Western Bulldogs want in on possible future Good Friday AFL game

[Wizard17]

http://m.afl.com.au/news/2016-10-25/good-friday-footy-arrives-roos-to-host-dogs-in-2017

NORTH Melbourne's push for Good Friday football has finally been rewarded with the club to make history when it hosts the Western Bulldogs on the religious holiday in 2017.

The round four clash at Etihad Stadium will start at 4.20pm with the League already in talks with the Royal Children's Hospital and its broadcasters about how the game could help promote the Good Friday Appeal.

AFL general manager of clubs and operations Travis Auld said the twilight timeslot was chosen to ensure it did not conflict with major Good Friday afternoon services on the day.

"The decision to now schedule a match was made on the basis that our society has changed in recent decades and the majority of football fans, who are our ultimate decision-makers, share the view of our clubs who have expressed their wish to play on this day," Auld said.

"(But) we accept that some football fans remain opposed to scheduling a match on Good Friday."

The AFL Commission actually green-lighted Good Friday football in 2014, but it took the executive until now to schedule the game. North has long been on the lookout for a marquee match of its own and should expect to hang the 'Full House' sign outside Etihad Stadium when it hosts this year's premiers.

The two clubs attracted a healthy 47,622 fans to a regular Friday night game at Etihad in round six this year.

But it may not be a permanent arrangement for the Kangaroos, with the AFL confirming that the Good Friday teams and locations could change beyond 2017.

"The AFL acknowledges the requests from a number of clubs to play on Good Friday and we will consider the appropriate match-up and venue on a year-to-year basis," Auld said.

The AFL will release the full fixture for 2017 on Thursday.

 

[dogs10]

Awesome news!

 

[Dazb86]

Thank god for that.

 

[Sharkey66]

sounds like they are leaving themselves an out if one of the teams (norf) become a disaster area

 

[Draft Pick]

OMG- sheesh. A fantastic GF win, but s**t all of a sudden you're too good for NMFC? Sorry , but yeah LOL

I agree with Bulldogs supporters being cocky is silly based on our history, but you have to admit you are in for a world of pain over the next few years, independent of where we end up.

 

[Barking Mad]

Always away over Easter so I won't be making up the numbers.

 

[SonOfScray]

Kangaroo meat, like the AFL kangaroos = mediocre.

Gives you the shits.

 

[Leon]

Gives you the shits.

Severe nausea too.

 

[The chorus]

Severe nausea too.

It might be time to move on from the sick jokes now and make this work for both our clubs. I hope both clubs work to make it a permanent fixture and if it is on next year as a bulldogs home game I will certainly be going. Congratulations on the premiership by the way; that was the best finals performance I have seen in many, many years watching footy

 

[Doggies1972]

Meh each their own. It won't stop me going to the footy or eating meat, but anyone else is free to have a different belief.

More importantly... beer??

 

[giblj]

So is Spitter gonna play in this or not?

 

[yebiga]

North and us need to own this -
Both clubs need to work together and make it a spectacular fixture for both clubs year in year out.

This is a wonderful opportunity
It requires some clever thinking to market it and integrate it with the children's appeAl and make it impossible for the AFL to ever remove either club from the fixture - al la Anzac Day for coll v ess

 

[doggies ftw]

Hopefully the norfies aren't too upset they didn't get the game against a big club like the dearly wanted. Would rather play saints as we'd be able to build it up over the next few years. But still a good result. Let's get 30k+ dogs fans there and smash em!

 

[The chorus]

Hopefully the norfies aren't too upset they didn't get the game against a big club like the dearly wanted. Would rather play saints as we'd be able to build it up over the next few years. But still a good result. Let's get 30k+ dogs fans there and smash em!

Personally I am happy it is against the dogs and was at the game between our teams this year with 45,000 fans (much larger than the bulldogs/saints game) so no reason why it shouldn't draw a good crowd and be a success. I'm not sure why you wouldn't want to build up a bulldogs/north game over the next few years

 

[House_of_Dahl]

Personally I am happy it is against the dogs and was at the game between our teams this year with 45,000 fans (much larger than the bulldogs/saints game) so no reason why it shouldn't draw a good crowd and be a success. I'm not sure why you wouldn't want to build up a bulldogs/north game over the next few years

Assuming he just means Saints should be on the rise over the next few years, whereas you guys...well...yeah...sorry but looks like you're about to hit the bottom of your rebuild.

