How could anyone have ever identified the originally scheduling was utter bollocks?
Hopefully lots of Pie fans watch on the big screen rather than at the ground… given I assume Punt Road is still a death trap once you let any significant number of people into it.
The AFL confirms the Round Five match of the 2023 NAB AFLW Season between Collingwood and Essendon on Saturday, September 30 has been moved from AIA Centre to Punt Road Oval.
This was following a request from Collingwood Football Club to support AIA Centre becoming a live site on AFL Grand Final Day – enabling more AFL and AFLW fans access to the Grand Final Precinct.
The venue change proposal was assessed and supported by the AFL, the Essendon Football Club, broadcast partners and both venues.
The AFLW match will be played in the same time slot of 11.05am AEST on Saturday and remain in the Grand Final Precinct for fans to enjoy as part of the festival of footy and broadcast live via the Seven Network.
The AFLW match between Collingwood and Essendon will be streamed on big screens AIA Centre live site before displaying the 2023 Toyota AFL Grand Final between Collingwood and the Brisbane Lions.
The match is now a fully-ticketed event, with adults $10 and kids under 18 free. Tickets go on sale on Tuesday, September 26 at 10am for Club AFLW members and 12pm for General Public via womens.afl/tickets.
AFL General Manager Women’s Football Nicole Livingstone said she was looking forward to the buzz around the Grand Final precinct across Round Five of the AFLW.
“This is a win for all footy fans – there will be thousands of people in and around the Grand Final Precinct and they can head to Punt Road to watch Collingwood take on Essendon in an AFLW match before heading to the 2023 Toyota AFL Grand Final,” Ms Livingstone said.
“For those fans who will be at the AIA Centre live site, they can watch the match on the big screens before 2023 Toyota AFL Grand Final.”
That’s a pretty crappy decision.
Would have preferred it be moved to Windy Hill (assuming it was unavailable).
I’m likely going to the Grand Final, so it suits me, but I’d assume it’ll still be a nightmare for the players to get there.
And Essendon fans will be outnumbered.
The game was never ticketed, because it’s not practical to fence off that field. Was always going to be a disaster, with or without the Pies losing on the G later in the day.
Vic Park might be a Grand Final live site too?
I don’t think I want to be anywhere near the G on Grand Final day so might have to watch this one from the couch.
Casey in hot water?
Veteran Collingwood defender Sophie Casey has an anxious wait for the Match Review after a crude hit on Saints midfielder Liv Vesely. Deep in St Kilda’s forward pocket late in the third term Casey, who is no stranger to MRO citations, awkwardly hit Vesely in the throat, felling the Saint. While no free kick was paid on the day, it will surely earn a look in the match review process.
Couldn’t find any embeddable footage, but it looked like the below:
The game is a fully ticketed event. All patrons, including juniors need a valid ticket to enter the ground. Member scan in and general ticket sales on the day will not be available.
AFLW Access members will have the opportunity to redeem one FREE ticket per barcode, plus the opportunity to purchase one additional ticket.
Your Barcode(s) (and other members linked to your account). Please only use the 12-digit code when redeeming tickets:
123456789012
AFLW Member Pre-Sale: Tuesday, September 26, 10am (AEST)
General Public On-Sale: (Subject to availability)
Tuesday, September 26, 12pm (AEST)
The whole city is focussed on footy. Why not have a game that day to draw some more eyes to it. All part of growing the sport.
Also, excited for this one. Winning games like this would be a sign of progression from last year. And a win vs Collingwood should mean we are odds on to make finals.
