Traditional powerhouses Carlton And Richmond to open the 2017 season

[Gavin Excell]

I'd rather seebthis game than antiseptic eagles or crows

 

[Ron The Bear]

Why can't supporters of AFL largess just be honest and admit they benefit due to the AFL's insatiable desire to "maximise revenue"? It has nothing to do with competency or merit. Stop kidding yourselves. The have a long history of putting their financial interests ahead of sporting integrity & this is just another example of it.

That's the way it's worked for years.

Read your Bible for solace. "Blessed are the minnows, for they shall inherit the prime time."

 

[JeffDunne]

Maybe this game is the AFL's contribution to the Melbourne Comedy festival?

 

[Ancient Tiger]

Maybe this game is the AFL's contribution to the Melbourne Comedy festival?

Now you're just embarassing yourself.

Suck it up. It isn't changing anytime now.

 

[kranky al]

and if enough people don't, it'll probably get changed...

Tell me, would you also watch Sydney/Bulldogs if it was round 2?

A few years ago i watched all the good games - now i have a kid and im lucky if i get time to rub one out in the shower.

 

[telsor]

A few years ago i watched all the good games - now i have a kid and im lucky if i get time to rub one out in the shower.

OK, so you wouldn't watch anyway...So the AFL doesn't care about your opinion on this match.


But the point is that if roughly the same number would watch the GF replay if it was in rnd2, then why would they put it on as the opener?

AFL reasoning is clearly...

Big crowd > good atmosphere > 'event' > extra ratings/PR/etc.


Remember it was only a few years ago that Sydney V GWS opened the season...much smaller crowd > less atmosphere > flat opening that is largely forgotten now.


The quality of the match is a smaller issue, in no small part because ALL round1 matches are down on quality.

 

[Bazzar]

Just like clockwork, the same s**t every year.

It's set in stone as a recent tradition and it's here to say.

The sooks just need to get over it and move on

 

[Goggin Our Best]

Their guarnteed to get a big crowd as usual - however just to freshen it up a bit - i would like Collingwood added to the mix

So the opening Thursday night of the season - you would have a triangular mix of Richmond Collingwood and Carlton
Richmond Collingwood is a huge rivalry - so is Carlton Collingwood - so whatever way you went you would get a huge crowd
Ijust think if you went that way - youd get a little bit of variety - instead of just Richmond Carlton every year

 

[telsor]

Their guarnteed to get a big crowd as usual - however just to freshen it up a bit - i would like Collingwood added to the mix

So the opening Thursday night of the season - you would have a triangular mix of Richmond Collingwood and Carlton
Richmond Collingwood is a huge rivalry - so is Carlton Collingwood - so whatever way you went you would get a huge crowd
Ijust think if you went that way - youd get a little bit of variety - instead of just Richmond Carlton every year

Should we rotate St Kilda through Easter Monday as well?

 

[kranky al]

OK, so you wouldn't watch anyway...So the AFL doesn't care about your opinion on this match.


But the point is that if roughly the same number would watch the GF replay if it was in rnd2, then why would they put it on as the opener?

AFL reasoning is clearly...

Big crowd > good atmosphere > 'event' > extra ratings/PR/etc.


Remember it was only a few years ago that Sydney V GWS opened the season...much smaller crowd > less atmosphere > flat opening that is largely forgotten now.


The quality of the match is a smaller issue, in no small part because ALL round1 matches are down on quality.

Missed my point altogether

Ill definately watch a good match as the opener as ill have 6 months of footy withdrawals

Not watching jokemond vs the whos until they can provide a spectacle.

 

[telsor]

Missed my point altogether

Ill definately watch a good match as the opener as ill have 6 months of footy withdrawals

Not watching jokemond vs the whos until they can provide a spectacle.

A few hundred thousand more like you and the AFL might change it's mind...

Evidence thus far however seems to indicate that these 2 teams draw more interest than the alternatives.

 

[Kent Brockman]

A few hundred thousand more like you and the AFL might change it's mind...

Evidence thus far however seems to indicate that these 2 teams draw more interest than the alternatives.

What evidence? If you think that the Carlton v Richmond 'blockbuster' would draw more interest than a Grand Final rematch you're kidding yourself.

 

[telsor]

What evidence? If you think that the Carlton v Richmond 'blockbuster' would draw more interest than a Grand Final rematch you're kidding yourself.

What about the 5 times in the last 10 years that other teams have had the fixture...Doesn't that count?

