Preview 2013 AFL fixture released

[Vdubs]

North weren't going to be an issue this year either, except for the fact they comprehensively outplayed us from start to finish. Yet another home and away loss that apparently didn't matter.

At the same time, why be afraid of Sydney? Last time we played them we thrashed them by 7 goals. Respect them yes - be scared of them? No way.

meatloaf! my thoughts exactly.

 

[SJ]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/150430/default.aspx

CLUB HIGHLIGHTS

• To kick off the season with an Easter Monday holiday clash against 2012 runner-up Hawthorn at the MCG.
• Will play seven home matches at Simonds Stadium, with the first scheduled post-redevelopment in round 10 against Gold Coast. It will be the first night match at the venue.
• One home match to be played at the MCG, a return encounter with Hawthorn in round 15.
• No consecutive travel at any stage of the home and away season, with the exception of rounds 11 and 13, having enjoyed the bye in round 12.
• Scheduled to play three of the 2012 finalists twice - the Sydney Swans, Hawthorn and North Melbourne.
• Will play 12 night matches, including three on Friday night against the Sydney Swans (round four), Essendon (round seven) and North Melbourne (round 19).

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/150430/default.aspx



RDDATEOPPONENTVENUEH/ALOCAL TIME
1 Monday, April 1 Hawthorn MCG Away 3.15pm
2 Sunday, April 7 North Melbourne Etihad Stadium Home 1.10pm
3 Saturday, April 13 Carlton Etihad Stadium Home 7.40pm
4 Friday, April 19 Sydney Swans SCG Away 7.50pm
5 Saturday, April 27 Western Bulldogs Etihad Stadium Away 7.40pm
6 Saturday, May 4 Richmond MCG Away 7.40pm
7 Friday, May 10 Essendon Etihad Stadium Home 7.50pm
8 Saturday, May 18 Collingwood MCG Away 7.40pm
9 Saturday, May 25 Port Adelaide AAMI Stadium Away 1.15pm
10 Saturday, June 1 Gold Coast SUNS Simonds Stadium Home 7.40pm
11 Saturday, June 8 GWS GIANTS Skoda Stadium Away 1.40pm
12 Bye
13 Sunday, June 23 Brisbane Lions Gabba Away 4.40pm
14 Saturday, June 29 Fremantle Simonds Stadium Home 7.40pm
15 Saturday, July 6 Hawthorn MCG Home 7.40pm
16 Saturday, July 13 Melbourne Simonds Stadium Home 2.10pm
17 Sunday, July 21 Adelaide Crows AAMI Stadium Away 2.45pm
18 Saturday, July 27 St Kilda Simonds Stadium Home 7.40pm
19 Friday, August 2 North Melbourne Etihad Stadium Away 7.50pm
20 Saturday, August 10 Port Adelaide Simonds Stadium Home 2.10pm
21 Saturday, August 17 West Coast Eagles Patersons Stadium Away 5.40pm
22 Saturday, August 24 Sydney Swans Simonds Stadium Home 4.40pm
23 TBC Brisbane Lions Simonds Stadium Home TBC

 

[Boxhead_31]

VERDICT
Tricky start, tasty run home. Geelong faces three straight six-day breaks between the first four rounds, with all matches against good opposition. And the Cats don't have a match at Simonds Stadium until round 10, due to the ground's redevelopment. But the pay-off is that the Cats get to play seven of their last 13 games at their hometown fortress, including the last two. For the first time, three matches at the ground will be played under lights. Return matches are against the Sydney Swans, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, the Brisbane Lions and Port Adelaide. There are six interstate trips.

CLUB HIGHLIGHTS

• To kick off the season with an Easter Monday holiday clash against 2012 runner-up Hawthorn at the MCG.
• Will play seven home matches at Simonds Stadium, with the first scheduled post-redevelopment in round 10 against Gold Coast. It will be the first night match at the venue.
• One home match to be played at the MCG, a return encounter with Hawthorn in round 15.
• No consecutive travel at any stage of the home and away season, with the exception of rounds 11 and 13, having enjoyed the bye in round 12.
• Scheduled to play three of the 2012 finalists twice - the Sydney Swans, Hawthorn and North Melbourne.
• Will play 12 night matches, including three on Friday night against the Sydney Swans (round four), Essendon (round seven) and North Melbourne (round 19).

 

[SJ]

St Kilda comes down the highway for the first time since 2004.

 

[muttweed]

AW YEAH SUCK ON THAT FREO!

FREO AT KP!

 

[cats23]

Wow,that was quick guys-I'm listening to the radio waiting for the announcement now

 

[Boxhead_31]

St Kilda comes down the highway for the first time since 2004.

Night game as well

 

[alfy!]

Wasn't there rumours that we had rounds 4-10 interstate? Nothing of the sort it seems. I'm pretty content with the fixture overall.

 

[muttweed]

Port, GC, GWS and the bye four weeks in a row. This is awesome.

 

[cats23]

3 night games at KP and a twilight one too, against some interesting opposition

 

[FredLeDeux]

2 trips to SA, but only 1 to WA.

 

[Boxhead_31]

Wasn't there rumours that we had rounds 4-10 interstate? Nothing of the sort it seems. I'm pretty content with the fixture overall.

Was a misinterpretation by people who hear Cook say we have 6 interstate games then 7 of last 13 at home. Some people took that to mean we play all our interstate games in the first block

 

[Senatorguesty]

Actually kinda happy with that fixture.
Hard start, have a very easy middle few rounds (Port, GC and GWS before the bye) and a really good run home.
The night games are exciting and I'm glad theres some decent competition for them and not bottom 4 sides.
If we start well enough we will come home HARD.
Bring on 2013!

