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AFL Grand Final

One of the biggest TV audiences of the year will tune in for the AFL Grand Final.

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The 2008 AFL Grand Final was greeted with perfect weather on the last day in September, as a sold out audience packed the Melbourne Cricket Ground. No doubt the game will attract one of the biggest TV audiences of the year, despite the fact that out of prime time it doesn’t factor in to weekly shares.

The AFL Pre-Match Entertainment always gets people talking, usually with lots of question marks at the end of the sentences. This year as part of the 150th Anniversary Celebrations a giant mural was rolled out onto the field, followed by a motorcade of former champs. The AFL cup flew in on a cable across the crowds to the centre of the field (apologies to the Commonwealth Games’ flying tram).

But it will be the showbiz element that has everyone talking this year. As rock band Powderfinger performed, they were accompanied by performers wearing AFL jumpers high atop flexible, moving poles. They bent in the breeze, waving their arms to the strains of “Long Way to the Top.” It will be curious to compare the lightweight opener to the razamatazz and spectacle of the NRL Grand Final that Sydney will likely turn on next week.

This year’s national anthem was sung by Wicked stars Amanda Harrison and Lucy Durack, currently performing in Melbourne.

Final scores:

Geelong: 11. 23. 89
Hawthorn: 18. 7. 115

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9 Responses

  1. It was a pretty big stuff up though and something 10 or 9 wouldn’t have done. Like they have all year Seven have shown utter disrespect for the fans. Thank god they only have one more granny before the rights likely go back to 9 and that 10 have two of the remaining three.

  2. Ok, besides missing the song at the end of the game, Channel 7’s coverage all day was really really good. I don’t think they put a foot wrong. It’s a totally exciting game of football, and it showed with the coverage. Meanwhile, thank goodness for Powderfinger – they saved the Pre-match entertainment with an awesome performance!

  3. Knew the meercats at Seven would blow it somehow 🙂

    Having Leigh as a commentator was a huge plus though.

    Oh and suffer cats you won’t be equally the mighty lions 3 peat!

  4. I completely agree with hcstewie not showing the hawks sing the song was terrible who cares if it went a little bit into the news! the sooner channel 7 lose their afl telecast rights the better!!

  5. Not showing the song at the end and going to the news was a disgrace!
    Channel 7 do not know how to do sport on TV….all year the same, then the Olympics on top of that.

  6. Argh poor Ablett, the guys misses out on the Brownlow and then a 2nd premiership!
    One thing that has massivly let me down is Seven’s decision to cut to the new rather than play the song…why not just let the news run 5min late! Waiting for Croad wouldnt have taken all that long, and the decision to not show the team sing the song is a let down

  7. I thought it was a good telecast, but my only question was about the spattering of olympians thrown in during the opening motorcade… haven’t they already had their 4 or so parades already without getting another one? Surely this was a channel 7 idea to milk just one more drop out of the olympics…. if anything, there should have been a motorcade and recognition of the paralympians who surely would be back in Australia by now…

  9. This years NRL pregame show may be subdued this year. Thanks to whinging Queenslanders (and Daylight Saving starting next weekend), the NRL has moved the game to a more family-friendly timeslot, The game starts at 5pm in Sydney and 4pm in (DST-free) Brisbane.

    Note: Kuttsywood is a whinging Queenslander.

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