IT HAS been interesting to see where country football has gone over the past thirty odd years since the MCG had the lights on for the first game for VFL premiership points in 1985.
Many clubs across Victoria now have lights and play a few Saturday night games in the hope to get a few extra supporters to come through the gates. Every club brags about their lights being better than the next clubs but let’s be honest, no ground comes close to having the 844 lamps that the MCG has.
A couple of clubs in other areas have come up with quite a unique way to promote their thirds while not affecting the senior and reserve competitions using their lights, when no senior game has been fixed in the 7pm time slot.
Rather than the traditional 10am start for the thirds, a twilight start of 5pm after the senior game is a great way to promote the thirds boys and utilise a club’s lights. It would certainly be a bit of a thrill for the young men trying to impress also as the senior boys have a few ‘frothies’ while they run an eye over the clubs future stars.
On top of the playing side of things I’m positive that night events would make it easier on all club volunteers and the parents that drive their young aspiring players to the footy due to work commitments and the like on Saturdays. It’s a different world we live in now and turning the lights on wherever possible could not only promote the game further but also make the day at the footy even better.
