Dreamtime at the 'G
The Dreamtime at the 'G is an annual Australian rules football match between Australian Football League clubs Essendon and Richmond.
Dreamtime at the 'G match logo | |
| Teams | Essendon Richmond |
|---|---|
| First meeting | 9 July 2005 |
| Latest meeting | 20 May 2023 |
| Next meeting | TBA |
| Broadcasters | Network Ten (2005–2011) Seven Network (2012–present) |
| Stadiums | Melbourne Cricket Ground (2005–2019, 2022–present) TIO Stadium (2020) Optus Stadium (2021) |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 19 |
| All-time series (Australian Football League only) | Richmond – 12 wins Essendon – 7 wins |
| Largest victory | Richmond – 71 points (2 June 2018) |
Since the 2007 season the match has been held annually on the Saturday night of the AFL's "Indigenous Round", also known as the Sir Doug Nicholls Round. The name of the match comes from the Australian Aboriginal term "Dreamtime" and "the 'G", a nickname for the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) where the match usually takes place; it has been played away from the ground on two occasions, when the COVID-19 pandemic impacted football in Victoria.
The game draws one of the highest crowds of the home-and-away season, with an average crowd of over 70,000 since its inception (with the exception of rain-affected matches), and a record attendance of 85,656 in 2017. The winning club is awarded the "Kevin Sheedy Cup", and the best player on the ground is awarded the "Yiooken Award".