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Under Eddie McGuire’s presidency, Collingwood have become a powerhouse off the field and have been consistently good on it, winning only their second flag since 1958.
The trouble with Eddie is the longer he is president the more he seems to want to comment on other clubs.
Not long ago he insisted North Melbourne needed to wear a clash guernsey as a home team against Collingwood, or he threatened to make the Pies fans a no show.
Now Eddie has the Swans in his sight. It is not just the cost of living he wants to whinge about, it’s the draw.
For those of you living under a rock, the Sydney Swans played Greater Western Sydney and the Gold Coast in Rounds 1 and 2.
While whinging about this and calling for an equitable draw, Eddie seems to have forgotten he is president of the side who is most consistently favoured by the draw year after year.
In 2011, when the Pies started their premiership defence, they could forget about going to the airport. It was not until Round 14 the Pies were scheduled to play interstate.
I don’t recall Eddie complaining then.
When they finally did go interstate it was one of their four trips out of Victoria for the year. This year the premiers will make 11 trips interstate, including back to back trips to Adelaide either side of the bye.
The Victorian teams outnumber the interstate sides, so will always travel less. However year after year Collingwood travel less than their fellow Victorian sides, a fact Eddie seems none to fussed about when he calls for an equitable draw.
When Sydney ran onto the MCG for the grand final last year it was their second trip to the ground for the year. Had Collingwood won the preliminary final clash and played the grand final themselves it would have been their 17th game there for the year.
As a point of comparison, Melbourne Football Club, the traditional tenant of the MCG, played just 13 games at the ground.
Another fact neglected by Eddie is that his club always is guaranteed the ANZAC Day game, as well as the Queen’s Birthday clash.
Collingwood do allow the Queen’s Birthday to be Melbourne’s home ground, but it’s still one out exposure on a public holiday.
While Collingwood and Essendon have created the ANZAC tradition, it cannot be denied it provides the two clubs a massive reward both in terms of finance and publicity. There are plenty of other rivalries that would draw a crowd and put their hands up to play this game.
Essendon have hardly been a powerhouse this last decade, nor have Carlton. However due to rivalries, Collingwood play both these teams twice.
While Eddie is right, an even fixture would be great, to start talking about unfair advantages to other clubs seem a bit rich given the consistent leg up his side has received – and no doubt will continue to receive – year after year.
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