Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Kylie Minogue will help the AFL put the exclamation mark on its bumper finals series as the league tries to build distance on the NRL and controversy.
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon, usually a low-profile boss, has done the media rounds in grand final week to note the league is boasting another season of record attendance.
Saturday’s Brisbane-Hawthorn preliminary final was an all-time great game, regardless of the poor behaviour by some fans on the final siren, and the league has been blessed with an excellent September.
The AFL also caught a massive break, with no finals fixturing problems around the inaugural NFL match at the MCG at the start of the month.
Minogue will be the headline entertainment act on grand final day and it’s a coup for the league.
Her universal popularity will be in contrast to Snoop Dogg, who was a controversial choice for the gig a year ago.
“Kylie is going to be amazing. The grand final act is something that has a lot of interest in it and (it’s) often met with varying views,” Dillon told AAP.
“But with Kylie, that’s been an all-time, 100 per cent, everyone behind it.
“She’s an unbelievable performer, but the production around it and the attention to detail is amazing.”
It also contrasts with rugby league, which will lack a grand final musical star after negotiations with Tones and I fell through.
Unlike rugby league supremo Peter V’landys, who delights in talking up his game at the AFL’s expense, Dillon as usual was happy to point to the AFL’s continued growth and make no comment about the rival code.
“It is a bit of horses for courses. He does his thing and he does it well. We do our thing,” Dillon said of V’landys.
“Our focus is on what we do and how do we do it better.”
Even the prime minister’s overseas trip, which means Anthony Albanese will miss the grand final, is a win for the AFL.
There would have been controversy if the PM was in Australia, whether he went to the game or not, given the crude remarks he made about Minogue in a July podcast.
“I have no comment,” Dillon flat-batted when asked about Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles, rather than Mr Albanese, coming to the game.
The AFL had endured a torrid few weeks coming in to the finals series. Five Sydney players remain suspended and under police investigation following a disastrous Melbourne hotel liaison in late August with strippers.
Geelong were also fined heavily for the secret concussion waiver they struck with player Jake Kolodjashnij – an arrangement that caused embarrassment for new AFL chairman and former Cats president Craig Drummond.
“Always, there are issues – because things happen, but also because people care so much about the game and there’s such a microscope on it,” Dillon said.
“That’s just what happens. That’s part of the joys of the industry.”
Dillon’s main message that whatever the controversy, the game is in robust shape.
“We’ve had an incredible season, by any measure. The fans are voting with their feet, coming to games,” said Dillon, who has been AFL boss since 2023.
“We’ve had the four highest-attended seasons in the last four years. This year we had the highest aggregate attendance, but also the highest average attendance, over more games.
“It’s not like this is a year out of the blue. This has been sustained investment for 10-plus years – from Andrew (Demetriou) into Gil (McLachlan) and now to me.”
