Eastdog
03-04-2014, 11:21 AM
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/western-bulldogs-want-in-on-possible-future-good-friday-afl-game/story-fni5fazt-1226872729821
Jon Ralph •
Herald Sun •
April 02, 2014 10:00PM
THE Western Bulldogs are confident they will break the AFL’s resistance to Good Friday football as soon as next season.
Dogs president Peter Gordon said he believes the league can play two Good Friday games featuring four of the AFL’s smaller clubs.
Next year the league could kick off the season on Good Friday, with the AFL nearly relenting and including it in this year’s fixture on April 18.
Gordon said that while North Melbourne and Carlton had lobbied for a joint game, the Dogs wanted in too.
“The first proposition I put in my written submission to the AFL is that there is no decent argument against it,’’ he said.
“No one wants to take iconic fixtures like Anzac Day off existing clubs, but this is a new opportunity to give national free-to-air exposure to two or four teams that desperately need it.
“Not only should the AFL use the fixture to schedule one or two games around the nation, they ought to pick teams which need the exposure.”
Friday night pioneers North Melbourne have lobbied about a Good Friday game for 20 years, and hope to play Carlton in a twilight fixture.
“I know there is some argy bargy about who thought of this first,’’ said Gordon.
“But is my view that it is the obligation of the Commission to fixture it in the interests of new markets and new audiences. Support North Melbourne having the chance, but gives us an opportunity too, with clubs like St Kilda and Melbourne and other smaller franchises around.”
AFL deputy chief executive Gillon McLachlan made it clear at last October’s fixture launch how close Good Friday football was in this year’s fixture.
‘I think there is gathering momentum, and if I’m here saying that it is 50-50 for the year after next, then that is probably a good sign of momentum,’’ he said.
If the league did delay the 2015 season until after the World Cup — as flagged in this week’s Herald Sun — then Carlton and Richmond want to kick off the season again at the MCG.
But the AFL may still start the season late in March, giving rival clubs a chance to play on Good Friday and still finishing the season in late September.
Jon Ralph •
Herald Sun •
April 02, 2014 10:00PM
THE Western Bulldogs are confident they will break the AFL’s resistance to Good Friday football as soon as next season.
Dogs president Peter Gordon said he believes the league can play two Good Friday games featuring four of the AFL’s smaller clubs.
Next year the league could kick off the season on Good Friday, with the AFL nearly relenting and including it in this year’s fixture on April 18.
Gordon said that while North Melbourne and Carlton had lobbied for a joint game, the Dogs wanted in too.
“The first proposition I put in my written submission to the AFL is that there is no decent argument against it,’’ he said.
“No one wants to take iconic fixtures like Anzac Day off existing clubs, but this is a new opportunity to give national free-to-air exposure to two or four teams that desperately need it.
“Not only should the AFL use the fixture to schedule one or two games around the nation, they ought to pick teams which need the exposure.”
Friday night pioneers North Melbourne have lobbied about a Good Friday game for 20 years, and hope to play Carlton in a twilight fixture.
“I know there is some argy bargy about who thought of this first,’’ said Gordon.
“But is my view that it is the obligation of the Commission to fixture it in the interests of new markets and new audiences. Support North Melbourne having the chance, but gives us an opportunity too, with clubs like St Kilda and Melbourne and other smaller franchises around.”
AFL deputy chief executive Gillon McLachlan made it clear at last October’s fixture launch how close Good Friday football was in this year’s fixture.
‘I think there is gathering momentum, and if I’m here saying that it is 50-50 for the year after next, then that is probably a good sign of momentum,’’ he said.
If the league did delay the 2015 season until after the World Cup — as flagged in this week’s Herald Sun — then Carlton and Richmond want to kick off the season again at the MCG.
But the AFL may still start the season late in March, giving rival clubs a chance to play on Good Friday and still finishing the season in late September.