The AFL took an unnecessarily long time to announce the 2019 grand final time slot.
For a decision that took five and a half months to make, I think we were all expecting (and hoping) for more information than we were given.
Simply, this year the Grand Final will be played at 2.30 – the same timeslot since 2001.
That’s all.
For the past few years the AFL has been toying with the idea of a twilight grand final and have been tempted to push the start time back but, to the delight of the fans, the Grand Final will remain a day game.
Every year since this discussion began, an overwhelming majority of fans have voted in favour of the traditional day timeslot (in the Herald Sun fans survey) over twilight or an evening:
It seems the AFL’s back and forth is nothing more than conditioning us for what’s to come. To take five and a half months to discuss the timeslot and keeping it the same says to me that the fans do have the final say… for now.
If the tactic is to discuss a twilight timeslot for months and show supporters this is the future in order to ease them up, it’s clearly not working.
We are traditionalists and once again are resisting changes we don’t like that have been presented by the AFL (as you can see above).
But if a twilight Grand Final is inevitable, why won’t the AFL just pull the plug and trial it? If it were truly about the fans, this wouldn’t be a discussion at all.
I personally think those in charge are going the wrong way about it.
Overall on the AFL fixture, the twilight timeslot has never really been a feature.
It was only really introduced with the Suns and Giants joining the league.
If twilight games have never really been a feature in our game, or a timeslot that everyone is fighting for, what makes the Grand Final any different?
It’s not held in the same prestige as, say, a Friday night game.
Nothing about twilight in today’s game is desirable, so if the AFL wants us to want it, they need to make a good case for it.
I would start with trialling the slot in marquee games.
You can’t just raise the idea of a twilight grand final and within five years change it and expect no one to bat an eyelid. You need to ease people into it.
We are blessed with a few standout games on the fixtures but only one of those is played in a twilight slot:
Day: Easter Monday (Hawthorn vs Geelong), ANZAC Day (Collingwood vs Essendon), Queens Birthday (Collingwood vs Melbourns).
Twilight: Good Friday (Rotating teams – a standalone twilight fixture in its first two years, now we have 1 x twilight and 1 x night).
Night: ANZAC Eve (Melbourne vs Richmond), Dreamtime at the G (Richmond vs Essendon).
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
So why the desperation to shift the Grand Final first?
Why not trial the twilight slot on Easter Monday or Queens Birthday instead?
These are monster matches every year so it seems like a perfect opportunity to give it a go it then.
If it gets a pass mark from fans, then look at taking the next step and scheduling a twilight grand final. If not, take it all back.
But right now the AFL isn’t making a great case in its favour. Instead it’s a Gil McLachlan x Channel 7 brainchild and no fans are going to be genuinely enthused about that one.
My pick would be to trial it on Queens Birthday.
The game has transformed into an event to fight MND, so why not give it some more airtime before the match.
That way we can properly assess if the timeslot will work and if it does then perhaps move onto the Grand Final.
No matter what the AFL decides to do, it must stop going back and forth.
The AFL just has to suck up its pride and make the call on a twilight grand final instead of dancing around the idea for five and a half months and getting everyone worked up.
Either trial it or trash it.
Because at the end of the day, the Grand Final shouldn’t be about anything but the best two sides of the season playing for premiership glory.
The game could be played at 2.30pm, 5.30pm, 7.30pm, 11.30pm… you’ll still have a full house and electric atmosphere.
But the sad reality is the game is shifting away from pleasing the fans and towards pleasing everyone who will pump big bucks into the league.
AFL supporters are traditionalists and love the game for what it is and what makes it different from anything else around the world.
A day grand final is unique and is special to those who have supported and loved the game for decades.
Doesn’t that mean something to the AFL?
Stop making the game about yourselves and start making it about the fans.
They deserve it.
Sam
Roar Rookie
Not to mention Queens Birthday and (usually) Anzac Day have school/workl the next day, which would keep a lot of people away.
WCE
Roar Rookie
the solution is to not discuss it anymore , forget the night GF game . Saturday afternoon is tradition leave it alone. done .
Gordon P Smith
Roar Guru
The University Of Notre Dame used to re-broadcast a synopsis version of their (American) football games on Sunday mornings when I was growing up. They only showed their team on offense, and got through the entire game in half an hour. I used to think this was a flaw in our game in the States, but now I’ve realized it’s a feature.
Julian
Roar Rookie
It's car-crash TV, obviously staged to an extent, lowest common denominator type stuff sure, but honestly, it's pretty fun. Much like a terrible movie, half the fun is talking shit about it when you're watching it with someone else.
