As Robbie Williams takes to the MCG stage, we trust he’ll do a better job than some others

Robbie Williams has won over footy fans with his pre-game show at the AFL Grand Final but who can forget some of the previous acts?

Meat Loaf was the low point of AFL Grand Final entertainment

With British superstar Robbie Williams winning over footy fans with his pre-game show at today’s AFL Grand Final, it is time to turn back the clock to some of the stars who have gone before him at the MCG on footy’s big day.

Who could forget Meat Loaf making a mess of his performance at the Grand Final in 2011.

Meat Loaf was paid a rumoured $500,000 to sing. His dressing room took on the air of a ‘bat cave’ and was draped in black curtains. He also brought a voodoo-type doll with him for his memorable-for-all-the-wrong-reasons performance.

Meat Loaf performed at the Grand Final and was critically panned.

“He had a bat cave there (as his dressing room),” an insider recalled a couple of years ago.

“It had to be all draped in black and he brought what looked like voodoo-type dolls and it was full of incense. He had gout and he had trouble with his voice.”

Meat Loaf later said he had been suffering from a haemorrhaging vocal cord.

Other superstar acts who have performed at the Grand Final were less dramatic.

Sting arrived in Australia on the morning of the match in 2016 and rehearsed for the first and only time in the locker rooms at the MCG before he went out to play for the 100,000 strong crowd.

Sting performing in 2016. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas was another late arrival. He flew into Melbourne on the morning of the game in 2018. The rest of the Peas did the sound check on the Thursday without him.

Lionel Richie (2010) was described as the consummate professional, impressing all as he had less than a week’s notice for his performance as he played at the Grand Final replay.

Tom Jones and Ed Sheeran sang together in 2014 and were described as fantastic, while Bryan Adams (in 2015) was a delight to all he encountered.

Lionel Richie in 2010.

The Killers, who played in 2017, remain a fan favourite for many reasons. Letting Richmond’s Jack Riewoldt join them on stage at their post match show to sing Mr Brightside was a moment of grand final legend.

“Richmond’s media manager rang the AFL during the week leading up to the game and asked if Richmond won, would The Killers agree to have him sing,” a source recalled.

“On the day, half way through the last quarter when it became clear the Tigers would win, calls were made and the band said yes. The rest is history.”

Today is Williams’ turn to make his mark on Australia’s biggest game.

Williams previously turned down an offer of $1 million to perform three songs at the Grand Final back in 2014.

His fee has gone up considerably since then, making today a nice payday for the iconic hit maker.