Opening Round is AFL CEO Andrew Dillon's brainchild.
His predecessors all had their own thing. Gillon McLachlan got AFLW, Tasmania and Gather Round off the canvas. Andrew Demetriou oversaw the league's expansion to the northern states.
And despite what the masses might say, all expeditions, admittedly varying, have had runs of success.
But Opening Round, which heads into its second edition, has already made waves in the football community.
Its purpose is to help build the ever-growing popular game of Australian Rules Football in NRL-dominated states, with claims that it has already made tremendous inroads.
The standalone fixtures that allow Brisbane, Gold Coast, GWS and Sydney first crack at Victorian powerhouses at home grounds in packed-out stadiums has been a blessing for the code and its growth.
"This year we are looking at four sellout games and we are seeing again New South Wales and Queensland clubs' memberships up by double-digit percentage on last year,โ Dillon said at the Opening Round launch.
"So every indication is we will continue doing it.
โAnd by having the Opening Round games stand alone, it allows the teams in New South Wales and Queensland to play against big Victorian clubs which may not necessarily happen in a traditional fixture.
"Round 1 last year was the highest ever attended round we have ever had in the history of the game. Over 410,000 people attended.
"So Opening Round is a great entree and round 1 we will again see huge numbers watching the game not only in Melbourne, but all across the country."
Collingwood is the only returning team to Dillon's centrepiece, with Carlton, Melbourne and Richmond all bowing out for various reasons.
The Tigers aren't box office anymore. Their inclusion last year was mainly due to Damien Hardwick's move to the Suns and the surrounding narrative around that.
The Blues had been vocal about the inconsistencies by participating in Opening Round, whilst also noting the desire to avoid a road-heavy schedule.
As for the inclusions, the box-office Hawthorn outfit slots straight into the Friday night timeslot against the 2024 minor premiers Sydney.
The Hawks' surge back into premiership contention after multiple years in the abyss has fans flocking to see Jack Ginnivan and Nick Watson do their best.
Geelong coach Chris Scott flagged disadvantages following last year's Opening Round due to uneven byes to those who participated.
Scott and his Cats will get a chance to witness what it's like on the other side of the fence, pending the developments of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, which has put Thursday's contest in jeopardy.
