AFL fixture news: Carlton replaces Western Bulldogs in Good Friday match

Carlton has scored yet another marquee match in 2023 after being handed the Good Friday slot, leaving the Bulldogs without a guaranteed blockbuster. Is it fair?

The Western Bulldogs are out of Good Friday. Picture: Getty Images

A disappointed Western Bulldogs have taken a swipe at the AFL for gifting the club’s Good Friday game to Carlton, saying the club deserves an “annual blockbuster clash”.

The Dogs have played the past two Good Friday games but News Corp revealed the club lost the rights for 2023 after demolishing the Kangaroos by 128 and 68 points at Marvel Stadium.

It was the biggest twist in next year’s fixture which starts on March 16 when Carlton and Richmond meet again in the blockbuster season-opener at the MCG.

While the one-sided nature of the past two Good Friday games may have counted against the Dogs, the hype surrounding Carlton will help boost crowd figures and interest levels for next year’s encounter against the rebuilding Roos.

The Dogs said they were unhappy to be replaced in the annual public holiday game but haven’t given up hope that they will make a return to the Good Friday stage in coming years.

Dogs’ chief executive Ameet Bains said the club deserved an annual blockbuster match similar to other teams such as Essendon, Collingwood, Melbourne, Geelong, Hawthorn, Richmond and Carlton.

“The club is very disappointed that we won’t feature in the Good Friday game in 2023, a fixture our entire club has taken great pride in bringing to life, particularly through the strong relationships we’ve built with the Royal Children’s Hospital and Ronald McDonald House,” Bains said.

“Good Friday is a game we request to take part in every season, and we will continue to push for our involvement into the future.

“We think it’s fair and reasonable that each year our fans get to experience a consistent annual blockbuster clash, like many other clubs fans do.”

Marcus Bontempelli and the Bulldogs have missed out on a blockbuster game in 2023. Picture: Gary Day/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The past two Good Friday games drew crowds of 28,000 and 32,000, but there are high hopes next year’s game will attract a crowd closer to 40,000 under the roof.

The Dogs were otherwise pleased with the fixture as Luke Beveridge’s men attempt to bounce back into the top-four after they lost their first final to Fremantle this year.

The Bulldogs play nine of their first 14 games under lights in prime time matches and do not leave Melbourne in the first month of the schedule.

They take on Geelong, Fremantle, Richmond, Hawthorn, GWS and Port Adelaide twice and host Adelaide (round 10) and GWS Giants (round 20) at Ballarat.

But they will be regular visitors to the airport with six interstate trips booked to Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Darwin, Sydney and Tasmania.

And the first six rounds will deliver a tough start as the Dogs face Melbourne, St Kilda, Brisbane, Richmond, Port Adelaide and Fremantle early Beveridge looks to secure a coaching contracting extension before the season starts.

Bains said the Dogs faced an exciting season ahead.

“We’re really looking forward to connecting with our Victorian-based members early on in the season, playing our first four games in Melbourne,” Bains said.

“The club’s fixture has a nice balance of football and commercial outcomes, with nine games on free-to-air in the known rounds, with seven of those on Saturday nights.”

Why Blues booted Dogs from Good Friday

The AFL will thrust Carlton into the Good Friday limelight next season in a bid to add some extra spice to the annual public holiday game at Marvel Stadium.

News Corp can reveal the Western Bulldogs have been dumped from the public holiday slot after routing the Kangaroos in their 2021-22 Good Friday battles.

While those two games have drawn crowds of 28,483 and 32,162, there are high hopes a Carlton versus North Melbourne game in Round 4 will draw a bigger crowd in 2023.

The Blues are hopeful of crashing into the top-four next season, helping break a decade-long finals drought after narrowly missing the eight following after a heartbreaking Round 23 loss to Collingwood.

The Roos have struggled on Good Friday. Picture: Getty Images

The game on Friday, April 7, will also see the McKay twins, Harry (Carlton) and Ben (North Melbourne) lock horns and play each other under the roof.

Western Bulldogs wanted to retain the Good Friday game but have been replaced by Michael Voss’s men.

There will be huge broadcast interest in Carlton next year which should see the Blues given more prime time action including the prized Friday nights berths in 2023.

North Melbourne has worked hard to promote the Good Friday game but are determined to perform better in the marquee clash after 128 and 68-point defeats to the Bulldogs.

Alastair Clarkson has taken charge of the Kangaroos after a year off from coaching and is determined to clear his name amid the investigation into Hawthorn First Nations’ players between 2008-2016.