AFL chief Andrew Demetriou has dismissed suggestions the annual Dreamtime clash between Essendon and Richmond should be shared with other clubs.
Essendon host Richmond on Saturday night at the MCG with a crowd of over 80,000 expected for the eighth Dreamtime game which is the highlight of the league’s indigenous-themed round of matches.
“It’s an amazing game, the Dreamtime game,” Demetriou said on Thursday night.
“Every time it has been played the crowd has been extraordinary. The pre-match (entertainment) has been incredible.
“There’s a real anticipation around the game. It’s another great concept by the great Kevin Sheedy (ex-Essendon coach) who was involved in it.
“It’s a real celebration. I’m glad it’s going to be nearly a sell-out.”
Demetriou laughed off speculation on radio that other clubs were seeking the chance to compete in the Dreamtime clash.
“I haven’t had any clubs come to us and put their (case forward),” Demetriou told ABC2’s
“The Marngrook Footy Show”.
“It got talked about on radio this morning because we’ve got a lot of people talking about footy.
“What we try to do is we try to find a game or an event for every club throughout the year.
“If it’s the opening game Richmond-Carlton, or the Dreamtime game or the Anzac Day game or even the Monday-night game St Kilda-Carlton, we try to make that an event.
“I hope the Dreamtime game stays with Richmond and Essendon. They really were the originators of the concept.”
Demetriou said the AFL’s objective was to have 100 indigenous players on club lists in a season within the next few years.
“We’re at about 80 at the moment,” Demetriou said.
He said the game was almost unrecognisable 20 years on from what it looked like in 1992 and he said massive changes would continue in the next couple of decades.
“Hopefully we’ll have a real national footprint. We’ll have a much larger penetration in NSW and Queensland and I suspect we’ll be playing games overseas for (premiership) points,” he said.
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Roar Rookie
K. Sheedy initiated the dreamtime concept. Basically the thought was: red + back + yellow = unity.
Republican
Guest
So why then the addition of an AnzAC Wellington fixture between St Kilda v?. This is marketing, pure and simple, rather than any sacrosanct tradition to be be left uncompromised. The AFL's sense of tradition is about as strong as Coles or Woolies truth be told.
Mackerel
Guest
North Melbourne plays the Eureka game vs Richmond every year. I guess the Bulldogs need to think of a gimmick as well
JamesP
Guest
Fair enough. But every club should get to host a marquee type game. So far you have: Opening Game: Richmond v Carlton ANZAC Dat: Coll v Ess Dreamtime: Ess v Rich Easter Monday: Geel v Hawthorn Queens Birthday: Mel v Coll Thursday night (Good Friday Eve): Bris v Carlton (not always through) Monday night (so far only 1): Car v St Kilda Then of course you have your interstate derby's, Car v Coll etc. So, the only VIC teams not playing a 'marquee' type game is North and Bulldogs. Meanwhile Carlton get plenty of representation. I know that North have wanted Good Friday footy for some time - but it would only work if they played a bigger team. North v Bulldogs are the 2 least supported teams. They drew barely 20k on Sunday (admittedly Mothers Day). Even in a stand alone Good Friday type game they would struggle to draw 30k (unless both teams are in form). Then again, Good Friday is usually the first few rounds of the season, and with the right amount of promotion, they could get a decent crowd at Etihad (hopefully something approaching 40k).