Australian Football League Wants To Start Season Early With Sydney Clash

The Australian Football League "is considering launching the 2014 season at least two weeks earlier with a blockbuster clash" between the Greater Western Sydney Giants and Sydney Swans at Skoda Stadium, according to Tyson Otto of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH. GWS CEO David Matthews Tuesday said that "he will submit a fixture request to the AFL to host the Swans at Skoda Stadium in round one" -- and has preliminary support from AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou. The AFL "has already declared its intent to start the season earlier" to go head to head with the National Rugby League in New South Wales and Queensland, "giving fledgling clubs Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney more hype and commercial muscle in their competitive sporting markets" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 4/10).