Giants vs Swans on Good Friday

[ScottH]

Finally something Good about Friday.

[laughingnome]

There is nothing wrong with going to church on Good Friday then heading out to the footy. In fact I reckon its a great start to a long weekend.

I think the objection is more that Good Friday is a day of fasting and solemnity, especially to Catholics. All practising Catholics I know would not attend a Good Friday game, regardless of its time and location. I also know of a couple of Jewish people who wouldn't attend either, and currently don't attend Saturday games as they clash with the Sabbath (which starts at sundown Friday) - and one of them is a passionate Swans lady.

Point being you can have a game on Good Friday, but don't expect the media or traditionalists to enjoy it (in the short-term at least) or for everyone to put football ahead of their religious beliefs and practices.

Of course, all of this says nothing about the players. I can't imagine practicing Catholics (for memory Jared Crouch is, and I'm sure he wouldn't be the only one) would be thrilled at the idea of playing on the Holiest day of the year.

[Big Al]

Good Friday would be the perfect day for the game. It's the day the show gets it's biggest crowd and if marketed well you could get a massive crowd to the game. If someones religious beliefs prevents them from coming then that's their choice.

[Cheer Squad]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/afl/greater-western-sydney-giants-want-to-meet-swans-in-good-friday-clash/story-e6frexwr-1226043487075

It's an idea that's certainly worth exploring.

There were 125,000 people at the Show yesterday, and the NRL's Bulldogs usually draw a larger-than-usual crowd to their Easter Saturday fixture.

RAS members would probably be given reciprocal right access to such a game, so there would be a ready-made potential audience.

Ultimately, the size of the crowd would depend on how many club members went away for the Easter break.

[top40]

I think the objection is more that Good Friday is a day of fasting and solemnity, especially to Catholics. All practising Catholics I know would not attend a Good Friday game, regardless of its time and location. I also know of a couple of Jewish people who wouldn't attend either, and currently don't attend Saturday games as they clash with the Sabbath (which starts at sundown Friday) - and one of them is a passionate Swans lady.

Point being you can have a game on Good Friday, but don't expect the media or traditionalists to enjoy it (in the short-term at least) or for everyone to put football ahead of their religious beliefs and practices.

Of course, all of this says nothing about the players. I can't imagine practicing Catholics (for memory Jared Crouch is, and I'm sure he wouldn't be the only one) would be thrilled at the idea of playing on the Holiest day of the year.

Believe me, I know many practicing Catholics who would go to a Good Friday game. As well as Protestants who are committed Christians. And I would very surprised to find any players not prepared to play. Perhaps I am ignorant here, but I am not aware of any Catholics actually exercising the very old tradition of fasting on Good Friday, not eating meat yes, but I am not aware of any actual fasting arising in practice. In truth, the actual tradition is to have only one full meal (but smaller than a regular meal) and two collations (a smaller repast, two of which together do not equal one full meal) and on which the faithful abstain from eating meat. And we are only concerned with the Western Easter, not the Orthodox Easter, (which is rather ironic when you think of the AFL CEO's ethic background).

We are a sectarian society. Sometimes events arise that clash with traditional religious days. Think of Jewish people and Muslims playing the game on Saturdays. I am not aware for example that the games have ever been vacated when held during occasion of the Jewish tradition of Passover. Think also of Christians playing the game on Sundays.

Again, drawing the NRL comparison, no Rugby League player ever as far as I am aware even raised a concern.

Again, raising the Sunday comparison, times change. Back in the 60's, Brian Booth, an Australian Test Captain, refused to play Cricket on a Sunday.

I really believe that if tried strictly at night in Sydney, it would cause only a small ripple. (Experimenting in the more socially conservative Victoria might be an entirely different position)

[laughingnome]

Perhaps I am ignorant here, but I am not aware of any Catholics actually exercising the very old tradition of fasting on Good Friday, not eating meat yes, but I am not aware of any actual fasting arising in practice. In truth, the actual tradition is to have only one full meal (but smaller than a regular meal) and two collations (a smaller repast, two of which together do not equal one full meal) and on which the faithful abstain from eating meat.

I fear we are talking across each other there, for what you describe is fasting (in the Catholic sense). I remember being confused about it when studying the religion, so my fault for not expressing myself unambiguously.

We are a sectarian society. Sometimes events arise that clash with traditional religious days. Think of Jewish people and Muslims playing the game on Saturdays. I am not aware for example that the games have ever been vacated when held during occasion of the Jewish tradition of Passover. Think also of Christians playing the game on Sundays.

Australia is an odd country. We have no de jure language let alone religion, yet we accept that all public documents (laws, court orders, etc) should be written in English, our Head of State is the Head of the Church of England, and 64% of respondants to the 2006 census labelled themselves "Christian" (26 Catholic, 19 Anglican as the leaders). I'm not saying we should have a state religion, and you are right we are technically sectarian, but then why are Good Friday, Easter Monday and Christmas Day public holidays and not Yom Kippur or Mawlid al-Nabi? Like our language, Australia is de facto Christian (as much as people like me don't wish it recognised legally).

