Tiger Troubles: Should Richmond play in prime time for season opener?

Having finished in the bottom two for the third consecutive year, Dwayne Russell believes that Richmond are no longer worthy of playing their traditional season-opening clash against Carlton.

As the fixture for next season gets closer to being released, reports from Channel 7’s Xander McGuire on Friday indicate the AFL will have the Blues and Tigers play outside of a primetime slot during Round 1.

This is based on concerns about the potential quality of the match.

Since 2008, the match-up between Carlton and Richmond at the MCG has served as the opening clash of the home-and-away season in 12 of 19 seasons, with 2023 being the last time it featured as the first match.

And excluding 2014, the two sides have begun their respective seasons against each other.

During that time, both sides have had their ups and downs, having both won wooden spoons and made deep runs in finals.

But despite at times significant gulfs between the quality of the respective teams, the clash has produced upsets like Richmond coming back from a 41-point deficit to win in 2025.

However, the former Port Adelaide and Geelong representative thinks Adem Yze’s men don’t have the talent in their side to justify being a feature game in the first week of the home-and-away season.

“I don't think Richmond is worthy of opening the season at the MCG against Carlton,” Russell said on SEN’s Dwayne’s World.

“I don't think they've got the bang for buck team. I don't think they've got the big names, I don't think they've got the game style, I don't think they've got the quality of the game that we need to put on.

“It's our first ever game for the season at the MCG. Our first blockbuster Friday night, it needs a better opponent for Carlton if Carlton's gonna play in that game.”

The fixture for the 2027 AFL Premiership season is set to be released at a later date.