Mega Thread VICBias - Genuine Discussion Part 2

[sr36]

I’d be very happy with Collingwood having a front ended MCG draw. I’ve been saying this adnauseum.

It's a bizarre point though. Collingwood doesn't even have an easy run home. Pies go 6 day break into Brisbane. 5 day break into Hawthorn and then Adelaide in Adelaide.

And assumedly this front ended Vic draw that you want would apply to all Vic teams? Or are you just selecting Collingwood for some reason? So are we going to begin the whole season in Vic and then end it outside of Vic? I can't see Non-Vics complaining about that at all ...

 

[demondavey]

It's a bizarre point though. Collingwood doesn't even have an easy run home. Pies go 6 day break into Brisbane. 5 day break into Hawthorn and then Adelaide in Adelaide.

And assumedly this front ended Vic draw that you want would apply to all Vic teams? Or are you just selecting Collingwood for some reason? So are we going to begin the whole season in Vic and then end it outside of Vic? I can't see Non-Vics complaining about that at all ...

Well you can’t make it perfect, obviously. I mean going into 2026 you’d have MCG tenants that are good teams in Collingwood and Hawthorn play more at home initially then on the road on and off per week from about round 15.

You have an easier run re travel. Not leaving Melbourne is a big advantage as we know how impactful travel is. I am not objecting to Collingwood playing at the G, if your supporters turn up and enjoy it then great, you’ve got the pulling power. You deserve 14 games at the G. I am just suggesting the run home is flexible and you travel. A team like Brisbane will need to travel by default.

We know the GF won’t be moved. Fine. I that. The other option is a bye after the PF. I also think non tenant teams playing in a GF should be able to train on the G as much as possible prior to the GF.

Honestly. None of that is unreasonable.

 

[sr36]

Well you can’t make it perfect, obviously. I mean going into 2026 you’d have MCG tenants that are good teams in Collingwood and Hawthorn play more at home initially then on the road on and off per week from about round 15.

You have an easier run re travel. Not leaving Melbourne is a big advantage as we know how impactful travel is. I am not objecting to Collingwood playing at the G, if your supporters turn up and enjoy it then great, you’ve got the pulling power. You deserve 14 games at the G. I am just suggesting the run home is flexible and you travel. A team like Brisbane will need to travel by default.

We know the GF won’t be moved. Fine. I that. The other option is a bye after the PF. I also think non tenant teams playing in a GF should be able to train on the G as much as possible prior to the GF.

Honestly. None of that is unreasonable.

Doesn't the pre-finals bye make your concern irrelevant?

In terms of the fixture, inequality of opponents is the real issue, particularly this season with a very equal top 9 and a bottom 9 that has capitulated with none of them looking like beating a top 9 team. Who your double ups are against could be the difference between being top 4 or missing finals.

 

[demondavey]

Doesn't the pre-finals bye make your concern irrelevant?

In terms of the fixture, inequality of opponents is the real issue, particularly this season with a very equal top 9 and a bottom 9 that has capitulated with none of them looking like beating a top 9 team. Who your double ups are against could be the difference between being top 4 or missing finals.

Yeah it helps, but I think it really pinpoints the recovery for the GF teams if they have a bye pre GF. Then they go in pretty equal prep wise. Non VIC teams should also stay for a few weeks pre GF if they want. Train at the G etc.

I just don’t think virtually no travel pre finals is fair for a tenant team.

 

[sr36]

Yeah it helps, but I think it really pinpoints the recovery for the GF teams if they have a bye pre GF. Then they go in pretty equal prep wise. Non VIC teams should also stay for a few weeks pre GF if they want. Train at the G etc.

I just don’t think virtually no travel pre finals is fair for a tenant team.

I think the pre-finals bye does it better, as it wipes out the fatigue or travel advantage that some teams might have based on their run home in terms of travel or easier opponents. Everyone should be starting the finals fresh.

 

[kranky al]

Was Hird even a good coach?

Shhhhh let the essentologists go around again with hird.

 

[doppleganger]

You have an easier run re travel. Not leaving Melbourne is a big advantage as we know how impactful travel is.

