My letter to the NRL CEO, Part 2: Easter Round

Dear Davo Smithy, Happy holidays! Now stop bludging and get back to work. Today’s topic: this mixed Easter basket.

First up we get a game at Gosford, one of the scant few they host each year but for some reason somebody somewhere decided it would be smart for two clubs with Sydney fans to have to drive out of town during the Holy Thursday F3 carmaggedon…

But Good Friday is truly good indeed and getting… gooder?

Those Dogs and Bunnies sure know how to throw a party. Follow it up with a strong Brisbane game and a Saturday Sharks versus Dragons derby and those eggs are almost starting to taste too sweet.

Don’t worry though. Panthers versus Titans will wash the taste right out of your mouth, followed up by the Knights playing two home games in the same week and backing up from Monday night.

Anyhow, all is not lost. Not every game is like that weird white chocolate your grandmother bought on sale last year, kept in her car for six months and was black when first purchased.

So for your own enjoyment, here’s some potential Easter samplers for you to taste:

• Firstly, don’t waste your big derby games during Easter. They can be played anytime during the season. Instead focus on creating new big event games.

• Holy Thursday: don’t play it where the cars are bumper to bumper and where you’re relying on out-of-towners to attend. Therefore a few regional cities could make a case but it might be the Canberra Raiders time to shine here.

• The Good Friday Classic: Bunnies versus Dogs. Don’t screw it up and heaven forbid, don’t let Channel Nine move it or screw it up.

• Good Friday Night: with the AFL still debating religious dogma, having the Melbourne Storm feature makes sense, but playing the game in Melbourne makes even more sense.

Donating gate receipts to the Charity Appeal would be a strong gesture.

• Saturday Night: if you’re looking to boost the weekend’s crowds then tonight’s the night to head to Newcastle, Townsville or even Auckland.

Alternatively the mid-weekend slot might be convenient to capture Sydney and Brisbane NRL fans travelling to the Gold Coast for Easter.

• Easter Sunday Afternoon: Bunnies and Dogs fans aren’t the only ones who go to the show you know. The afternoon slot is attractive for those heading to the show’s night activities and the NRL could capitalize by hosting two more big Sydney teams at Homebush.

My pick? Eels versus Dragons. Both have massive fan-bases just itching for another big event match. That game could be as big of a spectacle as the Good Friday game.

• Sunday Night: Brisbane and Lang Park should be a part of the big game festivities if you really want to see the turnstiles spinning. The night slot offers something more unique than their standard Friday fare.

• Easter Monday Afternoon: I’ve heard this called a dead-zone for the NRL but if you want a potential event game that people will start adjusting their Easter plans for then a Roosters versus Tigers match at the SFS might be a winner.

There’s certainly enough fans of both clubs who live within a 30 kilometre radium and the afternoon slot avoids the worst returning holiday traffic.

• Easter Monday Night: well a West Coast Pirates club could make that game their own…

Yours in footy.