JUST six sleeps to go to the start of the new AFL season. Sport and Melbourne have been linked since June 8, 1835, when John Batman sailed up the Yarra looking for a place for a village. The Yarra was not easy to navigate in those days, with the falls further up and the rocks at the part in the river where the Immigration Museum is today.
On the southern side of the river at that same spot, of course, is Crown Casino - impassable for many people these days.
Charlie is a regular at the casino, working his system at the tables. Louise reckons it's stupid, but it seems to work. His method is to always wear green undies.
There is evidence that six years after Batman sailed into town, a game called ''foot-ball'' was being played.
Teams competed on rough grounds, without rules but with fights aplenty. Seems like only yesterday. They blamed the Irish, of course.
We don't have all the facts about the very early game because The Age wasn't published until 1854. The big match of 1858 was played at Richmond Park between Melbourne Grammar and Scotch College with a round ball, and the playing area was more than 800 metres from end to end. That's about four times bigger than the 'G. There were 40 players a side and the game was declared a draw after only one goal each.
And so it is on again next Thursday, with just those six sleeps to go, and a slight pause tomorrow night for the modern round-ball game - the soccer final in Melbourne between Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC.
But it is the AFL that takes pride of sporting place in the Australian winter in its own set of media games. The season kicks off at the MCG between Richmond and Carlton. The AFL has tuned itself perfectly to the modern landscape of big business, with a great level of sophistication and expertise built over many years.
It has deservedly been the big winner in sport, with an income from the media networks of more than $160 million a year. That's a big amount for the media owners, and the AFL is looking for even more. Time will tell.
There is considerable activity in all sporting rights at the moment, and a rumoured move from the federal government about the change of the anti-siphoning rules that determine which sport goes to the free-to-air channels. Big business meets big politics. It will be an interesting battle.
Emotions run high off the field as well as on.
When the ball bounces next Thursday, it will seem like Christmas as the AFL big bosses look around at the crowd, into what must be for them a sea of supporters with long white beards and Santa outfits. Stockings are hanging at every bedpost.
The AFL game has been built by our great TV networks, and right now it is led by Channel Seven, with Channel 10 in support. The networks go all the way back to the very great Ron Casey and the whole World of Sport team.
Charlie thinks Seven made the AFL. Who can argue? Lewis Martin is the Channel Seven man on the spot in Melbourne and the new Ron Casey. I'm sure he will have a good seat this coming Thursday at the MCG. He deserves it, and what's more, I suspect he paid for it.
Harold Mitchell is executive chairman of Mitchell Communication Group.
