NT will host an AFL carnival celebrating the Indigenous contribution
After a frenzy of football through early August, the AFL will hit the brakes on the fixture for a small window to enable everyone to take a breather.
A festival of football to celebrate the contribution of Indigenous players will be held in Darwin in mid-August as the AFL prepares to hit the brakes for a period on the helter-skelter season.
After fast-tracking four rounds over a 20-day period that ends on August 17, there will be a brief respite of four days before football resumes in Darwin amid an aim to finish the regular season in the latter stages of September.
The Sir Doug Nicholls Round is celebrated annually with the Dreamtime at the G clash between Richmond and Essendon a highlight.
But with the MCG abandoned due to the lockdown in Victoria, the decision to host the clash in the Northern Territory capital has been welcomed given the region’s rich contribution to Australian rules.
A clash between the Gold Coast, who have a contractual agreement with the NT Government, and Carlton will kickstart Round 13 on August 21 at TIO Stadium.
It is fitting that the Blues are featuring in Darwin given former Carlton champion Syd Jackson is the honouree of this year’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round.
Essendon and Richmond will feature in prime time on Saturday night in Darwin in what is an important round for the game according to Tanya Hosch, the AFL’s general manager of social policy and inclusion.
“To have two matches in Darwin, and all our clubs embracing the spirit of the round, proudly wearing their Indigenous guernseys, it will make for a memorable celebration in what has been an unprecedented season,” she said.
Northern Territory Major Events Company chief executive Tim Watsford expects the stadium in Marrara to be filled with fans for the matches.
“With the Territory producing so many incredible Aboriginal footballers, it seems natural the Dreamtime match should take place here,” he said.
“We’ve already seen plenty of local support for the Dreamtime game and the second match will further increase the excitement.”
There is still hope Alice Springs will host at least one match in the latter stages of the season. The window for games in Tasmania is reducing and will rest on border restrictions being eased in September.
A Monday night clash between Collingwood and North Melbourne at the Gabba aside, the schedule for Round 13 has largely reverted to normal.
Challenges remain. Geelong, for example, will need to leave Queensland on an early flight for a clash against the Crows given the 12.35pm start in Adelaide, though it will allow them to return to their hub on the same day.
The round will also be more evenly spread across the country, the COVID-restricted states aside, with two matches in Perth, two in Adelaide, two in the NT and three in Queensland.
While brief, the pause is timely as it will provide clubs, the league and also grounds with a period of time to recuperate.
The AFL will assess the mental and physical toll the current 20-day festival of the boot is having on players before committing to a similar frantic phase between Rds 14 and 16.
The final two rounds are likely to be spaced at a more regular interval in order to enable clubs playing in finals to be as fresh as possible for their tilt at the premiership.
The turf at the Gabba and Metricon Stadium will also have a brief window to recover in a season where there has been a record number of games played in Queensland.
Former Hawthorn forward and Fox Footy analyst Ben Dixon said he was staggered with how well Metricon Stadium has held up given the amount of matches played there this year.
“Whoever the groundskeeper is, I think they are doing an amazing job,” he said.
More Coverage
ICYMI: The fixture for Sir Doug Nicholls Round has been released. pic.twitter.com/aIBhTt4mdE
— AFL (@AFL) August 6, 2020
The elephant Port must still get out of the room
Port Adelaide planning to confirm its succession plan from Ken Hinkley to Josh Carr before round 1 is odd timing. This could and should have been done by now, as MATT TURNER writes.
Top 25: Who took the mark of the century?
There’s nothing like a high-flying grab in Australian rules. But who flew highest this century? Josh Barnes picks the greatest 25 marks of the last 25 years. HAVE YOUR SAY.