AFL boss says footy 'deserves' to take centre stage at the Brisbane Olympics - even though it isn't played ANYWHERE but Down Under
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon has brushed off rugby league boss Peter V'landys' jibes that the NRL is the best sport in Australia by revealing that footy bosses were endeavouring to have Aussie rules football take centre stage at the Brisbane Olympics.
The NRL got its 2025 season underway in Las Vegas this weekend and Australian Rugby League Commission chairman, V'landys, is riding high on the sport's successes, having brought in record viewers and huge turnovers in the past year.
While in Sin City, V'landys took multiple pops at the AFL, noting that league chiefs had implemented their own State of Origin match this season. He claimed that rugby league leads AFL 'like you lead a horse'.
In Dillon's eyes, there is no question that Aussie rules is the best and biggest sport in Australia. But he conceded that he had admired the NRL's work in executing its Las Vegas extravaganza.
'I saw a little bit of (the NRL's Vegas games) on the TV yesterday and, as they've done the last few years, they executed it very well,' Dillon said.
'It's a good way for them to start their season. We do things differently.'
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon (second from left) has confirmed that the league is in talks with Brisbane Olympics bosses to host matches during the Games
An AFL exhibition match was hosted at the 1956 Games at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
While rugby league bosses have been working innovatively to take the game globally, Dillon also confirmed that AFL chiefs had been looking at other ways to gain new audiences.
He revealed that league bosses had been in conversation with Brisbane Olympics organising committee president Andrew Liveris about introducing AFL to the 2032 Games.
'We've spoken about that at a high level with Andrew [Liveris],' Dillon said.
'And the reality is there's a precedent for that. Back in 1956, in Melbourne, Australian rules football was the exhibition sport.
'So, I think our sport is a sport that should be on that stage, and we'll work closely with the Olympic Committee on what format that takes.'
It won't be the first time that footy has been played at an Olympic Games. During the 1956 Olympics, a VAFA team took on a combined VFL/VFA team at the MCG attracting an audience of 30,000 spectators.
Dillon's comments come after Liveris said earlier this week that he was keen to work with both the NRL and the AFL to establish a way in which both codes could play exhibition matches at the tournament.
'The very visible sports like NRL, AFL, and all the ones that have their own mojo. There are lots of opportunities to put them on display,' said Liveris.
'Exhibition games, ways to really show off who we are as a country and doing that in a way that is simpatico with their schedules.'
Dillon's comments came after rugby league boss Peter V'landys dished up a jibe at the AFL, claiming that they were always following the trails of the NRL
Brisbane Olympics boss Andrew Liveris said earlier this week that he was keen to work with both the NRL and the AFL to establish a way in which both codes could play exhibition matches at the tournament
V'landys, meanwhile, has previously claimed that a State of Origin match could be played during the 2032 Olympics.
Dillon, meanwhile, has defended the AFL's Opening Round after some had questioned why a full suite of fixtures is not played on the first weekend of the season.
Speaking in Sydney ahead of the Swans' clash against Carlton on Thursday, the footy boss said the concept is here to stay.
'What we've found in the last couple of years is that focus on NSW and Queensland is helping to grow awareness in NSW and Queensland and at the same time it hasn't taken away from our round one.
'The last two Round Ones have been the two highest attended rounds we've ever had of over 400,000 - last year 451,000 people attended, a record for round one.
'New South Wales is super important for the AFL to continue to grow our game and Opening Round is key to that.
'Increasing awareness, increasing participation, attendance and increasing viewership across New South Wales and Queensland.'
Dillon said he had positive feedback from the players involved in the recent State of Origin game between Western Australia and Victoria.
Dillon, meanwhile, has defended the AFL's Opening Round after some had questioned why a full suite of fixtures is not played on the first weekend of the season
He suggested the concept would continue to evolve over the next three to five years, but didn't confirm an Allies team of players from Queensland and NSW would definitely feature.
'The feedback was they (the players) would have preferred to extend the time in camp,' Dillon said.
'They achieved a lot in terms of training, getting to know their teammates, school visits and the like, so we'll work through that.
'But it (Origin) is certainly here to stay in one form or another.
'I found the All Stars last year and Origin this year, pre-season seems to work.'
