Nothing quite says footy like a big game in front of a passionate crowd that knows there is more than the usual four points on the line.
For many of us, it really is more than a game; the results from the weekend generally dictate our mood for the week.
Matches like Anzac Day, Dreamtime and the Round 1 opener between Richmond and Carlton have all proven to be successful events that have not only fans but players eagerly awaiting these fixtures.
In the average season there are a handful of big matches that excite fans with all the zeal provided by the media and the fans. There is, however, an underlying issue that many clubs feel left out of the allocated marquee matches.
It is felt that these ‘big matches’ are reserved for the bigger clubs with many media commentators insisting that perhaps a change is required.
I really don’t see the argument in changing or removing these matches, other than the jealousy of fans either because their teams aren’t involved or because these matches have delivered successful results for the AFL.
There is the constant raising of the idea that the previous year’s grand finalists should open the season or should feature on Anzac Day, however isn’t it special that many of these games are due to years of rivalries?
Matches like Anzac Day are the closest things to derbies that we have in the AFL (aside from the Western derby and the Showdown) and is the only time that we see the power of the masses getting behind and passionately supporting their teams over the line.
With the clubs only being allocated 20,000 or so seats for members on grand final day, a match like Anzac Day is special due to having 95,000 genuine fans at the match.
In the build-up to the Richmond versus Carlton opener, there were complaints over whether this should be the season opener, due to the expectation that it would be quite a one-sided affair.
However what people don’t realise is that in a big match between two rivals, form and ladder positions go out the window as demonstrated on Thursday night.
If anything, the build-up ahead of these contests should be increased to create a finals-like atmosphere.
It is clear that these marquee matches work, however it is not by any means the AFL’s responsibility to make these happen. If we reflect on the inception of these games they have all integrated through the clubs getting together and creating something.
Kevin Sheedy singlehandedly created two of the most anticipated fixtures in the season – Anzac Day and Dreamtime – and it was Richmond that approached Carlton some ten years ago with the idea of opening the season.
If clubs want to participate in big matches, they should not be relying on the AFL to make it happen.
This is where clubs like St Kilda, North Melbourne and the Bulldogs can get together and look to make something out of nothing. An opportunity has risen with the AFL contemplating the idea of Good Friday Footy, so what’s stopping two clubs coming together and selling their idea to the AFL to feature in this marquee match?
It all comes down to the clubs. Rivalries are not built on through the AFL trying to make something, but through the clubs and fans. Look at the Dreamtime fixture for example. Richmond and Essendon are not traditional rivals; however the Dreamtime match adds a little spice to the mix and creates a bit of rivalry between them.
North Melbourne and Bulldogs claim to be two of the toughest teams in the competition, so why not build a concept around it? With the right amount of hype and publicity, a sense of rivalry could be created and we could see a sellout at Etihad every time these two sides meet.
It is surprising that the competition’s two oldest teams in Melbourne and Geelong have not attempted to create any type of special match between them. Neither of these clubs feature in many big matches throughout the season and both have relatively strong supporter bases.
I doubt the AFL will have any objections to clubs wanting to create an annual fixture to create a bit of rivalry and publicity for themselves. Any chance to get more people through the gates and to create on-field tension will have the AFL licking its lips.
All it takes is one idea.
Slane
Guest
Any 2 Melbourne teams with a large supporter base could fill the 'G? So Collingwood, Essendon, Richmond, Hawthorn and Carlton? What a radical idea. Take a blockbuster game away feom a big club and give it to another big club who in al likelihood already has a blockbuster game.
andyl12
Guest
No mattyb, you have misrepresented me again. Read all of my posts properly before you comment next time.
berrlins
Roar Pro
that's one of the better comments on this thread, its the biggest game of the year outside of the granny, it should be given off as a reward, Essendon are a lot of things right now but I don't think they're deserving of such a marque game.
mattyb
Guest
Um...OK...Andy. Aren't you all for the Victorian clubs inheriting the right to a home grand final though? Didn't think the equally of football was much your thing.
