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St Kilda players reaction to the final siren with scores level during the 2010 Toyota AFL Grand Final between the Collingwood Magpies and the St Kilda Saints at the MCG, Melbourne.
The fallout from the AFL’s drawn grand final has already ruffled the feathers of a number of other sporting codes. But league boss Andrew Demetriou is making no apologies for the replay rule. In fact, while there were no losers in Saturday’s drawn grand final, there already is one clear winner, and that is the AFL.
It’s estimated the league’s windfall for the extra game could run as high as $25 million.
Despite criticism of the draw, as opposed to playing extra time to ensure an immediate result, the AFL is far from sympathetic.
Having said that, a draw next week will be decided in extra time. Three grand finals would apparently be one too many.
Thankfully at least the league will up the clubs’ and players’ prize money because of the special circumstances.
But for others, one AFL grand final is more than enough and the need for a replay has caused headaches everywhere.
The official start of the Melbourne Racing Carnival – the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington – has been moved from Saturday to Sunday to dodge the grand final.
The MCG’s cricket pitches were scheduled to be dropped into the turf last night but will have to wait, while the MCG confronts an organisational nightmare.
The A-League’s first ever Melbourne derby between Heart and Victory has been shifted from next Saturday night to the following Friday.
Soccer’s marquee match in Melbourne for the summer has been officially and accidentally hi-jacked by the AFL.
The opening round of club cricket has been postponed and the world road cycling championships in Geelong will become a mere footnote.
While for the players, well, they’d hoped to be celebrating a premiership and firing up for a big mad Monday today.
Instead both sides are back in recovery mode and ultimately still coming to grips with that surreal feeling after the game.
Saints Captain Nick Riewoldt yesterday said “if you want a description for nothing in the dictionary that was it, it was just nothing.”
After labeling the draw a ‘joke’ Magpies Captain Nick Maxwell didn’t back away from his post match comments yesterday.
And quite surprisingly admitted the Magpies were lucky.
“I’m not a believer in playing again next week but I think we dodged a bullet” Maxwell said.
Both teams must now reload for the decider.
If anything, at least a re-match might give another player a chance to live their premiership dream.
Selection will certainly be interesting this week regardless.
After selflessly pulling himself out of Saturday’s game due to injury, does Simon Prestigiacomo earn a recall?
Did Leon Davis do enough to keep his spot in the team?
Will Michael Gardiner’s hamstring recover in time or will Ben McEvoy’s hard luck story have a chance of a fairytale ending?
But then another pitfall, if he does play, McEvoy won’t be able to enjoy the grand final parade, the AFL confirming a luncheon will be in its place.
It might also be a nervous wait for some, with the match review panel to scrutinise a number of incidents.
The major concerns are:
Darren Jolly for striking Justin Koschitzke, Ben Johnson for a series of jumper punches, and Brendan Goddard for a knee to the head of former teammate Luke Ball.
While I think all will get off, due to the inconsistency and unpredictability of the match review panel this year, you just never know.
The draw wasn’t a great result for the bookies either.
Sportsbet alone lost seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and if the Saints win the rematch that number will rise again.
So I guess it won’t be just Collingwood supporters barracking for the Magpies after all.
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