Seven dumps fallen giants Carlton and Essendon from primetime free-to-air slot

The AFL’s free-to-air broadcaster, the Seven Network, has snubbed Carlton and Essendon, dumping football’s fallen giants from a primetime fixture in the final round of the home-and-away season.

There was no surprise on Wednesday when the league confirmed it had scheduled the Bombers’ clash with the Blues on the Thursday night of round 24 – but the match will not be shown on Seven despite the network having the rights to the prized timeslot.

Carlton and the Bombers will not be broadcast on free-to-air TV in the final round of the home-and-away season. Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images

The match will be behind a paywall, on Fox Footy.

Seven wanted to show the best possible matches in the run to the finals, and the game between the two big Victorian clubs is a dead rubber. Instead, Seven has picked up the vital game between the Brisbane Lions and Hawthorn on the Sunday night, which could decide whether the Hawks qualify for September.

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