850k reasons Melbourne could end great sporting debate... and the result that could spark chaos
With the sun rising during his recent morning rides around Albert Park Lake, Richmond legend Jack Riewoldt has been feeling the buzz building for what shapes as a historic weekend of incredible sporting action in Melbourne.
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The Australian summer proved groundbreaking for major events in Melbourne, with a bounce-back in crowds during Cup Week in November followed by a Boxing Day Test record of 373,691 fans, while more than 1.2 million people set a new Australian Open mark.
The extraordinary appetite for major events will continue over the next four days with up to 850,000 fans expected at AFL matches and the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.
And Riewoldt, who is the new host of longstanding Fox Footy flagship program On The Couch, said the anticipation had been growing around the city for weeks.
“Funnily enough, I go around Albert Park a little bit during the week at sort of 5.30 in the morning with a few of my mates on our bikes and we have watched (the GP track) sort of come from nothing really … to all of a sudden the grandstands get bumped in and you start to see people painting the hoardings with sponsorship signs,” he told foxsports.com.au
“The safety rails go up and while it is now shut off to the public, there is a big element of anticipation about the race this weekend. And while I think that there was a flat spot around Opening Round, I reckon that that’s maybe actually borne a little bit more intrigue and excitement and anticipation (about the AFL) for this week.
“Clearly in Victoria, it is huge. It’s going to be great. I really can’t wait to drive to the ‘G again with that anticipation of the season ahead, because you don’t know what’s going to happen. And we all get to see our teams playing this weekend.”
As an entree to the monster sporting weekend, Melbourne United hosted the Illawarra Hawks in Game 2 of the NBL finals on Wednesday night in a match played at John Cain Arena, which holds a capacity of 10,500.
On Thursday night Riewoldt’s beloved Tigers, who he played for in three premierships, will face Carlton at the MCG in the first AFL match played in Melbourne for the season.
AFL estimates had the attendance for that match and Friday’s encounter between traditional rivals Hawthorn and Essendon at the MCG between the mid-85,000 to 90,000 mark for both matches on Wednesday.
With big-drawing Collingwood to host Port Adelaide at the MCG on Saturday night, and three other matches in Victoria including Geelong’s clash with Fremantle at home, up to 350,000 fans could attend AFL matches in the state over the next four days.
Earlier on Thursday, the action at Albert Park begins with a sizzling Supercars session at a four-day extravaganza at the picturesque circuit situated between the CBD and Port Phillip Bay.
The GP set a new attendance record of 452,000 in 2024 and with tickets for the final three days culminating in the 58-lap GP on Sunday already sold out, it is expected that record will be eclipsed.
Earlier this month Australian GP chief executive Travis Auld, who cut his teeth as a leading AFL administrator, said he believed the race weekend would work in well with the big round of footy in Melbourne. Grand Prix crowds are capped between 120,000-130,000 per day.
“For Melbourne, having a packed Albert Park, into a full MCG, is a pretty good day. I’m really confident that both will do really well,” he told the Herald Sun.
“Our sales tell us the Thursday is going to be well attended and I’m sure the AFL will say the same about the season opener. Sunday is obviously our biggest day and sells out pretty quickly and so we want to make sure we complement one another.
“We just want to make sure that we are sharing all the resources that are necessary to put on a big major event.”
Riewoldt, a part-owner in the Hodges Racing sprint car team alongside IndyCar star Scott McLaughlin and Fox Footy caller and host Gerard Whateley in recent years, loves his motorsport and had a ball at Mt Panorama for the Bathurst 1000 a few years back.
A regular at the GP as well, he has swapped notes with McLaughlin on the fitness regimen elite drivers go through and is in awe of their reflexes and talent. As a result, he is far from surprised the Australian GP is growing its attendances.
“I think it is something Melburnians take for granted a little bit, that smack bang, a stone’s throw from the bay here in Melbourne, we are going to have 20 of the world’s best drivers absolutely roaring around Albert Park. That brings an adrenaline fuelled by petrol, mainly, but it really is exciting,” he said.
“From an F1 point of view, I followed the documentary seasons (on Netflix) and that has given us a great insight, but I’m also lucky enough to know Scott McLaughlin who drives in the IndyCar and those guys go at 360km/h and the amount of training they do from a cardio point of view — and I have been lucky enough to see Scotty’s data a couple of times — to know that it is a physically demanding sport. The G-Force that these guys go through, the neck exercises they do, their reaction time, they are finely-tuned athletes.”
THE PRANCING HORSE AT HOME IN THE SUBURB OF THE NAVY BLUES
About 24 hours before the cars began roaring around Albert Park, there was a sense of calm before the massive sporting storm about to hit Melbourne on Lygon St in Carlton.
Students from the nearby campuses at Melbourne University and RMIT sipped coffees on Wednesday as shoppers flicked between boutiques and tourists readied themselves for long lunches.
