It looks like the AFL has painted itself into a corner by handing the cherished Good Friday game to North Melbourne and a rotating roster of poorly followed clubs, and now has to find a way out of the deal without looking like they’re putting a gun to the Kangaroos’ head and pulling the trigger.
It’s understandable how the situation came to be, but it’s embarrassing to have proven a disaster so soon, and the fallout from any change could be catastrophic for the Roos who, simply put, aren’t up to being handed a blockbuster game.
The ‘Small Four’ Victorian clubs: North Melbourne, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs and Melbourne, have been sounding off their tiny voices for decades about never being considered for the big occasions.
MORE: The Rover's top 10 AFL players over 30 | Should Beveridge be worried about his job at the Bulldogs?
The Demons were proactive about the situation, making Queen’s Birthday Monday their own, and they were smart enough to make sure they were always drawn against a guaranteed crowd-bringing team in Collingwood.
From there Melbourne went another step further and now has the annual ANZAC Day eve clash against Richmond, another safe bet when it comes to getting a crowd and pulling a television audience, no matter where the teams are on the ladder.
By the time Good Friday opened up the AFL had no choice but to hand it to the Roos, and once that decision was made they were similarly forced to give the Bulldogs and Saints first shot at sharing, either that or listen to them whine for another 20 years.
But what can the league do now?
As I said last week the Kangas will still be involved next year, but expect a better-drawing opponent, most likely Essendon, and the year after it could be a Roo-less affair.
To lose the game will be devastating for North after waiting so long, but the AFL has never liked being seen as a charity.
Being handed a blue-riband event only to have it snatched away is worse than never getting it in the first place, but the football public has been served up a small event on a big stage.
And if the Kangaroos are going to survive the humiliation they’re going to need to become a big event on a small stage.
Like Tasmania.
Suddenly I’m starting to think maybe the league did paint itself a corner but it was no accident, and they knew there was a hidden trapdoor from where they could make a clean escape.
Nice work Gill.
And to think there are people out there that question the big man’s intelligence.
