Good Friday Football

[Benchwarmer]

Noticed in the paper this morning that the WAFL is more than likely to fixture a Round 1 match between Peel Thunder and Swan Districts in Mandurah on Good Friday.

Aussie Rules now becomes the last of the major sports in this country to play on the day. Rugby League has done it for around 20 years and Rugby hasn't side-stepped the day in the way that our game does.

Opinions?

Mine is that it is just another day and it's about time that we are going to be able to do something on a day when nothing happens. The only problem is that this match is a 1 hour drive each way, so I am unlikely to go but I will probably listen to it on the radio instead.

[CENTURION]

You're correct, to the non-religious, it is just another day. All people have different views & beliefs on a host of subjects & if they continue to NOT play footy (or any sport for that matter) on Good Friday, then they should also respect the views & beliefs of EVERY religious person. Some feel that it is dis-respectful to play on ANZAC Day but we still do & you will never please everyone. BUT, if we start playing on Good Friday & it is a success (which it will be), then obviously the people that attend don't mind, so what is the problem? Just don't be in religious people's faces about your views, that's all.
(P.S., I eat meat on Good Friday & I haven't been struck down...yet).

[Dirko]

IMO, bring it on...BUT put it to the PLAYERS first. If the majority of the players would play then go for it.
The day and age of celebrating/remembering a religious significance, is waning, my family for one is atheist,
and would have no worries about going to the footy.

[smac]

Steak sandwich at the footy on Good Friday... Sounds good to me!

If there's footy on, I may be able to skip out on a couple of jobs at home.

[RustyCage]

Play footy on Good Friday, because without anything to actually do on that day, it really isn't a good friday.

With no AFL on Good Friday, it is a chance for the SANFL to have a day to themselves and really promote it as something to do on a day where most people just sit around on their asses anyway.

[CENTURION]

A HUGE BUT! Will the bar be open?

[Dirko]

A HUGE BUT! Will the bar be open?

Yeah only serving dodgy red and crusty bread but....

[CENTURION]

Good Friday Footy, coming to your local ground soon........BYO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Benchwarmer]

LMFAO SJABC!

BTW, I have noticed a sharp increase in the attractiveness of avatars since October rolled around ... I love scrolling the threads as much for the pix as the work of the wordsmiths. It makes you proud to be a red-blooded male

[Sojourner]

Bear in mind that it is triple wages for everyone that is employed to work on the day and that there are approximatley 1/5 of the public transport available on the day. Alcohol cannot be sold at the ground on the day either which no doubt cuts profits significantly. When it has been looked at in the past, the costs are prohibitive and there is no real evidence to suggest that the crowds would make any significant increase, bearing in mind that there is already a percentage of the population that wont be able to be there because of religious commitments.

[johntheclaret]

Some good points raised ther sojourner. Particulary the no transport and no beer.

[CENTURION]

LMFAO SJABC!

BTW, I have noticed a sharp increase in the attractiveness of avatars since October rolled around ... I love scrolling the threads as much for the pix as the work of the wordsmiths. It makes you proud to be a red-blooded male

Mine's the best, but!

[smac]

I'd be interested to know the deal with the rugby. Do they have booze to sell?

If we kept it to 1 game (or a double header), perhaps at Adelaide Oval, then it could be marketed as a big game for all footy followers to get to.

[CENTURION]

[quote="smac"]I'd be interested to know the deal with the rugby. Do they have booze to sell?

Yeah, they sell it in Longnecks & you have to open it by smashing it against your own or your partner's face.

[smac]

Same as a normal rugby match then?

[CENTURION]

pretty much, yep.

[Pseudo]

A HUGE BUT! Will the bar be open?

That is actually a very good question. Would licensing laws prohibit the selling of grog at suburban grounds? Might be interesting to go to a game where all the p!$$heads are swilling coke. Some with concealed hip flasks

OTOH, if the sale of alcohol is allowed, it could turn out to be a crowd-puller and money-spinner, since every watering hole in the state would be closed...

[HeartBeatsTrue]

I'm Catholic, so any Good Friday match I wont be able to attend due to traditional family commitments.
Having said that I'm not against footy on Good Friday. If it brings the crowds then I see no problem. Those with religious commitments simply cant attend the game.
I'll be happy provided its televised. We cant eat meat but we can still watch TV on that day you know.

[Harry the Horse]

After threatening to extricate themselves from the dark ages and embrace Good Friday, the AFL has again missed the boat on this one. We should all respect each other's religious views ... no problem with that. But the AFL keeps bowing to the minority for fear of a backlash and has now become one of the last sports in the world to not play on that day. It was good enough for Serie A to play a Milan derby on Good Friday in God's backyard but the AFL's worried about a few noisy Bishops in Victoria!
Full marks to the WAFL for taking the opportunity to sell their product on a day when there is precious little to do for most of us. I hope the SANFL follows suit .. although given their long history of programming train wrecks (remember the six-day break between preliminary and grand finals), I'd be 99% sure they won't.

[CENTURION]

I'm Catholic, so any Good Friday match I wont be able to attend due to traditional family commitments.
Having said that I'm not against footy on Good Friday. If it brings the crowds then I see no problem. Those with religious commitments simply cant attend the game.
I'll be happy provided its televised. We cant eat meat but we can still watch TV on that day you know.

Go to church in the morning!