Tipping a crowd in excess of 90k in The Age......
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/tigers-afl-tip-90-000-for-season-opener-20180313-p4z47v.html
Tigers, AFL tip 90,000 for season openerBy Jake Niall
14 March 2018 The AFL and Richmond believe that the season’s opening game between the Tigers and Carlton can become the first round-one game to break the 90,000 attendance barrier.
The AFL confirmed that, based on the interest level – boosted by the unfurling of Richmond’s 2017 premiership – a crowd exceeding 90,000 is certainly achievable for the Thursday night game next week.
The Tiger army will be out in force for round one.
‘‘We’re certainly hopeful that we can push into 90,000,’’ said AFL spokesman Patrick Keane, supporting Richmond’s view that the match could surpass the mark, which has been bettered only 11 times in VFL/AFL history.
The Tigers said it appeared as if the match was headed for a sell-out.
The rarity of games attracting more than 90,000 is underscored by the fact that the majority of those 11 games were played on Anzac Day – six of them in the annual game between Collingwood and Essendon and one in 1977 when Richmond’s legendary coach Tom Hafey coached the Magpies against Richmond for the first time.
The unfurling of Richmond’s first flag since 1980 obviously gives the game an enormous boost and, regardless of whether it breaks 90,000, given reasonable weather, it is likely to surpass the previous two highest crowds for first-round games – Carlton v Collingwood in 1995 (a record 87,119) and the corresponding Richmond-Carlton game of 2009 (87,043), which had enormous interest as a result of Ben Cousins’ ill-fated debut as a Richmond player (he tore a hamstring).
The massive crowd will be a significant fiscal boost to the Blues, too, since the clubs share the gate takings for round one, with the home team alternating.
The Tigers will pick a relatively strong side, though it is unclear whether two of their better players from the grand final, Dion Prestia and Bachar Houli – who have had pre-season interruptions – will be available. The Tigers will be without Daniel Rioli and the club suspended Nathan Broad from last year’s premiership 22.
The Tigers say the flag unfurling ceremony for their 11th VFL/AFL premiership will be ‘‘simple and symbolic’’.
Carlton’s highly regarded first-draft pick, Paddy Dow, is a chance to make his debut in the game.
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/tigers-afl-tip-90-000-for-season-opener-20180313-p4z47v.html