Carlton wants to keep season-opener against Richmond as part of 2018 fixture requestJAY CLARK,
Herald Sun
September 13, 2017 6:33pmCARLTON wants to again share centre stage with Richmond in next year’s blockbuster season-opener, raising hopes the marquee match could attract a record crowd.
The Blues confirmed they had requested to launch the season against Richmond on March 22, continuing a Round 1 rivalry with the Tigers which stretches back to 2007.
“It is a privilege to open the season against Richmond, and I think they feel the same way,” Carlton chief executive Steven Trigg said.
“We are keen for it to continue next year.”
Carlton is also targeting an early-season blockbuster against Essendon at the MCG to help celebrate the 50-year anniversary of its 1968 premiership win over the Bombers.
While the AFL is still working through fixture requests, and has not made any guarantees, there is believed to be strong support at headquarters to retain the Carlton-Richmond match-up as the first game of the year.
The season-opener would be again expected to draw a monster crowd and potentially surpass the 87,043 which saw Ben Cousins make his Richmond debut in 2009.
The Tigers are gunning for a drought-breaking premiership after booking a preliminary final berth last weekend, and are likely to be handed a bumper 2018 fixture laced with commercial and prime time television benefits next season.
After four years out of the finals, Carlton is also keen to climb up the ladder next year and have registered its strong interest in Greater Western Sydney midfield jet Josh Kelly to help accelerate its list rebuild.
There have been calls to dump the two clubs from the prized season-opener slot in recent seasons due to some poor form, but Richmond’s 43-point win over the Blues in Round 1 this year attracted the fifth-biggest crowd of the regular season (73,137).
Carlton hosted this year’s season opener, meaning it could be the Tigers turn to snare the lucrative gate takings next season.
The Herald Sun revealed last month Geelong has requested to play the Blues at Simonds Stadium next year for the first time in 21 years.
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