VICTORIAN assistant coach Kevin Sheedy believes the AFL should look at making next month’s Hall of Fame Tribute Match a more regular fixture on the football calendar.
Sheedy rates the Grand Final as the highlight of the AFL calendar, but said the May 10 match promised to be on a par for excitement with his Anzac Day and International Rules experiences.
“It’s one of the most exciting matches that I’ve been involved in well over 40 years,” he said.
“To have the 50 best players available for selection at the one moment is quite a historical game.”
Sheedy, who expects a sell-out crowd at the MCG for the contest, said he couldn’t wait to see the AFL’s best talent on show and hoped such matches could be worked into the AFL schedule in coming seasons.
“This is a game that I’ve personally been wanting for about a decade,” he said.
“I’d love to see the 50 best players on an AFL ground for the first time in over 100 years.
“Just from a person who’s been around the game for over four decades, I hope to see it more than once, but at the moment it’s a one-off.”
The former long-time Essendon coach said he had the pleasure of attending Sir Alex Ferguson’s testimonial match in England, when the greatest soccer players from around the world flew in to play the match.
“The whole stadium was just electric … they just kept putting the greatest players on and it’s pretty powerful,” he said.
He believes an AFL equivalent – as will occur on May 10 – is just what’s needed to further promote the game.
“This is our big challenge to answer soccer and rugby and gridiron,” he said.
“This is one window of opportunity to let the world know that this could be an extremely exciting, vibrant sort of game.
“This should be showcased to the thousands of players coming out on the stage here in August for the International AFL Cup.
“So we can send this match back to those countries and say ‘this is the elite’ … see what you can come up with in the next 25 years.”
To reserve your seats at the match that’s been 150 years in the making, click here.
