Fixture 2023 Fixture

[Bastyy]

Looks like both WA sides are away in Round 1, and both are home in Round 2. All thanks to Bastyy's mate Ed Sheeran booking out Optus Stadium on the 12th of March.

Not happy with this slander thrilla

 

[serial_thrilla]

Not happy with this slander thrilla

 

[freodog]

I hope so. I'm thinking about going over to Melbourne for the first round in 2023 but I thought we would be due to be at Optus the first round because we were away in the first round last year

 

[Bastyy]

I hope so. I'm thinking about going over to Melbourne for the first round in 2023 but I thought we would be due to be at Optus the first round because we were away in the first round last year

And the year before that.

And the year before that.

 

[Square Peg]

Anyway, the real 'grudge match' is going to be later in the year when Ross steps foot onto Optus, not us playing him away. It's no guarantee that will happen since we played adelaide round 1 last year and didn't get them again. But Saints twice next year is OK.

 

[greatgatsby]

Saints twice next year would be fine. Just take the 4 points and move on.

 

[mike91]

Elite? Haha, that's actually extremely pathetic

Round 2 at Optus makes complete sense, playing a "Grudge match" at Marvel is straight up stupid

 

[gaskin]

If both sides are away round 1 and home round 2, what is the bet there is a Derby round 3 to get the schedule back on track?

 

[Jezzitizle]

Apart from the bullshit of playing away AGAIN in round one, that is perfect. The Saints will take at least 8 -9 rounds to learn Lyon ball, best time to get them.

Hopefully Ross is rusty as a game day coach also.

You know he will be desperate for the win and the players will be desperate to impress him.

 

[freo1997]

Do not like it one bit tbh.

 

[BStaff17]

Haha what a waste.

Would have been better off in Perth in Round 2 in prime time then a Sunday twilight at Marvel in front of 15k people.

Btw anyone notice the 4 FTA games in round 1 all involve Victoria teams never change VFL.

 

[freodog]

Saints twice next year would be fine. Just take the 4 points and move on.

Nope I'll take 8 points

 

[Piggy Smalls]

Pretty easy start if we’re playing Ross Lyon in rd 1. He’s got to be at least 50

 

[Nothing]

Pretty easy start if we’re playing Ross Lyon in rd 1. He’s got to be at least 50

Surely even we can get score 100 against 1 (old) man.

 

[Bastyy]

It’ll probably be a leaky defence for the first few rounds at St Kilda so playing them early is great

 

[rgauci]

Finals? We played both of ours on Saturdays.

Our Friday night fixtures were North (R8), Richmond (R19) and Melbourne (R20).

Yeah, the floating fixture no doubt contributed to at least 2 of those 3, but I can't imagine the AFL letting go of that level of power in 2023. We deserve 1-2 Friday nights at the start of the season, but will have to prove ourselves for the remainder.

But how many were free to air? Certainly North wasn’t.

 

[serial_thrilla]

But how many were free to air? Certainly North wasn’t.

The other two were.

 

[MadMundy]

Apparently we play away Round 1 usually because West Coast request the first home game as "compensation" for us getting the ANZAC Weekend Len Hall game.

 

[King Huskii]

Apparently we play away Round 1 usually because West Coast request the first home game as "compensation" for us getting the ANZAC Weekend Len Hall game.

They sound like a minow club

 

[MadMundy]

They sound like a minow club

Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me but oh well, I don't really care whether we start home or away, it's not that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things. Just get the win.

 

[Quazar]

I think it is important having alternate Home & Away fixtures. For 4 years and the entire tenure of J-lo's coaching career we haven't started a season at home. You look at the fixture and ALL the away teams are interstate teams, Vic clubs get kissed on the dick so much in this comp.

That Adelaide fixture last year was a really difficult one.....we only just scraped away with a win by the smallest of margins...literally the point in what, retrospectively was great theatre, but not pleasant as a fan of either team in the moment. Last year alone we should have been fixtured a home Round 1.

I realise grumbling about it is fruitless, and so I've probably wasted however many minutes it takes to write this comment, but the AFL falsely promotes equalisation and fairness and pulls this stunt time after time....pretty sure many Vic teams don't have to travel much in the first 3 rounds, pretty sure Carlton didn't travel out of state once. We're always pushing sh** up a hill with this, it'll be amazing if we ever win it, no one can complain we didn't earn it!! Pretty sure Richmond got 7 fixtures in their home state in a row on route to Finals in 2019, vaguely recall BT or a commentator bringing it up...clearly that's not right, especially when that team is obviously going to be a contender. It's completely biased and we get sent to Tasmania when the likes of the Tigers, Essendon and St. Kilda barely do, we've had to play in the Northern Territory in the past etc......we get sent all over the damn place whilst these protected species don't...and I'm sick of it. Even if others won't say it or even think it, I do. And will.

It's a rort and although the fixture on paper is a winnable one for the club given where we're both at and ultimately that's what it will focus on, you can't disguise the fact this is crap and isn't advocating a competition set up for fairness...what are our kilometres travelled every year compared to Collingwood and Bulldogs, etc...?!?!

It's a p***take. It really is.

 

[Joao]

I'm always staggered as to how much people care about where the first game is. It might be different if I lived in Perth and wanted to go I suppose, but it hardly feels like it matters. Doubly so if you think you're a top 4 contender.

 

[ImperialPurple]

Ah well. Slid right into the ‘Who Cares Cup’ time slot from Round 1. Go Freo!

 

[Nothing]

Playing away week 1 means less condensed travel over the season.

 

[freo84]

We've requested to play round 1 away (the last few years) so we can align our Len Hall tribute match and the Starlight Purple Haze Foundation games. It has nothing to do with compensation for West Coast.

If we are good enough, then we should win anywhere. Fly in, take the 4 points, and fly out.