The AFL could change the opening-round format after its second attempt at the northern states promotion fell flat.
The two southeast Queensland games had to be rescheduled last week because of ex-tropical cyclone Alfred, while the NRL gained a jump on the AFL by starting its season in Las Vegas.
Carlton coach Michael Voss wants the AFL to broaden opening round to nine games around the country.
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said on Wednesday that opening round worked well in its first year and they are keen to continue the concept.
Will Day celebrates a goal. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
“With opening round, it was all about shining a light on NSW and Queensland – it definitely did that last year,” Dillon said at the SportNXT conference in Melbourne.
“Bringing the conversation about football earlier in NSW and Queensland, that was the main reason – that reason is still here.
“Now, it doesn’t mean opening round looks exactly the same next year – I don’t know.
“There are other opportunities … (but) we feel like we’re only scratching the surface up there.”
Interviewed at the conference by commentator Eddie McGuire, the AFL boss said one of the league’s key strategies is to turn “major events into mega events”.
Dillon said the AFL was looking at big events such as the spring carnival and the Australian Open tennis, where the sport is only one aspect of the entertainment.
“Ultimately, you can fit only so (many) people into our stadiums,” he said.
“We’re not shy about looking at what other sports are doing and what they do well.
“How do we turn the grand final parade into an even bigger event?”
Amid concerns about the Tasmanian expansion team, Dillon said the new Hobart stadium “absolutely” remains a cornerstone of the Devils joining the AFL.
He said there was also local opposition to Optus Stadium in Perth and the Adelaide Oval redevelopment before those projects happened.
Blues young gun steps away
Carlton forward Elijah Hollands has put his AFL career on hold with the club’s support as he deals with personal issues.
The Blues have announced the 22-year-old will take leave, only two days out from their traditional season opener against Richmond at the MCG.
Hollands enjoyed a breakout season last year, playing 22 games for the Blues after making only 14 appearances in two seasons at Gold Coast.
But his start at Carlton a year ago was delayed as he served a two-game drugs ban.
Elijah Hollands kicks for the Suns in the 2023 VFL Preliminary Final. (Photo by Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
The Blues said in a statement on Tuesday that Hollands had asked the club for help several weeks ago “with openness”.
“We applaud Elijah for having the courage to come forward and ask for help, and we will continue to work with him to ensure he gets all the support he needs,” Carlton football boss Brad Lloyd said.
“While Elijah has been engaged with the football program, quite rightly it is our care for him as a person which matters most, so this period of leave will allow him to focus on himself and he will be afforded as much time as he needs to do that.
“Elijah’s level of involvement within the football program during this period will be worked through at the appropriate time, however that certainly sits secondary to Elijah’s wellbeing – which is our No.1 priority.”
Hollands started at Carlton a year ago with a two-game ban after he was caught with cocaine while on the Gold Coast in September, 2023.
He was charged by Queensland Police and sanctioned with a two-month good behaviour bond, and also had to complete a drug diversion course.
“I couldn’t be more grateful to the coaches, players, admin staff, the way they’ve backed me in and then thrown their arms around me,” Hollands said after making his Carlton debut.
“They’ve let me get to work; it’s been huge and given me a heap of confidence.
“Even being able to come straight into the line-up and play AFL footy is humbling and also am really grateful.”
His younger brother Ollie also plays for Carlton.
Buckley slams drugs policy
Nathan Buckley has criticised the AFL’s controversial illicit drugs policy as enabling, while league CEO Andrew Dillon admits the policy needs to be refined.
Buckley’s criticism comes as the league continues negotiations with the AFL Players’ Association over changing the policy.
Those negotiations have been complicated in the past few days over the revelation that the AFL had given Sports Integrity Australia a list of players who could potentially be target tested under the separate anti-doping policy.
That, in turn, has prompted the players’ association to ask whether the AFL has leaked illicit drug testing results to Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) – something AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon strongly denies.
The controversial illicit drugs policy, a joint initiative by the AFL and the players’ association two decades ago, is separate to the standard anti-doping policy.
