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Remember when our competition went national? The purists were up in arms! Football was a Victorian game.
None of this interstate stuff! Let ‘them’ play rugby, not ‘our game’. We were a country divided.
We’ve come a long way.
Well, now, we’re about to go a whole lot further – China.
We’ve already played AFL games in New Zealand and today Port Adelaide announced that next year, a game will be played in Shanghai.
We’re yet to know who exactly Port Adelaide will be playing, but apparently, a club with a ‘lesser profile’ than say a Hawthorn or a Collingwood will be the likely candidate.
The logistics are huge. Both teams will play the overseas game prior to their bye the following week. Between travel time and jet lag, there’s no way either team could be ready to play, and play well, the week after.
This game will be part of the home-and-away season, likely to be scheduled sometime in April or May of 2017.
In 2010, we had a post-season game played in Shanghai, an exhibition match, between Brisbane and Melbourne, but this game will be the real deal.
Four points will be there for the taking.
In recent years, footy has become more about business decisions and less about the sport itself. This move is a business decision. Pure and simple. That said, is it a business decision for the good of the sport? Is it a novelty?
Where will this go? Where will it end? We’re taking this particular game from the backyard of Australian spectators, because it’s good for the sport.
Well, that’s what we’re led to believe. So many questions. We went national. Is it right to go international?
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