Sydney Swans want stand-alone Good Friday fixture

IN an AFL first the Sydney Swans want to play an annual blockbuster on Good Friday.

IN an AFL first the Sydney Swans want to play an annual blockbuster on Good Friday.

The move will generate some opposition in Melbourne, with Good Friday the only public holiday during the season when no football is played. While it may be sacrosanct in the southern capital, rugby league is played on Good Friday in Sydney as an accepted part of the fixture.

The Daily Telegraph understands that the desire to play on Good Friday is part of a broader push by the Swans to have more Friday night matches.

The Swans play Geelong this Friday night in their only non-weekend match of the season and are keen for more, with the game on the verge of a sell-out.

Given the sensitive nature of Good Friday in the AFL heartland, Swans chief executive Andrew Ireland would not confirm any specific dates regarding possible future scheduling.

"The AFL have asked all the clubs to come back to them with suggestions about finding slots in the draw to have games that would attract blockbuster status," Ireland said. "At the moment we're looking at a range of games in the Sydney market."

Ireland claimed Friday night matches had great appeal because of the SCG's proximity to the city.

"The SCG is actually closer to the CBD than the MCG is in Melbourne," Ireland said.

However the Swans have hosted just one Friday night match during his decade at the club, against Carlton last season.

Fewer than 1000 tickets remain for the Geelong game, with the demolition of the Bradman and Noble Stands reducing the capacity from 48,000 to 32,000.

Ireland expects the match to be sold out this week but the crowd may still be fewer than 30,000 - depending on how many members turn up.

Essendon and Collingwood have made the ANZAC Day clash at MCG the biggest home and away game on the calendar.

The Swans would be keen to create a similar tradition at the SCG as the only AFL game on Good Friday. Sydney's annual match against Collingwood at ANZ Stadium once had similar appeal when it was the only game programmed on the weekend of the midseason bye.

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