Analysis 2016 AFL Fixture

[BlueandGoldforever]

Fixture looks ok, looks tough but not to tough. Happy with 3 games at the G. 6 day breaks are no issue as these are professional sportsman, it's an AFL myth.
Bye after round 23 is a disgrace though.

Six-day breaks are no myth. The clubs hates them as it gives players one less day to recover and one less day to prepare. They complain to the AFL about them all the time as both the Eagles and Dockers travel the most and it is the one continuing gripe they have with the fixture, along with Saturday night games.

If you think giving an AFL side who travels 60,000km a year one less day to recover eight times a year in a six-month season isn't a disadvantage over a Melbourne side who probably travels less than 10,000km than you don't anything about player management.

 

[Nuke Fremantle]

Freo got a pretty simple draw for being minor premier.

Doubles against GC, GWS, Bulldogs and Adelaide. The fixture is a joke.

 

[DanWCE]

I am more gutted that there is no obvious weekend to have a boys weekend in Melbourne - perhaps round 2 - though more towards the middle of the year is preferable

They all have away Friday night games - inc one in Hobart FFS

Hawks at the G or Dogs at Etihad appear the pick of the bunch. Im gonna try to catch the Hawks v Syd Fri night game at the G (hopefully I can get tickets!?) and then do beery stuff either side of that. Shame I cant catch a WCE game there though

 

[Magnum27]

I'm so glad it's the SCG as well, I absolutely hate ANZ.

Agreed , have done the trip to there, terrible.

Me and the wife are ticking off AFL grounds we've watched our team at, been waiting awhile to tick SCG off.

 

[Magnum27]

Hawks at the G or Dogs at Etihad appear the pick of the bunch. Im gonna try to catch the Hawks v Syd Fri night game at the G (hopefully I can get tickets!?) and then do beery stuff either side of that. Shame I cant catch a WCE game there though

You will have no issue with Friday night game in getting tickets.

 

[DanWCE]

Doubles against GC, GWS, Bulldogs and Adelaide. The fixture is a joke.

Dogs $2.25 at Etihad. I will cheer hard if they do the Dockers first up haha

 

[Beutbrute]

I don't mind the bye before finals. Considering our last home and away game is an away game I think it will be more beneficial for us, com pared to some sides that won't be doing much travelling in the lead up to the finals

 

[Magnum27]

Bye before finals doesn't phase me, it's the same for all teams. Piss poor if that is used as an excuse for a loss.

Plus who know's may help a player make a final if he gets a minor injury in the last rnd and is only out for a wekk.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Six-day breaks are no myth. The clubs hates them as it gives players one less day to recover and one less day to prepare. They complain to the AFL about them all the time as both the Eagles and Dockers travel the most and it is the one continuing gripe they have with the fixture, along with Saturday night games.

If you think giving an AFL side who travels 60,000km a year one less day to recover eight times a year in a six-month season isn't a disadvantage over a Melbourne side who probably travels less than 10,000km than you don't anything about player management.

If you are good enough you win no matter the break. I have not looked at every other sides fixture but surely they all get 6 day breaks. And of course being in Perth both us and the Dockers will travel more than any other club, that is just a tired old saying. It will never ever change and actually can't change.
Maybe you have all the stats but is there any factual evidence that teams lose more than they win coming off a six day break? And if so what is the break down on bottom 8 sides compared to top 8 sides in those stats. My point comes back to if you are a good side you will still win. Player management is huge, for christ sake the players are bloody molycoddled. They are young men in their prime as athletes. If some media person had never mentioned 6 day breaks no supporter would even care or of noticed. Unless you play on the same day every weekend it is impossible to have 7 day breaks. Is there any science saying 7 days is the magical number of rest needed? or is it that 6 is just one less than 7? Maybe 5 is the magical number? or is it 8? 6 day breaks are not an excuse or reason for losing games of football.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Hawks at the G or Dogs at Etihad appear the pick of the bunch. Im gonna try to catch the Hawks v Syd Fri night game at the G (hopefully I can get tickets!?) and then do beery stuff either side of that. Shame I cant catch a WCE game there though

Rd 2 is a little early in the season (despite the weather being better)

The dogs game doesn't have a Friday night game in Melbourne

 

[Milenko]

Cant believe we dont have a game in Melb for Good Beer Week. Now Im just gonna have to drink beer!!

Not phased about 6 day breaks. Simmo is on record at highlighting those trips early and adjusting the load. We beat Richmond at the G off the back of 2 x 6 day breaks.

Forget the footy, just come for Good Beer Week anyway.

One of the highlights of the M-Town Calendar for mine!

 

[Here2tellyouwhy]

Draw is ok.
Lots of 6 days breaks is good compared to this year. **** I hated waiting untill 4pm Sunday for our game.

