Collingwood flag unfurling start time confirmed ahead of AFL blockbuster with Sydney

Some Collingwood fans are outraged at the club’s decision to hold the 2023 premiership flag unfurling ceremony more than an hour before the start of Friday night’s AFL blockbuster against Sydney.

The Pies will celebrate last year’s triumph with the longstanding tradition of unfurling the flag at their first home game of the following season, with proceedings to kick off well in advance of the first bounce.

Watch all the flag unfurling action on 7plus from 7pm AEDT.

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The ceremony will take place at 6.24pm and be finished by 6.34pm, but official proceedings will begin with a Welcome to Country at exactly 16 minutes past six — in line with the number of premierships the club has now won.

The timing has gone down poorly with Pies supporters, though, who are confused as to why the unfurling was scheduled so early.

They are concerned that most of the 80,000 fans expected to turn up to the MCG won’t make it there for the ceremony.

“Since ‘Fly’ (coach Craig McRae) took over Collingwood he said he wanted to give the club back to the fans,” one wrote.

“A 6.16pm flag unveiling is clearly not for the fans, given the gates open 16 minutes before hand.

“If the mantra Fly spoke about is correct, surely you change it to maximise the crowd.”

Another member added: “Come on Collingwood, rethink this — 6.16pm is a gimmick for something as important as a flag unveiling.

Collingwood achieved the ultimate last year. Credit: Michael Willson/AFL Photos/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“Half our fans won’t be able to get there in time. Do it at 16 minutes before 7pm (6.44pm) if you want a gimmick.”

AFL 360’s Gerard Whateley questioned whether the early start might have been because the club has become gun shy following the criticism levelled at them by 1990 Magpies premiership coach Leigh Matthews.

Matthews, who also coached McRae during the Brisbane Lions’ premiership three-peat, took aim at Collingwood’s ‘over-celebrating’ for launching a documentary less than two weeks before the Magpies began their flag defence.

“Revisiting something that happened six months ago, to me that’s never helpful,” the four-time premiership coach said on 3AW last week.

Collingwood players will not witness the unfurling in person, with the ceremony to be wrapped up before they enter the field for their warm-up.

Many fans look set to miss, too, with Whateley arguing there would not be “a whole critical mass of the Magpie army” inside the ground when it begins (fans can stream the flag unfurling on 7plus from 7pm AEDT).

“I hope it’s not that they’re starting to feel awkward about still looking like they’re celebrating (last year’s premiership). This is one of the quaint, beautiful traditions of the game,” the broadcaster said.

“It’s been done at various stages with great pomp and fervour. Wasn’t, (at) Collingwood’s last one, Presti (former Collingwood defender Simon Prestigiacomo) up on the scoreboard sending the flag down?

Simon Prestigiacomo did not play in the 2010 premiership, and retired at the end of that season, but was involved in the flag unfurling at the start of 2011. Credit: Mark Dadswell/Getty Images

“That strikes me as very unusual that it would be so far ahead of when the major part of the crowd will arrive. That’s a stretch to arrive at 6.16.

“Is it because Leigh Matthews called them out on eating popcorn and watching a movie? Does his reach stretch that far? Has it made them feel awkward, self-conscious about it?

“If this is a ceremony for the people, that’s going to miss most of the people.”

Collingwood are also inviting fans to the club’s headquarters from 3pm where there will be a barbeque, food trucks, face painting and giveaways.

From there, club great Paul Licuria will lead a 15-minute march to the ‘G departing at 5.10pm.

The unfurling of the flag won’t be live on Seven, but you can stream it on-demand on 7plus from 7pm AEDT.

Please note: Due to content rights restrictions, the Collingwood v Sydney match is not available on 7plus but viewers can tune into Seven’s live and free match coverage on Channel 7 and 7mate from 7pm AEDT. Seven’s full digital rights to the AFL kick in with the Brownlow Medal and the 2024 AFL grand final.