News 2024 AFL Fixture Discussion & Questions

[Colonial]

SMH article on the opening round - How the NRL’s Vegas gamble has given a huge free kick to the AFL

Overall, article for opening round seems positive for all northern clubs, with all games bar one quoted in the article potentially appearing as a sellout. Would be good to get out of 4 sellouts.

Summary, focusing mainly on the Giants:

• Giants expect the game to be a sellout
• Giants tickets expected to sellout about a week before the game
• Minimal NRL presence that weekend although Giants game follows an NRL game (Parramatta v Bulldogs) up the road, starting 20 minutes later
• Giants expect to exceed their record home crowd outside a derby or final of 15,751 against West Coast, and could push their best home attendance at Giants Stadium of 21,924 against the Swans in 2017
• AFL to see how opening round fared before considering a repeat for 2025
• AFL will provide an official update on ticket sales next week

Sounding promising so far, fingers crossed.

Great news.
And from what the membership team has said they have grown as well, more numbers and more of our members upgrading to bigger memberships.
I’m, to be honest, more interested though in how the tickets go for round 1 against Norf.

 

[Giant YoYo]

And from what the membership team has said they have grown as well

Good news. Did they mention any rough numbers by any chance? I imagine they'll do an update soon.

more numbers and more of our members upgrading to bigger memberships.

Good to hear and happy to have helped with that

I’m, to be honest, more interested thughin how the tickets go for round 1 against Norf.

Happy to be wrong, I reckon we could get decent numbers as spillover from the previous week depending on the show we put on the previous week.

I know it's not a club that traditionally draws in our bigger crowds at Giants stadium. It is our last home game for 8 weeks, hope they promote it well (that the game is on the following week, not that there's no home games for 8 weeks, lol).

 

[Colonial]

Good news. Did they mention any rough numbers by any chance? I imagine they'll do an update soon.

Nah they never do.

Good to hear and happy to have helped with that

Good job, wished I still lived in Sydney to help there too.

Happy to be wrong, I reckon we could get decent numbers as spillover from the previous week depending on the show we put on the previous week.

Club deserves the support. Despite some stuff up decisions that have been made over the years we have a great club who care and there are more than enough Aussie Rules fans in Western Sydney to fill Giants Stadium week in week out.

I know it's not a club that traditionally draws in our bigger crowds at Giants stadium. It is our last home game for 8 weeks, hope they promote it well (that the game is on the following week, not that there's no home games for 8 weeks, lol).

Fingers crossed.

 

[MelbourneGWS]

Giants members with Giants stadium access entitlements will have access to this game per their membership entitlement.

Outside of that, sorry, I can't say I've seen any information from the club detailing free entry for non-Giants stadium access Giants members (if that's what you were referring to, apologies if not), could well be the case.

I'd suggest contacting the membership team to confirm.

I do know they're doing special members pricing as they're trying to get as many Giants members to the game (when I spoke to them late last year).

Goodluck, hope you make it to the game!

Thank you for your response- will contact the membership team Monday

 

[Giant YoYo]

Saw a Giant digital billboard for the opening round heading onto the Great Western Motorway/M4 from Parramatta /Woodville road intersection yesterday.

Good to see some marketing for the opening round out and about.

 

[Giant YoYo]

Non Giants but given early indications so far on the opening round, won't be surprised if Giants also push for opening round for the coming years.

Swans President, Andrew Pridham would like to see opening round matches in Sydney become a permanent fixture.

'More fans than Collingwood': Swans boss pokes Pies

'I genuinely believe it'

wwos.nine.com.au

"The excitement around having the 'opening round' in Sydney is something that's real," Pridham said.

"I'm not sure what's happening with the GWS-Collingwood match but I presume it will be a sell out and I'm pretty confident that our game against Melbourne at the SCG will sell out.

"I've been involved [with Sydney] for a long time and I can't remember a sell out in round one. Normally with the first game we play in Sydney, many of the fans don't even know the season has started."

As a result, Pridham would like to see 'opening round' matches in Sydney become a permanent fixture on the AFL's schedule.

"I think it's very important to have something throughout the season that's unique and special to a club," he said.

"So, I think if we could lock this in, it's certainly a major promotional source for the game [in Sydney]."

Speaking to issues plaguing the growth of AFL in New South Wales, Pridham highlighted the difference between the two states when it comes to attracting eyeballs.

"We're just the inverse of what happens in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth," he said.

"The reality is, AFL — in Melbourne in particular but also in those other markets — it promotes itself. It's covered extensively in the media.

"In Sydney, we're very much, in terms of the publicity, a long way behind the NRL and that's been a real challenge for us.

"The AFL has made some really good strides in terms of investment in promotion and I think having the opening round in Sydney — having Melbourne come play us and Collingwood play GWS — is a really important initiative."

