The 2023 AFL season is just around the corner and what better way to get the new season started than with some healthy debate.
A new book is aiming to completely rewrite the history books of the AFL and it won’t sit well with Essendon fans.
Colin Carter’s book ‘Football Forgotten Years’ is set to generate plenty of debate as he pushes for the VFL/AFL’s start date to be altered.
Currently the record books for the VFL/AFL start in 1897, Carter however says the official year should be 1870 which changes a major sticking point for fans.
Carter was a former commissioner and Geelong President who is aiming to include the Victorian Football Association years before eight clubs broke away and formed the VFL.
The book would make a drastic change to one of the biggest sticking points in arguments among footy fans, who has won the most premierships.
As it currently sits Carlton and Essendon share top spot on the table with 16 premierships each, Collingwood are only one behind.
If the starting date changes however, Carlton would fully own bragging rights and sit well clear on top with 22 premierships.
Essendon would increase but sit two behind on 20 overall. And with their current finals drought the gap wouldn’t be shrinking anytime soon.
Geelong would surpass Collingwood into third place overall, jumping up to 17 premierships with the Pies sitting level with Melbourne on 16.
AFL boss Gillon McLachlan said the book launch was a heavy night, but said the topic would for sure open up the debate.
“I am not here today to confirm Colin’s thesis … but nor am I here to dispute his conclusions,” McLachlan said at the launch.
“That’s for our historians, our clubs to examine closely and no doubt expand the debate.”
Carter argues the only reason the date hasn’t changed is due to bitter politics between the leagues.
The AFL considers the sport’s start date 1897, but Carter says that date is wrong and needs to be amended.
Essendon fans won’t be on-board for the change of start date with the club desperately clinging to their spot on top of the premiership pile.
Bombers fans haven’t tasted finals glory since September 4, 2004 when they defeated Melbourne by five points at the MCG.
A whopping 6,724 days have passed since that last September success. A time frame which has included six elimination finals losses.
Changing the record books to include the missing 27-years of the VFA would only add to their pain and give Carlton fans the upper hand.