Two games in Adelaide is great for me too.
Next is the first night of the cricket with the pink ball.

 

[DanWCE]

Forget the footy, just come for Godd Beer Week anyway.

One of the highlights of the M-Town Calendar for mine!

Will do. Wed - Sun most likely. Sneak in plenty of mid week beers before the last weekend rush, plus a game. Flight home Sunday will be rough.

 

[Smeg Head]

Hawks at the G or Dogs at Etihad appear the pick of the bunch. Im gonna try to catch the Hawks v Syd Fri night game at the G (hopefully I can get tickets!?) and then do beery stuff either side of that. Shame I cant catch a WCE game there though

Yeah was hoping for a good round to go over to Melb and watch a couple of games, but we are shafted on that. The couple of later rounds we are there have no good options for other matches to watch and the Hawks one comes damn early.

 

[Play by Numbers]

Well if we want to win the premiership we have to deal with a strong draw, let's see if we are good enough.

Unless you are Hawthorn or Fremantle

 

[Play by Numbers]

Our draw is pretty spot on for a top 2 team

Hawks and Freo were no brainers
Brisbane gives us one easy side

Mix of home/away against tough opposition

If we want to win the flag - the draw shouldn't matter.

Yet the WBD and Hawks have surprisingly soft draws, and even Freo though they travel to the odd grounds

 

[matt_bas]

Just saw Geelongs draw! Wow lock in the top 4

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Just saw Geelongs draw! Wow lock in the top 4

By rights from where they finished - at worst they should perhaps have one extra double up against a top 4 team - say hawks.

The difference at the end of the year might be 4 points between their "soft draw" and a "fair draw"

If they finish top 4 - they will still deserve it

 

[Chris_6678]

Fine with the bye as it can give a chance to fringe players or a player coming back from injury to play in the WAFL leading up to the finals. I also think with playing 1 game over the last 5 weeks of the year at home went against by the time we got to the GF.

 

[Play by Numbers]

8 6 day breaks is probably punishment for getting mad about the FA compo

You can see who the AFL wants to do well though, WBD, Hawthorn, Geelong, Rich, whereas WC, NM and Adelaide get a trickier run

 

[MIKE85]

On this seasons form, I reckon 15-16 wins is possible.

I'm always optimistic in the off season, then come round 1 I'll go all ep2006

 

[ep2018]

Doubles against GC, GWS, Bulldogs and Adelaide. The fixture is a joke.

They are almost a lock for top 4 with that draw and the season hasn't even started yet.

 

[BlueandGoldforever]

If you are good enough you win no matter the break. I have not looked at every other sides fixture but surely they all get 6 day breaks. And of course being in Perth both us and the Dockers will travel more than any other club, that is just a tired old saying. It will never ever change and actually can't change.
Maybe you have all the stats but is there any factual evidence that teams lose more than they win coming off a six day break? And if so what is the break down on bottom 8 sides compared to top 8 sides in those stats. My point comes back to if you are a good side you will still win. Player management is huge, for christ sake the players are bloody molycoddled. They are young men in their prime as athletes. If some media person had never mentioned 6 day breaks no supporter would even care or of noticed. Unless you play on the same day every weekend it is impossible to have 7 day breaks. Is there any science saying 7 days is the magical number of rest needed? or is it that 6 is just one less than 7? Maybe 5 is the magical number? or is it 8? 6 day breaks are not an excuse or reason for losing games of football.

Of course it is to do with factual evidence. It has nothing to do with the media. One of the Rugby World Cup coaches was talking about the various studies that have been conducted which show that players need a seven-day break to recover from an 80-minute contact sport and that didn't even involve the travel aspect WA players face. Considering AFL it generally played for 120 minutes it is even more taxing.

All AFL clubs have done their own research and it is their biggest bugbear.

Of course it can contribute to a loss. You play a game at the Gabba in high humidity say 80% on the Saturday afternoon (or even twilight) and can't get a flight until Sunday morning. Your opponents, say Collingwood, play on a Saturday afternoon at the MCG in 15C.

By the time Eagles players get to Perth it is Sunday afternoon and have had four days and three nights in Brisbane. Collingwood players have slept in their own beds and travelled nowhere.

When they play on the Friday night Collingwood players have an advantage.

The odd six-day break is manageable but to ask an AFL club like West Coast to have eight six-day breaks over 22 rounds is taking the piss.

 

[boondy]

Not a great draw. It will do. Round 24 bye is going to be hell to get through.

Hopefully v8 supercars has sandown or phillip island that weekend

 

[Freight Train]

Not mad at the draw itself, but I think the amount of 6-day breaks is a bit excessive given we're one of the biggest travelers in the competition...