SYDNEY Swans defender Ted Richards has embraced the possibility of his club hosting a stand-alone game on Good Friday.
The Easter holiday is traditionally football-free on the AFL calendar and chief executive Andrew Demetriou reiterated as recently as last week that it won't be happening.
But top-level football is already played in Sydney on that day, with NRL matches a significant drawcard.
The Swans, who play Geelong at the SCG this Friday, are usually notable absentees from Friday fixtures. Their clash with Carlton in round six last year was their first Friday home-and-away game in almost a decade.
Some believe the AFL, which stages a match on the Thursday before Good Friday, should steer clear of that date, but Richards is a huge fan of the concept and believes it would boost interest in the sport in the Harbour City.
"I think it would be fantastic," he said before training on Monday.
"We already play rugby league up here on a Friday and if we had the opportunity to play Friday night football on that day, it would be something that Sydney would embrace.
"I think it could be a great opportunity to show AFL in Sydney, and the club would be all for it.
"And Friday night football is a bigger TV audience in the football states in Victoria and SA.
"It's definitely something we want more of."
Richards, who is a Swans representative on the AFL Players' Association, is also hopeful the League will return to having two byes in the schedule.
As a key defender who regularly spends entire games on the field, Richards admits he is feeling the pinch.
"I'm a big fan of the two byes," he said.
"We had that last year, and throughout the course of the season you do feel tired at times and that second bye just really helps out.
"I'm reading that the AFL are looking into it and trying to help us out, but from my perspective, the players really want a second bye.
"Key defenders don't rotate, so we play big game time, and we wouldn't mind another week off."
James Dampney covers Sydney AFL news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_JD
