KANE Cornes has taken aim at the AFL\u2019s round one fixture release, labelling it a \u201cfree kick\u201d for Victorian teams.<\/p>\n
AFL broadcasting and fixture boss Travis Auld mentioned in his statement bringing Melbourne and all the \u201ccities hosting matches\u201d to life, with every Victorian club playing in their home state to kickstart the season.<\/p>\n
Four games feature Victorian clubs playing against one another, while North Melbourne will host West Coast and St Kilda welcomes Fremantle.<\/p>\n
Optus Stadium in Perth is not available for round one due to the timing of an Ed Sheeran concert.<\/p>\n
Cornes wonders why the Victorian sides have been given an early leg up.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy is it still so Victorian centric?\u201d Cornes asked on SEN\u2019s Sportsday<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cI read the press release from the AFL and Travis Auld and he says all Victorian based clubs are going to play in Melbourne in round one. Another free kick.<\/p>\n \u201cBrisbane get shafted. They have this incredible off-season where they get all these recruits and they\u2019ve got to go to Adelaide for a Saturday afternoon twilight timeslot which is dead.<\/p>\n \u201cTravis Auld says they\u2019re going to bring Sydney to life. How is GWS versus Adelaide at Giants Stadium going to bring Sydney to life?<\/p>\n \u201cSydney, they make the grand final, they\u2019ve got Lance Franklin in his last year, they play exciting footy and they\u2019re playing on the Gold Coast.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile Hawthorn who won eight games last year, they traded everyone and are essentially going to go backwards. They play Essendon who haven\u2019t won a final in 18 years at the MCG in a marquee slot.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are only focused on Melbourne. There are some issues in Perth with an Ed Sheeran concert\u2026 but they want it to look good on a press release that they\u2019ve broken an attendance record. That\u2019s the only thing. At the neglect of a national competition.<\/p>\n \u201cPoor old West Coast have to play North Melbourne on a Sunday at Marvel in front of 13,000.<\/p>\n \u201cMore free kicks to the Victorian teams.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n