2013 Fixture Discussion

[Toffee Lion]

What a joke.

We're the afterthought when it comes to fixtures, even losing our Easter Thursday match which we're contracted for.

I sure hope someone from the Lions speaks up about this.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Hopefully we can grab some Friday night blockbuster games to get some national exposure.

 

[____]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/149806/default.aspx

GRAND Finalists Hawthorn and the Sydney Swans will do battle twice during the 2013 premiership season.​

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The first contest has been scheduled for round seven at the MCG, while the teams will meet again at ANZ Stadium in round 23.​

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As has been the case in recent years, the last round of home and away matches will involve a floating fixture, with the games to be locked into slots midway through the season, once the probable finalists are known.​

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Port Adelaide will play at home in round 23. Depending on how the Power and Crows are placed, it could be the last AFL match at AAMI Stadium as the South Australian clubs will play their home matches at Adelaide Oval from 2014.​

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The increase in the Swans' profile, thanks to their stunning Grand Final victory over the Hawks, has been recognised with the AFL scheduling two Friday night games at the SCG next season.​

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The Swans will host Friday night games at the SCG against Geelong in round four and Carlton in round 14.​

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Next year's fixture, which will be released at the end of October, also features two Monday night games, with St Kilda to play Carlton at Etihad Stadium in round seven and West Coast hosting Richmond at Patersons Stadium in round 10.​

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The Eagles-Tigers match falls on a public holiday in Western Australia.​

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Another feature of the 2013 draw is four Thursday games.​

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The first will be the Carlton-Richmond contest at the MCG in round one.​

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The second and third will take place on ANZAC Day, with Essendon and Collingwood kicking things off with their traditional afternoon game at the MCG before St Kilda hosts the Swans at Westpac Stadium in the New Zealand city of Wellington.​

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It will be the first match for premiership points to be held outside Australia.​

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The final Thursday game will be a night clash between West Coast and Essendon at Patersons Stadium in round 14.​

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However, the odds of next year's Grand Final being played under lights have lengthened again after AFL boss Andrew Demetriou played down the likelihood of a change.​

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The success of the recent twilight preliminary final involving Hawthorn and Adelaide appeared to have swayed Demetriou towards supporting a later starting time for the decider.​

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But when he spoke at a press conference on Tuesday, he said: "We're contracted to play day Grand Finals for the next four years.​

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"I can't imagine anything will change on that front."​

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Still, Demetriou remains excited about the potential for more twilight finals matches.​

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"The twilight preliminary final seemed to be a huge success," Demetriou said.​

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"It was a great game and a nice night and we got to see a different mix of supporters going that night, particularly children, because they seemed to have finished a lot of their activities in time for the 5.15pm start.​

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"That got people thinking, including myself, about the what-ifs of a Grand Final in the twilight.​

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"We then had a Grand Final in the daytime and we fell in love with the day Grand Final again.​

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"It was a great game, so I don't imagine much is going to change."​

Article effectively confirms that the Lions will get no Thursday or Monday games.

 

[Cousin Jed]

"The 10 non-finalists from 2012 will all be scheduled to have a maximum of two return meetings with top eight sides from 2012."

How is that in any way revealing? When do sides ever play more than twice???

Would you prefer will only play up to 2 top 8 sides twice?

 

[dlanod]

More arvo/twilight home games and less night home games would be a perfect compromise for me.

Heh, "for you". Don't see the club agreeing unless you show up with 3,000 - 5,000 of your closest mates.

 

[joshhem]

Would you prefer will only play up to 2 top 8 sides twice?

Ahhh thanks. I understand now....

 

[dlanod]

This is going to make for a lot of finalist churn, and a lot of instability in the ladder...

 

[lionbear]

I swear the AFL now do the draw for the other 17 clubs, then we get the left over team each week.

Apparently the AFL want us to play Port Adelaide 20 times next year, then GC twice at Carrara.

 

[dlanod]

I swear the AFL now do the draw for the other 17 clubs, then we get the left over team each week.

Apparently the AFL want us to play Port Adelaide 20 times next year, then GC twice at Carrara.

I'd take that in a heartbeat.

 

[lionbear]

I'd take that in a heartbeat.

First undefeated team in AFL history, but the first team to be undefeated and have average crowds of less than 20,000.

 

[____]

I enjoy the GC game at Carrara. It's fun winning at another team's ground.

 

[Ironmonger]

This rule of limiting the games against top eight teams will probably work in our favour this season.

Of the five teams we play twice, no more than two will be from the top eight, one will be Gold Coast, and the rest will be from the other eight teams between 9-18.

