizio is a Roar Expert

Tagged:: AFL, AFL fixture, Carlton Blues, Collingwood Magpies, Gillon McLachlan, MCG, Richmond Tigers, Western Bulldogs

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Dustin Martin of Richmond looks to clear the ball during the AFL Round 01 match between the Richmond Tigers and the Carlton Blues at the MCG, Melbourne. Slattery Images

The fixture for the first round of the AFL season can be described in just one word: bizarre. Last night’s season opener between Richmond and Carlton, whilst not as much of a let-down as the corresponding game last year, definitely fell short the term “blockbuster”.

The Blues comfortably beat the Tigers by 56 points.

Meanwhile, a game that has blockbuster written all over it, a game worthy of opening the season – this weekend’s clash between Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs – has been placed in the less-than-glamorous timeslot of Sunday afternoon. At Etihad Stadium. On a weekend where no other games are being played at Etihad.

I’m struggling to make sense of it.

Last year the AFL was at least validated by the hype Richmond and Carlton caused. There was the Ben Cousins factor, both sides were being talked up as top eight chances – it just worked.

This year there was none of that. Chris Judd was always suspended, Richmond were always back in rebuilding mode – there was nothing suggest a memorable match would eventuate.

The Western Bulldogs and Collingwood, on the other hand, both finished top four last year. They both made significant moves during trade week that they are hoping will take them to another level. They could very well be the two sides that play off for a premiership on the last Saturday in September.

Why couldn’t they open the season? Or, at the very least, play at a venue that gives some acknowledgement to the fact it’s a big game?

Curiously, at the announcement of last year’s fixture, the AFL’s Gillon McLachlan was quite happy to boast about the league’s increased desire to have blockbusters throughout the year.

“It’s a fair to say we’ve looked this year, while not walking away from having football fairness, we’ve worked very hard at having big games and these big fixtures that our fans and our supporters love,” the chief operating officer said.

So serious were the AFL about creating more of a blockbuster culture, they even held back the grand final replay between Geelong and St Kilda until the second week of round 13. They held back the only Geelong and Western Bulldogs clash until round 20.

Time will tell whether they made the right call with those games, there’s a chance they won’t look good in hindsight, but they’ve clearly dropped the ball on round one.

If you are going to have a blockbuster game in round one, let it be the first game of the season. Let it be played at the MCG. Let it be the game everyone’s countdown clocks are set to. Let it be the one the media hypes up and looks forward to.

Because the season opener, as last night attested, shouldn’t be the domain of rebuilding teams and sides that seem 50-50 chances to make the finals.

Follow Michael on twitter @mdifabrizio

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The Crowd Says (19) | Page 1 of Comments

Mr Real Australian it's called Football Man formerly known as Kurt said | March 26th 2010 @ 4:09am | Report comment

I tend to agree Michael but there are a couple of factors at play. Firstly there is a certain moral argument that clubs who make the effort to build up a fixture deserve to reap the benefits. The Tigers and Blues have been making an effort to turn their season opener into a massive game, and consistent crowds of 70K+ tends to suggest they’re having some success. Afterall round one is the only time Richmond fans get to be optimistic!

Secondly, we all know that big games should be moved from Docklands but it just never happens. Collingwood could be playing Carlton in the final round to determine who tops the ladder and if it was scheduled for Docklands it’ll stay at Docklands. All the talk about moving the big games when they downsized from 75K Waverly to 55K Docklands was a fraud – part of the price the AFL pays now for owning the stadium outright in 15 years.

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- Michael DiFabrizio said | March 26th 2010 @ 9:34am | Report comment
  
  Cheers for the comment, Kurt. Whilst I agree clubs that pioneer these things deserve respect, they do need to deliver on two fronts. The first is the crowd, which the Tigers and Blues do a good job of, as you rightly point out. The second, however, is the contest, which they haven’t delivered on. Essendon and Collingwood have a monopoly on Anzac Day because they made it their own through some really great games.
  
  Considering another example, last year Collingwood and Geelong hosted the Easter Thursday game (taking it away from Brisbane-St Kilda, mind you) and talked about building the game up to the point where it would eventually take the Good Friday timeslot. The game was ok but not outstanding. The crowd, in particular, was very underwhelming considering the teams involved. And now this year? Collingwood and Geelong aren’t even playing each other over Easter and the Easter Thursday game is back in Brisbane.
  
  So there’s precedent to suggest they haven’t quite earned the right to hold the spot permanently.
  
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Moonface said | March 26th 2010 @ 8:34am | Report comment

Similar story to last year’s opener, except the Tigers lost by 83 points last year and reduced it to 56 this year. Maybe because Judd wasn’t playing for Carlton.

Tigers fans in for another long season with a bit of a rally towards the end, when they can’t make the finals.
Good crowd of 72K, but down 27% and no sell-out, like last year’s opening round.

