In a shock decision, Channel 7 has opted not to broadcast the blockbuster Round 24 clash between Essendon and Carlton, marking an unprecedented move to forgo both Thursday night footy and two of the AFL’s biggest Victorian clubs in the same stroke.
Instead, the network will televise Sunday fixtures featuring Western Bulldogs vs Fremantle and Brisbane vs Hawthorn, along with the rescheduled Gold Coast vs Essendon clash on Wednesday night; games expected to have direct implications on finals positions.
MORE: 'Very good mail': Plot thickens on Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera's future
Carlton and Essendon, by contrast, are out of the finals race.
"A sad indictment" on powerhouse clubs
The decision means the Blues-Bombers clash will sit exclusively behind the Fox Footy paywall, a rarity in the free-to-air era. Channel 7 was entitled to one additional broadcast due to Essendon’s postponed match from Opening Round, and has chosen to use it for the midweek Suns game instead.
MORE: Jimmy Bartel on the factors holding back the AFL's first gay player
Bombers legend Matthew Lloyd didn’t mince words on the decision. “It’s a sad indictment on Essendon and Carlton this year and where they stand,” he said on Nine’s Today. “It’s been a disaster for Channel 7 having Essendon and Carlton a lot in the last six weeks, where people just aren’t tuning in to watch.”
While both clubs boast enormous supporter bases, their late-season form has been dismal, combining for just six wins from 23 Thursday and Friday night games this year. Injuries have decimated Essendon, while Carlton’s year has been defined by inconsistency and underperformance.