What happens if the big four flop?

Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon and Richmond are Victoria's big four clubs with the power to fill the MCG weekly, but what will happen if they all struggle in the same season? Michael Gleeson, Jake Niall and Sam McClure ponder that question while also asking what the Saints really got for their $4m splurge, whether the Bombers regret hanging onto Zach Merrett and why the Magpies left themselves so bereft in attack. Plus they talk through impending changes to the AFL drugs policy and pre-season predictions they'd like to take back. Support the show:

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What happens if the big four flop? is an episode from Real Footy by The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.

This episode is 41:53 long.

This episode was published on Mar 16, 2026.

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