I think this would be a worthwhile experiment. This year, the last practice matches were played on the weekend of Saturday 4th/Sunday 5th March, which means there was a two week break before round 1. A match on Labour day would have been 9 days after the last practice match. It seems to good to pass up - a public holiday only three days before the season usually starts.
If that was done this year, the obvious match to shift to the Monday at 3:20 would have been Essendon-Hawthorn, as the other two MCG games were set in their blockbuster timeslots.
If this was done next year, perhaps St.Kilda would be a good choice, hosting a singular MCG game as they did this year as they seem to be the only Victorian club without a regular standalone marquee matchup.
So, next year could look something like this:
Last practice match weekend: Saturday and Sunday 2nd/3rd March
Monday 11th March
St.Kilda vs Coll/Ess MCG 3:20
Thursday
Carlton v Richmond MCG 7:50
Friday
someone vs someone etc etc
Thoughts?
If that was done this year, the obvious match to shift to the Monday at 3:20 would have been Essendon-Hawthorn, as the other two MCG games were set in their blockbuster timeslots.
If this was done next year, perhaps St.Kilda would be a good choice, hosting a singular MCG game as they did this year as they seem to be the only Victorian club without a regular standalone marquee matchup.
So, next year could look something like this:
Last practice match weekend: Saturday and Sunday 2nd/3rd March
Monday 11th March
St.Kilda vs Coll/Ess MCG 3:20
Thursday
Carlton v Richmond MCG 7:50
Friday
someone vs someone etc etc
Thoughts?