Sure, none were the GF rematch, and of course that would draw fairly well, but it would also draw well in round 2, or 3 or 4. The total of having RvC as the opener and GF rematch in a later round is higher than if it was reversed however.

 

[BBC1967]

First part of the word 'power'house needs to be replaced by 'out' or 's**t'...

Great that both these clubs have so many hungry fans who turn up. But it's not a spectacle, it's not the Grand Final replay, and it seems like the AFL shouldn't be going for a 'soft' season launch, given the game wasn't exactly invented yesterday.

What's wrong with the GF re-match, or at least something with a bit of sizzle?

Traditions are important, but only if they're steeped in some kind of relevant history. This is just kind of uninspiring and meh...

Perhaps Hawks should open in front of 16k in Tassie?

 

[Bazzar]

What about the 5 times in the last 10 years that other teams have had the fixture...Doesn't that count?

Sure, none were the GF rematch, and of course that would draw fairly well, but it would also draw well in round 2, or 3 or 4. The total of having RvC as the opener and GF rematch in a later round is higher than if it was reversed however.

Last years GF rematch between the Hawks and Eagles was round 2 and a pathetic 42k turned up

 

[toomanysquibs]

Perhaps Hawks should open in front of 16k in Tassie?

Or perhaps Hawks should play the Cats at the G in front of 90k, so there is super high quality and competitive game on offer instead?

 

[toomanysquibs]

Last years GF rematch between the Hawks and Eagles was round 2 and a pathetic 42k turned up

What is the aim of the opening round, to produce a high quality game for the massive TV audience, or get more heads through the turnstiles?

I'm just not sure Richmond vs. Carlton is anywhere near the sweet spot in that equation.

 

[Ron The Bear]

What evidence? If you think that the Carlton v Richmond 'blockbuster' would draw more interest than a Grand Final rematch you're kidding yourself.

 

[OhhhhhCyril]

Or perhaps Hawks should play the Cats at the G in front of 90k, so there is super high quality and competitive game on offer instead?

Yawn, let Richmond have it, easily the highlight of their season, it all goes downhill after that. Best case we all good a good laugh to open the season.

 

[FootyJunkie]

Their guarnteed to get a big crowd as usual - however just to freshen it up a bit - i would like Collingwood added to the mix

So the opening Thursday night of the season - you would have a triangular mix of Richmond Collingwood and Carlton
Richmond Collingwood is a huge rivalry - so is Carlton Collingwood - so whatever way you went you would get a huge crowd
Ijust think if you went that way - youd get a little bit of variety - instead of just Richmond Carlton every year

Carl v Coll was a much bigger rivalry up until the mid 90s when both sides would make more regular appearances in the finals... since then either one or the other wouldn't be pulling it's weight and the rivalry has just been watered down, just a tad

 

[toomanysquibs]

Yawn, let Richmond have it, easily the highlight of their season, it all goes downhill after that. Best case we all good a good laugh to open the season.

I think most people prefer to be reminded why we love the game, rather than why they might find Richmond's troubles amusing.

Last thing I want to see first up is a 'meh', lukewarm game of footy.

Rather the season opened with a bang. Don't care who is playing either, as long as it's good.

 

[Bazzar]

Or perhaps Hawks should play the Cats at the G in front of 90k, so there is super high quality and competitive game on offer instead?

Like round 1 last year when 74k turned up for cats/hawks, and tiges /blues had 75k, and that was a school/work night.
Or round 1 2015 when cats/hawks had 73k and the tiges/blues had 83k

 

[toomanysquibs]

Like round 1 last year when 74k turned up for cats/hawks, and tiges /blues had 75k, and that was a school/work night.
Or round 1 2015 when cats/hawks had 73k and the tiges/blues had 83k

How was the quality of both games? Did the extra few thousand make for a better match, and help out the folks watching on TV?

You're kind of missing the point here, it's not about my team vs. your team, it's about making the game a showcase and an event for every fan of the game.

A first up, round one snore fest is crappy for fans on so many levels.

Hawks vs. Cats as the FIRST game of the year would out draw Tigers vs. Blues at this stage of the respective team's developments every day of the week. But then so would a few other games as well.

It's not about bums on seats alone though, as I've tried to point out.

 

[GoTigers2015]

Newsflash AFL, Ben Cousins hasn't played for a fair few years now a Richmond v Carlton match will not bring the punters in. It's like mediocre vs mediocre

Welcome to the club next year.

 

[Nostradumbass]

Yawn, let Richmond have it, easily the highlight of their season, it all goes downhill after that. Best case we all good a good laugh to open the season.

So much Salt. Delicious.