The first Good Friday match took place with a total attendance of 42,814, but the competitive game between the Bulldogs and the Kangaroos, as well as fundraising efforts of both clubs arguably made the match a success.
While the AFL expected a total crowd attendance of at least 45,000, AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said before the match that a crowd attendance above 41,000 would be a success, to which it was. However, despite the crowd numbers, McLachlan remained a little uncertain of whether the match would become permanently set on the fixture, saying that it was "something to build on and grow into an asset for the League and the community and hopefully for these clubs". North Melbourne players donated $10,000 to the Good Friday Appeal prior to the match taking place, doubling the amount they donated to the Royal Children's Hospital last year. McDonald's announced that they would donate $1000 every time a goal was scored from either side, making their donation tally over $19,000. The match was intense, with the lead changing at least five times in the final quarter. Other than being an important day for donations, it was also a match of milestones. Lindsay Thomas played his 200th game for the Roos, almost kicking a goal that would have seen his side win, but a fairytale finish did not occur, as the kick was too wide and resulted in a behind. Travis Cloke played his 250th game, though a clash with Roos captain Jack Ziebell saw him leaving the field with six minutes remaining. He was taken to hospital where scans revealed that the former Collingwood premiership player sustained broken ribs and will miss 4-6 weeks. After an intense match with tight scoring, it seemed to be a success that would see it return in the future. Do you think the North Melbourne v Western Bulldogs game should become an annual event? Sound off in the comments below.
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