The AFL has officially locked in pop superstar Katy Perry to play at the 2024 grand final.
After months of speculation, the league confirmed the 39-year old will be the headline act on the last Saturday in September at the MCG, joining Robbie Williams, Ed Sheeran and The Killers as one of the biggest performers in grand final history.
Perry famously performed alongside the Australian women’s cricket team at the ‘G after their victory over India in the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup final, barely a week before the COVID-19 pandemic made hosting major events all but impossible.
Katy Perry performs on stage with the Australian team following their victory in the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup Final. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
The singer took to social media to express her delight at securing the gig.
“I’m so excited to be back in Australia and back at the mighty MCG to perform in front of 100,000 of the best and loudest fans in the world at this year’s Toyota AFL Grand Final. See you in September Oi Oi Oi!” she wrote.
In a statement, AFL commercial manager Kylie Rogers described Perry as an ‘international music icon.
“Katy Perry is an international music icon who has been entertaining fans with her chart-topping hits for many years, so the AFL is delighted to have her join us at the 2024 Toyota AFL Grand Final in what will be a spectacular Telstra Pre-Game Entertainment performance,” Rogers said.
Perry has won numerous awards for her music, which has had more than 115 billion streams and sold a staggering 143 million records globally.
Among her accolades are 148 platinum ARIA certificates, five American music awards, five Billboard music awards and 14 People’s Choice Awards.
VFL club makes coaching offer to Hird
Essendon legend James Hird is reportedly weighing up a return to coaching, with VFL club Port Melbourne making him a tantalising offer.
Hird’s coaching experience at AFL level was littered with controversy, having overseen the Bombers’ infamous supplements saga from 2011-2015 that ended with his sacking and 34 players suspended for 12 months during 2016.
Since then, the 51-year old has restricted his involvement with the game at the highest level to a brief stint at GWS as a coaching consultant for former teammate and Giants interim coach Mark McVeigh.
However, with Port Melbourne’s current coach Adam Skrobalak confirming he will resign at season’s end, the Borough have made Hird their top priority, according to Herald Sun journalist Sam Landsberger.
Making their offer more compelling is that Hird’s son Tom, who was briefly on Essendon’s AFL list but was delisted without playing a senior match, has played 33 games for the club since joining for the 2023 season.
James Hird. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
“The job is his if he wants it,” Landsberger said of Hird on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle.
“The key consideration for James is whether he wants to coach his son Tom – would that be awkward? How would Tom feel? – and also his business interests.
“But the family is in love with Port Melbourne Football Club… they could not be more thrilled with the way they’ve taken his son in and what they’ve done for him.”
According to Landsberger, Hird could earn up to $200,000 to coach the Borough, a higher salary than most AFL-level assistant coaches earn.
The Roarhttps://https://ift.tt/8AplORJ News: Superstar confirmed as grand final headline act, VFL club makes shock coaching offer to Hird
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