 

[doggies ftw]

Assuming he just means Saints should be on the rise over the next few years, whereas you guys...well...yeah...sorry but looks like you're about to hit the bottom of your rebuild.

yeah this. Plus I have absolutely no doubt we went to Norf before the saints to make a joint submission but they wanted to go the easy way and choose a big club, so I'll have absolutely no sympathy if they suck and lose it, actually it'd be hilarious

 

[Mutt]

It might be time to move on from the sick jokes now and make this work for both our clubs. I hope both clubs work to make it a permanent fixture and if it is on next year as a bulldogs home game I will certainly be going. Congratulations on the premiership by the way; that was the best finals performance I have seen in many, many years watching footy

If you want this to be a permanent fixture, then you and other North members need to pressure your club to change its' stance that it prefers to play Carlton on Good Friday.

Had you developed a submission with us, instead of Carlton, we may not be in the current situation where the AFL might change the teams next year. This should be a regular blockbuster game between two teams who otherwise don't get to play blockbuster games...Carlton doesn't fit those criteria.

 

[The chorus]

yeah this. Plus I have absolutely no doubt we went to Norf before the saints to make a joint submission but they wanted to go the easy way and choose a big club, so I'll have absolutely no sympathy if they suck and lose it, actually it'd be hilarious

I'm not sure what evidence you have so that you "have absolutely no doubt" that the bulldogs approached North Melbourne about the game. North Melbourne put in their first submission about 25 years ago, then later put in joint submissions with Carlton long before the Bulldogs expressed an interest. But that is history; I would support Peter Gordon's view that the game should go to teams that currently don't have a blockbuster and am happy it is against the bulldogs for that reason. I have a sibling who also supports North and 2 siblings who support the bulldogs. This year all families came from the country and went to Bulldogs/North together and had a great time without the stupid bickering and point scoring that happens here. Hopefully that childish point scoring won't stop the fans of the 2 clubs cooperating to make it a success, as I gather club officials are now doing

 

[McCraeBF]

I'm not sure what evidence you have so that you "have absolutely no doubt" that the bulldogs approached North Melbourne about the game. North Melbourne put in their first submission about 25 years ago, then later put in joint submissions with Carlton long before the Bulldogs expressed an interest. But that is history; I would support Peter Gordon's view that the game should go to teams that currently don't have a blockbuster and am happy it is against the bulldogs for that reason. I have a sibling who also supports North and 2 siblings who support the bulldogs. This year all families came from the country and went to Bulldogs/North together and had a great time without the stupid bickering and point scoring that happens here. Hopefully that childish point scoring won't stop the fans of the 2 clubs cooperating to make it a success, as I gather club officials are now doing

What will the call the best on Ground medal..Good Friday Medal??or maybe the bonti

 

[gillo94]

Hi Bulldogs supporters I have a question

I'm currently working in a marketing role.
I'm convinced AFL will give North and Bulldogs possibly 2 years of trial with Good Friday. At the end of 2 years the AFL might either decide to chose other teams or replace or team or even scrap the event on variable factors

1, ratings might not be high enough
2, attendance is not attractive
3, current matchups themselves might be deemed to be lopsided with Bulldogs right now at the top while Kangaroos at a different phase

My question is do you think the current matchup is advantageous for Bulldogs or not?
The issue could be Kangaroos competitiveness might not make the game appealing on paper and for viewers on tv or at the game, question is would you rather a different matchup all together to make it a success?

 

[maddog37]

No

 

[Deadly Darcy]

Kangaroos deserve it

Dogs will be the draw card atm

 

[gangsta deluxe]

I think that it will be a massive hit with TV numbers, but will have low attendance. In that respect, they'll keep it and it will be with two teams with medium support.

Nobody will get a big crowd on Good Friday.

 

[jdz101]

Watch 8500 Roos fans show up

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

I like the sound of this goog friday

As long as they're chocolate googs