Where's this? Normally Ballarat is one of the last six at least.Nice run to the finals with our last 6 games in Melbourne. Bevo out if we don't win the flag.
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Where's this? Normally Ballarat is one of the last six at least.Nice run to the finals with our last 6 games in Melbourne. Bevo out if we don't win the flag.
I guess it depends on whether you are talking about an actual blockbuster game - like Hawthorn and Geelong has tended to be for the last 10 years, or an AFL defined blockbuster which is essentially just a recurring fixture which gets pumped up in the media.Disagree. All you have to do is build a special sense of occasion.
Leaving aside the obvious instance of finals being blockbusters, one example would be to schedule the ANZAC Day event between the two highest placed Vic teams (from the previous season's ladder, before finals). It'd always be played at the MCG even if both are nominally tenants of Marvel, such as us, Saints & North.
It would be something to strive for each year rather than a gift from the AFL fairy godmother to the same two pampered teams as it currently is. It would actually mean something special to get to play on that day and to win the B&F medal. You'd also have a much stronger chance of it being a high standard clash than some games between Essendon and Collingwood where one or the other have been pretty clueless. You could walk away from the season saying, well we didn't win the flag but we earned ourselves a start at the big dance next April.
An alternative is to make it the ANZAC Day challenge cup, where the previous year's winner is guaranteed a place the following year and their opponent is the highest placed Vic side.
The VFL-->AFL has always been lacking in any secondary prizes to help populate the season. Right now it's "win the flag or we've wasted our year" unlike UK soccer for instance where you can win silverware a number of ways - win the league (EPL), the FA Cup, the League Cup or even one of the European club championships. That breadth of silverware offerings makes it possible to miss the main prize (the league) but still come away with something to boast about.
Three likely objections are:
1. It might just turn out to be a grand final replay if both grand finalists were from Victoria. OK, great. (How good is that? as ScoMo would probably say). Alternatively you could add an option that if the reigning premier is a Victorian club then they are excluded and it becomes a match between the next two Vic clubs on the previous year's ladder, but I don't think there's a need for that.
2. It won't attract 95,000 if the game is scheduled between say North and the Dogs. That clash would attract only around 60,000 max. Maybe so, especially in the earlier years but you don't build up a huge sense of tradition and excitement in an event's first year. Give it 5-10 years to build its history and reputation and it'll start attracting bigger crowds whoever plays. Anyway, a 60,000 crowd has probably never been seen at a North vs Dogs clash before, so even that should create some excitement in the public. What's a "blockbuster" anyway? If you define it as a match that attracts 90,000 then you've straight away restricted it to only about 4-5 clubs in the league. If you define it as a special, prestigious and exciting event that attracts well over 50,000 then it can be open to anyone. I know which definition I'd rather have .. and it makes a lot more sense too.
3. What about the interstate clubs? They will always miss out. They don't have to. You could have a similar fixture (perhaps played at night) between the previous season's two highest placed non-Vic teams. Or if you wanted to keep the ANZAC Day fixture to one match only you could make the interstate equivalent some other time of year, maybe Queen's Birthday.
If they did it this year it would be Richmond vs Geelong. I reckon that'd be a great ANZAC Day clash.
So this would be the AFL's chance to add some breadth to the competition. I doubt they'll ever do anything fair and innovative like that though.
An article on Hun site about us getting friday night lights etc. Can't get outline to work, can someone post it please.
Disagree. All you have to do is build a special sense of occasion.
Leaving aside the obvious instance of finals being blockbusters, one example would be to schedule the ANZAC Day event between the two highest placed Vic teams (from the previous season's ladder, before finals). It'd always be played at the MCG even if both are nominally tenants of Marvel, such as us, Saints & North.
It would be something to strive for each year rather than a gift from the AFL fairy godmother to the same two pampered teams as it currently is. It would actually mean something special to get to play on that day and to win the B&F medal. You'd also have a much stronger chance of it being a high standard clash than some games between Essendon and Collingwood where one or the other have been pretty clueless. You could walk away from the season saying, well we didn't win the flag but we earned ourselves a start at the big dance next April.
An alternative is to make it the ANZAC Day challenge cup, where the previous year's winner is guaranteed a place the following year and their opponent is the highest placed Vic side.