 

[MelbourneGWS]

Non Giants but given early indications so far on the opening round, won't be surprised if Giants also push for opening round for the coming years.

Swans President, Andrew Pridham would like to see opening round matches in Sydney become a permanent fixture.

'More fans than Collingwood': Swans boss pokes Pies

'I genuinely believe it'

wwos.nine.com.au

I think it’s a great idea to have opening round matches for us and the swans as an ongoing fixture - but you know that the entitled Victorians will be against it. I hope the AFL Commission stands firm, as both the Swans and our matches look likely to be sold out

 

[Giant YoYo]

I think it’s a great idea to have opening round matches for us and the swans as an ongoing fixture - but you know that the entitled Victorians will be against it. I hope the AFL Commission stands firm, as both the Swans and our matches look likely to be sold out

Agree, I think the numbers will speak for themselves if the games are a full house and (hopefully) tip it in favour of having opening round in the coming years.

The round feels like an event and channel 7 tonight was advertising opening round. Hopefully viewership is decent too to backup the attendances.

If northern states couldn't get gather round, I think opening round is pretty good, particularly if we can get sellouts or near sellouts and grow from there. If successful and we have opening round again next year, hopefully introduces a bit of FOMO if tickets are due to sellout, then tickets could potentially sellout much earlier next year (as seen with gather round this year).

Stoked Canberra got an Anzac Day game, too. Wonder if Giants v Lions game will be showcased nationally on FTA, our home game on during a primetime slot.

I think with competing fixture priorities, I think we did well.

 

[3207]

It’s a long weekend here next weekend so quite a few going up to Sydney for the couple of games.

One Collingwood fan I know had to resort to asking a family member of a Pies player to ensure tickets so if that is true and tickets are becoming scarce could be a cracking crowd.

 

[Giant YoYo]

It’s a long weekend here next weekend so quite a few going up to Sydney for the couple of games.

One Collingwood fan I know had to resort to asking a family member of a Pies player to ensure tickets so if that is true and tickets are becoming scarce could be a cracking crowd.

My mate from Melbourne who is a Pies supporter is staying with me for the next two weeks and will be attending the game with 8 of us.

Ticketmaster keeps releasing tickets each day or so, they're going at a decent rate each day but wonder how many are left yet to be released as surely we must be nearing the end now.

 

[3207]

My mate from Melbourne who is a Pies supporter is staying with me for the next two weeks and will be attending the game with 8 of us.

Ticketmaster keeps releasing tickets each day or so, they're going at a decent rate each day but wonder how many are left yet to be released as surely we must be nearing the end now.

Hide the good cutlery.

 

[Simmofreo]

Hide the good cutlery.

Haha. And your Nanas false teeth


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Giant YoYo]

Non Giants but given early indications so far on the opening round, won't be surprised if Giants also push for opening round for the coming years.

Swans President, Andrew Pridham would like to see opening round matches in Sydney become a permanent fixture.

'More fans than Collingwood': Swans boss pokes Pies

'I genuinely believe it'

wwos.nine.com.au

It's happening, Giants to lobby the AFL commission next Thursday to make opening round permanent.

Swans were onboard for opening round to become permanent and now so are the Giants.

Giants v Collingwood game expected to sellout sometime next week, possibly as early as Monday.

 

[Powkid]

Checked remaining tickets for OR using the seat map on Ticketmaster, reckon there’s a bit over ~ 1000 left. Obviously they have blocked out our members bays, so if all members show up in good numbers, we could break the ground record.
Hoping media get on board next week in the lead up and after that other mob in Vegas have finished playing.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Colonial]

Checked remaining tickets for OR using the seat map on Ticketmaster, reckon there’s a bit over ~ 1000 left. Obviously they have blocked out our members bays, so if all members show up in good numbers, we could break the ground record.
Hoping media get on board next week in the lead up and after that other mob in Vegas have finished playing.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

The Home of Sport in Sydney SEN did two fifths in regard to our finals run last season, doubt they will do anything now unfortunately.

 

[Bjo187]

Checked remaining tickets for OR using the seat map on Ticketmaster, reckon there’s a bit over ~ 1000 left. Obviously they have blocked out our members bays, so if all members show up in good numbers, we could break the ground record.
Hoping media get on board next week in the lead up and after that other mob in Vegas have finished playing.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Interesting when I checked there looked to only be about 30 seats left, that was a couple of days ago, but maybe I was doing something wrong.

The Home of Sport in Sydney SEN did two fifths in regard to our finals run last season, doubt they will do anything now unfortunately.

I emailed hutchie about this on the sounding board last year, he had a sook saying how he'll answer it coz I'm having a bit of a crack at him and then basically lied through his teeth 'we do every giants and swans game live on sen for our Sydney audience' etc. His coverage is a disgrace, I wish more people texted and emailed the station, they basically folded to the leaguie bullies, the squeekiest wheel and all that.