You do realise that for the majority of teams,.you are talking the difference between 9-10 short trips v 6-7 short trips spread across six months.

If travel was really impactful, Hawthorn wouldn't play games in Tassie, Gold Coast not in Darwin.

And travel just can't be an excuse re majority of GF performances, as teams spend all September sitting at home if they finish top 2.

WC in 2015, they left Perth just once after August 3rd (a single trip to Adelaide) before the GF on October 3rd. They effectively had 2 months at home before the GF...their opponents were traveling all finals.

Syd in 2024, they left NSW just once after August 5th, effectively 2 months at home prior to the GF....their opponents were traveling all finals.

 

[sr36]

You do realise that for the majority of teams,.you are talking the difference between 9-10 short trips v 6-7 short trips spread across six months.

If travel was really impactful, Hawthorn wouldn't play games in Tassie, Gold Coast not in Darwin.

And travel just can't be an excuse re majority of GF performances, as teams spend all September sitting at home if they finish top 2.

WC in 2015, they left Perth just once after August 3rd (a single trip to Adelaide) before the GF on October 3rd. They effectively had 2 months at home before the GF...their opponents were traveling all finals.

Syd in 2024, they left NSW just once after August 5th, effectively 2 months at home prior to the GF....their opponents were traveling all finals.

Yep. Heaps of the grand finalists it's the first travel in 5 or 6 weeks. Funnily enough Brisbane last year were an exception to that.

 

[doppleganger]

Well you can’t make it perfect, obviously. I mean going into 2026 you’d have MCG tenants that are good teams in Collingwood and Hawthorn play more at home initially then on the road on and off per week from about round 15.

Hawthorn play the same number of road games as Adelaide.

Last 10 games of the season, Hawks are 4 in Melbourne 6 away. Adelaide are 5 and 5, plus 4 of last 6 in Adelaide.

Hawthorn travel just as much as Adelaide.

If travel is your big issue, start grouping Hawks with Adelaide not teams like Essendon and Carlton.

 

[Broken_Chairs]

Gary Lyon, AFL 360:
"Melbourne won a premiership in adverse condition's away from home"

Round of applause for those brave hero's, imagine winning a premiership away from home...

 

[Senor M]

Gary Lyon, AFL 360:
"Melbourne won a premiership in adverse condition's away from home"

Round of applause for those brave hero's, imagine winning a premiership away from home...

Didn't your club threaten to forfeit games in they were forced to hub in Queensland for longer than a month?

Some clubs adapted well to COVID circumstances while others crumbled

 

[Broken_Chairs]

Didn't your club threaten to forfeit games in they were forced to hub in Queensland for longer than a month?

Some clubs adapted well to COVID circumstances while others crumbled

We also won premiership away from home, go figure

 

[Senor M]

We also won premiership away from home, go figure

So did Richmond, you're acting like its a hard thing to do.

But we both know that Gary was referring to the fact that Goodwin won a Premiership while on the road during COVID restrictions.

Only two clubs have done that before.

Where as the two seasons the Eagles had to prove that the MCG advantage is a big deal they choked in consecutive years.

 

[Freomaniac]

a big one is easier access to off-field talent.

If you're former player for west coast or Adelaide and you want to move into coaching, you either become an assistant coach for your old club (which is not always the best pathway for more learning), move to your arch rival (assuming a position is available) or you move interstate.

So if they move interstate, where are they most likely to go? one of the states with 2 AFL employers or the one with 10?

If a prospective coach is already in victoria, they have little incentive to leave as they 9 different clubs they join.

There is not a lot of options to address this unless he AFL was prepared to give non-vics clubs a higher soft cap. Which is never going to happen.


There's also more money in victoria outside of the salary caps with media gigs, commercial sponsorships, etc.

If a coach wants to move into the media after their coaching career, it's a lot easier to do that if they're already in victoria because that's where so much of the industry is based.

Players also have more options, Dusty Martin's manager has talked about Adelaide offering a bigger deal to him than richmond did, but part his rational for staying was that he would make more money by staying in victoria anyway because the greater commercial deals available.

My thoughts exactly.

Remember the dockers chasing after Travis Cloke back in 2012?

