THE first weekend of footy finals is nearly sold out with more than
90,000 expected to pack the MCG for Sunday’s do-or-die clash between Richmond and North Melbourne.
Just 5823 tickets are left for Sunday’s game between Richmond and North Melbourne.
Old sparring partners Kevin Bartlett and Sam Kekovich on Thursday relived their finals battles and the insults were flying as soon as Kekovich sat down for a photo.
“That building over there just shook ... They’ve registered an earthquake,” Bartlett jibed.
“Go on, you old bastard,” Kekovich replied.
He talked up North Melbourne’s hopes, but Bartlett wasn’t concerned about the Kangaroos.
“There’s a very good chance Richmond might even rest nine players this week themselves to get ready for Sydney the following week,” Bartlett said.
The five-time premiership winner said the Tigers “never ever get ahead of ourselves” before he plotted out their path to September glory.
“It means we go straight into the preliminary final because unfortunately Sydney is going out in straight sets,” Bartlett said.
“If we were (in the) top four, the whole finals series might be over by now.”
But Bartlett and Kekovich put aside their differences for a NAB Fanshake, with this weekend’s loser to clean boots for a local footy team.
They urged rival fans to make pledges based on the results of the finals.
Kekovich said this weekend was “as good as it gets”.
“To have two really good strong tribal sides playing on a 24C spring afternoon with a capacity house, that is utopia,” Kekovich said.
http://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/nothing-can-take-shine-of-first-finals-weekend-for-afl-fans/story-fnii5sms-1227521942240 
