The Australian Football League "is about to deliver what looked at best wishful thinking and, at its glummest, the impossible," according to Patrick Smith of THE AUSTRALIAN. The AFL "moved to the brink of giving its blessing to the first league game for premiership points in China." Those close to the negotiations between the many parties believe the announcement "could come as early as the AFL grand final." The venture "has had the enthusiastic backing of the AFL Commission which has effectively guaranteed the match will go ahead."
It is a major achievement by Port Adelaide which, under CEO Keith Thomas and President David Koch, has "driven the idea and the strategy behind it that is far more intricate than one game a year." Gold Coast has "offered to play Port Adelaide in Shanghai as a home game, allowing Port to adhere to its stadium contract with Adelaide Oval." The match "is set to be played in late May at a stadium which is part of the Jiangwan Sports Centre in the Yangpu District of Shanghai." While the AFL remains positive the match will go ahead, there are "important matters still to bed down." Apparently there is "much to do to facilitate normal broadcast quality." There are "no tower lights." Given the difference in time, the match "will come into Australia as a twilight match" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 9/16).