John
Guest
Some clubs for whatever reason just can't draw a crowd. North Melbourne finished in the top 4 last year and only got 25000 in prime time Saturday night slot.
andyl12
Guest
"Hawthorn's traditionally fickle fan base." Yet it is Essendon whinging that the WADA decision will drive crowds away from Essendon games. Essendon may draw big crowds on Anzac Day- move the fixture to a Sunday twilight and the crowd is hardly worth talking about. But anyway, blockbusters should be about the quality of football and not which club inherited the most from its forefathers. Essendon and Carlton are 20th century clubs that have done nothing worthwhile for the game since 2001.
Liam O'Neill
Guest
We have double headers on Saturday nights now, is there some reason we can't have them on Friday nights as well.
joe b
Guest
Good Friday could be a double header, a game in Melbourne followed by a game in another state.
joe b
Guest
2015 Rd 4 - ANZAC day clash Attendance 88k Rd 23 Attendance 40k 2014 Rd 6 - ANZAC day clash Attendance 91k Rd 17 Attendance 59k Any 2 Melbourne teams with a large supporter base could fill the MCG on ANZAC day. It is the fact that it is ANZAC day, that more people attend. IMO, it should be the 2 highest ranking Melbourne teams from the previous season facing off. i.e. it should be awarded to 2 teams, not owned by 2 teams. Advance Australia fair, not advance Essendon and Collingwood and stuff the rest.
Ben Somes
Guest
Yeah I agree, actually having the crowd show up might be a problem. But for a Good Friday match being the only match of the day - surely that would add to the hype. Public holidays in general would work
Ben Somes
Guest
I think Good Friday could have St Kilda vs North Melbourne at a packed MCG. I can't remember the last time both sides competed against each other at the G. Or Melbourne vs Western Bulldogs at the G. I don't think Etihad will suit a big match. But I think between North, St Kilda, Melbourne, Geelong or Western Bulldogs, there's the potential for Good Friday. The local interstate derbies are good enough for its own occasion during the year but a lower team like North (for example), they don't have a big match except finals. So Good Friday or something else should arise for these clubs
Tricky
Guest
Nah , dons will smash us.
mattyb
Guest
Excellent points Dmac and we'll presented. The only problem with your last sentence though is Hawthorns traditionally fickle fan base,when the wins stop coming so to do the fans. It's worth remembering that their last lean patch also coincided with talks to merge with Melbourne. While I like the idea of a marquee game against North common sense says it wouldn't pull a huge crowd. Large crowd pulling games occurred before we came up with the term marquee. Some teams pull huge crowds and some don't,we can't change that artificially unfortunately.
Samantha
Roar Rookie
Considering how awful Collingwood's opening performance was, playing this Essendon rabble might end up being a fair match.
Dmak
Guest
Essendon still get these big matches because their supporters still show up. Same as Richmond even though they have had years of not being successful they still draw a crowd. Calling a game a Marque match does not draw a crowd it is the two teams that are playing. Collingwood vs Essendon was high drawing before it was given an designated day. Your suggested special matches of Geelong vs Melbourne and North Melbourne vs Western Bulldogs would not draw massive crowds .As they do not have the large supporter bases. These two matches would pack out Kardina Park not Etihad let alone the MCG. Look at the Queens Birthday match that Melbourne play with Collingwood. Large crowd but mostly Collingwood fans. So if other teams want to start getting the opportunity for special matches they need to be able to realiably get large crowds for a long period. One team might qualify for a marque could be Hawthorn if they could find a suitable opponent.
andyl12
Guest
Why Essendon still get a stand-alone Anzac Day game is anyone's guess. For most of the last six Anzac fixtures they've done anything but play good footy and a similar thing will happen this year. Not to mention that for most of that six-year period Essendon have represented so much of what is bad about football. Give the game to a team that cares about the sport.