Good Friday Footy!

[Hotdog60]

We'll suggest it, the AFL will say ok great idea we'll run with it, it will end up Colliingwood v Carlton.

[Ghost Dog]

I so want to go to the gathering of the pack. But I have to go back to western Vic for Easter. Would have been better to have it this weekend gone.

[Remi Moses]

Well we play on the bloody sabbath.
So why does it matter playing Good Friday?

[bornadog]

The club should start pushing for this and make next Good Friday as our season opener.

[bornadog]

AFL still fluffing around with this.

AFL to have 'good look' at Good Friday football in 2017

FOOTY on Good Friday could be played next season.


Speaking at Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast on Tuesday morning, AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said the League would "have a good look" at the issue ahead of the 2017 season.


McLachlan hinted Good Friday football might have been considered for this season had the opening round not fallen on the Easter weekend.


"We didn't play again this year because Easter is the opening round and there's a few games we play – Richmond-Carlton to open the season and Hawthorn-Geelong on Easter Monday," he said.


"We'll have a good look at that for next year.


"Given Easter doesn't open (next season) there'll be a better look at it."


While the AFL starts its season on Thursday, and then plays again on Saturday, rival NRL is staging a blockbuster on Good Friday with reigning champions North Queensland facing the 2015 runner-up Brisbane Broncos.


McLachlan said it was time for Gold Coast to make a finals push after five seasons in the AFL competition.


"They need to start playing finals sooner rather than later," he said.


"The club expects that; I know the playing group expects that. It's time.


"That's not me saying that, that's what the players are telling me and what the club is telling me."


Speaking at the launch of 150 years of Australian football in Queensland, McLachlan said the League would also discuss upping initial draft contracts from two years to three.


"I think it's worth having a look at," he said.


"I haven't thought whether it's a good or bad idea. I know it will get discussed.


"It's been tabled by a number of clubs. I'm not sure all clubs support it. It's a good discussion."

[chef]

I don't get whats the big deal, majority of Australians aren't going to church anymore.

Lets move with the times.

[Twodogs]

I don't get whats the big deal, majority of Australians aren't going to church anymore.

Lets move with the times.

And it's not preventing people from going to church to celebrate.

[bornadog]

I don't get whats the big deal, majority of Australians aren't going to church anymore.

Lets move with the times.

The AFL don't know who to give it to. They know North and us have lobbied for it but they are reluctant to give it to a minnow club. They want to see the Carlton's Collingwoods, Richmonds or Essendons in there, but they will be criticised as they already play each other twice, plus they have plenty of Block busters and Essendon are a disgrace, Carlton can't play football.

If the AFL are serious about equalisation, and want to build this competition, they should make it WBulldogs v North and let us build our exposure and memberships.

[Twodogs]

The AFL don't know who to give it to. They know North and us have lobbied for it but they are reluctant to give it to a minnow club. They want to see the Carlton's Collingwoods, Richmonds or Essendons in there, but they will be criticised as they already play each other twice, plus they have plenty of Block busters and Essendon are a disgrace, Carlton can't play football.

If the AFL are serious about equalisation, and want to build this competition, they should make it WBulldogs v North and let us build our exposure and memberships.

The commission probably want interstate blockbusters outside of derbies/showdowns/bridgiewidgies/itsinsaneplayinginthisheats. I bet Sydney/GWS get it.

[GVGjr]

The AFL don't know who to give it to. They know North and us have lobbied for it but they are reluctant to give it to a minnow club. They want to see the Carlton's Collingwoods, Richmonds or Essendons in there, but they will be criticised as they already play each other twice, plus they have plenty of Block busters and Essendon are a disgrace, Carlton can't play football.

If the AFL are serious about equalisation, and want to build this competition, they should make it WBulldogs v North and let us build our exposure and memberships.

While I think we are owed a run at it perhaps the AFL don't think we can draw a good enough crowd? Some of our crowds last season were deplorable especially given we were in very good form. Is the onus on us to prove we can get our members to come to games before we are given a highly sort after slot?

[Greystache]

While I think we are owed a run at it perhaps the AFL don't think we can draw a good enough crowd? Some of our crowds last season were deplorable especially given we were in very good form. Is the onus on us to prove we can get our members to come to games before we are given a highly sort after slot?

Given we're intentionally fixtured a schedule to prevent us drawing decent crowds there's a good chance the AFL will use that as an excuse to give it to the usual suspects, but it doesn't hold water. The few decent drawing games we've got in recent years have pulled sizable crowds, for example last year Collingwood got 40k despite being a Sunday at Etihad, Norf was 30k as well. Carlton got 16,000 against GWS for a twilight game in one of the few unfavorable fixtures they received but that doesn't seem to stop the AFL from giving them never ending prime time slots to ensure they can still point to decent crowds.

It's like a racing team giving one driver a formula 1 and another a Datsun 120Y then pointing to the end result and saying they were right to do it because he proved he could drive faster.

[jeemak]

A game against Norf at Etihad would sell out, and the TV audience would be huge considering there's nothing else on TV on Good Friday.

'stache is correct though, the fixture is rigged so certain teams prosper and others don't providing the vehicle for the AFL to maintain the status quo.

[GVGjr]

Given we're intentionally fixtured a schedule to prevent us drawing decent crowds there's a good chance the AFL will use that as an excuse to give it to the usual suspects, but it doesn't hold water. The few decent drawing games we've got in recent years have pulled sizable crowds, for example last year Collingwood got 40k despite being a Sunday at Etihad, Norf was 30k as well. Carlton got 16,000 against GWS for a twilight game in one of the few unfavorable fixtures they received but that doesn't seem to stop the AFL from giving them never ending prime time slots to ensure they can still point to decent crowds.

It's like a racing team giving one driver a formula 1 and another a Datsun 120Y then pointing to the end result and saying they were right to do it because he proved he could drive faster.

I'm not really worried about the short comings of clubs like Carlton, Essendon or any other.
The concern for me is that we are given Good Friday but only attract a crowd of sub 30K which I just don't think that is going to cut it.
We play entertaining and exciting footy but I still think our own supporters don't believe they're needed at the games.
If we were to draw 40K it might build some momentum though.

North are also strong at the moment so if we can both attract a crowd that would be great.

[GVGjr]

A game against Norf at Etihad would sell out, and the TV audience would be huge considering there's nothing else on TV on Good Friday.

'stache is correct though, the fixture is rigged so certain teams prosper and others don't providing the vehicle for the AFL to maintain the status quo.

The TV audience would be strong no question and it would be great if we could pull sell out crowd numbers at the game.

I hope you are right

[jeemak]

I'm not really worried about the short comings of clubs like Carlton, Essendon or any other.
The concern for me is that we are given Good Friday but only attract a crowd of sub 30K which I just don't think that is going to cut it.
We play entertaining and exciting footy but I still think our own supporters don't believe they're needed at the games.
If we were to draw 40K it might build some momentum though.

North are also strong at the moment so if we can both attract a crowd that would be great.

I'll be interested to see our attendance this weekend with another difficult Easter time slot to deal with against yet again, a low drawing interstate club that we've been ordinary against in recent times.

If there was a 1pm Easter Sunday game against Freo we should draw a decent crowd to it's this one.