But should the Blues conquer Richmond as expected on Thursday night, and either of Ferrari-debutant Lewis Hamilton or Chales LeClerc salute the checkered flag at Albert Park this weekend, the famous restaurant strip will be jumping.
Some of Melbourne’s great Sunday street parties have occurred in “Little Italy” after Ferrari victories, including recent wins by Carlos Sainz last year and LeClerc in 2022.
Flags portraying the famous red prancing horse flew proudly along the strip on Wednesday, including at Brunetti Classico, a massive cafe that seems about half the size of the Albert Park circuit.
Stepping into Corretto, a restaurant which sits a block up from there on the opposite side of Lygon St, was like entering a Melbourne museum celebrating Ferrari’s influence.
From an eye-catching replica Ferrari, complete with sponsorship from a cigarette brand that once adorned the car, to posters and hats and jackets, Corretto made clear the team it was supporting this weekend.
While there were only a spattering of fans wearing F1 branded clothing on Lygon St at the time, the most common team shirts spotted were those of the Red Bull brand.
It is now two years since Max Verstappen broke a dozen-year drought for the power at Albert Park but the queues to see the four-time World Champion and teammate Liam Lawson at a fan event in Southbank began four hours before their midday appearance.
Back to Lygon St and the shades of Ferrari red outdid those of the Carlton Blues, but a few businesses still paid homage to the former footy power whose last premiership was 30 years ago.
A mural of Fox Footy favourite Eddie Betts featured on the walls at La Cabra, a Mexican restaurant opposite Argyle Square, where fans will gather on Sunday if Ferrari wins.
And at Stuzzichino, which proudly boasted a poster of the Carlton insignia, a manager promised the street would be bouncing once again should the Blues end the flag drought.
“You should see it up here when they win,” she said.
Riewoldt has no doubt the return of footy this weekend, in conjunction with the Australian GP, is important for business operators around the state and said Melbourne is fortunate to host an array of global events.
“I think clearly from a tourism point of view, it’s a big weekend, particularly in Melbourne, and hopefully the rest of Victoria as well, and that could flow into the other states of Australia,” Riewoldt said.
“I think Melbourne prides itself on being the sporting capital of the world and the government puts a lot of money into ventures like the GP. Obviously there are other iconic events like the Anzac Day match, the Anzac Day eve match, the Grand Final, the Boxing Day Test and Aussie Open, the Cup.
“They are all folklore events on the Australian sporting calendar and they happen within probably five months and all these things just happen in such a small square metreage, but they have such a big impact.
“And people just love live sport, whether that be sitting on their bums at a stadium or watching at home on TV, we’re going to have lots of people going through the turnstiles, or they will be tuning into Foxtel to watch not only the footy, but also the other events. It is a great weekend.”
AN OLD RIVALRY RENEWED AS THE BLUES SEEK TO RETURN TO THE TOP
The last time the Blues won the big one was back in 1995 when John Elliott was president, David Parkin was coach and Stephen Kernahan was captain.
The Blues had stars on every line. Steve Silvagni, whose son Jack returns against Richmond tonight, is a legend. So, too, Greg Williams, Craig Bradley and Kernahan.
And Anthony Koutoufides, most recently in the news for his run for Melbourne mayor, was arguably the best player in the competition at a time when several Hall of Fame legends were in their pomp.
After beating the Cats by 61 points in that year’s grand final, the Blues made Naughtons Hotel on the opposite side of Melbourne Uni their home for almost a week as they painted the town red.
The Blues of 2025 are coached by Brisbane icon Michael Voss and feature stars including Brownlow Medallist Patrick Cripps, Sam Walsh, Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay.
They are heavily favoured against Richmond, which are rebuilding after the exit of Riewoldt and fellow premiership champions including Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin.
Riewoldt is among the fortunate few who have had the joy of playing in front of packed crowds at the MCG and is envious of those who have that opportunity over the weekend, beginning with tonight’s clash.
But the Fox Footy host loves his footy and in his retirement has enjoyed watching matches from the grandstands, where the buzz in the crowd over the weekend will match the hum of cars zooming around Albert Park.
He is expecting the Tigers, despite their heavy underdog status, to give a good account of themselves against Carlton and believes the remaining Rd 1 matches will be rippers.
“Both the Thursday night and Friday night matches, with those rivalries, with the intrigue and excitement and anticipation for this week clearly in Victoria, it is huge,” Riewoldt said.
“Carlton and Richmond, it is as good a rivalry as you get now. I think most punters would think that the Tigers are up against it, but they are debuting three young kids (which is good to see). And then you roll into one of the great rivalries between Hawthorn and Essendon on Friday night.
“To be a part of those games, which obviously I was for a long period of time, but to now be working them … from a hosting aspect and pre-game analysis and in the game, it is going to be great.
“There was nothing like running towards the Punt Road end with the sea of Richmond members and the faithful behind the goals at that end, with the song playing for the first time.
“It is what every kid wants to do when they want to play men’s and women’s footy, is that they want to be out there for these sorts of occasions.”