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.
Mister Football
Guest
Doesn't seem right? - looks perfect to my eyes.
Anthony
Guest
Victorian taxpayers $$$$ being used to allow Victorians to celebrate an all-Victorian football grand final. Doesn't happen very often. Soccer can have it back next week!
ac
Guest
Oh dear this is all begining to get tooooo much. Maybe if the AFL has another draw this week we can just continue going and going. There is something just so wrong about all this. You have to come back for another full game. It just doesnt seem right does it.
Eclipz1
Guest
Funny, having argued with a Sth American friend Friday about why AFL is better than soccer as it's less frustrating. But at least a soccer final ends in a result - one way or another. Yeh, another game of footy is great, but ......
FuLLy LoAdED MaN
Guest
Andy, I would like to ask the good folk of W.A how they would react if the Eagles or Freo had to travel twice to Melbourne to play a Melbourne team in a G.F and then a replay. I suspect that they would feel incredibly hard done by. I have heard and read a lot of reasons as to why the AFL should scrap a replay, none of which I find convincing. However the inequity of long distance travel may be the catalyst.
hog
Guest
as a devoted rugby fan in melbourne i take my hat off to the AFL great game and congratulations, but one thing listening to sports radio this morning listening to the comentator stating that AFL is the easily the most physically demanding sport in the world, hey guys chill your starting strarting to listen to your own press a bit to much theirs room for all of us
Beaver fever
Guest
HMMM, i think it's great that Victorians will unselfishly spend their money for the advancement of australian football, as a proud sandgroper i look forward to more $$$ for grass roots footy around our nation and WA in particular. I think the funds for the GCFC and GWS are already put aside, so dont panic Brian, there is plenty for all.
Brian
Guest
Its not worth a whole lot when its Victorians who spend all the money. Its not like many visitors come like the Aus Open. Its just Victorians spending money on AFL and alchohol as opposed to restuarants ad movie tickets. If anything its more money spent by Victorians in an organisation that will direct that money to the Gold Coast and Western Sydney
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
They have been pretty quick to announce that AAMI park will be used as a live site and will host the winning team.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
More amusing was that the Grand Final (368k) was far bigger in Sydney ratings than any other game that year (2nd best was Swans final of 127k) as you would expect, likewise in Brisbane....but in Perth, Freo's week 2 finals game was more popular (345k) comapred to 338k for the GF. To the people of WA I salute your one eyed support for your teams and especially those 7k of you who boycotted watching "two bloody vic teams running arround" ;)
Redb
Roar Guru
Reeks of jealousy I'm afraid.
Redb
Roar Guru
There are upsides and downsides. The AFL did not deliberately draw the game. Its' not the AFL's fault it is the biggest most important game in town. Daylight second. "Other sports can continue if they choose". This was aimed mostly at the A league game. They are not moving due to a fixture clash. The MCG will be well and truly empty an hour before the much smaller crowd is required at AAMI Park.. If you lived in Melbourne you would know its quite common for big games (80,000) at the MCG occuring in the afternoon with the odd Storm game at night in the same precinct. The A League made a deliberate choice of 2 October to maximise media exposure, the prospect of a draw was always possible in the AFL GF. So they manipulated their own fixture to serve them best in the first place. That's fine and their choice but dont whinge you are unaware of the Melbourne sporting landscape.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Yes, but in the case of the AFL - we can replay it the following week. The MCG is pre-booked for such an eventuality - no problems at all.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Yes,,, and?
PG
Guest
BD Wrote "Ah, been a rule for 112 years" -- Yeah you'd be amazed what has happened in the last 122 years . We have new rules because belive it or not things may have have changed a wee bit, we -- and you may find this a bit lairy have these new fangled machines called Automobiles and Flying Machines that can cart you along so you can leave your horse behind if you want to -- They've hooked ringers and Ice boxes and floor sweepers up to an evil magic imp named electricity. Now days also women dont have to dance backwards if they dont want to.
Bay35Pablo
Roar Guru
Daddy Warbucks logic!!!! We signed Folau and Hunt because we CAN!!!!!
Bay35Pablo
Roar Guru
I am sure it was a great game. Had I flicked over late, I might possibly have started watching it for the pure spectacle. Although, unlikely given Eastwood were playing Randwick in the Shute Shield semi which I was very much emotionally invested in, and I only didn't watch that as I had a family lunch on. Only caught the last 15 minutes. "Other sports can continue uninterupted if they choose." Ahhhh, the Demetriou diffidence. Like Marie Antoinette telling them to eat cake if they can't get bread. Slight disruption to other sports because of the replay. That's the point. Racing Victoria has changed dates to avoid clashing. They don't do that lightly. I love the Victorian government saying it will be benefit the economy by millions of dollars. Um, because that money wouldn't have been spent somewhere else? Possibly better spent?
Redb
Roar Guru
How does is it affect those sports? They are free to do whatever they like.
Bay35Pablo
Roar Guru
Go read my article, which i referred to so as to avoid repeating myself. it hasn't been this way for 112 years. Sport is now big business, which apparently means its OK to act like a$$holes. Which is OK if you are the biggest gorilla in the room ..... i.e. the AFL.
Bay35Pablo
Roar Guru
I didn't care who played or who won. I am still interested in Australian sport, which AFL is a part of, and how AFL affects sport (including my preferred football sports of rugby, league and football in that order).