The four teams that finished above us but out of the eight last season were Carlton, Essendon, Richmond and St Kilda: all popular Melbourne based teams that the AFL wouldn't be rushing to schedule games against ordinary interstate performers like ourselves.

So we probably won't get a terrible draw. I reckon we'll get to play at least one of Melbourne, Western, Port and GWS twice.

 

[Cousin Jed]

Going on past history and adding in Clark and Moloney - almost definitely Melbourne.

 

[dlanod]

Going on past history and adding in Clark and Moloney - almost definitely Melbourne.

Selling Joel MacDonald short?

 

[lionbear]

This rule of limiting the games against top eight teams will probably work in our favour this season.

Of the five teams we play twice, no more than two will be from the top eight, one will be Gold Coast, and the rest will be from the other eight teams between 9-18.

The four teams that finished above us but out of the eight last season were Carlton, Essendon, Richmond and St Kilda: all popular Melbourne based teams that the AFL wouldn't be rushing to schedule games against ordinary interstate performers like ourselves.

So we probably won't get a terrible draw. I reckon we'll get to play at least one of Melbourne, Western, Port and GWS twice.

Can't say at the moment this rule doesn't give us the best chance of making the 8. I think this new rule though does promote sides 9-12 being into finals contention, but also gives an unfair advantage to the team finishing 9th over 8th.

I wonder though if the AFL are doing this to promote GWS and Gold Coast into the finals ASAP?

 

[Harris Specter]

Would not mind if we had to play Melbourne Round 1 at all.
Although, now that they've got Dawes, Viney and another gun mid in the draft, this could be a danger game for us.
We need both Maguire and Merrett fit for this game IMO.
Melbourne have done well in recruiting so far, they're a danger next year.

 

[lionbear]

Would not mind if we had to play Melbourne Round 1 at all.
Although, now that they've got Dawes, Viney and another gun mid in the draft, this could be a danger game for us.
We need both Maguire and Merrett fit for this game IMO.
Melbourne have done well in recruiting so far, they're a danger next year.

We already started our game thread for round 1 and the draw isn't even out yet

 

[Fatcat08]

Would not mind if we had to play Melbourne Round 1 at all.
Although, now that they've got Dawes, Viney and another gun mid in the draft, this could be a danger game for us.
We need both Maguire and Merrett fit for this game IMO.
Melbourne have done well in recruiting so far, they're a danger next year.

Think you're selling how bad they were this year a bit short. Any mid drafted this year won't have that much of an effect. They will still struggle a bit next season especially early but should improve with another pre-season of learning a new game plan. Still think there is plenty of short term pain for them though.

 

[Cockliff38]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...time-blockbuster/story-e6frepf6-1226498121639

THE Brisbane Lions have demanded the AFL schedule a prime-time blockbuster at the Gabba next year as compensation for the club losing its traditional Easter Thursday fixture.

The Lions will be away in round 1 while the Gold Coast will start their season at home over Easter to give southeast Queensland one game in the opening round of the year.

Lions CEO Malcolm Holmes said "It (Easter Thursday) has traditionally been our biggest game of the year but the ground is unavailable so we have requested a stand-alone fixture against a high-drawing Victorian team to replace it," he said.

A Friday night clash with Collingwood is most likely to appease the Lions.

 

[____]

Hopefully this means we get GC away Rd 1. 1 in 9 chance of that happening, but rumours on the main board and the article are GWS will play Sydney Round 1, which will make it a 1 in 7 chance. Come on Vlad, make it happen.

 

[DaZorko]

Rounds 3,7,11,14,17,21 in Melbourne would be great, gives us Victorian fans a even spread.

 

[mikey127]

Looks like round 1 will be in Melbourne

 

[____]

Confirmed by AFL:
Adelaide v Essendon
Fremantle v West Coast
Geelong v Hawthorn
Carlton v Richmond

Strong rumours:
Sydney v GWS
Collingwood v Port

Of course we will be away Round 1, we could play either Gold Coast, Melbourne, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs or North Melbourne.

 

[____]

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2012/10/18/440050_gold-coast-afl.html

Gold Coast play St Kilda Round 1 according to this article and then play us in Round 3 at Carrara

First Lions related leak I can find.

The Suns will open their season at Metricon Stadium over the Easter long weekend with a clash against heavyweights St Kilda on March 30, compared to a match against Adelaide last year.
That will be followed by the QClash against Brisbane which has been brought forward to Round 3, giving the Suns two high-profile matches to open their season.

 

[Cousin Jed]

Confirmed Western Bulldogs Saturday afternoon at Etihad

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/149898/default.aspx