Blues issue a rallying call to pack MCG

CARLTON is planning for a crowd of at least 50,000 at the MCG for its season-opener against Richmond as Victoria’s streak of no locally acquired COVID-19 cases continues.

In what would be a major boost to the coffers of Victorian AFL clubs, there is growing hope for significant crowd numbers, which could grow as the season progresses.

Victoria on Wednesday reported no new locally acquired COVID-19 cases for the 21st consecutive day.

The Round 1 season-opener on March 18 is a Richmond home game, but the Blues will work to have as many of their members at the ground as possible.

The corresponding match last year was played at an empty MCG, with Victorianbased Carlton fans having been unable to attend a game since Round 23, 2019.

“We’re anticipating a 50 per cent crowd,” Carlton president Mark Lo Giudice said.

“We would love all of our 63,000 members at the game. Is that possible? Only time will tell. We’ve got to wait for advice and instructions and we’ll follow the government guidelines and the AFL guidelines, and we’ll do what we have to do to get our members into games to watch footy.

“In an ideal world we want 100,000 people at the MCG. We’ve just got to go with the guidelines and if 50,000 is the maximum, then we’ll be very happy with 50,000.”

Victorian Sports Minister Martin Pakula said the AFL still had to submit COVID-safe plans but any crowd number approved for Round 1 could change through the season.

“I suspect those numbers will probably change throughout the year,” Pakula said.

“It’s not going to be a single number set at the beginning of the year which will then carry you right through to September or October.

“The AFL will submit their proposals and they’ll be considered. The longer we go through the year as the vaccine rolls out, you may well see those numbers tweak upward.”

Lo Giudice said Carlton was in a “fairly strong” position despite a lack of crowds last season and was streaming towards the 2021 season.

“We’ve got record membership, we’ve got record sponsorship,” he said.

“So all our members should be very, very happy with where we are financially.”