“Price you pay”: Tigers should not be upset by losing Thursday night

Richmond fans should not be too upset about losing next year’s Thursday blockbuster fixture against Carlton.

The AFL’s Round 1 fixture will see the Tigers and Blues play at 12:35pm on the Saturday rather than the standalone Thursday night game which has in the past kicked off the season and always gets a big crowd.

Despite the setback, Tigers CEO Shane Dunne remained positive that the club will get the Thursday night Melbourne opener back in 2028 and beyond given it was only moved due to the 150th anniversary Test match between Australia and England.

Dunne said: “The AFL has been clear that this year's change is solely due to the MCG's availability and we understand it's a one year arrangement. While that doesn't lessen the frustration felt by our club and supporters, we appreciate the circumstances, and look forward to this iconic fixture returning to its traditional Thursday night time slot next year.”

But Kane Cornes and his SEN Breakfast co-host Sam Edmund both firmly believe it is the right move given where the Tigers currently sit.

“The Round 1 fixture does have Richmond and Carlton playing at 12.35pm on a Saturday, which is a fair fall from grace from a Thursday night and pulling the curtain back on a new season, at least in this town outside of Opening Round,” said Edmund.

“Now, that's been happening since 2008. It's become one of the marquee events on the AFL calendar. But I did note the comments from Shane Dunne, the Richmond CEO.

“This isn't permanent in Richmond's mind. This is just a little loaner of season opening rights in their mind given the cricket commitments at the MCG.

“Dunne references multiple times a ‘one year arrangement’.”

Cornes does not share Dunne’s optimism that the Tigers will automatically have the traditional Thursday night Carlton clash back.

“Shane, I got news for you - the AFL are pulling your leg,” said Cornes.

“Unless you pull off something extraordinary and make a push towards a finals wildcard berth, you will not be getting this back for some time.

“Now you were questioning the other day whether they'd ever get it back and I said, well, give it five years, I’m sure that they'll get another opportunity.

“But this is the price you pay when you aggressively try not to win. And let's be honest, that's what Richmond are doing. It’s been a couple of years, it’s going to be another three or four.

“The players going out there on game day are trying to win, the club is giving those players no chance to be competitive with the strategy that they've gone about. And I'm not critical of that. I thought it was the right move, it was the right timing to do that.

“But that's the price you pay. You're not going to get the season opener when have a team that is full of kids that wins three to four games a season. So let's not think you are getting this back.

“Now the AFL may have said that to them, he may have taken things that the AFL have said and run with it a little bit and interpreted them differently in a more positive way.

“But there is no way Richmond, unless they pull off something extraordinary from an on-field competitive performance level this year, are going to get that fixture back in the foreseeable future.”

Edmund reported that the Tigers did try to land another slot, namely the Friday night fixture, but were knocked back.

“They lobbied really hard. If they weren't going to get Thursday, Richmond lobbied really hard - ‘Give us Friday night at the ‘G. The first MCG game, give us Friday’,” Edmund said further.

“But the AFL thought was, like you said, when you choose to be shizen, when you choose to bottom out and rebuild, you're just not going to get those games given to you or you shouldn't get those games given to you.

“So that's why the AFL on the Friday have gone for Hawthorn and Brisbane, as they should have.”

Cornes said: “Carlton are the ones that should be aggrieved by this. They stormed home on the back half.”

Edmund added: “They're accessories to the crime.”

Cornes continued: “They should be the ones that are up in arms. New coach, excitement levels, and a huge supporter base, clearly as Richmond do.

“But Richmond fans drop off quicker than any other team when you start to lose. Look at the drop off in their attendance levels when they've been a dynasty versus what they are now.

“You just can't compare the crowd level. So I don't think Tigers fans should be that upset. You don't go when your team's been poor, and you just don't deserve it.

“I think a fair-minded Richmond fan would say we've had our time, it's been awesome, now we're in a different stage and we don't really want that fixture if we're not going to be competitive either. I think they would understand it, the pretty smart Richmond fan.”