News "Possible Melbourne and Sydney twilight fixture on Good Friday"

[Gysberts2Bate]

Figured this deserved its own thread.

MELBOURNE and Sydney could snare the coveted Good Friday AFL fixture after receiving the backing of league chief Gillon McLachlan.

The AFL commission this week gave the league permission to play on the religious holiday and McLachlan said a twilight match between the improving Demons and the 2012 premiers would be a “great idea”.

“I think Sydney, 4.40pm on a Good Friday if you were going to play would be a pretty appealing game,” he told 3AW.

“Melbourne are improving and what people want to watch is a good game and if Melbourne continue to improve and are playing good footy that would be a great game.”

McLachlan said there was no guarantee football would be played on Good Friday in 2015, but there was a “high probability” it would be added to the fixture in the next few years.

Melbourne and Sydney have played previously in Sydney on Anzac Day for the Ron Barassi Snr Cup.

“If we’re going to do this let’s make it a great event and Melbourne-Sydney as an example is hugely symbolic and playing for the Ron Barassi Cup, that’s a great idea.”

“That’s a discussion we should be having when we decide to play.”

Super encouraging that we're constantly in conversations for new big games, like ANZAC Eve v Richmond, ANZAC Day in NZ v St Kilda, and now this. Would make a great annual trip up to Sydney for the Easter weekend.

 

[Captain Jack]

Cynical view would be that the AFL is commercially gunning straight for the advantage that the NRL enjoys in having no competition on Good Friday until now. Hence scheduling a game in Sydney.

 

[Topkent]

Considering Gil commented on it and those guys don't do much by accident id say you can lock this in either following or leading into a game in Melbourne

 

[d33my]

Hope we get it, if only to annoy heaps of people who say we shouldn't.

 

[Captain Jack]

Hope we get it, if only to annoy heaps of people who say we shouldn't.

Imagine the heartbreak if North somehow miss out on a game they have coveted for 15 years. We'll never hear the end of it.

 

[Topkent]

Cynical view would be that the AFL is commercially gunning straight for the advantage that the NRL enjoys in having no competition on Good Friday until now. Hence scheduling a game in Sydney.

Now that they have the most marketable player in the game there it makes a hell of a lot of sense

Probably hoping to outdraw the league

 

[Captain Jack]

Further to my comment about the NRL, had a quick look at their fixture for this year. On Good Friday there were 3 games played, including Rabbitohs v Bulldogs 4pm at ANZ Stadium. The other two were up the coast in Newcastle and Gosford later in the evening. So assuming that big afternoon game at ANZ is an annual thing, no doubt the AFL would be keen to draw some attention to the SCG at the same time.

 

[Inspector Malceski]

Its assumed there will be 2 games on Good Friday, if there is one in Sydney, so the other in Melbourne.

so the whinge from Norf fans can wait!!

 

[ponsdale]

Commercial ratings/dollars grab or not, as I live in Sydney, I'm all for it! Guaranteed game every year.

 

[Blackas87]

My one concern is can you eat a meat pie at the footy on Good Friday?

 

[Captain Jack]

My one concern is can you eat a meat pie at the footy on Good Friday?

Can't see FourNTwenty Fish Pies being a huge seller.

 

[d33my]

My one concern is can you eat a meat pie at the footy on Good Friday?

Why not tuck in to a traditional fish pie? Full of...fishy goodness.

Lol...beaten by Captain Jack

 

[Captain Jack]

Why not tuck in to a traditional fish pie? Full of...fishy goodness.

Lol...beaten by Captain Jack

Completely off topic but has anyone ever had a Fillet O Fish from maccas? Never been near it personally, too weird.

 

[jhong]

Think we should put our hand up for this. At some point the Queen will be no more ,making Queens Birthday vanish , we need to have something in its place .

 

[Topkent]

Completely off topic but has anyone ever had a Fillet O Fish from maccas? Never been near it personally, too weird.

I have tried every single thing on the maccas menu but ive never been tempted by that one, Something fishy about it ( BANG )

No but seriously there is something a little weird about it

 

[Blackas87]

Think we should put our hand up for this. At some point the Queen will be no more ,making Queens Birthday vanish , we need to have something in its place .

It's not the Queens actual birthday, it's just a day we celebrate the head of states birthday, if prince Charles becomes king the day will change to Kings birthday.

 

[Blackas87]

Completely off topic but has anyone ever had a Fillet O Fish from maccas? Never been near it personally, too weird.

I actually tried it for the first time about a month ago, never again will I have it.

 

[mrmonkey]

I don't think it should go to anyone. I think it should be rotated with teams in the top 4. If north want it they should finish in 4 as they should definatly by up there by now. As is every team has a channce to make the 4 eventually over time. (Even Richmond)

 

[jhong]

It's not the Queens actual birthday, it's just a day we celebrate the head of states birthday, if prince Charles becomes king the day will change to Kings birthday.

Or seeing as his birthday is in Nov , they may just move it . All i am saying is it wouldn't hurt to start building up something other than the one we have.

 

[Blackas87]

Or seeing as his birthday is in Nov , they may just move it . All i am saying is it wouldn't hurt to start building up something other than the one we have.

The queens birthday is april 21.

It's just a day selected to celebrate the birthday of the Monarch, it's been celebrated by the British empire and now Commonwealth Nations since 1748 in either May or June depending on where you are in the world.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Completely off topic but has anyone ever had a Fillet O Fish from maccas? Never been near it personally, too weird.

Used to love them but got a dodgy one from the Swanston/Flinders St Maccas once in '05. Haven't touched them since. Vale.

 

[CTHORANGE]

I'm pretty shocked that Gill is talking about us being in this game, maybe he won't be to bad for football after all, I had just assumed any game on this would involve either Carlton, Collingwood, Richmond or Essendon....

Seems PJ is still doing some great work behind the scenes

 

[jhong]

The queens birthday is april 21.

It's just a day selected to celebrate the birthday of the Monarch, it's been celebrated by the British empire and now Commonwealth Nations since 1748 in either May or June depending on where you are in the world.

All i am saying is it wouldn't hurt to start building up something other than the one we have.

 

[SuburbanMe]

Should be Demons Vs Saints on Good Friday. Kinda makes sense.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Should be Demons Vs Saints on Good Friday. Kinda makes sense.

Might be a bit sacrilegious for us to win though.