Preview Round 1: Essendon vs Hawthorne, MCG, Saturday 16/03/24 @ 1:45 PM

[crackers65]

It has been a while since they have been relevant. I couldn't even tell you who is coaching them these days.

A little Oompa Loompa!

 

[fairbump_playon]

Who?

Snorethorne

 

[JayJ20]

Essendon and Hawthorn apparently requested for the AFL to lock in a round 1 Friday night game every year as they’re reportedly expecting a crowd of 80K.

The AFL will rightfully say “absolutely not” because there’s no reason for two bottom sides to be locked in on a Friday night every year.

Win a final and maybe then it will have some credibility.

 

[Keystone agony]

You've left out the Captain.
A bit tough on Duz. How do you show enough if you've literally played the role once?
He played the role asked of him well I thought. Kept Danger to 16 touches and had 7 tackles himself. Parish had a great game partly on the back of Durham's work.

Swap one of the 2 x Parish for Zerrett

Umm Durham has played it far more than once and done a whole PS there, i just dont see it

Maybe he could be an elite tagger, but im not convinced thats what theyre doing with him

 

[ghostdog]

Swap one of the 2 x Parish for Zerrett

Umm Durham has played it far more than once and done a whole PS there, i just dont see it

Maybe he could be an elite tagger, but im not convinced thats what theyre doing with him

Has he? When?
Have you also been attending match sims?

 

[JT_the_Man]

Essendon and Hawthorn apparently requested for the AFL to lock in a round 1 Friday night game every year as they’re reportedly expecting a crowd of 80K.

The AFL will rightfully say “absolutely not” because there’s no reason for two bottom sides to be locked in on a Friday night every year.

Win a final and maybe then it will have some credibility.

I mean TBF it’s no worse than Carlton and Richmond.

 

[Dave]

That angry short man isn't it?

That doesn't realy narrow it down much.

Edit: Damnit cAsEy_18

 

[Vindicater]

Swap one of the 2 x Parish for Zerrett

Umm Durham has played it far more than once and done a whole PS there, i just dont see it

Maybe he could be an elite tagger, but im not convinced thats what theyre doing with him

I assume they want him as a centre clearance specialist for his size and burst. Then they transition him into the flow of the play for a different midfielder.

Basically Durham in the guts and Merrett/someone else on the wing and they effectively swap after the bounce.

 

[I Remember Bluey]

Essendon and Hawthorn apparently requested for the AFL to lock in a round 1 Friday night game every year as they’re reportedly expecting a crowd of 80K.

The AFL will rightfully say “absolutely not” because there’s no reason for two bottom sides to be locked in on a Friday night every year.

Win a final and maybe then it will have some credibility.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/essendon-and-hawthorn-pushing-for-new-blockbuster-round-1-afl-fixture/news-story/6f106858b530e4e81c010e5db3e5bac7

Essendon and Hawthorn pushing for new blockbuster round 1 AFL fixture​

Essendon and Hawthorn want a blockbuster rivalry clash locked in to start each season amid expectations at least 80,000 fans will flock to the MCG for their round 1 showdown.



Essendon and Hawthorn’s bloodthirsty rivalry from the 1980s is set to be enshrined in the football fixture as a new round 1 blockbuster played at the MCG.

The Herald Sun can reveal both clubs want to celebrate their longstanding hatred of each other by locking in a marquee match to start their seasons.

The Hawks and Bombers met in the feisty 1983, 1984 and 1985 grand finals, while next year will celebrate 100 years of their rivalry.
This season also marks 20 years since the infamous “line in the sand match”, which resulted in four players being suspended and a record $70,700 in fines being issues.

In 2009 — in a vicious match to decide eighth place — Bombers champion Matthew Lloyd knocked out Brad Sewell with a bump that sparked more mayhem.

Should Essendon and Hawthorn have a round 1 match locked in?​

Yes
69 %

No
31 %

463 vot

Lloyd never played again and was one of four players suspended as another $27,000 in fines were collected.

Current Hawks coach Sam Mitchell further inflamed their animosity in 2015 when he taunted Bombers players by motioning that he was injecting his arm with a needle at the height of the drugs saga.

The Hawks hosted the Bombers in front of 68,691 fans in round 1 last year — 40 years on from their ‘83 flag.

Early ticket sales for next Saturday’s 1.45pm showdown are strong as Essendon plans to honour its 1984-85 premiership heroes.

A motorcade featuring the likes of Kevin Sheedy, Tim Watson, Terry Daniher, Simon Madden, Paul Van Der Haar, Roger Merrett and Bill Duckworth is booked for 1.05pm.

