I know Andrew Demetriou wasn’t particularly popular as CEO, and I thought he was wrong about many things, but to his credit you usually knew where he stood. Gil is described as more collaborative, but I think in his case that’s a euphemism for wishy-washy.
If I were to read between the lines, my guess is he reckons it’s worth keeping the broadcasters happy and that a bit like with the Rugby League, once they play a few twilight Grand Finals everyone will see that it’s better - or at least not worse. He also knows that right now it’s not a popular idea.
In the circumstances where you consider an unpopular change is actually the right thing to do (or as he feebly puts it ‘inevitable’), you can either squib the decision and maintain the status quo, or own the decision, wear the flak, and trust that history will judge you as being correct. Gil is having a bob each way, and it looks a bit weak.
My prediction is that they’ll announce ‘a trial’ of the twilight Grand Final, on the basis they will ‘listen to supporter feedback and take it back to the Commission in [insert] years.’
