Sydney Swans assistant coach Mark McVeigh says he’s a fan of Opening Round, purely because it acknowledges the growth of the sport in northern markets.

The 2024 begins in Sydney on Thursday night, with three other games scheduled this weekend exclusively in New South Wales and Queensland.

He couldn’t hide his excitement ahead of the first bounce, as the Swans take on Melbourne in the first game of the season.

Click PLAY to hear the full pre-game interview on 3AW

“For everyone in New South Wales, this is huge,” he told Wide World of Sports pre-game.

“It is really important to acknowledge footy is big here.”