AFL chief Gillon McLachlan outside Marvel Stadium for a media conference on February 28, 2022. Picture: Getty Images

MARVEL Stadium will look different when fans flock to Docklands for the first home and away fixture this season when St Kilda hosts Collingwood on March 18. 

Two new, state-of-the-art scoreboards will hang from either end of the ground and be the most attractive additions to start a $225 million redevelopment.

AFL CEO Gill McLachlan announced a raft of upgrades that will happen inside and around Marvel Stadium across the next two years, which will provide the venue with a facelift for the first time since it opened in March 2000 under the name Colonial Stadium.

We are excited about the scoreboards. I think they are going to be the largest scoreboards in the world, if not the largest in the Docklands precinct. The highest definition, sexiest things you can possibly imagine

- Gillon McLachlan

The new scoreboards at the Coventry and Lockett ends of Marvel Stadium will be installed after the three AAMI Community Series games are played this weekend, just in time for round one.

McLachlan said the upgrade to the AFL-owned stadium will enhance the fan experience, not just inside the ground during the game, but before and after the four points are up for grabs, with improved lighting, facilities and a push to provide the home team with the ability to make the venue feel like a home venue.

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"The Marvel Stadium upgrade represents a significant investment by the Victorian Government and by the AFL and provides a unique opportunity to revitalise our stadium as both a world class sports and entertainment venue and a day-to-day destination for the city of Melbourne," McLachlan told reporters outside Marvel Stadium on Monday afternoon.

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan speaks to reporters during a media conference at Marvel Stadium on February 28, 2022. Picture: Getty Images

"20 years ago it set a benchmark, but now requires improvements to provide a modern offering. Our vision is to make Marvel Stadium and the Marvel Stadium precinct one of the best and most technologically advanced sports and entertainment venues in the world. I feel confident we'll do that. 

"We are excited about the scoreboards. I think they are going to be the largest scoreboards in the world, if not the largest in the Docklands precinct. The highest definition, sexiest things you can possibly imagine. We need them there in round one and John Holland have committed to that which, I'm pretty excited about."

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McLachlan is confident supporters will turn up in droves from the opening round of the season after missing so much football across the coronavirus pandemic, despite a reluctance from Victorians to return to the football when the gates reopened in 2021. 

"To every person who has missed football in this town and Sydney last year, we are back and we're getting on with our life. We are opening to venues in this state 100 per cent capacity. You're going to be able to participate in the game in a way you always have, bars are open, you can walk around and the footy is on,” he said.

"You can take to the bank the fixture and the schedule that is outlined, unless there is something extreme, we're going to be rolling on as fixtured. Buy your tickets and get back to the footy. I'm optimistic and hopeful that all those starved Melburnian premiership supporters will be there on the Wednesday night and the Bulldogs will think they can beat them in the Grand Final rematch. 

Melbourne fans celebrate as they watch a replay of the 2021 Toyota AFL Grand Final during a post-game celebration at the MCG on December 5, 2021. Picture: Getty Images

"It's time to get going; that's how we feel. If you don’t want to get to the football in this town, then you can't really love it. I expect to see close to capacity crowds right the way through it [round one]. Our record 401,000 in 2017. I hope to beat it. The rest is over to our fans and supporters."

McLachlan said the AFL will confirm the rules regarding top-up players in the event widespread COVID-19 infections spread through clubs this season.

"It will be finalised within the next week. Andrew Dillon, Brad Scott and Laura Kane are talking with the clubs. There is a plan for each club to have 20 top-up players. The detail of that I'm not going to run ahead of. That will give the ability for clubs to field a team each week in the unlikely event they have large scale challenges," he said. 

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"Living with covid is going to put an element of discipline requirements on clubs and resilience, we're going to provide them with the tools so they can play every week. We're going to be playing every game, every week, as scheduled."

AFL CEO GILLON MCLACHLAN ALSO SAID:

  • AFLW games could be played after AFL games in future with double-header fixtures flagged as a possibility going forward
  • The fixture will be known at least six weeks out as a rolling fixture, with the league trying to balance flexibility with the certainty people want
  • The AFL is investing an incremental $8 million to help people in the schools and an additional 25 people being put on to support volunteers and programs at grassroots level as part of a raft of initiatives to help community football get back on the park, especially in Victoria
  • Ongoing conversations between the MCC and the government to upgrade the Great Southern Stand to help the MCG maintain its place as one of the best stadiums in the world
  • The development at Marvel Stadium won't impact the fan experience this year but might reduce the capacity in 2023. No changes to members seats, potentially only one gate to be closed