Julian
Roar Rookie
I agree that the most frustrating thing about it is the AFL's prevaricating. If they want to do it, then do it. Just don't say the fans want it or that 'we're all for the fans'. Outline why it's a good idea, that they'll get significantly more viewers in a later timeslot in northern states, that it enables them to create a better 'spectacle' (vomit) etc. etc. If you can't outline why it's a good idea, how can you expect supporters to get behind it? And the twilight grand final is the perfect example of that. They're trying to have it both ways. The game will start in the day so its kind of like a day grand final and yet it ends in the dark, so it's sort of like a night game. It's a nothing timeslot. The AFL/media rights holders obviously would like a night game, but again they're trying to have it both ways.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
#RichieTiger That's exactly the issue. This dates back 35 odd years - to when the then VFL wanted to take it's grand final to its own ground - VFL Park. They started selling memberships on that basis but also wanted to expand the ground but were blocked by the then state government. Why? Because the state government wanted to force the VFL Grand Final to remain at the MCG. Since then - it's all been about power. The now AFL doesn't have the power of running the place but they have the power of the main day in day out plus big ticket event (the footy incl finals and the Grand Final). Cricket doesn't. Not anymore. The VFL members got shoved into the ancient and crumbling southern stand.....the VFL/AFL pushed and pushed to get improved facilities but it was only after concrete 'cancer' was diagnosed that the old stand got demolished. The MCC and MCG Trust were resistant (basically rrrrr's holes). So - people sit on the MCC waiting list for 30 years paying for the privilege and then get their restricted membership and then get a full one......to sit on that side of the ground. What's it all do? Well - it is the funding model for the MCC debt so that the MCC can borrow money and rebuild the stadium and save the state government from having to tip in (less than 10% on the 100% rebuild since 1990). It's why the state govt was willing to splash some cash around the 'Marvel' precinct - - because it's a pittance in return for the value of the AFL and AFL GF being locked into the MCG now until 2057. That'll pay for the rebuild of the Great Southern Stand in about 10 years time. In the meantime of course the MCC ensured they rebuilt their luxury into the Members stand. Now - if Australia had of won the right to host the FIFA WC - then, the MCG for any matches would be a 100% clean venue. MCC members would have no rights. Why shouldn't the AFL get a clean venue on GF day? Anyway - it's too late to turn back now - but - that's a major reason why I'm all for a Grand Final largely under lights - it's a far more even viewing experience. And to me - that does matter. At least too the AFL has finally regained the position of 100% ownership of a stadium and this time they don't have to wait for a train that never came.....the station was already there!! (but it seriously annoyed me that when the state govt pumped around $270 million into AAMI park that that was more than they had put into the MCG and as far as 'Marvel' went, all they'd down was sold land cheap to the developers....which they did all over the docklands urban renewal site.....what's a bit of contamination....)
Kelly Andrews
Guest
I do Macca. Love preliminary final weekend with 2 night games. But Col from Brissie put forward some very good points, that I hadn't considered, as to why the game should stay as an afternoon game.
Confused
Guest
I actually LIKED a comment from IAP. That proves I\'m not a traditionalist. I just can\'t see any benefit to playing twilight when you want the best conditions for the game and supporters.
IAP
Guest
Speak for yourself. My opinions are all fact.
IAP
Guest
Imagine how much we'd have had by half time if the game was a twilight game? There's a health and safety issue that the AFL needs to consider here; they have a duty of care.
Seymorebutts
Roar Rookie
Night games get old real quick. Cant take kids, its freezing cold, you get home around midnight. People have lives outside footy, Saturday night is when you do things with the family, go out, visit friends ,relatives, go to parties etc. One night game per round is more than enough, the Friday night game. The ball and ground are usually wet, the handling isnt as good, it makes it difficult for the really skilled players to show their stuff. Its a terrible spectacle as players fumble and slip over for two hours. The only people who like it are TV executives, ergo people who don't follow footy anyway.
clipper
Roar Rookie
Absolutely agree - if anything the NRL would move their SF to clash with the AFL GF to try and lower the ratings.
clipper
Roar Rookie
No, like most comments here, it is just an opinion, but the NRL was pressured into going twilight then night and caved in to the overlords pretty quickly.
Macca
Roar Rookie
Exactly - NFL has 1 hour of actual play spread out over more than 3 hours, we have 2 hours of play in 2 1/2.
BA Sports
Roar Guru
Yeah, I don't think the NRL are in the business of adjusting their draw so people can watch AFL, and I don't think Ch9 are in the business of losing valuable advertising revenue to help out Ch 7.
Slane
Guest
Why would you compare Saturday night ratings with any other ratings that aren't Saturday arvo ratings? That's the comparison that Seven are making. It doesn't really matter so much if the NFL has a bad halftime show. They have already turned the event into something that is considered 'must watch' and the advertising slots are priced accordingly.
Slane
Guest
So nobody watches the halftime show AND nobody remembers it. You are making Channel Seven's argument for them. I forgot that the Grand Final is always the best game of the season. How could a concert ever compete with that?
Mick Jeffrey
Roar Rookie
It wouldn't, Channel 9 are committed to showing the state league GF's on that Sunday Afternoon and it gives too much of an advantage to the team winning on Friday Night for the GF (2 full days rest). The only weekend where it wouldn't clash is if the NRL GF is the next day.
Mick Jeffrey
Roar Rookie
It's also the LOWEST rating night of the TV watching week (no shows have attracted more than 850k viewers on FTA TV on a Saturday Night for weeks). Plus the halftime shows have either lost appeal in NFL land (this year's apparently was awful, others in recent years haven't been that great despite the big names), and the NRL have no names playing boring covers which FTA doesn't even bother covering.
Mick Jeffrey
Roar Rookie
They'll never trial it on Easter Monday as long as Geelong are involved due to maximising attendances (Geelong fans don't travel to night games and would be inclined not to travel to a twilight game with a work day the next day). They'll never trial it on Queen's Birthday when it's not even a public holiday in WA or Qld (and is unlikely to be a public holiday once Australia becomes a republic). The major reason however is that a twilight start on those timeslots will cost 7 in viewers for the News, which is the biggest rating show of the night and flows into their night programming. The other reason why they won't try putting marquee games on the twilight slot is to do with TV also. Channel 7 I believe would have a major say in what games go on their big slots (FNF, TNF, SNF), they won't want to give Fox massive games which they think will be big at the start of their season in order to protect (not grow in this era of split TV and streaming coverage) whatever audiences they have left.