Preview Round 1, 2022 v The Western™️ (TBC)

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Apr 12, 2014
30,353
52,273
AFL Club
Melbourne
Na the MFC/MCC should grow a spine and tell the AFL what they want, either get Geelong at the G in the home and Away for once, ditto WCE
I wouldn't be apposed to playing Geel at Skilled.
Get Collingwood twice in a year for once, most vic clubs x 2 except North and Saints
WCE in Vic would be a treat, Sydney X 2 would be alright.

Realistically you'd probably only see us play GC, North, Saints, GWS, Freo and Adelaide Once. If we Play Geelong give it to us at the G, same with WCE.
Means we have to play Freo over there

obviously would love to get some of the AFL's big 4 more than once (Carlton, Rich, Collingwood, Essendon?) Normally we get Carlton x 2, but Collingwood and Richmond twice a year would be a treat.

We have played the Cats at the MCG in the H&A three times in the past four years, what are you talking about?
 
Na the MFC/MCC should grow a spine and tell the AFL what they want, either get Geelong at the G in the home and Away for once, ditto WCE
I wouldn't be apposed to playing Geel at Skilled.
Get Collingwood twice in a year for once, most vic clubs x 2 except North and Saints
WCE in Vic would be a treat, Sydney X 2 would be alright.

Realistically you'd probably only see us play GC, North, Saints, GWS, Freo and Adelaide Once. If we Play Geelong give it to us at the G, same with WCE.
Means we have to play Freo over there

obviously would love to get some of the AFL's big 4 more than once (Carlton, Rich, Collingwood, Essendon?) Normally we get Carlton x 2, but Collingwood and Richmond twice a year would be a treat.
We’ve played Geelong at the MCG in non-finals games three times in the last four years, it’s not exactly a drought.

We won’t get any of the 2021 bottom six sides twice in 2022. Got Collingwood and Richmond twice in 2019 because all three sides were top six in 2018.

I’m almost certain that we’ll get Geelong and the Dogs twice in 2022 - it’s a bit weird given that we got them twice this year, but that was a happy coincidence. Wouldn’t be surprised if the club ‘requests’ that two of our interstate games are in Perth. I just hope we don’t have to play in Tasmania. Been there four times since 2017.

I assume it’ll be three/two games v the other top six sides from 2020, and two/three v the seventh - twelfth ranked sides. Geelong, Bulldogs, Brisbane (haven’t played them at the MCG since 2017, and haven’t played them twice in a year since 2013), Essendon (haven’t played them twice in a year since 2005) and Fremantle/WCE would be my preference, or Bulldogs, Brisbane, Port/Sydney, Essendon, Richmond.

I feel like we repeatedly play the Saints, Giants, Crows and Dogs twice. Hawthorn and North not uncommon since 2010 either.
 

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We’ve played Geelong at the MCG in non-finals games three times in the last four years, it’s not exactly a drought.

We won’t get any of the 2021 bottom six sides twice in 2022. Got Collingwood and Richmond twice in 2019 because all three sides were top six in 2018.

I’m almost certain that we’ll get Geelong and the Dogs twice in 2022 - it’s a bit weird given that we got them twice this year, but that was a happy coincidence. Wouldn’t be surprised if the club ‘requests’ that two of our interstate games are in Perth. I just hope we don’t have to play in Tasmania. Been there four times since 2017.

I assume it’ll be three/two games v the other top six sides from 2020, and two/three v the seventh - twelfth ranked sides. Geelong, Bulldogs, Brisbane (haven’t played them at the MCG since 2017, and haven’t played them twice in a year since 2013), Essendon (haven’t played them twice in a year since 2005) and Fremantle/WCE would be my preference, or Bulldogs, Brisbane, Port/Sydney, Essendon, Richmond.

I feel like we repeatedly play the Saints, Giants, Crows and Dogs twice. Hawthorn and North not uncommon since 2010 either.

When was the last time we played West Coast at the G? 2014?
 
When was the last time we played West Coast at the G? 2014?
Yeah, but that’s partially self-inflicted given that we played them twice in 2019 but our home game was in Alice. You get weird trends like that. Before this year we’d only played Adelaide once at the MCG since 2012. That was in 2016, and since then we’ve played three home games against them in the NT. Only played the Swans at the SCG four times since 2007, after playing them there every year from 2000-2007. And like schmuttt said we haven’t played the Dockers in Perth for quite a while. Most recent three years in which we’ve played them there are years in which we’ve played them twice.
 
In an ideal world we’d get home games at the MCG next year v:
  1. Bulldogs
  2. Essendon
  3. Richmond
  4. St Kilda
  5. Carlton
  6. West Coast
  7. Brisbane
  8. Sydney
  9. Port
  10. GWS
5-5 split v Victorian/interstate sides like this year (5-6 inc NT home games seems to be the norm). Play Hawthorn, Richmond and Collingwood away at the MCG (assuming we don’t get QB because we made money from the NSW government off it this year), play the Dogs and Essendon at Docklands, play Geelong at KP, play North in Tasmania, play the Dockers and Eagles in Perth, play the Lions in Brisbane, play the Crows in Adelaide, and play the Suns in Alice.

13 games at the MCG, two games at Docklands, one in Geelong, and six interstate with two in Perth. Club and fans deserve it after two s**t years and not getting to see home finals, after decades of s**t fixtures. Still nothing on the ride Richmond get.
 
My view on what the double ups will be:
1) Dogs
2) Geelong
3) GWS (AFL loves giving us double ups against the Giants plus count as top 6 due to winning the EF)
4) One of WC/Freo
5) Richmond

I don’t think because we won the flag they’re going to pump us up with doubles against big teams. We are still a small club attendance wise.

