It would appear the state of Victoria is once again living rent free in the minds of the other eight AFL clubs, as they take to social media to poke fun at the AFL’s opening round starting in Sydney and Queensland.
Despite heavyweight Victorian clubs in Carlton, Collingwood, Richmond and Melbourne being called in to ensure an audience, the Giants and Swans have taken to Twitter to call out those annoyed by the lack of footy in Melbourne to start the season, including Collingwood premiership player Mason Cox.
Cox tweeted: “Round 1 NRL goes to Las Vegas. AFL premiers go to … A showground for livestock”. (Referring to Giants Stadium, where the Sydney Royal Easter Show is held).
Round 1@NRL goes to Las Vegas
— Mason Cox AFL (@masonsixtencox) November 15, 2023
AFL premiers go to….
A showground for livestock… pic.twitter.com/7v63P5nejr
To which the Giants responded:
Victorians when they have to leave Victoria... https://t.co/93cY9wOILP pic.twitter.com/RM5WDkVXFH
— GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) November 15, 2023
Happy to provide you with some tickets to the @eastershow @masonsixtencox 🧡
— GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) November 15, 2023
Cox instead suggested he would buy the Giants their tickets – given they handed over Norm Smith Medallist Bobby Hill to the Magpies in the previous trade period.
I’ll buy you some. We still owe you for trading us the Norm Smith player this year. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/haKgJxDCDP
— Mason Cox AFL (@masonsixtencox) November 15, 2023
The Swans also weighed in after comments from 3AW’s Neil Mitchell, saying:
They will be ok. Plenty of people love the game up this way, right @GWSGIANTS @brisbanelions @GoldCoastSUNS ?
— Sydney Swans (@sydneyswans) November 15, 2023
We also like the fact we are celebrating 150 years of South Melbourne / Sydney as the season opener against the Dees 🎉
Current Victorian Football League premiers Gold Coast added their two cents:
Googles VFL Premiers
— Gold Coast Suns (@GoldCoastSUNS) November 15, 2023
SEN WA Breakfast host Tim Gossage also had his say on the whole situation, again calling out Victorian bias for the Opening Round fixture which … isn’t being played in Victoria.