Hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to Tassie we go
Round 14 match rescheduled – what it means
You may have heard by now that this Sunday’s match against the Bombers has been rescheduled – moved from the glorious Melbourne Cricket Ground to our home-away-from home, UTAS Stadium.
At first glance it seems as though this is a great result for the club – that is, if the most important measurable was the likelihood of winning a game of footy.
However, we are now all well and truly on board with our current state of on-field affairs, and that means that a win against the Bombers is not actually the be all and end all at the moment (although it would be nice).
So let’s look at the impact the change will have:
The Good
Our record: We have a great record playing in Launceston, having only lost 15 times in our 66 appearances as the now named UTAS Stadium. We have always loved playing there, and know the ground, the city and surroundings better than anyone.
Essendon’s record: The Bombers have never played in Launceston – not in a pre-season or practice match, and certainly not for premiership points. They have ventured to Tasmania once before, beating Fitzroy in 1992 by three points in Hobart.
Player inexperience: Only six Bombers players have played in Launceston before, and only one of them has ever won a game there – Tom Cutler, who is injured and won’t be making the journey. The players and their records are: Jake Stringer (0-2), Devon Smith (0-1-1), Dylan Shiel (0-1-1), Tom Cutler (1-1), Andrew Phillips (0-1) and Peter Wright (0-2).
Financial windfall: The Hawks are more likely to have a crowd with a higher portion of gate receipts coming directly back to them – as well as the significant corporate injection that will come with another Tassie fixture. It is important given the current COVID-19 situation and the precarious position we find ourselves in.
Suck it up Bombers: Essendon need to keep winning to make the eight and would have genuinely liked their chances in front of a big crowd at the MCG. But the move means the neutrality of playing at the MCG is no longer, and they will recognise the significance of the shift for us down south.
The Bad
The fans: There weren’t too many big-time home games fixtured in for the Hawks at the MCG this year, and this is one that had many fans genuinely buzzing to attend (restrictions permitting of course). After the huge win against Sydney, this had all the makings of a huge crowd, great atmosphere, and gripping battle against one of our most hated rivals. The transfer means that in the past 10 years, Hawthorn has played just two MCG home games against Essendon. Of course, there have been six Marvel away games against them in the same time frame.
Make-up: To lose a game in Melbourne is bitterly disappointing for Melbourne-based supporters – especially one of this magnitude. After missing out on so much footy last year it’s a big one to lose, but hopefully we will hear of a future make-up game being scheduled for our members and fans. Perhaps in round 22 against the Western Bulldogs with only one other match scheduled at the MCG for the weekend.
Bomber support: Essendon has a big following in Tasmania, so many people might actually be surprised at how loud the Bomber fans are at the game. Expect a large red-and-black convoy up the highway from Hobart. Road spikes anyone? With the opportunity to finally see their team on home-turf, we expect the crowd to be close to 50/50 in terms of support for each club.
THE HOPEFULLY
Callow, is it me you’re looking for? We would love to see a Jackson Callow debut – he would be making it at his home ground in front of his family and friends, where he played footy for the North Launceston Bombers. One for Brad to keep an eye on for Selection Dissection later in the week.