Richmond & Carlton should not open the season: Rucci (Adelaide Advertiser)

[one-eyed]

Carlton and Richmond have claimed moment that should be reserved the AFL defending champion

Michelangelo Rucci,
Chief Football Writer, The Advertiser
March 20, 2017 2:30pm

WHAT defines “tradition” in the AFL? Carlton and Richmond will open the AFL premiership season at the MCG on Thursday night as “traditional” rivals.

But the game can hardly be considered, as it is promoted, a “traditional” event — not unless traditions are formed in less than a decade.

The AFL home-and-away season will open with the Blues and Tigers, part of the game’s old Victorian VFL guard, for the third consecutive year — and for just the sixth time in the 11 seasons since 2007.

The missing season-openers for this pairing are in 2007 (when Carlton and Richmond played the last game of Round 1, on a Sunday), 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Before the 2007 AFL season, the previous moment in which Carlton and Richmond had been matched up as a rivals in an opening round was in the VFL, in 1983 at Princes Park — months after the Blues and Tigers closed the 1982 season at the MCG with the grand final.

Hardly a “traditional event” then.

But it is ultra-successful in a league that still seeks to have its events, such as matches, measured by ticket sales and attendances.

Of the six season-openers involving Carlton and Richmond since 2008, there have been 451,458 fans who have filed through the MCG turnstiles for these matches.

The average crowd is an impressive 75,243. The best-attended game in this group was in 2009 (87,043), six months after the Tigers had finished ninth and Blues were 11th and a semi-finalist in the 2009 NAB Cup pre-season series.

The least-attended match was 60,654 at the start of Season 2011, after which the AFL opened the season in Sydney (2012), Adelaide (2013) and with Collingwood-Fremantle at Etihad Stadium in 2014.

Against these numbers — that hold up regardless of the form lines at the two Melbourne-based clubs — it may be too difficult to make a case for change.

The most obvious alternative — that could establish a meaningful AFL tradition — is to have the defending premier open the season with a grand final rematch.

This would be the Western Bulldogs hosting Sydney, most probably at their home at Etihad Stadium rather than the MCG.

The stand-alone event with national free-to-air television coverage — and all the anticipation with a new season — would begin with the unfurling of the AFL premiership flag that is “traditionally” presented to the champion club at the league season launch in mid-March.

The grand final rematch this season is delayed until Friday Night Football in Round 2 at Etihad Stadium — and is not the opener for that weekend, which begins with Thursday Night Football, Richmond hosting Collingwood at the MCG.

The Bulldogs-Swans rematch, particularly after such a memorable grand final last year, deserves better. And it certainly will not get a stand-alone timeslot on Anzac Day, as is considered tradition in the SANFL.

By repeatedly drawing so many fans to their season-openers, Carlton and Richmond have created a lock on a guaranteed blockbuster — and established a “traditional event”.

But would the game be better in creating a meaningful tradition by rewarding its defending premier with the season opener?

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/expert-opinion/michelangelo-rucci/carlton-and-richmond-have-claimed-moment-that-should-be-reserved-the-afl-defending-champion/news-story/7f4ef8477d3e9c73afe781ff42f61347

[Damo]

Better cancel ANZAC clash between Collingwood and Essendon while we are at it

[Go Richo 12]

Let's play the two showdowns in Darwin each year.

[Hard Roar Tiger]

It's a drag and drop article.

[torch]

Shouldn't allow Port Adelaide supporters sing before the bounce ...

[Tigeritis™©®]

Shouldn't allow Port Adelaide supporters sing before the bounce ...

[Yeahright]

Wants to start a "new tradition" despite his theory that this is "not a tradition" because it's only been going for (part of) 10 years.

[Dougeytherichmondfan]

Wants to start a "new tradition" despite his theory that this is "not a tradition" because it's only been going for (part of) 10 years.

If memory serves, it has always been the first match played in Melbourne to open the season with the exception of 2014 when we played it rd 2?

[one-eyed]

Clearly there's nothing else to do in Adelaide at this time of the year than complain about the season opener  .




Josh Jenkins
ESPN
March 21, 2017, 2:09 PM AEDT

There is no more exciting time in an AFL season than where we are right now.

Finals - and the grand final in particular - are an amazing spectacle that draw interest from around the globe, but for the pure, passionate footy fan, the lead in to Round 1 is the most magnificent time of year.

There are more than half a million paid up members of the 18 AFL clubs, each excited for what the new season may have in store for both their team and the game as a whole. The storylines that roll through a 27-week AFL season never cease to amaze.

For supporters of the Saints and Dees, the new season brings hope of a long-awaited return to the finals. Bulldogs fans, meanwhile, will be dreaming of repeating -- this time with inspirational captain Bob Murphy at the helm.

