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Former North Melbourne CEO Greg Miller says Roos deserve to play on Good Friday, after pushing for timeslot 22 years ago

THE man who first approached the AFL about Good Friday football says North Melbourne has earned the right to own the timeslot.

THE man who first approached the AFL about Good Friday football says North Melbourne has earned the right to own the marquee timeslot from next season.

Former Roos’ chief executive Greg Miller said he first raised the concept with league heavyweights in about 1992 but was knocked back in the first attempt of what has been a 22-year battle.

But, with the AFL more open to scheduling a Good Friday game for the first time next season, other clubs, such as Western Bulldogs and Essendon, have also joined the queue.

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Miller said the Roos’ perseverance with Good Friday football should be respected and rewarded when the league considered who would play on the religious holiday in 2015.

The former Roos’ boss also said it was only a matter of time before the AFL followed other sports and fixtured a match on Good Friday.

“It was inevitable that they’d soften their stance because time moves on and society changes,” Miller said.

“It ought to be that 20 years of submissions and lobbying, should stand for something and the Kangaroos should be given the first opportunity.”

North Melbourne’s Brent Harvey and Essendon’s Michael Hibberd might be squaring off on Good Friday in 20. Picture Michael Klein Source: News Corp Ausralia
North Melbourne’s Brent Harvey and Essendon’s Michael Hibberd might be squaring off on Good Friday in 20. Picture Michael Klein Source: News Corp Ausralia

Along with fellow Roos’ heavyweights Ron Casey and Bob Ansett, Miller said the club made unsuccessful Good Friday bids for at least “10 years in a row” from 1992.

Miller told NMFC.com.au it was a supposed North Melbourne ally, John Kennedy, who proved to be the stumbling block in the early days of the concept.

“It was just before John Kennedy took over as chairman of the (AFL) commission, because it was really him, you wouldn’t believe it, our previous coach and friend of mine, who told us they’d quashed it,” Miller said.

“It got headlines in the paper every year but Kennedy came out and said the day would be protected and the AFL wouldn’t follow all the other sports and entertainment groups around the world and participate.”

Miller faces the media with Wayne Carey in 1996. Source: Supplied
Miller faces the media with Wayne Carey in 1996. Source: Supplied

But sentiment in AFL headquarters has changed following the decision from CEO Andrew Demetriou to move on at season’s end.

Miller said it was always part of the Roos’ plan to play a twilight game leading into the Good Friday Appeal, which raises millions of dollars for the Royal Children’s Hospital.

Early on, the Roos joined forces with Carlton, whose proximity to the hospital in the northern suburbs of Melbourne helped solidify their ties to the game, according to the two clubs

The twilight match concept was also a first at the time the proposal was drawn-up at Arden Street.

“Our idea involved a donation to the Royal Children’s Hospital and was presented as a late evening game at about 4.30pm,” Miller said.

“There was no twilight footy at the time and we suggested a twilight game for Good Friday. We didn’t want the game to eat into the appeal and thought it would flow nicely and wouldn’t be too late for the kids to attend.”

Greg Miller was CEO of North Melbourne until 2001. Source: Supplied
Greg Miller was CEO of North Melbourne until 2001. Source: Supplied

The former Roos’ chief said North have long been trailblazers in the AFL and took a swipe at the rivals trying to creep in on the Good Friday plans.

“It’s not surprising; it’s what’s happened with all our ideas over the years. The same clubs and even the same administrators, who tried to shoot down our idea to play home games in Sydney in the 90s, are now taking games away from home themselves,” Miller said.

“It doesn’t surprise me that clubs who were against it, are now slow to get on the bandwagon.

“The Kangaroos pioneered games against other teams; we took home games to Sydney in 1999 and we had teams like the Bulldogs under Smorgon saying, “We’ll never take home games out of the west’ and low and behold, a few years later they’re playing in Darwin and everywhere else.

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“We certainly led Friday night football, we led Grand Final Breakfasts and we led playing home games interstate among many other things. We’ve always been trailblazers. We’ve always been imaginative, innovative and on the front foot. Bob Ansett and Ron Casey were always putting these types of things forward and looking at new marketing opportunities.”

Miller said the Roos would maintain a strong family focus with the game, if it was successful

“It was an unused day on the footy calendar and people were looking for things to do with their family. The Kangaroos have always offered that family feel and felt we had other attractions to add to the day to meet all the criteria people were looking for,” he said.

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/former-north-melbourne-ceo-greg-miller-says-roos-deserve-to-play-on-good-friday-after-pushing-for-timeslot-22-years-ago/news-story/11795312ae10092960330195e0895157