Fixture discussions

Football Discussion Non Essendon Stuff
21
17 round season would surely increase attendances and viewer numbers too, with each game meaning more in the context of the season.
With all the ideas that the AFL try and steal from the NFL this one would actually work well.

Doesn’t the NFL have a 17 round regular (H & A) season? Works for a population of 300 mill but not for 23 mill?

By about round 18,19 here the sting has gone out of the season for a lot of the sides as the confirmed finalists limp or try to avoid injuries heading into the finals and the non-finalists send players into surgery early to have them ready for the following season’s pre-season.

I find as a fan that the last four weeks of the H & A season to be boring and can’t wait for the season to end by this stage. Can’t imagine what the players would be feeling though, particularly if they’re not going to be part of finals.

22
How about this for a draw... Play everyone once, then the rest of the games are random.

No teams are set to play each other twice. Everything random. If the networks don’t like it, then they’ll have to learn to market the games better rather than use the game to market their own crap (I.e. Presto, etc.).


I like it. Every Monday after round 17 the coaches can spin a big wheel and find out their opponents for the next week.

Fark that.
It’s random from the start of the season.

Does the AFL realise that most people organise tickets, flights and accommodation (along with annual leave) at least one month in advance?

23
17 round season would surely increase attendances and viewer numbers too, with each game meaning more in the context of the season.
With all the ideas that the AFL try and steal from the NFL this one would actually work well.

Doesn’t the NFL have a 17 round regular (H & A) season? Works for a population of 300 mill but not for 23 mill?

By about round 18,19 here the sting has gone out of the season for a lot of the sides as the confirmed finalists limp or try to avoid injuries heading into the finals and the non-finalists send players into surgery early to have them ready for the following season’s pre-season.

I find as a fan that the last four weeks of the H & A season to be boring and can’t wait for the season to end by this stage. Can’t imagine what the players would be feeling though, particularly if they’re not going to be part of finals.

Originally I found the NFL season too short. But I now like it. Every game is so much more important and intense. It is also very well marketed from week to week. It also helps that all but two games are on the same day. I like how everything happens in one day and you can get on with life (or other sports) for the rest of the week.
24

NFL has 32 teams. 256 matches. AFL would be only 153 if we had a 17 week season.

I’m for a 17 round season but it wouldn’t have to be 17 weeks. You can still have 20 rounds with teams getting 3 byes to give the players the rest they need.

You’d have 13 rounds x 8 games and 7 rounds x 7 games.

Or you might not give teams byes In the first 4 rounds since they wouldn’t need it. So 4 rounds x 9, 5 x 8, 11 x 7.

Don’t shorten the season just spread out less matches out over the same period of time. We don’t need to squeeze a Sunday twilight fixture in every weekend.

Can roster it so that teams coming off the bye play on a Thursday night and build that timeslot.

25
17 round season would surely increase attendances and viewer numbers too, with each game meaning more in the context of the season.

It’d mean better averages but less in total, surely.

Mini-finals before finals is about the worst idea they could do.
Chop it to 17, or try and sort out the last 5 rounds on a rotating basis over a certain time period, or just leave it as is.

26

This proposal… Surely finishing the first 17 rounds in 6th position would mean you are a very, very good chance of missing finals? You will only be playing teams above you on the ladder, meanwhile the teams directly below you will be playing teams below them on the ladder. They’ll get easier points than you and climb up, right?

27

Not happening, the clubs have said no

28
This proposal... Surely finishing the first 17 rounds in 6th position would mean you are a very, very good chance of missing finals? You will only be playing teams above you on the ladder, meanwhile the teams directly below you will be playing teams below them on the ladder. They'll get easier points than you and climb up, right?
Congratulations, you've been successfully distracted from DRUGS!!!

Good work, Sarah.

29
This proposal... Surely finishing the first 17 rounds in 6th position would mean you are a very, very good chance of missing finals? You will only be playing teams above you on the ladder, meanwhile the teams directly below you will be playing teams below them on the ladder. They'll get easier points than you and climb up, right?
Congratulations, you've been successfully distracted from DRUGS!!!

Good work, Sarah.

It would be more accurate to say I’ve been distracted BY drugs… Oooohhh, shiney thing!!

30

A report today that we’ve requested a Good Friday eve match against FCFC. We’ve alao requested to retain the 7/4 Etihad/MCG split of home matches.

