In a sport and rivalry that is steeped in tradition, not much of Collingwood and Carlton’s history has been written outside of the Saturday, 2:10pm timeslot.
While the evolution of the AFL from the VFL saw Friday games become more prevalent, Thursday night footy has been a 21st century innovation, however it has rarely been something the Pies and Blues have re-convened over.
In fact, after 266 VFL/AFL clashes, only three have been staged on a Thursday.
The first of those was back in 1901 – as the Pies handed the Blues a 94-7 drubbing in just their 10th season as a Club.
While there’s likely no one around to remember that game 124 years ago, the same can relatively be said for the last time they played on a Thursday in 2021, with a lowly-crowd of 51,723 filling the MCG as COVID-19 restrictions allowed just 75% stadium capacity.
So that leaves only one memorable fixture between the Pies and Blues on the fourth day of the week.
That came 33 years ago, with the Pies in the midst of their centenary celebrations of 1992, with the league slating the two fierce rivals to face off under Thursday night lights.
It was built as the “match of the century”, with a lead up as big as any Grand Final, and a buzz filling the football-mad city of Melbourne more than ever before during the month of May.
Fireworks lit the night sky, streamers filled the stands, and incumbent Prime Minister Paul Keating tipped the Magpies by seven points as the media swarmed him upon entering the MCG, such was the anticipation for the clash.
It was made all the more of a novelty by the Thursday night fixturing, with even Friday night footy still in its infancy back in ’92, having only really become a consistent part of the season back in 1985.
The Magpie Army responded accordingly, with 83,262 people packing out the ‘G, however it ended up being a sombre night.
The Blues spoiled the party, running out 33-point winners, as the Pies didn’t quite handle the gravity of the black and white metaphorically raising the bat.
Now over three decades on, the Thursday night stage greets the Pies against the Blues again – perhaps not with the same build up, but with just as much importance.
A chance to go 3-1 on the season awaits in what is just the Pies’ second home game of the season, with the next two (Sydney at the Adelaide Oval and Brisbane at the Gabba) at away venues.
The Magpie Army have the chance to surpass that hefty crowd of over 83,000 back in ’92 this Thursday and keep their consistent attendance record going against the Blues, with no crowd dropping below 80,000 since full capacity resumed in the wake of the pandemic.
With Friday morning office bragging rights up for grabs and an opportunity to cheer on the Pies at the ‘G for the last time for the next three weeks, Thursday night should see the Magpie Army out in full force as two storied Clubs go head-to-head.
Lock in your Level 1 seat for our Round 4 blockbuster against Carlton!