On Wednesday, Buckley, the former Collingwood coach and captain who is now a commentator, said some players were taking advantage of the illicit drugs policy’s confidentiality provisions.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
“The AFL have created a rod for their own back,” Buckley said on SEN.
“The program enables illicit drug use rather than dealing with it.
“That’s largely around a marketing ploy … there’s a welfare element, absolutely, but the clubs are the best place to provide the welfare.”
Dillon defended the illicit drugs policy, arguing it had served the competition “extremely well over the 20 years it’s been in place”.
“But like any policy, it can be refined and it can be strengthened. That’s what we want to do with the players’ association now,” he said.
“The important part of it is it’s still a health and welfare model, there’s education, there’s rehabilitation.
“But ultimately we believe there needs to be some stronger deterrence in there as well.”
Dillon was adamant that no confidential test results had been passed onto SIA.
“The results of hair tests have not been disclosed to any third parties,” he said.
“Under the anti-doping code, we work with SIA and players are tested all throughout the year.
“We gather intelligence during the year from police, federal police, SIA and our own integrity unit and we use that intelligence to put together a list of athletes which should be drug tested under the anti-doping code.
“That’s a process all other sports would undertake as well.
“We’ve been speaking with the players’ association – random testing has always occurred under our code, as has targeted testing … we’ve had an anti-doping code in place for many, many years and that’s always been part of the process.”
Dillon said the illicit drugs policy needs upgrading.
“We want a policy that’s fit for purpose. The illicit drugs policy has served the code well for a number of years, but we do know in 2025 that we want to have a strengthened policy,” he said.
“It’s a key focus for us, as it is for the players’ association.”
Lions skipper shuts down ‘carry-on’
Brisbane co-captain Harris Andrews reckons there’s been plenty of “carry-on” as the reigning AFL champions prepare to launch a belated title defence.
The Lions’ season opener against Geelong last Thursday was postponed due to ex-tropical cyclone Alfred, which also prompted the team to fly to drier Sydney pastures on Wednesday.
That’s two days earlier than originally planned for their grand-final rematch with the Swans on Saturday, and follows a four-day period where the team was confined to their homes as heavy winds and rain battered the region.
But grateful and relieved to report no major damage to his and his teammates’ homes, Andrews reckons their disrupted start to the season is nothing to complain about.
“To be honest (there’s been) a little bit of carry-on around the disruption of our preparation for this week,” he said.
“It was a very tough time for a lot of people in southeast Queensland and northern NSW.
“We’re just very lucky that our jobs can go ahead … our thoughts are with everyone and we want to go out and represent the city of Brisbane really well.”
The Lions played an internal match on Wednesday, trained at their homes over the weekend, indoors at Springfield on Monday, ran on the Gabba on Tuesday and will train again in Sydney.
While they have lost small forward Lincoln McCarthy to another anterior cruciate ligament tear, the Lions have influential defender Brandon Starcevich available after he overcame the concussion that would have ruled him out of the Geelong clash.
Hugh McCluggage celebrates with Joe Daniher. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
“As a group we’re ready to go and would have been ready to go last Thursday night,” Andrews said.
“I’m just motivated to play footy again with my mates.”
The Lions are confident they won’t follow the modern trend that’s seen premiers struggle in their title defence.
Collingwood last year became the fourth reigning premiers to miss the finals in the past eight seasons.
Brisbane overcome a horror start last season, rising from 13th and then fighting back twice from large deficits to reach the grand final and beat the Swans by 60 points.
Chris Fagan’s side men were narrowly beaten in the 2023 decider, and while the coach admits there is no way to guarantee early-season form, he is confident.
“I’m not sensing any complacency or ego or sense of entitlement,” Fagan said.
“The group’s hungry. They enjoyed what they did so much, they want that feeling again, but there’s seven months of work ahead to get it.
“You can’t look back … there’s danger everywhere, so you keep grounded.”
Rookie midfielder Levi Ashcroft is poised for a debut alongside brother Will, the pair’s terrific hands and decision-making around the contest evidence of how the side has evolved from a kick-first strategy.
“You double down on the things we’re good at … but you have to keep one eye on the competition and can’t be too stubborn to not change,” Fagan said.
with AAP