AFL 2021: ANZAC Day weekend blockbusters expected to be at full capacity

The AFL has to jump over one final hurdle, but things are looking promising for a packed house at the MCG very soon.

Brody Mihocek slots a goal in the last ANZAC Day game in front of fans, back in 2019. Picture: AAP Image/Scott Barbour

Anzac Day is expected to be a full-capacity event that hosts over 90,000 fans if an AFL ticketing data collection trial this weekend is successful.

The league is optimistic it will receive approval from the state government by early next week to host full houses for the Anzac Day and Anzac Day eve clashes.

At two Round 5 games fans purchasing tickets will be required to enter the name and phone number of every person attending rather than only one person’s details from a group.

It is understood despite the strong use of QR codes at AFL venues, the state government still wanted more details to ensure it could identify all patrons at games in case of a COVID outbreak.

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Jordan De Goey breaks away in last year’s ANZAC Day clash in front of empty stands. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

It needs to prove to the government that its contact-tracing is first rate, but the expectation is if a trial goes ahead the league will have ticked off its final hurdle.

The league will still need approval from the state government’s health department.

But a decision early next week would allow the league time to sell tickets to Saturday night’s Melbourne-Richmond contest and the Collingwood-Essendon Anzac Day clash.

In 2019 the Anzac Day clash drew 92,241 while the previous night’s Richmond-Melbourne clash pulled in 72,704 spectators.

In 2018 Anzac Day drew 91,440 fans while the Richmond-Melbourne clash attracted 77,071, with the 2017 Anzac Eve clash drawing a record 85,657 fans.

The ability of home clubs Melbourne and Collingwood to sell large number reserved seats to people other than paid-up members for those massive Round 6 clashes will depend on 100 per cent capacity.

Acting premier James Merlino said on Tuesday he couldn’t guarantee 100 per cent capacity but was hopeful increased contact tracing would help.

“That’s everyone’s aim and ambition that we go from 75 per cent to 100 per cent. We all want to see that change. It’s all about contact tracing and the ability for public health to contact trace,” he said on Tuesday.

The Carlton-Port Adelaide game at the MCG and Western Bulldogs-Gold Coast game at Marvel Stadium will be the two trial contests.

Carlton’s clash with Port Adelaide will be one of the test casres. Picture: Jono Searle/AFL Photos/Getty Images

The league is still happy with its crowd figures, which are averaging 28,300 over the first month compared to 36,317 across the entire 2019 season.

While the crowds are down around 20 per cent they were capped at 50 per cent for the first two rounds, with many fans still reluctant to use apps to purchase tickets.

There is no guarantee the league will be able to return to walk-up ticketing or paper tickets this year given delays in vaccinations through the coronavirus pandemic.

The league said yesterday it would assist the Victorian government in obtaining contact details of all fans so they could be contacted faster and more efficiently in the event of a COVID outbreak.

The MCC has already had its own real-life example when it was able to contract trace the thousands of people around a fan at the Boxing Day test.