Mark Robinson fears the added spectacle the AFL Grand Final would receive should it become a twilight game would come at the cost of the most important part of the day: the match itself.

The AFL are expected to be on the verge of announcing a time change to the premiership decider from the current 2:30 PM start to 5 PM, with the benefits to pre-game and half-time entertainment expected to be the driving force behind the alteration.

While Robinson admits the spectacle of the day would improve should the game start later in the afternoon, he believes it could come at the cost of the quality of the main event of the day.

“I do subscribe to the theory that football is better during the day, I think it is cleaner,” the Herald Sun journalist said on SEN’s The Run Home.

“There is no doubt there is much more of a spectacle at night. The spectacle of a band playing at night and the fireworks and marching bands and whatever else they have, that will be better.

“But do we want that better or do we want the game to be at its best?

“That to me is what it comes down to. Do you want a better event or do you want a great game?”

“That is what it is all about, the two teams. The day that we go to a twilight Grand Final or a night Grand Final is the very day that the Grand Final is no longer about the two teams.

“That has got to be the most important decision in anything.”

Robinson says that while great matches regularly occur at night, most recently the frenetic preliminary final thriller between the Western Bulldogs and the GWS Giants last year, he believes that the financial benefits the AFL would gain from the move have been given just as much thought.

He says that if the League are making the move to boost the broadcast-related profits that would likely occur in the event of a 5 PM match start, they should be open and publically state that fact.

“Do you think when the AFL discusses twilight, (the Dogs-Giants prelim) went into consideration? Of course it did. But they have to take into account other considerations (as well),” he said.

“If it comes down to money, the AFL might as well just say ‘everyone, this world is about money and Channel Seven said that we will give you an extra 20 million dollars. We can’t knock that back because there is always a price.’

“Come out and tell the truth.”