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- Michael C said | March 26th 2010 @ 9:44am | Report comment
  
  Richmond folk living in misery……….nothing wrong there!!
  
  Last year had the extra-ordinary aspect of Ben Cousins built up and Richmond folk were about 10 times more expectant (foolishly so as it turned out) than this year,
  
  but, certainly – no Fev, no Judd, no Richo, that’s a few ‘marquee’ players down……….and that can happen with such a match if Rich v Carl is to be permanent – that you don’t always strike the clubs at their best. After all – 4 debutants last night for the Tiges.
  
  btw – apparently the traffic last night was horrendous……….and this is a major issue – - for every big game at the MCG (and this is distinct to those all ticketed one off events like a GF or a Socceroos match) – - there will be many 1000s who turned away disappointed……….either because the car parks closed early, they were still stuck in traffic at half time etc etc.
  
  IF Australia does win the right to host a FIFA WC………let’s hope parking and traffic access to the ‘G is improved!!!!
  
  Reply
- Michael C said | March 26th 2010 @ 2:05pm | Report comment
  
  btw – in 2008 they had 72,000 for the corresponding fixture,
  
  last year, Judd/Cousins pushed it out to 87,000…..me thinx that would be regarded the exception rather than the norm,
  
  this year back to 72,000. A drop of 15,000,……the drop was not 27% as 27% of 87,000 is 23,500 ish which would be back to 87,000. The drop was 15,000 which as a % of 87,000 is more around 17%.
  
  Going back to 2007, the Friday night season opener drew 49,500 – - the Carl v Rich Sunday twilight game drew 59.8K and the largest crowd was 62.6K up in Sydney for Swans v Eagles ‘GF replay’.
  
  At this point – you’d suggest the AFL would be perfectly pleased with last nights crowd numbers.
  
  and back to Rnd 1 2006, 45.5K was the largest attendance. Although WCE had near capacity 40K plus at Subi on the Thursday night to kick off the season.
  
  ‘Round 1′ blockbusters are part of the landscape now – it seems.
  
  Reply
Sven man said | March 26th 2010 @ 8:52am | Report comment

Yep, it should be last years grand finalists opening the season. Simple.

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- Michael C said | March 26th 2010 @ 9:47am | Report comment
  
  agreed – although we’d heard in the past that the fixture was effectively locked away before the GF and it might be too hard…………but then this year we’ve heard about the switch to give Brisbane a home game hosting Carlton next week that was done after Fev to Brisbane was confirmed………so……….the AFL CAN do some of these things.
  
  This year – the AFL got sucked in by last years build up to the Geel v StK game and have again pushed them late in the season……….that’s getting too manufactured for me.
  
  Much prefer on GF night, the vanquished trudge home but look forward to Rnd 1 next season to gain revenge……
  
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James said | March 26th 2010 @ 10:07am | Report comment

I still maintain the first match of the new season should be reserved for the grand finalists from the previous season.

Interest will be high as one seeks revenge, both are in fine form, you should be guaranteed a good game with high media interest, it’s an extra reward for the two clubs and it changes each year.

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Sam Taulelei said | March 26th 2010 @ 10:14am | Report comment

One thing that I did like about last night’s game was the lap of honour for Matthew Richardson who retired in the off season.

It may be worthwhile considering making such recognition a permanent fixture for the opening game instead of bundling it together with Grand Final day where it tends to get lost and overshadowed by the Grand Final itself. Not every player gets invited to do a lap of honour on grand final day either.

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Damien said | March 26th 2010 @ 12:48pm | Report comment

Absolutely bizarre and pathetic scheduling by the AFL (as per usual).

#1. The season should have opened on a Friday night.
#2. Richmond should never open the season until the day they become a top 8 side, at minimum.
#3. The ratings were woeful – and rightly so.
#4. Ten, if they had the right to, should have broadcast the game live.

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Jason Cave said | March 26th 2010 @ 1:37pm | Report comment

In 1985, the then VFL moved the Round 3 match between 1984 grand finalists Essendon and Hawthorn to the week prior to Round 1 to celebrate Victoria’s 150th anniversay. So what about have the grand finalists of the previous year (ie 2009 Geelong and St Kilda) kick off the season in a stand-alone game, the week prior to Round 1 with 4 premership points up for grabs, instead of waiting and waiting until later in the season when the two teams actually meet.

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bever fever said | March 26th 2010 @ 3:33pm | Report comment

I really feel sorry for Richmond… hang on .. no i dont !!!.

Am i getting old or did Richmonds new players look like old auskickers.

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bever fever said | March 26th 2010 @ 4:51pm | Report comment

I agree, get rid of ninthmond.

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Justin said | March 26th 2010 @ 10:23pm | Report comment

Well it was always going to be a fizzer. Faves for the wooden spoon v a team lucky to make top 10. Yeah blockbuster written all over it!

Woeful TV numbers too, down by about 300k against last years crowd.

Oh but the carpark was full

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