AFL fixture and crowd news: Rounds 9 and 10 confirmed as capacity numbers increase

After footy fans wasted little time snapping up Anzac Day tickets on Friday, Sunday’s crowd at the MCG is likely to set a world record. Here’s the latest.

Sunday’s Anzac Day clash will be an official sell-out, with only a few hundred tickets remaining for a clash that will set pandemic attendance records.

The AFL has confirmed the Perth three-day lockdown will not affect Melbourne crowds, which were lifted from 75,000 to 85,000 on Thursday.

The remaining Collingwood-Essendon tickets will sell out by Sunday’s clash after nearly all of the 10,000 seats - split between MCC and AFL members and general admission - were snapped up after they went on sale at 1pm on Friday.

Watch the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. Every match of every round Live on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

Scott Pendlebury and Dyson Heppell ahead of this year’s Anzac Day clash. Picture: Getty Images

MORE: HOW PERTH’S SNAP LOCKDOWN WILL AFFECT AFL FIXTURE

The Saturday night clash between Melbourne and Richmond had 6000 tickets still available on Friday night.

AFL Grand Finals usually hit somewhere near the AFL’s capacity of 100,000 fans given the clamour for tickets.

But the MCC would still be happy with a Sunday attendance anywhere over 80,000 fans given some MCC or AFL members, who purchase tickets, still do not turn up on game-day.

The league only needs to eclipse the 54,159 fans who attended the West Coast-Collingwood clash last week to set a new national record.

Anzac Day would need a crowd of more than 67,200 to bat the Twenty20 crowd that attended an India-England game in India last month.

How the MCG can beat world twice on Anzac weekend

Melbourne is set to shatter back-to-back crowd records with the MCG’s Anzac weekend blockbusters on track to capture the biggest COVID-19 pandemic crowds both Australia and the world have seen.

The Melbourne-Richmond clash on Anzac Eve is expected to break the national record of 54,159 on Saturday night.

But the prospect of 85,000 fans flocking to the ’G for the traditional Collingwood-Essendon clash on Sunday will become the biggest crowd for any sport in the world since the pandemic crisis hit.

It will also spark a last-minute ticket rush.

As revealed by the Herald Sun on Thursday, the MCG crowd limit has been lifted to 85 per cent.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE FIXTURE FOR ROUNDS 9 + 10

Remember this? A full house at the 2019 Anzac Day clash. Picture: File

An extra 10,000 tickets for the Anzac Day game — which had sold out for a 75,000-capacity maximum — will go on sale for general admission at 1pm on Friday.

Those tickets will be split between the MCC members, AFL members and general admission.

Hopes of almost 100,000 fans attending the game were rebuffed over continuing COVID fears, with the capacity for Marvel Stadium and GMHBA Stadium not lifted on Thursday.

The state government said “further work” on contact tracing was needed before Marvel Stadium secured an increased number.

The Melbourne-Richmond marquee clash on Anzac Eve is expected to attract about 60,000 fans to the ‘G, which would overtake the 54,159 at Perth Stadium for West Coast’s win against Collingwood last week as the domestic record since coronavirus hit last year.

Several thousand tickets were still available for Saturday night’s match before the new capacity was announced.

Melbourne Cricket Club chief executive Stuart Fox was thrilled at the prospect of footy fans making history this weekend.

“If the records are broken, it’ll be great for the MCG — the people’s ground, Victoria and wonderful recognition for all the footy fans who have adhered to the COVID-safe protocols to ensure a safe return of crowds,” Fox told the Herald Sun.

The Anzac games need more than 67,200 footy fans to eclipse the crowd that watched a Twenty20 international between India and England at Ahmedabad’s monstrous 110,000-seat stadium last month.

The T20 series drew 67,200 and 66,352 to the first two games before crowds were banned in India as coronavirus cases surged once again.

California’s Rose Bowl welcomed 90,462 when Oregon Ducks defeated Wisconsin Badgers in a college football game on New Year’s Day last year, which was the biggest crowd recorded in 2020, albeit before the pandemic gripped the planet.

Jordan de Goey and Dyson Heppell will lock horns again at the MCG.

The MCG and AFL were able to convince the state government’s health department of the success of Ticketek’s ticket trial over the weekend.

But the state government still stopped short of full capacity despite Victoria hitting seven straight weeks without a community transmission early in the week.

AAMI Park and John Cain Arena will also be lifted to 85 per cent capacity.

The South Australian government on Thursday finally granted 100 per cent capacity for the Adelaide Oval, which means Victoria is the only state without full capacity in Australia.

A government spokesman said on Friday the decision was made on advice from the chief health officer.

“The decision was based on these venues meeting strict public health requirements at last weekend’s games.

“Crowds at Marvel Stadium, GMHBA Stadium, and Mars Stadium will remain at 75 per cent while further work is undertaken to ensure efficient and effective contract tracing of patrons.

“Any future increases in crowd sizes remains dependent on public health conditions being consistently met.”

Under the ticketing trial at the Carlton-Port Adelaide game every attendee had their details listed, which allowed detailed contact-tracing to occur around a “mystery shopper”, or random attendee at the game.

But the AFL’s venue Marvel Stadium, which had a similar trial at the Western Bulldogs-Gold Coast game, was rebuffed.

GMHBA Stadium will be part of the expanded ticket trial across all Victorian venues from this weekend onwards.

Meanwhile the AFL released its fixture for Rounds 9 and 10, where St Kilda still gets a Friday night game against the Cats to start Round 9, despite a dismal showing against Tigers last week.

Brisbane, which missed out on its Easter Thursday clash against Collingwood because of COVID, has secured a bumper Friday night clash against the Tigers at the Gabba.

It’s yet another blockbuster set of fixtures for the Tigers who have again secured primetime games.

“We have a few weeks until Rounds Nine and Ten are upon us, but they appear to be a potential nightmare for tipsters,” AFL Head of Broadcasting and Scheduling Marcus King

“Looking ahead, we plan on releasing Rounds 11 and 12 next week, followed by, subject to any Covid setbacks, a minimum four week block to provide further certainty for clubs and fans.”