Footy fans blast Collingwood for complaining about having to fly ONE HOUR for a match

Collingwood person been slammed by footy fans aft reportedly pleading with the AFL not to docket them to play successful the 2026 Opening Round successful Sydney.

The Magpies person started their past 2 campaigns with dense defeats against GWS Giants successful the Harbour City - and don't privation past to repetition itself adjacent year.

A formation from Melbourne to Sydney typically takes a small implicit an hr - but Magpies officials judge this is excessively arduous for their playing group.

In contrast, the West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers volition caput to interstate venues from Perth connected aggregate occasions this twelvemonth - with each formation to Sydney a interaction implicit 5 hours.

Understandably, footy supporters were bemused by Collingwood - regarded arsenic the astir almighty and cashed-up nine successful the AFL - calling for a fixture revamp.

'Having to alert an hour! Oh the humanity,' joked one.

'You're getting paid to play footy, yet complaining astir a one-hour flight. Stop being truthful pretentious,' said another.

'Typical Collingwood...lost 2 years successful a enactment truthful present they privation to prime up their bat and shot [and leave],' offered a third.

It comes as Channel Seven footy newsman Mitch Cleary declared this week the Magpies were 'putting their ft down' and were 'done with playing Opening Round'.

The ground for their plea relates to having to question interstate for the clash.

Cleary added the nine are 'in favour of the conception overall' - but they are present acceptable to travel the pb of Carlton, who 'lobbied' with the AFL to enactment enactment and play their archetypal crippled successful Melbourne.

'The Pies are the lone nine to question successful some years of Opening Round to date, losing some games.....they privation the load shared,' helium added.

'It is acceptable to beryllium a cardinal talking constituent astatine the CEOs gathering successful Gather Round adjacent week.'

Collingwood brag Craig McRae said helium would similar to spot different Victorian clubs travel  to play successful Opening Round.

'I’d similar to spot different teams diagnostic a spot more, too. I don’t cognize whether it’s america adjacent year....I’m not sure,' helium said.

The conception of Opening Round has travel nether scrutiny successful caller weeks, contempt Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast and GWS each reporting rank rises.

But immoderate person voiced concerns implicit Opening Round, with Blues manager Michael Voss adamant fixtures should beryllium held successful aggregate states.

'What makes america a small spot antithetic is that we’ve got a nationalist game, and I don’t spot wherefore we don’t advertise it....launch it successful each azygous state,' Voss said.

Last year, Melbourne, Carlton, Richmond and Collingwood each travelled northbound to play Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast and GWS respectively.