31

Essendon proposes Good Friday eve blockbuster against Carlton for 2019
By Peter Ryan
9 August 2018 — 8:07pm
Essendon want to play Carlton in a blockbuster on Good Friday eve next season in a timeslot they believe will add another dimension to one of the competition’s biggest rivalries.

In a submission to the AFL, Essendon have requested a home game at the MCG on Good Friday eve in 2019 and offered to tie the event into launching the traditional Good Friday appeal that occurs the next day.

Essendon want to play Carlton in a regular Good Friday eve fixture.
Essendon want to play Carlton in a regular Good Friday eve fixture.
Photo: AAP
The AFL has fixtured games on Good Friday in the past two seasons, with North Melbourne playing the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

Both the MCC and Carlton support the Bombers’ move with both clubs hoping their fortunes will change in the near future, leading to the clash becoming one of the most anticipated annual fixtures.

Essendon CEO Xavier Campbell said the clubs would push hard to make the game a great event that both kicked off the Good Friday appeal and the Easter holiday weekend.

“We see a great opportunity to bring the Essendon and Carlton rivalry back to life on the big stage and create a standalone event in a time slot that is not currently being utilised,” Campbell said.

"The Good Friday eve timeslot is the night before a public holiday, it is supported by both clubs and the MCC and we are very confident we could build it into an iconic match.

“The match could also provide an additional opportunity to partner with the Royal Children’s Hospital’s Good Friday Appeal - perhaps even launch the event if they believed there might be value in that.”

Essendon have not won a final since 2004 while Carlton are languishing at the bottom of the ladder. However the Bombers overcame a sluggish start to the season to match the finals contenders in the back half of the season while the Blues hope their rebuild will bear fruit soon.

The clash has only attracted one crowd over 60,000 since 2013 but the rivalry between the clubs is strong. The clash regularly attracted crowds of 80,000 before the two clubs’ recent struggles.

With Carlton wanting to retain the opening round clash against Richmond, the Bombers have worked out that the Easter holiday would not occur on round one for the next 30 seasons meaning there would be no interruption to that clash.

“We are two of the biggest clubs in the AFL - we have both had our challenges but I am confident we are both building again. Together we boast one of the fiercest and oldest rivalries in the game and we believe the Good Friday eve match can become the next big blockbuster on the AFL calendar,” Campbell said.

The Bombers will ask to continue with seven home games at Etihad Stadium, which will be renamed Marvel Stadium next season, but make their four home games at the MCG blockbusters. They are still keen to play an extra home game at the MCG in coming years but are content with the status quo for next season.

They want to kick off the season against Hawthorn at the MCG, repeating the massive game the clubs played in round one 2017, which attracted 78,000 and play home games against Carlton on Good Friday eve, Collingwood on Anzac Day and Geelong for the country game.

All clubs were expected to submit fixture requests by Friday.

2 Likes
32

I’m not a massive fan of footy on Good Friday, but I like this idea.

Another good commercial decision.

33

Not a big fan, being locked into the match on Anzac day is already one permanent fixture too many.

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34

Means we will have to play the Friday night beforehand or at worst Saturday day. Commercially it’s a good idea but to have 2 games early on in the season that may require 5-day breaks is not ideal

35

Geez we’re soft. All that worrying about Fark Carlton’s scheduling (who will probably be bankrupted well before those thirty years are up) but not about us having a 2 day turnaround in 2038.

Good Friday is the most boring day of the year, so I’m in for this.

36

Can we please stop pretending the County Game is, or ever will be, a ‘blockbuster’?

37

And a no from me for Easter Thursday. That day is the perfect day to get out of Melbourne for a long long weekend. I don’t like missing Carlton games and I don’t think I’ve missed one live in about 20 years. Give us an annual Easter game v Gold Coast in the Saturday or Sunday bullshit twilight slot that I can totally skip I say

1 Like
38

Blockbuster fatigue.

39

Playing a stand alone fixture won’t “reignite” the rivalry, our two clubs being on a similar level will.

But does it need reigniting? I had every farking carlton supporter i know in my ear this year i can’t wait to belt them next

1 Like
40

Some social media posts suggesting Freo have requested us Round 1 2019 in WA to mark 25 years or something like that?