Collingwood fans fill the MCG. Picture: Ian Currie Source: Herald Sun
IN his latest weekly Please Explain public letter, Glenn McFarlane asks why we only have six Saturday afternoon matches at the MCG this season.
Dear Gil McLachlan, AFL deputy chief executive officer
Schedule it, and they will come.
To manipulate a few words from Field Of Dreams, we reckon it is time that you started to put the pep back into Saturday afternoon games at the MCG.
This Saturday's Collingwood v Richmond blockbuster (and this time we really mean it) looks like being the first time since 1983 - Kevin Bartlett's 400th game - that these two teams have collectively been able to draw a crowd of 80,000-plus to a match.
Back then, we were treated to six games of football each and every Saturday afternoon in winter, with one of them almost always at the MCG.
We don't want to live in the past, but we seriously think AFL HQ needs to start showing Saturday arvos at the 'G a bit more respect.After all, it is still the timeslot in which we play our biggest game of the year – the AFL Grand Final.
Sure, we know that the TV networks are paying squillions for the right to telecast the marquee matches at the times that they deem the best fit - predominantly Friday night.
Is Macca right? Leave your comment below
We also understand that people's lifestyles are different to what they were decades ago, now that it is the AFL not the VFL. And, yes, we know that some of those blockbuster games are played at the MCG, but on Saturday nights rather than during the day.
Take a look at what the AFL 2013 fixture served up to us – as footy fans – in terms of Saturday afternoon MCG games this year. It is a major disappointment, other than a couple of games.
This week's game is a cracker, but last week's Melbourne-West Coast thrashing hardly inspired people to head there in droves.
The MCG Great Southern Stand. Picture: Chris Scott Source: Herald Sun
The breakdown for 2013 is six Saturday day MCG games and three twilight fixtures.
The day games are:
Richmond v Adelaide (Round 12)
Hawthorn v Richmond (Round 19)
Richmond v Brisbane (Round 19)
Carlton v Richmond (Round 21)
The twilight games:
Carlton v Adelaide (Round 4)
St Kilda v Melbourne (Round 13)
Collingwood v GWS (Round 18)
Gil, we know you love the game and understand that you need to maximise crowds. That's your job.
But if you head to the MCG this week, take a walk down to the Richmond and Collingwood cheer squads, watch the game and the atmosphere surrounding it, and you will see more than ever that plenty of people still love their Saturday afternoon fever.
Richmond fans. Picture: Tim Carrafa Source: Herald Sun
Please consider this when you sit down and start crunching the numbers with the 2014 fixture.
Sincerely,
Glenn McFarlane
PS
COACHING SUB-COMMITTEES
How the hell did so many of you overlook Ken Hinkley as a senior AFL coach for so long? It remains one of football's great mysteries. Admittedly, he has only coached Port Adelaide in three matches for three wins - but it's a bloody good start.
MARC MURPHY
We love watching you and reckon you were the right selection as captain. But either you were a bit loose at stages last week when Taylor Hunt off at stages to kick three goals, or you weren't getting the support from your teammates the other back. Whatever the case, we are tipping that would have been pointed out, and it won't happen against West Coast on Saturday night.
Carlton captain Marc Murphy. Source: Getty Images
NORTH MELBOURNE
Come on Kangaroos, those of us who tipped you to make the final eight this year - as we also did last year - are starting to get nervous. Really nervous. Yes, Sydney is a very, very football side, but no team should have 11 goals kicked against them in one quarter of football. Time to make a stand.
MELBOURNE
Please give us something - anything. It's time.
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