A twilight-Anzac Day fixture would detract significantly from the occasion, according to Essendon chief executive Peter Jackson. “We are certainly against the idea of changing the time of the game,” Jackson said. “The Anzac Day game has become a very important day on the AFL football calendar and that has been done by playing it as an afternoon match. If it ain’t broke, why fix it.”

“The Anzac Day tradition begins at dawn, continues with the mid-morning parade and for almost 100,000 football fans all roads lead to the MCG that afternoon,” Jackson said. “The day flows well as it is –why would you change it. I think Anzac Day deserves more respect that being tinkered with just for the sake of it, particularly when any change could be seen to have been made for commercial reasons alone.”

“No other match played at night would compete with Essendopn playing Collingwood on the afternoon of Anzac Day,"" Jackson said.