Prized recruited Ben McKay, Jade Gresham, Todd Goldstein and Xavier Duursma will also receive their maiden Essendon guernseys from one of those champions should they make their club debuts that day.

The 1984-85 premiership cups will also be on display as the clubs hope to attract 80,000 fans to the ‘G.

While neither club has won a final since 2015 it is hoped that their anticipated rises up the ladder could help grow this match into one of football’s biggest home-and-away clashes.

“We put forward the proposal with our fixture submission for 2023 and we put it forward again in 2024 and we got granted both, so we’re hoping they (the AFL) support it ongoing,” Bombers chief executive Craig Vozzo told the Herald Sun.

“Nothing’s a guarantee, but we’re hoping we can keep building it.

“We had 68,000 people there last year, we’re hoping to make it an 80,000-fan blockbuster in the afternoon slot in round 1 and breaking the all-time home-and-away attendance record between the two clubs.”

That attendance record of 78,294 was set in 2017 when the Bombers requested a Saturday night clash against the Hawks to welcome back their players from doping bans.

The clubs are not wedded to a particular timeslot – the 2023 and 2024 games were scheduled in the afternoon – they simply want the AFL to sign off on their round 1 request.

“It’s more the fixture itself against the Hawks and perpetuating the rivalry that we’ve had for so many years,” Vozzo said.

Hawthorn chief executive Ash Klein said: “We have a rich, competitive and longstanding rivalry with Essendon.

“After facing off in round 1 last year, this clearly has potential to continue as an early blockbuster for both clubs and we will continue to advocate for that with the AFL.”

 

[HirdsTheWord]

Essendon and Hawthorn apparently requested for the AFL to lock in a round 1 Friday night game every year as they’re reportedly expecting a crowd of 80K.

The AFL will rightfully say “absolutely not” because there’s no reason for two bottom sides to be locked in on a Friday night every year.

Win a final and maybe then it will have some credibility.

Agreed

we should be happy will still get ANZAC and Dreamtime.

We have no place of relevance to be asking for any prime time slots.

 

[ghostdog]

Agreed

we should be happy will still get ANZAC and Dreamtime.

We have no place of relevance to be asking for any prime time slots.

You ask anyway though. It's good business.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

You ask anyway though. It's good business.

not when you know what the answer is.

 

[Lore]

I mean we've played Hawthorn in Round 1 every year that we've had a Round 1 home game in the last few years, and we've drawn a solid crowd. And previously the AFL has done this "Round 0" concept and it's the Essendon vs Hawthorn or Essendon vs Carlton match-up that they trial there most of the time. We're a high drawing team, just a reality of the thing.

Don't know why it needs to be a Friday night, a Saturday afternoon would draw 80k just as easily.

 

[dank420_]

You ask anyway though. It's good business.

Exactly. Money makers don't care where Essendon are placed on the ladder. We draw crowds.

 

[eth-dog]

I honestly don't like R1 to be locked for anyone

 

[Shanghaistu]

Agreed

we should be happy will still get ANZAC and Dreamtime.

We have no place of relevance to be asking for any prime time slots.

But, man, were we good 4 decades ago…..

 

[Shanghaistu]

Essendon and Hawthorn apparently requested for the AFL to lock in a round 1 Friday night game every year as they’re reportedly expecting a crowd of 80K.

The AFL will rightfully say “absolutely not” because there’s no reason for two bottom sides to be locked in on a Friday night every year.

Win a final and maybe then it will have some credibility.

I agree 100% - maybe it’s time to ‘pull’ attention and earn relevance by winning finals and premierships again instead of accumulating marquee games based on success which is 24 years past and counting….

 

[jmoo wan]

I'm out of the loop - what the heck is this round 0 nonsense?

and why do Collingwood play twice before we even play once?

 

[JT_the_Man]

I'm out of the loop - what the heck is this round 0 nonsense?

and why do Collingwood play twice before we even play once?

Fake round, I’m choosing to ignore.

 

[boncer34]

I'm out of the loop - what the heck is this round 0 nonsense?

and why do Collingwood play twice before we even play once?

They'll be exhausted come ANZAC day

 

[jmoo wan]

Fake round, I’m choosing to ignore.

I assumed it was the grading rounds, like with kid's sports

 

[MiguelM]

Anti-climax round

 

[Lance Uppercut]

Why don't Essendon and Collingwood both play Round 0 and get their bye directly before or after Anzac Day?

Too sensible?

 

[eth-dog]

Why don't Essendon and Collingwood both play Round 0 and get their bye directly before or after Anzac Day?

Too sensible?

We should have played tonight tbh

 

[boncer34]

We should have played tonight tbh

BUT GRUNDY