Traditional powerhouses Carlton And Richmond to open the 2017 season

[JeffDunne]

Has this match-up given us memorable games or incidents worth remembering?

 

[Holden Hillbilly]

Traditional? What is this - VFL 1984?

 

[RUNVS]

Has this match-up given us memorable games or incidents worth remembering?

A few years ago a Richmond player kicked the ball in the wrong direction at the opening bounce.

 

[Roger Rogerson]

Thats the whole point even struggling these two clubs draw more interest than a recently threepeated Hawthorn.

The interest from non supporters is because it is like watching a car crash.

 

[The 747]

Don't you want to watch Caddy lift it up a notch for the tiggies?

Yep, in some other game than Groundhog season opener.

 

[The 747]

Geelong are on the slide, not really much point watching at all.

On the plus slide, Collingwood's five year slide may have plateaued.

 

[thegreig]

Facts are it draws a consistently good crowd even though our two clubs havent had a lot of success, this year with Carlton coming off a spoon it still drew 75k and was the 2nd biggest home and away crowd for the year, 3rd biggest in 2015.
In the near future when we are both contesting finals together it will be huge, 85k to 90k only a very few clubs can achieve these numbers year in year out, the AFL know what makes money.

Lol! Good one!

Oh wait, you actually believe this...

 

[RUNVS]

Neither Richmond or Carlton have been interesting teams to watch for well over a decade. Both are irrelevant in 2017 so it makes no sense at all to give them the opening game of the season.

 

[Ancient Tiger]

Neither Richmond or Carlton have been interesting teams to watch for well over a decade. Both are irrelevant in 2017 so it makes no sense at all to give them the opening game of the season.

Funny though, even with all this irrelevance, they still average over 70K per game for the opener......

 

[ferrisb]

Prussia and Napoleonic France to again open the season

Waterlooser, this guy is...

 

[The 747]

Funny though, even with all this irrelevance, they still average over 70K per game for the opener......

I'd like to see what other clubs could pull if given the season opener.

 

[Heardy_101]

I'd like to see what other clubs could pull if given the season opener.

GF Rematch at the 'G or Home ground of winner

 

[Probitas_]

You're speaking for yourself not the football watching public.
Facts are it draws a consistently good crowd even though our two clubs havent had a lot of success, this year with Carlton coming off a spoon it still drew 75k and was the 2nd biggest home and away crowd for the year, 3rd biggest in 2015.
In the near future when we are both contesting finals together it will be huge, 85k to 90k only a very few clubs can achieve these numbers year in year out, the AFL know what makes money.

 

[kirbatron]

Neither Richmond or Carlton have been interesting teams to watch for well over a decade. Both are irrelevant in 2017 so it makes no sense at all to give them the opening game of the season.

Pretty much this

 

[The_Wookie]

Traditional? What is this - VFL 1984?

To be fiar - "traditional" does imply some history behind it. And AFl history is VFl history.

 

[footyfan1978]

I'd like to see what other clubs could pull if given the season opener.

About 16 different clubs in all the different example below of single games opening the season.

1985 North and Collingwood played opener to season which was also first night game in the real season for 4 premiership points.
65,628

1987 Brisbane Bears v North opened the season at MCG on a Friday night.
14,096

1989 West Coast v Essendon in Perth on a Friday night 25,664

1991 Adelaide v Hawks at Football Park in Crows first ever game 44,902

1993 Bulldogs v Collingwood at MCG on Friday night 58,997

1995 North v Adelaide at MCG on Friday night 24,882

1996 Geelong v Melbourne at MCG on a Friday night
Remember it as first game I ever really went to just to watch one player.
Gary Ablett after getting thrashed by Silvagni in grand final bounced back with 9 goals this night and Geelong won by 127 points in front of 46,888 crowd.

1997 was first time the season opened with a Thursday night game
North v Melbourne at the MCG 35,802

1998 North v West Coast on a Friday night at MCG 27,150

1999 was second time the season opened with a Thursday night game at MCG
Essendon v Carlton 71,501

2000 in Sydney Olympic year the season started extra early on a Wednesday night in early March
Richmond v Melbourne at MCG 41,648

2001 back to a Friday night opener
North v Essendon at MCG 56,028

2002 onto third time the season opened on a Thurdsday night game at MCG
Richmond v Collingwood 65,316

2003 Friday night at MCG
Collingwood v Richmond 61,058

2004 Friday night at MCG
Richmond v Collingwood 55,622

2005 Brisbane v St.Kilda at Gabba opened the season as fourth Thursday night start
33,369

2006 another Thursday night start. This time in Perth.
West Coast v St.Kilda 40,036

2007 back to a Friday night at MCG
Melbourne v St.Kilda 49,040

Since then been mostly Carlton and Richmond but not every season.
Total myth it is has been same two teams forever that the sooks whinge about.
Example 2011 GWS v Sydney up in Sydney opened the season with 38,203
2013 Adelaide v Essendon in Adelaide 42,218
2014 Collingwood v Fremantle at Etithad 37,571

Season been opened all over the place like Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and by expansion clubs and by more traditional clubs.

 

[telsor]

I'd like to see what other clubs could pull if given the season opener.

There are plenty of examples to look at.

I did the numbers in another of these threads...In the past decade, Richmond v Carlton has only played in about half of the season openers (6/11..they did two on the same day once), and the difference in crowds is massive.

I think more important than the crowds however is that those 'other' games are forgotten and people instead keep whinging about how other teams should be given a chance. Clearly RvC opening the season is far more than just the schedule.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Defending premiers should open the season.

14th vs 15th is preeeeetty s**t.

 

[Angus Young]

Worth it to see Dimmas anxiety levels

Is he still the coach.

 

[Nostradumbass]

Delicious.

 

[Heardy_101]

Defending premiers should open the season.

14th vs 15th is preeeeetty s**t.

Yep - GF rematch

 

[TimothyJ23]

Why do people keep banging on about the GF rematch being in Round 1? Stupid, stupid idea. Let Round 1 speak for itself, then spread potential blockbusters e.g. GF rematch across the opening five weeks

 

[Heardy_101]

Why do people keep banging on about the GF rematch being in Round 1? Stupid, stupid idea. Let Round 1 speak for itself, then spread potential blockbusters e.g. GF rematch across the opening five weeks

Because the same boring old fixture gets repetitive especially when the two teams involved are currently irrelevant

 

[toomanysquibs]

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...

 

[L_W_P]

I thought last year's opener was pretty good actually. Both teams around the same mark, should be another good game.