AFLX should give football fans a unique insight into what really goes on out in the middle, writes Jay Clark

When AFLX kicks off, no one will give two-hoots about the score or championship winner. But, as JAY CLARK writes, there is a real chance for the players to show a bit of themselves and, of course, take the mickey.

Bring the banter, fellas.

Just like the AFLX draft a fortnight ago, Friday night’s kick-and-giggle games will be a chance, more than anything, to have some fun.

They’ll be second-gear exhibition matches largely designed to entertain the kiddies.

Think lots of long goals, baulking runs, back-slapping and high fives.

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But while the average rusted-on footy fan has already expressed a healthy amount of cynicism - if not total disinterest in the whole concept - there is a unique broadcasting opportunity at play, here.

What could be even better than what we see on the field on Friday night, is what we will hear.

In AFLX, the microphone will be king.

Broadcasters are thrashing out the final details of who-wears-what over the next few days, but there’s sure to be some good-natured ribbing out on the field, on the AFLX menu.

The skippers are set for AFLX. Picture: Alex Coppel

You can picture Eddie Betts telling Jack Riewoldt, as he lines up for goal, that new recruit Tom Lynch is going to kick more goals than him in yellow and black this season.

Or Patrick Dangerfield and Alex Rance doing their best Ross Lyon impressions as they stand alongside Freo skipper Nat Fyfe.

“Nat, ploise, don’t get hurt out here. We’re restumping, rewiring, replumbing”.

Or just strap a mic on Tigers’ youngster Jack Higgins to listen in to the pre-bounce rev-up comedy which left his Tiger teammates in stitches in games last year.

That’s the sort of personality and colour that can make the AFLX a surprise success from a broadcasting perspective.

When the real stuff is on during the regular season, we don’t get to hear too much of what is said over the white line. It’s a bit of an iron curtain out there.

Former Hawthorn skipper Luke Hodge was compelling when he was mic’d up in 2017, but otherwise the sounds of the game can be mostly matter-of-fact encouragement or bleeped-out swearing, anyway.

In AFLX, we can get inside the huddle and the locker room for the different pre-game addresses, for example.

We want Betts to explain how he is going to kick the miraculous banana goal as he lines up from the boundary.

Or who Shaun Burgoyne is going to hit lace-out with another silky pass from the middle, next.

Or listen in as Stephen Coniglio and Jeremy Cameron ask Dylan Shiel how things are at the Bombers?

No one will give two-hoots about the score or championship winner, but there is a real chance for the players to show a bit of themselves, bond in real time, and, of course, take the mickey.

Footy can be so serious throughout the year.

Here, the players and fans will both, hopefully, be able to have a laugh before the real stuff starts.

Certainly, Dangerfield is one who is prepared to have some fun and open up on the night.

“I think the angles and just where cameras will be able to go during a game and pre-game will be far different to what you see with (regular) AFL games,” Dangerfield said on Triple M.

Patrick Dangerfield is pumped for AFLX. Picture: Alan Barder

“There are some clubs which do open up their doors, but at the same time it is always a censored message, because clubs are very careful with their IP, which is fair enough.

“This concept is throwing that out the door.

“It is bringing you in behind closed doors, to see what stars and players are really like pre-game.

“And in terms of the actual game at Marvel, the on-ground activation and just how engaging players will be with fans will be far different to what you would normally get.”

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Originally published as AFLX should give football fans a unique insight into what really goes on out in the middle, writes Jay Clark