Again, drawing the NRL comparison, no Rugby League player ever as far as I am aware even raised a concern.

Again, raising the Sunday comparison, times change. Back in the 60's, Brian Booth, an Australian Test Captain, refused to play Cricket on a Sunday.

I really believe that if tried strictly at night in Sydney, it would cause only a small ripple. (Experimenting in the more socially conservative Victoria might be an entirely different position)

All true, and I think you are right that a night game would cause the least concern/outrage/etc, I was just remarking that I don't think it would be without problems, whatever they may be, especially early on before it can claim "traditional" status. I just worry about the possibilty that it could hurt the brand in Sydney and alienate some supporters.

[Cpt. Kirk]

I agree for the argument that their should be a game but it should be held in Melbourne and all proceeds from the match should be donated directly to the good friday appeal.

Sydney VS GWS sounds good but that compared to perhaps hundreds of thousands going to a worthy charity i would choose the later.

[Big Al]

I agree for the argument that their should be a game but it should be held in Melbourne and all proceeds from the match should be donated directly to the good friday appeal.

Sydney VS GWS sounds good but that compared to perhaps hundreds of thousands going to a worthy charity i would choose the later.

The clubs and AFL do quite a lot for charity already. It's expensive running a footy club so you couldn't realistically have a match where all proceeds went to charity.

A stand alone Good Friday match at ANZ with the Easter Show in full swing would give the AFL in this city the promotion and exposure it needs.

[Doctor]

I think it's a pretty good idea. We're talking about a night game here, not asking Catholics or anyone else to give up their whole day. I know it's not a religious equivalent, but we still schedule games on Mother's Day and people make the choice. Those who are religious should know that it's not about what rituals you observe, but the way you live your life and act in a way that honours the god you believe in that counts anyway. Come to the footy and tell your friends about what a great day you had observing your faith while you observe your other one at the footy!!

[Triple B]

Put me down as a resounding no.

Couldn't give a toss about the religious arguments, but the only thing ANZ has going for it is the great transport system to and from and the ease of getting there for the vast majority. Holding it on one of the shows biggest days will make that transport one giant clusterf...

No thnx and I doubt very much if some of the Melb. clubs who have begged to play on Good Friday as a feature match a la Anzac Day will take too kindly to Swans and GWS getting that gig.

[Kirkari]

I'm all for it on Good Friday as long as they are still allowed to sell beer.

[Big Al]

Put me down as a resounding no.

Couldn't give a toss about the religious arguments, but the only thing ANZ has going for it is the great transport system to and from and the ease of getting there for the vast majority. Holding it on one of the shows biggest days will make that transport one giant clusterf...

No thnx and I doubt very much if some of the Melb. clubs who have begged to play on Good Friday as a feature match a la Anzac Day will take too kindly to Swans and GWS getting that gig.

You said it BBB the public transport to Olympic Park is great. It was brilliant during the Olympics so I can't see why it couldn't cope with the extra crowd. You don't hear many complaints about transport during the Easter show and big games like State of Origin and Grand Final so I'd be confident it wouldn't be an issue.

[top40]

Put me down as a resounding no.

Couldn't give a toss about the religious arguments, but the only thing ANZ has going for it is the great transport system to and from and the ease of getting there for the vast majority. Holding it on one of the shows biggest days will make that transport one giant clusterf...

No thnx and I doubt very much if some of the Melb. clubs who have begged to play on Good Friday as a feature match a la Anzac Day will take too kindly to Swans and GWS getting that gig.

The point is that if Good Friday is an option, the game would be held at night, when the Easter Show is a lot quieter than during the daytime. And if Olympic Park can handle literally 100's of 1000's of people at a given occasion in September 2000, they can handle the additional 40,000 plus going to a game of an AFL.

As for the Melbourne competition, good luck convincing the more conservative Victorians to play Good Friday footy in Melbourne. Herein, a history lesson to the 1980's in relation to playing footy on Sunday demonstrates this.

[ScottH]

Put me down as a resounding no.

Couldn't give a toss about the religious arguments, but the only thing ANZ has going for it is the great transport system to and from and the ease of getting there for the vast majority. Holding it on one of the shows biggest days will make that transport one giant clusterf...

No thnx and I doubt very much if some of the Melb. clubs who have begged to play on Good Friday as a feature match a la Anzac Day will take too kindly to Swans and GWS getting that gig.

North Melbourne have had a sook in todays paper about this.

[R-1]

It's a fantastic idea, competes directly with the NRL, and will probably actually produce a good crowd. It's also the sort of thing that can become a regular blockbuster fixture.

Although I suspect they're too Victoria-centric and pigheaded, I do hope the AFL lets it happen. The Good Friday Appeal? Has anyone outside of Victoria even heard of that? It's ridiculous to suggest that the rest of the country can't have footy because of something that only happens in Melbourne.