Roof or no roof, Tassie deserves more night games
Tassie fans showed their desire for night AFL games by packing out UTAS Stadium for Saturday’s Hawks-Giants blockbuster. And roof or no roof in Hobart, the fans deserve more.
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A historic Friday night lights blockbuster looms large for Launceston after fans voted for more night games with their feet on Saturday.
Just over 14,000 fans packed a windy UTAS Stadium to watch the Hawthorn hold off the Giants in an early season blockbuster.
It was the first night game at the venue since round six, 2018, when the Hawks beat St Kilda in front of 15,741 fans.
Although one of the light towers blew out midway through the second quarter the turnout, particularly given the Giants’ small interstate fan base, is evidence Tasmanians crave more night fixtures.
They’ll get another chance to make that case when the Hawks take on fellow unbeaten outfit Adelaide in the city’s first Friday night fixture in round 14.
The date and time for the other two Hawks games to be played in Launceston - North Melbourne in round 16 and Port Adelaide in round 19 - is yet to be confirmed.
The first of two North Melbourne games in Hobart - against Brisbane in round nine, is a 4.40pm twilight game, with the timing of the round 23 clash with Richmond also to be confirmed.
Saturday’s attendance of 14,021 was the most since Hawthorn played St Kilda in round nine last year (15,112) in the afternoon. But that contest was more conducive to attracting a big crowd given two Victorian clubs heavily supported in Tasmania featured.
You have to go back to ANZAC Day 2022, when 14,107 fans watched Sydney topple Hawthorn, for another bigger crowd than Saturday night.
Night games also don’t clash with junior or community sport, giving the local football community far greater opportunity to attend matches.
The allocation of two night matches has prompted the conspiracy theorists to emerge. Brownlow and Norm Smith medallist Jimmy Bartel queried on Channel Nine on Monday night whether it’s a deliberate ploy by the AFL to showcase why the Macquarie Point stadium needs a roof.
Winds up to 50km/hr impacted the Hawks-Giants game, particularly in the first half where not a single goal was kicked into it.
“I’m not saying there is one (conspiracy theory, but) the Giants played the Hawks under lights at Launnie. What seems to be the topic of discussion this week (roof on stadium),” Bartel said.
“When there’s a big debate about the stadium and conditions, all of a sudden we’ve gone to playing at night every time now.”
The furore over whether the stadium should have a roof reached fever pitch last week when it emerged Cricket Tasmania and Cricket Tasmania wrote a letter to the state government expressing “significant concerns” a roof would put at risk the facility’s ability to host international games.
A roof is a requirement in the AFL’s deal with the state government to become the league’s 19th team.
“Most importantly this is not just an AFL stadium, it is a multi purpose stadium that needs to cater for events, other codes of sport including cricket and of course AFL,” premier Jeremy Rockliff said.
“There will be design challenges in accommodating that but through very sensible conversations, working together, we’re committed to a roof and we are continuing with designs to cater to every eventuality.
“I have always said it’s not just about AFL but it is a multi purpose stadium for multi users, multi events and multi sporting codes and that's what will bring and ensure the success of the stadium.”
Roof or not, Tasmanians passed the first test for more night games with flying colours. If the Hawks and Crows continue to fly high, attendance records could be broken on a cold Friday night in June.
Originally published as Roof or no roof, Tassie deserves more night games
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