 

[muttweed]

Adelaide x1 (AAMI)
Brisbane x2 (Gabba, Simonds)
Carlton x1 (Etihad)
Collingwood x1 (MCG)
Essendon x1 (Etihad)
Fremantle x1 (Simonds)
GC x1 (Simonds)
GWS x1 (Skoda)
Hawthorn x2 (MCG, MCG)
Melbourne x1 (Simonds)
North Melbourne x2 (Etihad, Etihad)
Port Adelaide x2 (AAMI, Simonds)
Richmond x1 (MCG)
St Kilda x1 (Simonds)
Sydney x2 (SCG, Simonds)
WB x1 (Etihad)
WC x1 (Pattersons)

Bold = games against top 8

I like this fixture.

 

[supahoops]

Could've been a lot worse

 

[witsend]

Apart from the first 4 rounds which are brutal and of our own making that looks like as soft a draw as we could expect.
Take a finals like intensity into Rds 1-4 off of what is (for us) an extended preseason and win 2-3 of 4 and we would be in very, very good shape for Top 4.
We play Hawthorn, North, Port, Brisbane and Sydney twice.
Freo at home and WC away.
Adelaide away
Very manageable imo.

 

[magic_johnson!]

Why are home games against both Carlton and Essendon being played at Etihad

 

[FredLeDeux]

Adelaide x1 (AAMI)
Brisbane x2 (Gabba, Simonds)
Carlton x1 (Etihad)
Collingwood x1 (MCG)
Essendon x1 (Etihad)
Fremantle x1 (Simonds)
GC x1 (Simonds)
GWS x1 (Skoda)
Hawthorn x2 (MCG, MCG)
Melbourne x1 (Simonds)
North Melbourne x2 (Etihad, Etihad)
Port Adelaide x2 (AAMI, Simonds)
Richmond x1 (MCG)
St Kilda x1 (Simonds)
Sydney x2 (SCG, Simonds)
WB x1 (Etihad)
WC x1 (Pattersons)

Bold = games against top 8

I like this fixture.

Couldn't really have asked for much fairer in who we play twice.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Apart from the first 4 rounds which are brutal and of our own making that looks like as soft a draw as we could expect.
Take a finals like intensity into Rds 1-4 off of what is (for us) an extended preseason and win 2-3 of 4 and we would be in very, very good shape for Top 4.
We play Hawthorn, North, Port, Brisbane and Sydney twice.
Freo at home and WC away.
Adelaide away
Very manageable imo.

How are the brutal first 19 days "of our own making"?

 

[Boxhead_31]

How are the brutal first 19 days "of our own making"?

Think it is taken as if we can get through the first 4 weeks in good shape it will make our season

 

[Senatorguesty]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/150430/default.aspx

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/150430/default.aspx



RDDATEOPPONENTVENUEH/ALOCAL TIME
1 Monday, April 1 Hawthorn MCG Away 3.15pm Win (of course)
2 Sunday, April 7 North Melbourne Etihad Stadium Home 1.10pm Win
3 Saturday, April 13 Carlton Etihad Stadium Home 7.40pm Win (dont lose to them here)
4 Friday, April 19 Sydney Swans SCG Away 7.50pm Lose
5 Saturday, April 27 Western Bulldogs Etihad Stadium Away 7.40pm Win
6 Saturday, May 4 Richmond MCG Away 7.40pm Lol Win
7 Friday, May 10 Essendon Etihad Stadium Home 7.50pm Win
8 Saturday, May 18 Collingwood MCG Away 7.40pm 50/50. Maybe worse.
9 Saturday, May 25 Port Adelaide AAMI Stadium Away 1.15pm Win
10 Saturday, June 1 Gold Coast SUNS Simonds Stadium Home 7.40pm Win
11 Saturday, June 8 GWS GIANTS Skoda Stadium Away 1.40pm Win
12 Bye
13 Sunday, June 23 Brisbane Lions Gabba Away 4.40pm 50/50 after the break, we dont tend to play that well after the bye
14 Saturday, June 29 Fremantle Simonds Stadium Home 7.40pm Likely win
15 Saturday, July 6 Hawthorn MCG Home 7.40pm Lol Win AGAIN
16 Saturday, July 13 Melbourne Simonds Stadium Home 2.10pm Win
17 Sunday, July 21 Adelaide Crows AAMI Stadium Away 2.45pm Lose
18 Saturday, July 27 St Kilda Simonds Stadium Home 7.40pm Win
19 Friday, August 2 North Melbourne Etihad Stadium Away 7.50pm Could be 50/50
20 Saturday, August 10 Port Adelaide Simonds Stadium Home 2.10pm Win
21 Saturday, August 17 West Coast Eagles Patersons Stadium Away 5.40pm Lose
22 Saturday, August 24 Sydney Swans Simonds Stadium Home 4.40pm 70/30 Win
23 TBC Brisbane Lions Simonds Stadium Home TBC Win

Am I being too optimistic?

 

[FredLeDeux]

Think it is taken as if we can get through the first 4 weeks in good shape it will make our season

Aahh, gotcha!

 

[FredLeDeux]

Am I being too optimistic?

Top 2, then, possibly top? No, fine by me.

 

[witsend]

How are the brutal first 19 days "of our own making"?

In that we can't play "at home" so scheduling is out of our control.

 

[rooie]

i think its a fantastic draw. really happy with it. need afl to update their ladder predictor already so i can have a play, but i think we are a chance at top 4 with that draw.