David Schwarz could not help but laugh after Melbourne has been scheduled to play at Etihad Stadium in Round 1 next season against St Kilda, a clash recent history suggests can only end in defeat.
Even with the club struggling for much of the past decade the Demons’ record against the Saints has been very poor losing their last 14 games stretching back to 2007.
Their form at Etihad Stadium has not been much better winning just two of their last 30 matches at the venue.
“I don’t mind that, it’s been a great tradition for a long time now so I’m really happy for the Carlton and Richmond game to kick off the season,” laughed Schwarz on SEN radio.
“Okay I like that as well (the Bulldogs playing on Friday night).
“I can cop that one (Essendon with returning players on Saturday night against Hawthorn).
“Oh great, great – is that (Melbourne playing at Etihad) a joke? Honestly, what is the AFL doing?
“You might as well say, here you are we’re going to start Melbourne four points behind everyone else – we don’t beat St Kilda and we don’t win at Etihad.
“We haven’t won a game there since Jesus was in Nazareth!
“Not Round 1 and not at Etihad and not on Grand Prix day, we’ll have three people there watching.
“That is not a good start for Melbourne.”
Good Friday footy will be a win for all
“It’s a day now that is used by everybody so it should be inclusive and I think it’s a great move that should have happened many, many years ago,” said Schwarz.
“North Melbourne are the side that are said to been in line for it, do they deserve it? Look, I think they were the pioneers of Friday night footy, which they’ve lost a lot of that.
“They’re one side that doesn’t have a big game on the calendar, why not?
“If it is the Western Bulldogs or any other side I think it’s great, I would love to see a game on Good Friday and I think it will be the most viewed game of any regular season game other than ANZAC Day.”