Cloke was offered a 4 or 5 year deal as free agent on 1 million dollars a year.

He opted to sign a 4 or 5 year deal to stay at Collingwood on a promise he will be assured a media job when his playing career was done.... Or so Caroline Wilson said

 

[RonnieRaven]

Just keep a watch on mro decisions leading in to final

 

[sr36]

Just keep a watch on mro decisions leading in to final

Are you referring to Sydney?

 

[RonnieRaven]

Are you referring to Sydney?

Have a theory can’t present until end of season when sufficient data collected

 

[doppleganger]

Are you referring to Sydney?

Sydney pulling injunctions to get big name players off suspension so they can play in GFs, that is just an accepted part of finals footy.

 

[Broken_Chairs]

So did Richmond, you're acting like its a hard thing to do.

But we both know that Gary was referring to the fact that Goodwin won a Premiership while on the road during COVID restrictions.

Only two clubs have done that before.

Where as the two seasons the Eagles had to prove that the MCG advantage is a big deal they choked in consecutive years.

Haha pls, winning a premiership away from home against a team who was also away from home, and also on the road. Yes well done.

Our Victorian saviours have proven once and for all that the MCG advantage is not a "big deal"

 

[go_the_dockers]

ROUND 24 FIXTURE

Thursday, August 21
Essendon v Carlton, MCG, 7.30pm AEST

Friday, August 22
Collingwood v Melbourne, MCG, 7.10pm AEST
Port Adelaide v Gold Coast, Adelaide Oval, 7.40pm ACST

Saturday, August 23
North Melbourne v Adelaide, Marvel Stadium, 1.20pm AEST
Richmond v Geelong, MCG, 4.15pm AEST
West Coast v Sydney, Optus Stadium, 5.35pm AWST

Sunday, August 24
GWS v St Kilda, Engie Stadium, 12.20pm AEST
Western Bulldogs v Fremantle, Marvel Stadium, 3.15pm AEST
Brisbane v Hawthorn, Gabba, 7.20pm AEST

Wednesday, August 27
Gold Coast v Essendon, People First Stadium, 7.20pm AEST

 

[VicBased]

You do realise that for the majority of teams,.you are talking the difference between 9-10 short trips v 6-7 short trips spread across six months.

If travel was really impactful, Hawthorn wouldn't play games in Tassie, Gold Coast not in Darwin.

And travel just can't be an excuse re majority of GF performances, as teams spend all September sitting at home if they finish top 2.

WC in 2015, they left Perth just once after August 3rd (a single trip to Adelaide) before the GF on October 3rd. They effectively had 2 months at home before the GF...their opponents were traveling all finals.

Syd in 2024, they left NSW just once after August 5th, effectively 2 months at home prior to the GF....their opponents were traveling all finals.

Well this post certainly highlights the MCG advantage when a rested Interstate team can't win against an MCG tenant.
Thanks for the support DG.

 

[Humblebob]

Haha pls, winning a premiership away from home against a team who was also away from home, and also on the road. Yes well done.

Our Victorian saviours have proven once and for all that the MCG advantage is not a "big deal"

He's talking about Covid and all it brought with it, but you know that already.

He's also a Melbourne nuffy and is paying tribute to his mate.

Disingenuous drama queens. Does playing the victim ever get old?

 

[powerrrrrrrrrrrr]

GC should have the R24 Thursday night game to get a maximum possible break going into the following Wednesday catchup game. Instead, we’re treated to another manufactured “traditional” season closer.

Why should the Bombers whose season is over, be afforded an extra days break leading into their replay match. The Suns should have been given that extra day to ensure the best possible lead up to finals where they are playing to a completely different schedule now compared to all other finalists.

Especially considering they have to travel for Rnd 24 while the bombers will be remaining in Vic across rnd 23/24.

Certainly wouldn’t happen in reverse if it was the Bombers heading into finals.

 

[Underarm]

Especially considering they have to travel for Rnd 24 while the bombers will be remaining in Vic across rnd 23/24.

So You want Gold Coast to play a Travel game off a 5 day break, before a 6 day break right before finals?

Which would then force Essendon to play a travel game off a 5 day break?

 

[go_the_dockers]

haha