South of the Yarra
Premium Platinum
- Jul 23, 2006
- 10,968
- 18,149
- AFL Club
- Collingwood
Richmond's 1.194 million last year is actually superior to Collingwood's 1.306 million, if you analyse both fixtures.
In 2010 Collingwood played the following teams twice ... Geelong (who finished 2nd that year), the Saints (who finished 3rd, ultimately making the GF), the Dogs (who finished 4th), Hawthorn (who finished 7th), Carlton (who made finals and were top 4 until Rd 21), Essendon (obviously a major crowd puller), and Melbourne (including the traditional QB game). The Pies played on two public holidays, and played 14 games at the MCG. Only three times did the Pies travel interstate, and did not have to play GWS or the GCS.
In 2018 Richmond drew 112,000 fewer people to their 22 matches. They played the following teams twice ... Geelong (who had a poorer year, finishing 8th), Collingwood (who finished 3rd, and are a big crowd puller), Adelaide (who missed finals), St Kilda (who had a terrible year missing finals), and Essendon (who finished in a similar position to that of 2010).
So in comparison to Collingwood playing five of the other top 8 teams twice, Richmond played just two other top 8 teams twice. Collingwood played away from Melbourne only 3 times. Richmond played 5 interstate games, including games against the GCS and GWS.
I would argue that had Richmond had double-up games against Hawthorn and Melbourne (two other Melbourne-based sides who made finals), and did not have to travel to the Gold Coast and GWS, given an MCG crowd average of 55,000, Richmond would have drawn 1.4 million.
Any impartial analysis of the two would say that Richmond's 1.194 million in 2018 was superior to Collingwood's 1.306 million in 2010.
What about Collingwood's 2011, 2008, 2007 and 2012 that were also bigger than Richmonds 2018? Yes Collingwood have had 5 seasons bigger than Richmond's 2018. Richmond does not come close.