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AFL must try twilight grand final: Sheedy

2nd December, 2015
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Kevin Sheedy has urged the AFL to be brave and at least trial a twilight grand final.

Inspired by the success of the pink ball day-night Test match in Adelaide, Sheedy – the driving force behind the Anzac Day and Dreamtime at the ‘G blockbusters, and next season’s Country game – says the league could reap huge benefits from the bold move.

“If they want to vote, I’d put my feet and my hands in the air to have a twilight grand final,” Sheedy told SEN radio on Wednesday.

“Have a look at it because at least then you’ve had a look. We’ve done over a hundred years of (day) grand finals and we won’t look at something different.

“It might be pretty good – it might be better … we don’t know unless you actually try.

“At least cricket has had the courage to go and try it – I thought it was quite successful.”

Previous AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou was an unashamed traditionalist who preferred the game’s showpiece match in its afternoon timeslot but successor Gillon McLachlan hasn’t ruled out the possibility of a twilight grand final in the future.

After his address to the National Press Club in August, McLachlan described the AFL Commission as split roughly 50-50 on the issue.

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“It will be a decision for the Commission and, without betraying Commission confidence, I think there is a diversity of views on that,” McLachlan said.

“I can tell you this year it will be a day grand final and I can’t imagine it not being one the year after that.

“But you can’t rule it out (from 2017).”

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