The AFL has become the WWE… which in no way is to be critical. They are promoters and they have the hottest product in town. They have the capacity to hand pick blockbuster cards featuring their hottest rivalries. So, when the opportunity comes to harness bad blood and trash talk, you put them in a cage and let them rip in the biggest environment available. Fixturing Port Adelaide and Hawthorn at the climax of Gather Round was irresistible – it was the biggest lock of the 2025 fixture.

They played two absolute thrillers at Adelaide Oval. One a preposterous comeback, the other a Semi Final decided by the width of a goal post. Oh, and you might recall the post siren bust-up between a coach and a player group that inflamed the football world. The postscript… the coaches at 12 paces, the captain’s accusation that this has happened before and the Hawthorn mafia weighing in. None of it was confected and it remained combustible for weeks. So, when it came to choosing the biggest game of the AFL’s new showpiece round it was going to be Port Adelaide versus Hawthorn as surely as Hulk Hogan and The Rock were destined to headline WrestleMania. Presumably Sunday night at Gather Round will feature Luke Hodge and Jordan Lewis in Sam Mitchell’s corner and Dermott Brereton as guest referee. And the Premier of South Australia will be alongside Ken Hinkley in the Power coaches box. It’s what we all wanted. It’s what the WWE would do. And it’s precisely what the AFL should be doing. Give the people what they want. But it comes with one rider… Just as long as Andrew Dillion traveled to Adelaide this morning with a $20,000 cheque refunding Ken Hinkley for the ludicrous conduct unbecoming fine the League imposed on him in September. Because it would be the worst kind of hypocrisy wouldn’t it? To come down so heavily on the coach for bringing the game into serious disrepute and then use the incident to headline the biggest card of next year.

See you in SA📍

The 2025 Gather Round fixture is locked in. pic.twitter.com/Bh3qTbKSLM
— AFL (@AFL) November 10, 2024

The lawyers wanted a piece of Hinkley having spent too many hours buried on X as the fire front engulfed football. The fixture department wanted the rematch showcasing all the bad blood to heighten the tension and elevate the stage. And the broadcasters wanted the chance to show the footage relentless with all the right foreboding music. Let’s not pretend otherwise… It’s all good for football – for the soap opera and the spectacle. Port Adelaide fans will be hostile. Hawthorn supporters will travel on masse. And the neutrals will try to work out who is the heel and who is the babyface. But Dillon has to give Kenny his 20 grand back. He should take a giant novelty cheque to Alberton straight after the formal press conference and then point to the sign and say “see you at Gather Round”. Because it’d be the worst kind of hypocrisy to deride behavior that damages the game and then showcase it in prime time. I do hope Dillon isn’t going to have another “the umpire is as good as its ever been” moment and pretend Port Adelaide have coincidentally landed against Hawthron because they are two good teams. Give Kenny back his 20 large. And get the steel chairs out. We’re all going to Gather Round for the ultimate grudge match. And it’s going to be great. By the way did you notice who the Crows are drawn to play? Chris Scott was the most vocal voice pointing out the inherent advantage the South Australian teams get from the additional home games. So Geelong will play Adelaide. Perfect. The AFL has become the WWE. And I love it.

The AFL has channeled the WWE with the Gather Round fixture... but there's one issue

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