2017 Fixture Discussion

[Bradkli]

We are finally getting sent back to the end of the line.

It's going to be a tough few years. A 11-14 finish this year whilst we develop might be the best result.

Go hard at FA and try to do a Geelong

Agree 100%... Swans, GWS, Eagles, crows and dogs will be the same if not better. Saints, demons, dockers and bombers all a lot stronger. Throw in Port who are unknown and next year going to be very tough.
The development of Lovell, Stewart, Hardwick, burton, brand, litherland, hartung, heatherly will be absolutely crucial for the success of the club over the next 3 years. They all need to play 10+ games next season.

 

[The Lemon]

They all need to play 10+ games next season.

Definitely. There is no point in winning junk games and finishing 8-10.

If we are going to drop, the drop needs to be with the blooding of lots of kids.

 

[Hotham Hawk]

At first glance I don't mind next year's fixture. Would have been nice to have our home game against the dogs at the MCG but what can you do.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Seriously, we need to blood kids and our draw is brutal.

That draw is anything but brutal. Only have to play the rebuilding sides once (St Kilda, Melbourne). Only have to play 3 sides from last year's top 8 twice. 6 day breaks honestly don't matter that much in the modern game. Only one trip to Perth. Only one game against the Bulldogs and GWS (who we get in Tassie). Could have been far, far worse than this.

 

[OhhhhhCyril]

Damn, so how many friday/sat night games for the season?

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Agree 100%... Swans, GWS, Eagles, crows and dogs will be the same if not better. Saints, demons, dockers and bombers all a lot stronger. Throw in Port who are unknown and next year going to be very tough.
The development of Lovell, Stewart, Hardwick, burton, brand, litherland, hartung, heatherly will be absolutely crucial for the success of the club over the next 3 years. They all need to play 10+ games next season.

Of the teams you mentioned - we only have to play two of them twice.

Port have gone backwards. Freo will be a myth as always. West Coast we have at home. Bombers we have in their first week back. GWS we get in Tassie where we have a pretty intimidating record. I honestly don't see what we have to fear from this draw.

 

[burger09]

I think its a very good draw.

Am i the first person to ever say that.

Sure as hell isn't as bad as the days when we had to play the top 7 seven teams in the first 7 rounds.

 

[kirbatron]

Fixture is fine... probably a touch harder than last year but that's more indicative of the strength of this new side & transition period we are embarking on.

 

[Spanish Sahara]

Saints absolutely kissed on the dick

How so?

Their double up games are against Melbourne, Swans, West Coast, North and Richmond. Tigers and North the only easy beats from that. Similar to us with GC and Pies

 

[MightyHawks]

Don't like
2 sets of back-to-back 6 day breaks
Playing West Coast on a 6 day break when they've had a 10 day break
Playing Port in Adelaide on back-to-back 6 day breaks when they've had a bye and a 7 day break to lead in
Home match v Bulldogs at Etihad
Only 4 Thursday/Friday night matches

Do like
GWS and Bulldogs once each
No GWS in Sydney
11 games at the MCG
3 Home matches at the MCG in the first 5 rounds - good financially for the club
The 4 Home games in Tassie is the most attractive set of games we've had there in years
Cats, Pies, Crows, Eagles, Swans & Suns - is a reasonable set of home games - potential to average 60,000 to those games
In our last 6 matches, we play 4 teams that will most likely be out of the finals race (Freo, Rich, North, Carl) giving an opportunity for training loads etc if we are still in the mix for finals

 

[Tyrone Time]

At first glance I don't mind next year's fixture. Would have been nice to have our home game against the dogs at the MCG but what can you do.

But it's freekickhawthorn right?
These Dogs are really looked after!

 

[buddy2fernando]

Have us down for:
14 fairly confident wins. (Rounds 1,2,3,5,6,7,8,9,12,15,19,20,21,22)
6 50/50 games (4,10,11,16,17,18)
2 losses (14,23)

If we win half the 50/50 games that will take us to around 16 wins which I think should get us into the top 4.

 

[Hawkflag]

Of the teams you mentioned - we only have to play two of them twice.

Port have gone backwards. Freo will be a myth as always. West Coast we have at home. Bombers we have in their first week back. GWS we get in Tassie where we have a pretty intimidating record. I honestly don't see what we have to fear from this draw.

I second this. I think it's an ok draw

 

[bradburygold]

2 x etihad games in a row potentially with back to back 6 day break = good luck jom burgs and any other boys with sore knees

would like to see the giants game in person but we have a much better chance of beating them in tassie.

rnd 1 versus essendon becomes a must win, they will start fast with emotion hopefully wont mean much come foruth quarter.

will definitely need a fit JOM playing 19+ games to make top 4, but this year showed thats no longer a requirement to be a premiership side

 

[HairyO]

Our fixture is fine. No way anyone can use it as an excuse for onfield performance.

