BY STAFF WRITERS

Mexican President AKA AFL supremo Gillon McLachlan has made a peculiar flex ahead of his sport’s first ever “gather round” down in Adelaide – telling media that this AFL round was “already better” than the NRL Magic Round held annually at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.

The NRL’s magic round is coming up in a few weeks with all games played back-to-back over three days all at the same venue.

Interestingly, the AFL’s first crack at the concept will see games played at three different grounds and spread over four days.

One of the venues the AFL has selected is a joint called Norwood Oval.

According to Wikipedia, Norwood Oval has been in use for over 120 years and has a capacity of 15,000.

Magic stuff, Gill.

But it gets better.

Another venue being used for this ‘special’ (thanks Bruce) weekend is in the Adelaide Hills and apparently fits 5000 supporters in this very quaint little ground which boasts a grandstand that fits a few hundred and the chance to actually sit in your car and watch the game (just like Henson Park and our mighty Newtown Jets).

South Australian government officials are already on record saying that are expecting to rake in more money than the QLD government does on interstate travelers for Magic Round.

“We are just going to wait and see,” a SA tourism official told AAP.

“Someone said when the NRL do their Magic Round, it delivered in excess of $20 million to the Queensland economy.

“But I am expecting a lot more than that.”

The interesting part of all this is it appears the AFL will actually have far less crowd numbers across the entire round then they would if it were a regular old weekend where the NRL’s booming numbers for their magic round far succeed what they would usually get over an entire round.

Magic Round at Suncorp is indeed… magic.

The Wayne Bennett coaching tree and how his long, chiseled fingers have left prints right across the National Rugby League

It’s already tribal and it feels natural.

This feels like a quick buck for the AFL and a few days where the South Australian premier can prance around like a pelican.

Nobody tell him that people in New South Wales and Queensland couldn’t give a damn.