You might think that being cut back to two night games only in 2019, and none on the Fridays, is a bit of a slap in the face for Carlton. But that would be because you did not have the benefit of a briefing from the club. Under the heading "traditional times for traditional club", it instructs us thus: "Traditional afternoon footy awaits Carlton next season as the Blues receive a family-friendly draw in 2019."

Hold that "family-friendly" thought. Carlton's release proceeds to tell us that their draw delivers them home games against arch-rivals Richmond and Collingwood "at the home of football - the MCG," which ought not to be so surprising, because they haven't played Richmond anywhere else since 2006, nor Collingwood on an alternative ground since 2000.

Carlton's Charlie Curnow siezes the day. Credit:AAP

Lest you think this is Carlton-bashing, perhaps it is important to spell out that the MCG is still the MCG. The Bulldogs were pleased to announce that their round-one meeting with Sydney would be "a special occasion, as the first AFL game at the newly-branded Marvel Stadium". That is, where they always play, the erstwhile Etihad/Telstra/Google-the-rest stadium, with the old name whited out and the new one scrawled in. This will be special as beetroot is special this week at Woollies.

The Bulldogs did have a special match there, on Good Fridays, pioneering the occasion with North Melbourne, but no longer. About this, they could only mumble a few words of muted regret. At Marveloso stadium, Big Brother AFL is just downstairs.