Significance of the Fixture?

[lamaros]

My number one rule is this: If you're good enough to win the Premiership the fixture is irrelevant. However I thought it would be interesting to look at how the fixture stacks up at this point in time, and how it might play out for the rest of the year:

Teams played inside the current top 8 this year:

Geelong has played 5
St. Kilda has played 6
Collingwood has played 7
Feemantle has played 5
Bulldogs have played 5
Carlton have played 4
Sydney has played 5
Hawthorn has played 5
North has played 7
Essendon has played 9 (everyone once and Geelong twice)
Brisbane has played 7
Port has played 5
Melbourne has played 6
West Coast has played 6
Adelaide has played 7
Richmond has played played 7

Teams yet to play inside the current top 8:

Geelong to play 6
St. Kilda to play 3 (seriously, get your money on St. Kilda for top 4 NOW, and top of the lot of they beat Geelong next weekend)
Collingwood to play 5
Freemantle to play 5
Bulldogs to play 5
Carlton to play 6
Sydney to play 6
Hawthorn to play 6
North to play 5
Essendon to play 5
Brisbane to play 5
Port to play 5
Melbourne to play 4
West Coast to play 5
Adelaide to play 4
Richmond to play 5

With totals of:

Geelong 11
St. Kilda 9
Collingwood 12
Freemantle 10
Bulldogs 10
Carlton 10
Sydney 11
Hawthorn 11
North 12
Essendon 14
Brisbane 12
Port 10
Melbourne 10
West Coast 11
Adelaide 11
Richmond 12

We play the top three, who going on form and who they have to play will be the top three at the end of the year, twice each, as well as the 5th and 6th teams. We play 5 of the top 6 twice!

I would suggest that this shows the Bombers have a good change of making the eight, if they take their chances, with Hawthorn, Sydney and Carlton in danger of not having made a big enough gap to hold off North, Brisbane and Us given the draws so far. Yes, I'm suggesting Carlton is a chance to miss the eight.

[hank31]

ha ha i laugh when people call it a draw.. There is nothing random about it to suggest that it is a draw, it is a fixture..
In saying that im never one to whinge about it, if we want to be the best, we have to beat the best.
All i say is that if we make the finals this year, we definately deserve it :thumbsu:

[lamaros]

ha ha i laugh when people call it a draw.. There is nothing random about it to suggest that it is a draw, it is a fixture..
In saying that im never one to whinge about it, if we want to be the best, we have to beat the best.
All i say is that if we make the finals this year, we definately deserve it :thumbsu:

Very true. If a mod wants to fix the title to 'fixture' then please do.

[The House]

by the time we play hawthorn we will have played 10 of our 13 against the current top 8.
And of our 3 against non top 8 sides, one was west coast in Perth.

Insainly tough draw and good to see we're in touch....

....can't wait to get our fair crack at the bottom 8 in the last 9 games n see how we go.

Ps, by god Carlton are over rated.
Played 2 good games this year and still have a reputation as a good side.
I've been saying for weeks they'll miss, and have copped endless shit for it....but i haven't seen anything to disuede me.

Same for Hawks when i said 7th-10th after round one...and in that case have put my money where my mouth is....note to self: over confident Hawks fans are a nice cash cow.

[Pweter]

When the fixture came out I felt that it was fair for us. We only travel 4 times and generally we struggle on the road, so out of the extra games in Melbourne we might as well play the best to see where we're really at.

Having said that, it really does make me somewhat pissed off to see the free ride Carlton have been given this season.

[Walesy]

Geelong 11
St. Kilda 9
Collingwood 12
Freemantle 10
Bulldogs 10
Carlton 10
Sydney 11
Hawthorn 11
North 12
Essendon 14
Brisbane 12
Port 10
Melbourne 10
West Coast 11
Adelaide 11
Richmond 12

Sure, it's Supercoach analysis- but when the draw was first brought out, we analysed it over at TS based on last years results (big differences are Freo/Adelaide). -http://tooserious.net/?p=676

Anyways, the end results was that Collingwood and Essendon have by far, the toughest draws in the league. Followed by the Hawks.

Which is why I've always said, if we make it into the 8 this year, it's a big improvement over last year- even if it doesn't look like it.

[Eleven 38]

with that said, (if our fixture has been the toughest), then hopefully it fast tracks the young blokes and the top 4 can be a realistic target this time next year!