This time inspired by one of the participating coaches, the now-annual discussion over who should participate in Melbourne’s iconic Anzac Day AFL fixture is on again.
Regular readers will be aware of AussieRulesBlog’s allegiance to Essendon, so let’s get that out on the table at the outset.
Firstly, it should be acknowledged by all that a large part of the mystique attached to this annual Collingwood v. Essendon fixture is the sight and sounds of a packed-out MGC. There is something incredibly moving about standing in a packed-out stadium and being able to hear a pin drop. There’s also something about the roar of forty thousand fans acclaiming a goal or demanding a free kick.
Only a few other potential matchups could offer the likelihood of a similarly-sized attendance — say, 80k and above — and, for the vast majority of cases, they involve at least one of Collingwood or Essendon.
What’s more, Anzac Day crowd numbers are stratospheric regardless of the form and ladder positions of the Magpies and Bombers. Few, if any, clubs could boast that their crowd numbers held up through poor on-field form. Just to reinforce that point, attendances for the past eleven Anzac Day games (2000 onwards) are: 88390, 83905, 84894, 62589*, 57294*, 70033*, 91234, 90508, 88999, 84829 and 90070 (* during reconstruction at the MCG).
Would we want to see an iconic fixture honouring and celebrating Anzac spirit and the sacrifices of our service personnel over the past 130 years with thirty or forty thousand empty seats . . .?
This particular game transcends football. It performs a much larger social and cultural role and both Collingwood and Essendon understand their social responsibility in the matter.
Anzac Day should be above petty football jealousies.
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1 comment:
Oh please. The arguments to continue to reward Essendon and Collingwood this fixture are tired.
When putting together the fixture, the AFL could easily select a game that would guarantee 80k+ people attending, especially on a Public Holiday. Last year's grand finalists would be one.
Why should Essendon and Collingwood continue to profit from exclusively receiving the fixture? Because it was their idea? On that basis, Kangaroos first came up with the concept of Friday night football. Does that therefore entitle them to every Friday night? No. Equally so with Anzac day.
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