The Richmond double up is the AFL betting on a Tiger bounce against the new power of the league.
 
My view on what the double ups will be:
1) Dogs
2) Geelong
3) GWS (AFL loves giving us double ups against the Giants plus count as top 6 due to winning the EF)
4) One of WC/Freo
5) Richmond

I don’t think because we won the flag they’re going to pump us up with doubles against big teams. We are still a small club attendance wise.

The Richmond double up is the AFL betting on a Tiger bounce against the new power of the league.
Our double ups in 2019 after a top four finish were Collingwood, Richmond, St Kilda, West Coast and Sydney. Two big Victorian clubs, and two big interstate clubs. It’s all about TV markets, not attendance, and we’ve performed strongly in those.
 

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If we have Friday night games hopefully it’s mostly the interstate ones. The intent to put our Alice game this year on Friday night was a good one, hopefully they try it again next year with more luck.

All of our interstate games this year were night or twilight except North, and GC which was rescheduled I think from twilight. Worked well.
 
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I know there’s a reason no premiership side has played together again and the odds are stacked against it but we’d have to be as good a chance as any IF you ignore the medical sub. Only player over 30, no major ins or outs over the trade period, no obvious selections.

Would think it’s unlikely that any of our incoming draftees burst onto the scene given lack of footy played in the last two years (if they’re Victorian). Hard to see Dunstan breaking straight into the side under the circumstances either.

No particularly likely changes, but the most possibly likely judging by selection history would be:
  • Hibberd for Hunt/Smith
  • JJ for any underdone/out of form fringe player
  • This isn’t likely but it would probably be a good thing if Weideman miraculously improved and broke in
  • Laurie, if he had a big preseason, I guess? No obvious spot for him though except as the sub. He and Rosman (project player) are unusual among our first/second/early third round picks in not getting any games at all in their first season for us, IIRC every other recent earlyish draftee dating back to Rory Taggert except Petty (got 1 game, KPP), Sparrow (straight in for R1&2 before missing the rest of the year with injury), and JJ (December born, very undersized, doesn’t really win his own footy) essentially became best 22/played half the games in their first year. Very refreshing change and a function of being a decent side, but also injury/no junior footy in 2018/interrupted VFL season.
Would take a near miracle for the same 22 to play with JJ named as the sub. It definitely won’t happen because it never does for good reason but I just stayed up all night to write a 4000 word essay so I’m delirious. Most likely Dunstan will in fact come in either because Viney is injured or he just trains really hard and dislodges one of the kids.

Here’s a fun fact: Viney has missed three R1 games, polled votes in three, and I guess just played in the other three (one of which was his debut when he was probably close to BOG for us)
 

LarryDavidNeitz

Club Legend
Sep 9, 2020
2,290
5,664
AFL Club
Melbourne
I think TMac, Harmes and Hibberd are the senior players most likely to face stiff competition for their spots. Hunt/Weid/Dunstan all get the chance to earn the spots they had, despite the fact the former all have more runs on the board and to date have shown their best form is better than the latter trio.

Jordon and Sparrow obviously need to be in good form and outcompeting the likes of Dunstan and any young draftees who put themselves forward over summer.

ANB and Spargo are deserved Premiership players and would be locks if you're picking a team now, but the reality is they will need to show the same form they showed this year to maintain their spots over the whole year. Their pre-2021 form would have them as fringe players at best if we're going well.
 
I think TMac, Harmes and Hibberd are the senior players most likely to face stiff competition for their spots. Hunt/Weid/Dunstan all get the chance to earn the spots they had, despite the fact the former all have more runs on the board and to date have shown their best form is better than the latter trio.

Jordon and Sparrow obviously need to be in good form and outcompeting the likes of Dunstan and any young draftees who put themselves forward over summer.

ANB and Spargo are deserved Premiership players and would be locks if you're picking a team now, but the reality is they will need to show the same form they showed this year to maintain their spots over the whole year. Their pre-2021 form would have them as fringe players at best if we're going well.
Agree with most of this except ANB/Spargo. Both were good in '18 imo and are important reasons why we did so well then and in 21; ANB through work rate and pressure, Spargo with his smarts and ball use.
 
If we don’t get at least our first three goals from centre clearances that’s a huge opportunity missed. I’d love to see the Dogs start at the opening centre bounce with a sweeper and for Trac to just annihilate them.

Surely Max has to send Jackson and the three amigos to the first centre bounce.
 
Give them a 93-point head start.
Nah, let’s be reasonable.

Start the match at the 11 minute mark of Q3 and give them a 19-point lead.
 

Bangkok Knights

Debutant
Jun 22, 2021
137
150
AFL Club
Melbourne
Ridiculous idea.
Why dont we just rub the bulldogs face with the premiership flag while we're at it.
Great motivation boost for them.
Play them later in a big game.
Hawthorn or Essendon R1 even bigger crowd.
Losing R1 to angry runners up 2021 not good membership strategy.
Stupid idea. AFL should think the same.
R1...Dees v Hawthorn for me.75000 crew.
 
Ridiculous idea.
Why dont we just rub the bulldogs face with the premiership flag while we're at it.
Great motivation boost for them.
Play them later in a big game.
Hawthorn or Essendon R1 even bigger crowd.
Losing R1 to angry runners up 2021 not good membership strategy.
Stupid idea. AFL should think the same.
R1...Dees v Hawthorn for me.75000 crew.

Reckon we've picked a pretty good membership strategy in recent times.
 

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