There is Still a V in the AFL.

Essendon is likely going to be rewarded with a Friday night game against Collingwood in round 23 It is a big pat on the back for a team people predicted to be in the top 4 the last two years but missed finals last year and unlikely to make top 4 this year. While Brisbane who is currently 2nd plays Richmond at the MCG surprise, surprise likely being relegated to a Saturday night or twilight game, this is an ongoing thing with the AFL being too scared to let any interstate team have the spotlight in any way shape or form. Brisbane went from winning 5 games to maybe hosting a home Qualifying final in one of the best turn arounds in AFL/VFL history but yet gets over looked by a team that has failed to live up to the hype since their 2017 finals loss to Sydney. AFL says they like to be fair with their prime-time games that’s why Carlton in 2018 had more Friday night games than Greater Western Sydney who is still yet to have a Friday night game in Sydney. Also, why Damion Barrett is calling for the Showdown to be moved to the MCG so it would be played on a Friday night instead of just putting it on a Friday night. Victoria is like its own little universe inside the bigger AFL where all I heard last year was cheering for the captain of the Gold Coast Suns to head back to Melbourne and now he is at Richmond a team who finished first last year and should have gone back to back but yet we are meant to believe the AFL when they say they actually care about the Gold Coast. These same media personals are the ones bagging Tim Kelly whom last year wanted to leave Victoria for Western Australia.

 

Geelong is not saved by this as well they don’t play Collingwood in Geelong or even worse this year if they finish first and play Collingwood or Richmond it’s pretty much an away game.

 

When both Collingwood and Richmond made top 4 last year the AFL saw $$ thinking it would be the first massive all Melbourne Grand Final since 1993. That did not happen but made it up to Richmond by giving them the last 7 games at the MCG and when they travelled in 2019 they only played one top 8 team from 2018.

 

So, from Victoria centric fixture to barracking for the Victorian teams to get bigger and stronger while the other interest clubs struggle to hang on to any A list players. No wonder fans are getting fed up. Brisbane should be playing Friday night in round 23. Richmond should not have got their last 7 games at the MCG. Tom Lynch should have stayed at the Suns or not been allowed to go to a team that had just finished first. Geelong and the Marvel teams, Bulldogs, North and St Kilda should play all games and finals at their home ground. It has been 30 season AFL but yet your still as Victorian as ever