The parochial followers of Port Adelaide, Adelaide, West Coast and Fremantle will all be expecting finals success. Yes, Freo had a year to forget in 2016 but try finding a Dockers fan who doesn't think they can make the finals with the return of Nathan Fyfe and Aaron Sandilands, and a few handy recruits.

Every club has reason for hope. Every fan is optimistic. Some will be proven right, while for others it will all end in tears - literally. But that's why we love the game so much.

And it's that love that brings me to my first point: why do Carlton and Richmond have a mortgage on the season-opener?

In the past six seasons, the closest meeting between the two clubs has been nine points, which was attended by a tick over 75,000 people. No-one would argue that as a poor beginning to an AFL campaign, but surely there are even better ways to ignite the season proper? Maybe 90,000 footy-hungry fans will flock to the Melbourne Cricket Ground this Thursday night and the Tigers and Blues will put on a blockbuster and prove me wrong.

Sure, there are complexities associated with creating the fixture -- we acknowledge that. But hopefully there's an opportunity for the powerbrokers to reserve out football venues then choose the appropriate season opener.

My baby, the NFL, opens its next season with a rematch of the Super Bowl combatants. The juice in the October clash between New England and Atlanta will be enormous. The heartbroken Falcons will be praying to inflict even the smallest slice of revenge on Tom Brady and the Patriots, after they came back from an insurmountable deficit to steal championship glory in overtime.

Would seeing the grit and grunt of the always competitive Swans against the reigning champion Doggies in a grand final rematch be a better option as a season opener? It is slated for the Friday night of round two - so obviously the power players at the AFL realise it is a game of significance.

How about those same premiers unveiling the premiership flag and its newest recruit Travis Cloke against his old mob, Collingwood? The sons and daughters of the west would come from far and wide to see the flag unfurled while we know the Magpie army attends in large numbers, especially with a new enemy standing between them and victory.

And then there's Essendon's clash with Hawthorn at the home of footy. The returning Bombers, stars like Dyson Heppell, Michael Hurley and Jobe Watson, squaring off against the most dominant team of the past decade, a club embarking on a new chapter with a new leader who has his own remarkable comeback story. The footballing fraternity loves Jarryd Roughead arguably more than any other player in the competition. His return, as the new skipper of the Hawks would, alongside the returning Bombers, electrify the MCG on a Thursday night.

Carlton and Richmond have not drawn 90,000 to open a season in a long, long time. I suspect the old foes with new agendas would have drawn every bit of 90,000 had they been given the season opener.

The Tigers and Blues are league powerhouses who both have gigantic followings. However, both teams have suffered from indifferent form in recent seasons and their crowd figures have dwindled. As of December 23 last year (early I know) the Tigers had the fourth highest membership base while Carlton had dropped to eighth -- positions well below what both clubs are accustomed to.

Moving forward, yes, footy is back and most of us will at least tune in to get our first glimpse of AFL for 2017. But there is no valid reason why Carlton and Richmond should have a mortgage on the showcase game to start the season.

http://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/id/18963810/josh-jenkins-abandon-carlton-blues-vs-richmond-tigers-season-opener

[Hard Roar Tiger]

Is this the same nong who fleeced $3m over 5 years from the crows?

[Gracie]

Is it our home gate? If so get 90,000 and prove him wrong.

[Chuck17]

Collingwood fans shouldn't not be given their dole payments in cash and instead should get cards like they do in NT

[WilliamPowell]

Is it our home gate? If so get 90,000 and prove him wrong.

Nope, there game

And no don't share the gate

[Yeahright]

Wants to start a "new tradition" despite his theory that this is "not a tradition" because it's only been going for (part of) 10 years.

If memory serves, it has always been the first match played in Melbourne to open the season with the exception of 2014 when we played it rd 2?

Article says otherwise but I'm not confident to argue otherwise. I do remember (I think) playing the second game of round 1 couple years back as Syd and GWS opened the season

[one-eyed]

Wants to start a "new tradition" despite his theory that this is "not a tradition" because it's only been going for (part of) 10 years.

If memory serves, it has always been the first match played in Melbourne to open the season with the exception of 2014 when we played it rd 2?

Article says otherwise but I'm not confident to argue otherwise. I do remember (I think) playing the second game of round 1 couple years back as Syd and GWS opened the season

We've played Carlton in round 1 since 2007 barring 2014 (round 2).

We've had the season opener since 2008 barring:
2007 was Melbourne vs St Kilda. 49k at the M.C.G.
2012 was the Sydney derby for GWS's AFL debut.
2013 was Adelaide vs Essendon for the first match at Adelaide Oval.
2014 was Collingwood vs Freo at Docklands. 37k and Freo won by 70 pts  .

http://afltables.com/afl/teams/richmond/allgames_tm.html#3
http://afltables.com/afl/seas/season_idx.html