Overwhelming success. If it wasn’t for the Bears shitting the bed, we would have had an opening round Victorian club whitewash
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That way Essendon/Collingwood/Richmond/Melbourne can have their byes before/after that so it's not really like a bye. Even it out for them so they don't get screwed over with a shot break.
I feel like this thread did not age well. 4 games and all four were interesting in their own way, all four having plenty to talk about.
Sydney vs Melbourne = Are Sydney the real deal? Is Melbourne in trouble?
Brisbane vs Carlton = Can Carlton be a contender this year?
Gold Coast vs Richmond = Hardwicks win against Richmond, can Gold Coat make the leap to make the 8, what does this loss mean for Richmond?
GWS vs Collingwood = Is there a Collingwood premiership hangover? Can GWS win the flag?
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Lots of AFL opening round naysayers haven't considered the nuace and it shows.I think it's been a tactical win by AFL HQ. NRL tried to go all out with Vegas and the AFL have slid in and taken over Harbour town for the week whilst they were eyeing off some new fluff. I doubt they could of hoped for it to go any better.

Every game sold out,
You are confused about what a sellout is.Yet they were all played with thousands of empty seats visible
The Gold Coast crowd of 22,086 was their highest ever at home against Richmond.
And interestingly, the Suns had not broken a crowd record against an opponent since 2014 (not counting the 2018 Freo ‘home’ game at Optus). The Hardwick effect helps, but having the clear air and focus as a marquee game has been the main reason for this success.
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There are 3-5 opportunities for the Suns to break more crowd records this year using the momentum that Opening Round has given us. It’s been massive.
No, I'm aware it's a fake term the AFL uses whenever one of their big events is a complete failure, they but up all the tickets so it appears successful, but they couldn't even give them away for free.You are confused about what a sellout is.
Fmd VFLersNo, I'm aware it's a fake term the AFL uses whenever one of their big events is a complete failure, they but up all the tickets so it appears successful, but they couldn't even give them away for free.


Yet they were all played with thousands of empty seats visible
Celebrating sellouts in the northern states is a good thing.Celebrating a crowd of 20,000 is Rugby League thinking.
To answer OP nope it wasn’t. A great night.
Come on, media would of been all about the traditional clubs like it always is.GABBA was also rocking on Friday night.
It could’ve still been a great weekend with 10 other teams playing.
Come on, media would of been all about the traditional clubs like it always is.
All of those things could have happened with a normal opening round.I feel like this thread did not age well. 4 games and all four were interesting in their own way, all four having plenty to talk about.
Sydney vs Melbourne = Are Sydney the real deal? Is Melbourne in trouble?
Brisbane vs Carlton = Can Carlton be a contender this year?
Gold Coast vs Richmond = Hardwicks win against Richmond, can Gold Coat make the leap to make the 8, what does this loss mean for Richmond?
GWS vs Collingwood = Is there a Collingwood premiership hangover? Can GWS win the flag?
But it would take the media off those 4 games. The idea we the northern states got all the media.Big traditional clubs would still be in QLD and NSW playing in prime time slots.
Unless you think Port vs WCE on a Sunday afternoon would overshadow these games?