The VFL-->AFL has always been lacking in any secondary prizes to help populate the season. Right now it's "win the flag or we've wasted our year" unlike UK soccer for instance where you can win silverware a number of ways - win the league (EPL), the FA Cup, the League Cup or even one of the European club championships. That breadth of silverware offerings makes it possible to miss the main prize (the league) but still come away with something to boast about.
Three likely objections are:
1. It might just turn out to be a grand final replay if both grand finalists were from Victoria. OK, great. (How good is that? as ScoMo would probably say). Alternatively you could add an option that if the reigning premier is a Victorian club then they are excluded and it becomes a match between the next two Vic clubs on the previous year's ladder, but I don't think there's a need for that.
2. It won't attract 95,000 if the game is scheduled between say North and the Dogs. That clash would attract only around 60,000 max. Maybe so, especially in the earlier years but you don't build up a huge sense of tradition and excitement in an event's first year. Give it 5-10 years to build its history and reputation and it'll start attracting bigger crowds whoever plays. Anyway, a 60,000 crowd has probably never been seen at a North vs Dogs clash before, so even that should create some excitement in the public. What's a "blockbuster" anyway? If you define it as a match that attracts 90,000 then you've straight away restricted it to only about 4-5 clubs in the league. If you define it as a special, prestigious and exciting event that attracts well over 50,000 then it can be open to anyone. I know which definition I'd rather have .. and it makes a lot more sense too.
3. What about the interstate clubs? They will always miss out. They don't have to. You could have a similar fixture (perhaps played at night) between the previous season's two highest placed non-Vic teams. Or if you wanted to keep the ANZAC Day fixture to one match only you could make the interstate equivalent some other time of year, maybe Queen's Birthday.
If they did it this year it would be Richmond vs Geelong. I reckon that'd be a great ANZAC Day clash.
So this would be the AFL's chance to add some breadth to the competition. I doubt they'll ever do anything fair and innovative like that though.
Yeah I wouldn’t worry about the groupings system too much. There are no easy games in AFL. For us, there are no games that we can’t win either. Just hope for some great time slots against big teams, not too many short turnarounds or interstate trips.The 7-12 group could almost be weaker than 13-18.
If I were to rank those teams for next year worst to best it would be something like -
GC - StK - NM - ADE - CAR - ESS - HAW - SYD - PP - FREO - MELB
Personal opinion of course.
Agreed. If a good Bulldog team turns up for the early part of the season, 50,000 members isn’t out of the question. Announce Bont as captain, announce Bailey Smith’s contract extension just before round 1 and watch the positive hype train roll into Southern Cross on a balmy Friday night in March.Sounds like half of our games at least will be night games, with a fair share being showed on TV. If that's the case, I sure hope the late 2019 team shows up, and not the early 2019 team. Attractive footy and kicking goals lures new fans in. I personally love the atmosphere with night games, even though they are not entirely family friendly.
#BulldogsBandwagon. Let's get it trending.Agreed. If a good Bulldog team turns up for the early part of the season, 50,000 members isn’t out of the question. Announce Bont as captain, announce Bailey Smith’s contract extension just before round 1 and watch the positive hype train roll into Southern Cross on a balmy Friday night in March.
That quote doesn't say we have 4 Friday night games, it says we have at least 4 games.According to https://amp.theage.com.au/sport/afl...0191030-p535nr.html?__twitter_impression=true we have four Friday night games. Assume that includes Good Friday, so two others throughout the season.
"Sources with a knowledge of the fixture said the Bulldogs, who finished the home and away season strongly, charging to the finals and are seen to have fared well in the trading period, have at least four Friday night games next year."
Generally, you can get rid of the "at least" in these reports. They know how many in the first 22 rounds, but given rd 23 is a floating fixture, its how they get around being correct, no matter how rd23 falls.That quote doesn't say we have 4 Friday night games, it says we have at least 4 games.
Wouldn't be surprised if GWS is a Ballarat game.
Would love that.Wouldn't be surprised if GWS is a Ballarat game.
The league should schedule the GWS vs Port game at Ballarat.Wouldn't be surprised if GWS is a Ballarat game.
And 8 Saturday night with 6 on free to air TV.We have 5 Friday Night Games