MCC reveals its top five matches for 2018 season

[Shazza_]

THE MELBOURNE Cricket Club has identified the five home and away games at which it expects the members reserve to be close to capacity in 2018.

In an email to members, the club divided all 45 games into four crowd categories, with provisional members – the new membership category introduced in 2015 – unable to use their cards to enter the MCC Reserve for the five anticipated top-drawing games this year.

They are:

1. Thursday March 22 - Richmond v Carlton (AFL season opener & 2017 flag unveiling)
2. Tuesday April 24 - Melbourne v Richmond (Anzac Eve)
3. Wednesday April 25 - Collingwood v Essendon (Anzac Day)
4. Saturday June 2 - Essendon v Richmond (Dreamtime at the 'G)
5. Monday June 11 - Melbourne v Collingwood (Queen's Birthday)

http://m.afl.com.au/news/2018-01-31...or-2018-season?camefrom=EMCL_2077735_86305375

 

[blitzer]

Pretty interesting. Not entirely sure that the two Melbourne entries will be in the top 5 crowds for the year. The other ones should be.

 

[TiggyTig]

Pretty interesting. Not entirely sure that the two Melbourne entries will be in the top 5 crowds for the year. The other ones should be.

Anzac eve will be a bigger crowd than Anzac Day this year I’d say

 

[Shazza_]

Anzac eve will be a bigger crowd than Anzac Day this year I’d say

Went very close to being bigger last year and in torrential rain too. Dees home game this year though

 

[LeverPuller]

Went very close to being bigger last year and in torrential rain too. Dees home game this year though

Will it matter though? You'd expect the Tiger Army to show up everywhere in the wake of a premiership surely.

As for top 5 games at the G, the only one that you could guarantee potentially would be Geelong-Hawthorn. That said, there's a lower proportion of MCC members for both those sides than Melbourne and Collingwood, so it could be tactical on their part.

 

[Headless]

Obviously the big five.

 

[parmy2balmey]

where are hawthorn at?

 

[Harris Specter]

Pity 3/5 of the games will be over before quarter time

 

[RUNVS]

THE MELBOURNE Cricket Club has identified the five home and away games at which it expects the members reserve to be close to capacity in 2018.

In an email to members, the club divided all 45 games into four crowd categories, with provisional members – the new membership category introduced in 2015 – unable to use their cards to enter the MCC Reserve for the five anticipated top-drawing games this year.

They are:

1. Thursday March 22 - Richmond v Carlton (AFL season opener & 2017 flag unveiling)
2. Tuesday April 24 - Melbourne v Richmond (Anzac Eve)
3. Wednesday April 25 - Collingwood v Essendon (Anzac Day)
4. Saturday June 2 - Essendon v Richmond (Dreamtime at the 'G)
5. Monday June 11 - Melbourne v Collingwood (Queen's Birthday)

http://m.afl.com.au/news/2018-01-31...or-2018-season?camefrom=EMCL_2077735_86305375

None of those matches really interest me as none of them look like they will be between two heavy weight teams.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Pretty interesting. Not entirely sure that the two Melbourne entries will be in the top 5 crowds for the year. The other ones should be.

Yeah, but the top demand among MCC members isn't the same as top demand among the population at large. Doesn't the MCC have a much higher proportion of Demons supporters?

 

[LeverPuller]

None of those matches really interest me as none of them look like they will be between two heavy weight teams.

Melbourne-Richmond? Could be two top 4 sides there. Certainly likely to be two finalists.

 

[LeverPuller]

Yeah, but the top demand among MCC members isn't the same as top demand among the population at large. Doesn't the MCC have a much higher proportion of Demons supporters?

Yup, something like one in five MCC members are Melbourne supporters. Still the highest proportion of any club.

 

[Shazza_]

Richmond / Collingwood will outdraw Melb/ Coll also. If the Pie are looking ok could draw over 80

 

[RUNVS]

Melbourne-Richmond? Could be two top 4 sides there. Certainly likely to be two finalists.

Both teams will probably be top 8 I agree there, but I don't think either will be in contention for the flag.

 

[Shazza_]

Both teams will probably be top 8 I agree there, but I don't think either will be in contention for the flag.

Agree. We aren’t in contention if we have it sewn up already

 

[doppleganger]

Richmond / Collingwood will outdraw Melb/ Coll also. If the Pie are looking ok could draw over 80

This is about MCC capacity, and restrictions applicable to provisional members.

QBday is huge in members, even though gen public might not be as busy.

 

[RUNVS]

Agree. We aren’t in contention if we have it sewn up already

and there is nothing wrong with fans believing their team is going to win it. The more fan bases going into the season thinking their team can win the flag the better.

 

[The Goon]

Both teams will probably be top 8 I agree there, but I don't think either will be in contention for the flag.

Not sure why you're talking about flag credentials. When Melb-Rich play in April that will be way, way, waaaayyyyy over the horizon. As long as neither of us bomb in a massive way it'll be a huge match.

 

[Madtiger2006]

and there is nothing wrong with fans believing their team is going to win it. The more fan bases going into the season thinking their team can win the flag the better.

Well we are the heavy weight if you’re talking best team and biggest club. How else can a club be a heavy weight?

 

[Trav 20]

Pretty interesting. Not entirely sure that the two Melbourne entries will be in the top 5 crowds for the year. The other ones should be.

So you're clueless as to the round 4 crowd in 2017 ?

 

[beema limapep]

Pity 3/5 of the games will be over before quarter time

Aye i reckon Richmond will smash them too.

 

[Rich01]

It’s ridiculously unfair that there aren’t more interstate sides in these games.
How the hell are they supposed to be expected to compete in Grand Finals without being able to play the big games at the G?

 

[JayJ20]

Both teams will probably be top 8 I agree there, but I don't think either will be in contention for the flag.

You're joking. I'd have Richmond only behind Geelong and maybe GWS at full strength. Even that, they're better than both at the MCG.

Melbourne vs Richmond in front of 85K will be a cracker of a game

 

[blitzer]

Yeah, but the top demand among MCC members isn't the same as top demand among the population at large. Doesn't the MCC have a much higher proportion of Demons supporters?

Ah that makes a lot of sense.

 

[telsor]

Worth noting that these are the top 5 for the MCC and demand for seats in the MCC reserve. Not necessarily the biggest crowds, and certainly not the 'best' games.

MCC membership tends to be fairly heavily weighted towards Melbourne, so it's no surprise that they feature. I'd also guess these games would feature pretty much ever year they draw up such a list.