Essendon’s heavy presence in the AFL’s prime-time schedule has been savaged by Demons great Garry Lyon, who’s labelled the decision to give the Bombers so many marquee slots the “fixturing misread of the century”.
Despite missing finals in 2024 and now sitting in the bottom third of the ladder, Essendon were handed more Thursday night games than any other team this season, four, and the equal-most Friday night games.
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Six of their last seven matches will be played under the spotlight, including midweek fixtures in Round 24.
Lyon, speaking on AFL 360, questioned the AFL’s judgment in giving such a high-profile platform to an underperforming side.
‘Horrible’ misstep draws criticism
“The greatest misread of all time. The fixturing misread of the century. Horrible,” Lyon said, summing up the feeling after Essendon’s latest outing, a grim nine-point loss to Richmond.
Saturday’s match was anything but prime-time entertainment. The Bombers and Tigers combined for just 83 points in total, making it the lowest-scoring game at the MCG since 1989 and the lowest at any venue since 1999.
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Only one goal was scored across the second and third quarters — a stat not seen since 2005, while Essendon managed just one major after quarter-time in what became a 26-year low for the club.
Jack Riewoldt didn’t hold back on On The Couch, either. “Ugly in all sense of it,” he said of the game. “Lowest scoring game at the MCG since 1989. I was born in 1988, so I was one-year old when that was happening.”