Darwin’s TIO Stadium will host the 16th Essendon-Richmond annual Dreamtime Game

Darwin’s TIO Stadium replaces the Melbourne Cricket Ground as the host ground for the Essendon-Richmond Dreamtime Game

Essendon’s Kyle Langford is grabbed by Richmond’s Connor Menadue in the 2018 Dreamtime Game at the MCG. Now it is Darwin’s turn to host the AFL classic. Picture: Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty Images.

DREAMTIME in Darwin is happening after the AFL confirmed yesterday they are moving the hugely popular Essendon-Richmond game from the MCG to TIO Stadium.

The Round 13 clash will be played as a night game on Saturday, August 22, the same day Territorians will go to the poll to elect a new Government.

TIO Stadium’s official capacity of 13,500 will be reduced to accommodate COVID-19 regulations on the night, something that will not go down well with Territorians who have grown up on a diet of Essendon and Richmond.

AFLNT chairman Sean Bowden said the combination of a Dreamtime Game and a Gold Coast Suns fixture 24 hours earlier made for a significant piece of Australian football history in the north of Australia.

“The work done between (AFL boss) Gill McLachlan, Chief Minister Michael Gunner, (AFLNT chief executive) Stuart Totham and Suns’ boss Mark Evans to get these games happening means we should have one of the great and most special weekends of football ever held in the NT,’’ Bowden said.

“It is a great privilege and a great honour to have both of those clubs here and we are going to be hosting Gold Coast, who are a partner team with the NT.’’

Former Bomber and Dreamtime co-ordinator Michael Long said the game had a significant cultural history going back to the inaugural clash in 2005.

The match will be part of the Sir Douglas Nicholls round for the fifth time and feature Territory players on both sides — Daniel Rioli at Richmond and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti at Essendon.

Several Territorians have worn Essendon’s familiar black and red jumper and the yellow and black of Richmond.

Included in the list are Maurice Rioli, Richard Tambling, the three Bowden brothers, Sean, Joel and Patrick and their late father Michael, Relton Roberts, Troy Taylor and Gibson Turner at Richmond and Dean Rioli, Richard Cole, Alwyn Davey, Shaun Lew Fatt, Shaun Edwards and Lachlan Ross at Essendon.

“Obviously there is a Tiwi connection with both of those players and also a Darwin connection with its long history with football, including Kevin Sheedy who brought Essendon up here on a number of occasions in the 1980s and ‘90s,’’ Long said.

“What a great win for the Territory to bring this game here, which holds a special place for a lot of past players who are still contributing through their coaching roles.’’

The traditional walk to the MCG that precedes the Dreamtime Game is unlikely to be replicated in Darwin due to the COVID-19 restrictions.