 

[Realist]

Nine friggin games interstate and only six home games at the MCG. Sounds like no value for money for reserve seat holders...again! This Tasmania deal continues to shaft the heart and soul Victorian members who want to go and watch their team play as often as they can.
Oh well, the "family club" has again shown this month that they care more about money than looking after their members.

 

[HolyRioli]

Fixture is fine, one of the better ones from over the last few years

Only single games against Bulldogs, Melbourne and GWS (the three teams that made us look most average last year), including GWS in Tassie, is pretty big. West Coast in Melbourne as well.

Most of the 6-day breaks couldn't have been avoided as they are heading into Thursday / Friday night games, so it's closer to 6.5 day breaks

 

[go you pups]

Gday guys

Just looking at our fixture, we have been pummeled with a stack of prime time FTA as an away side playing interstate regularly and against Geelong down the highway (GWS, Adelaide, Sydney, West Coast and Fremantle)

You guys regularly copped this also over the last couple of years, particularly as a Thursday night football bunny playing Adelaide/Port/Sydney etc, how did you guys cope from a fan perspective knowing you wouldn't be playing big games at the G every second week, then when you would be at home it'd be in Tassie against an interstater or at the G against a low drawer?

Our draw just seems to be a TV draw to me, not a lot of great games to go to as a home member.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Nine friggin games interstate and only six home games at the MCG. Sounds like no value for money for reserve seat holders...again! This Tasmania deal continues to shaft the heart and soul Victorian members who want to go and watch their team play as often as they can.
Oh well, the "family club" has again shown this month that they care more about money than looking after their members.

Yeah, this damn club just keeps not delivering for members!!

 

[A Cut Above]

Doggies' fixture includes only TWO games vs top 6 teams (lolwut?) along with double ups against Brisbane & Norf.

Compare that to the 'fixtures from hell' we've routinely copped as Reigning Premiers over the last few years, and suddenly the phenomenal free kick differential the Dogs received this year starts to explain itself. For whatever reason, the AFL seems very keen on seeing them succeed.

 

[onthemoney]

I wish the league would kill off Sunday 4:40pm games.

On the other hand though I would love a Thursday night game every week.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Gday guys

Just looking at our fixture, we have been pummeled with a stack of prime time FTA as an away side playing interstate regularly and against Geelong down the highway (GWS, Adelaide, Sydney, West Coast and Fremantle)

You guys regularly copped this also over the last couple of years, particularly as a Thursday night football bunny playing Adelaide/Port/Sydney etc, how did you guys cope from a fan perspective knowing you wouldn't be playing big games at the G every second week, then when you would be at home it'd be in Tassie against an interstater or at the G against a low drawer?

Some cope better than others. Personally I enjoy being a profitable club almost as much as I enjoy winning premierships - so the Tassie deal doesn't bother me in the slightest. I never want our club to be a financial basket case again.

I enjoy the Thursday games when we play away. If you win, you can relax for the entire weekend and just cheer for the teams you hate to lose. Plus if you win you get a day of bragging before the weekend even starts.

Just a shame we don't get to take you guys on at the MCG this year. If both teams were in the 8 in round 23 then you would expect that a game at the G could have potentially drawn 60-70,000.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Doggies' fixture includes only TWO games vs top 6 teams (lolwut?) along with double ups against Brisbane & Norf.

Compare that to the 'fixtures from hell' we've routinely copped as Reigning Premiers over the last few years, and suddenly the phenomenal free kick differential the Dogs received this year starts to explain itself. For whatever reason, the AFL seems very keen on seeing them succeed.

In fairness it is probably because they finished 7th. I think the draw system is based on regular season finish - not end of season finish. Crazy, I know.

 

[Mappa]

Easy to talk about the six-day breaks, because it makes us look hard done by, but I'm pretty sure it was Andrew Russell who said that six days was the right gap between a game. Also, hasn't been much discussion about the fact we have 4 x eight-day breaks, 2 x nine-day breaks and a ten-day break. The middle of the season goes:

Sydney (away)
6 days
Port (away)
8 days
Suns (home)
BYE (12 day break)
Crows (away)
10 days
Pies (home)
6 days
Inner Western Sydney (Tassie)

I don't think that's too bad

The longest we spend away from the MCG is two weeks, when we finish with one at the UTAS and two at Docklands

I'll call it a pass mark and some

 

[Hodgey 15]

Fairly ordinary fixture and fairly ordinary response from Stuart Fox.

Fox says even spread of games in Launceston.
Two in three weeks isn't an even spread by my reckoning.