'Definitely different': Richmond Tigers' Ivan Soldo on AFL's empty MCG

It seems so bizarre that just months prior the Richmond Tigers ruckman had been playing in front of a packed house in a grand final, and now, nothing.

The coronavirus pandemic has since seen AFL chiefs suspend matches - but not before Canberra product Soldo found himself in a deserted venue for the season opener with fans locked out.

"It was weird. I went and saw it before in the warm-up, just to check it out," Soldo said.

"I already knew what to expect but it was just different. I played there in a VFL game as a curtain-raiser, but that's a different circumstance. It was kind of weird that it was for points.

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"It was actually kind of a benefit on the tactical side of it because you could communicate better. I've never played a round one game before so I can't really compare it to that.

"But last time I played there was a grand final in front of 100,000, so it was definitely a different look."

Now football clubs have been thrown into disarray by what AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan labelled the biggest threat to the game in 100 years.

Players and staff have been stood down without pay at various clubs as officials brace for a crippling financial blow over the coming months with no games on the horizon.

"It's something you can't really avoid, but what we decided to do and the only thing we could do was prepare like we were going to play, regardless of whether the game got cancelled or not," Soldo said.

Of course Soldo expected nothing less from a group desperate to begin its hunt for a third premiership in four years.

There was hardly a concern about a premiership hangover derailing their campaign although now there is a new beast standing in their way, and it's one they can do nothing about.

"We sort of just got on with it really quickly," Soldo said.

"It was sort of like any other year to be honest. I watched the review of the game a month ago, the grand final, that's how much I've thought about it.

"There was talk about the premiership hangover but we've been pretty good over the past couple of years and we're in a good position to have another crack at it."

If they get another chance.