Australian Football Hall of Famer Garry Lyon has lashed the AFL regarding its scheduling of games in 2026.
For the third consecutive year, the AFL kicked off the season with Opening Round, where just 10 of the 18 teams participated.
Not for the first time, the decision to split the first week drew widespread criticism, and some coaches expressed their frustration at the inequality of the fixture.
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir said the AFL "have got it wrong", after his side opened its campaign against a side (Geelong) that had a match under its belt. The Dockers led by 35 points at one stage before being run down.
"Anyone who's been around football would realise it's an advantage," Longmuir said.
"We should all start the season the same way; there should be no competitive advantage for any team playing a game before they play another team."
Longmuir's comments were publicly supported by new Melbourne coach Steven King, despite the Demons' first-up win over the Saints, who played the Magpies a week earlier.
"I agree with JL," King said post-match.
"Whether we can take Opening Round across Australia, I'd be happy to be part of that."
Furthermore, teams (Brisbane, Carlton, Collingwood and Geelong) have a bye in Round 2; Hawthorn, Sydney, the Western Bulldogs and Gold Coast will sit out Round 3, while St Kilda and GWS have the break in Round 4.
Australian Football Hall of Famer, Garry Lyon, says the lack of continuity is ridiculous.
"When you want to kick a season off, and you want momentum, and you decide to plan an Opening Round which is going to polarise, at the very least you've then got to get on a roll," Lyon said on AFL360.
"This is what we're dealing with; the Hawks and the Swans play (on Thursday night), then Sydney has got 16 days off. And the Hawks have 18 days off until Easter Monday. That's nearly three weeks of footy that you're not going to see the Hawthorn Footy Club play. What is that about?
"And Carlton, who are of great interest, an infatuation, who have stirred the emotions of everyone, they're going to have 17 days off.
"This is the first of eight byes, there are eight byes throughout the course of the season; this isn't a three-week situation.
"Four of those teams that aren't playing this weekend... three of them are preliminary finalists... the teams you want to generate the feeling and the emotion and the spirit and drag people out to the game... crowds are down a little bit. You've got to be playing Brisbane, Geelong and Collingwood, and the other one is Carlton.
"It doesn't sit right."
