The total number of fans that attended AFL games across the weekend was 315,838 - a figure only behind last year's second round (350,736 fans) and that in 2010 (317,620 fans across eight matches).
However, the total attendance for round two was about 12,000 less than expected, the AFL admitted.
The League’s modelling had forecast a total round two crowd figure of around 327,500 people. The shortfall was largely attributable to lower-than-expected crowds at the Richmond-Carlton clash at the MCG on Thursday night and the Sydney Swans-Collingwood game at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night.
The Tigers-Blues clash attracted 62,037 fans, with the Swans-Magpies game drawing a crowd of 32,347.
The 50,397 that attended Saturday's historic Showdown at Adelaide Oval was the highest Port Adelaide home game against Adelaide, and the second highest overall between the two sides behind the Crows' home game in round five, 2003. That encounter drew 51,140 fans.
The AFL said it was pleased with crowds for the first two rounds of the season, particularly given the earlier start to the season, some scheduling changes and the two-week format of round one, which was necessitated by the unavailability of the MCG, the SCG, Adelaide Oval and the Gabba for the opening round.
The League said the overall attendance for this year's opening round was very close to expectations based on equivalent past matches.