I sometimes text sen 1170 saying there is a sport called afl, it's the biggest in the country, yet the so called sports entertainment network seems to have banned any mention of it.

I wish more people would do the same to be honest, hutchie in particular needs to be held accountable for being a turncoat.

Otherwise, looking forward to opening round

 

[Powkid]

Interesting when I checked there looked to only be about 30 seats left, that was a couple of days ago, but maybe I was doing something wrong.


I emailed hutchie about this on the sounding board last year, he had a sook saying how he'll answer it coz I'm having a bit of a crack at him and then basically lied through his teeth 'we do every giants and swans game live on sen for our Sydney audience' etc. His coverage is a disgrace, I wish more people texted and emailed the station, they basically folded to the leaguie bullies, the squeekiest wheel and all that.

I sometimes text sen 1170 saying there is a sport called afl, it's the biggest in the country, yet the so called sports entertainment network seems to have banned any mention of it.

I wish more people would do the same to be honest, hutchie in particular needs to be held accountable for being a turncoat.

Otherwise, looking forward to opening round

SEN VIC do 10 x more coverage on the Giants compared to SEN Sydney. That’s why I only listen the VIC station on their app whilst working from home.
But the negative is hearing the vic bias


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Bjo187]

SEN VIC do 10 x more coverage on the Giants compared to SEN Sydney. That’s why I only listen the VIC station on their app whilst working from home.
But the negative is hearing the vic bias


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Yep it's weird, yet sen Melbourne promotes storm heavily, especially considering the fact they are the 10th or 11th biggest football club in the state. It's almost like hutchie is another arm of news.corp

 

[sydney_gws]

My mate from Melbourne who is a Pies supporter is staying with me for the next two weeks and will be attending the game with 8 of us.

Ticketmaster keeps releasing tickets each day or so, they're going at a decent rate each day but wonder how many are left yet to be released as surely we must be nearing the end now.

Silly question, but so we need tickets for the Collingwood game , or can we just use membership in the day to enter the stadium.

 

[Giant YoYo]

Silly question, but so we need tickets for the Collingwood game , or can we just use membership in the day to enter the stadium.

If your membership has game day access entitlements at Giants stadium then yes you can use your membership. If not, get tickets by contacting the membership team which will likely be better priced than those for public purchase.

If your membership has unreserved seating you can contact the Giants to upgrade to reserved seating or buy guest passes.

 

[Giant YoYo]

It's happening, Giants to lobby the AFL commission next Thursday to make opening round permanent.

Swans were onboard for opening round to become permanent and now so are the Giants.

Giants v Collingwood game expected to sellout sometime next week, possibly as early as Monday.

Lions and Suns onboard to have opening round as a permanent fixture. All four games look to be sellouts and so northern clubs are keen to lock in opening round for 2025.

 

[Giant YoYo]

Andrew Dillon has a favourable view of the Giants attendance at Giants Stadium being able to grow and fill the stadium moving forward.

‘By any measure, we’re the No.1 sport’: AFL boss Dillon won’t concede to PVL

Andrew Dillon wants one million participants in his code across Australia by 2033, using $1 billion of investment. He believes Sydney is a key part of the puzzle.

www.smh.com.au

Filling Giants Stadium​

Spearheaded by star captain Toby Greene

4

Toby Greene

Age

30

Ht

182cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

22.7

5star

K

12.5

5star

HB

10.2

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

3.0

5star

G

1.2

4star

D

17.5

4star

K

9.5

4star

HB

8.0

4star

M

4.8

4star

T

1.0

2star

G

2.3

5star

D

26.6

5star

K

12.4

5star

HB

14.2

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

3.6

5star

G

0.0

1star

, GWS came within a point of reaching the grand final in a thrilling preliminary final against Collingwood last year.

The club also set a new membership record of 33,036, backed by often innovative social media content, but still often struggles to fill home games in Sydney. Dillon believes that the future remains bright for the Giants.

“On Saturday night, there’s over 20,000 [tickets sold], the Giants will basically sell out the three games they play in Canberra and their game against the Swans when they host the home derby will again be another close-to-sellout at Giants Stadium so almost half their games are at absolute capacity,” Dillon said.

“What we’ve got to do is work with the Giants on the remaining six home games that they have, and it’s fixturing, it’s marketing. They play an amazing brand of football, as they showed last year. So I think it’s a whole range of ingredients coming together.

“I’m really confident that the crowds at the Giants will continue to grow, you know, they’re only 12 years old as well and you sort of forget that. It’s a generational investment up there and their crowds on a Sydney scale are still pretty strong and I think they’ll get they’ll continue to get stronger.”

I think the last paragraph, in particular the last sentence, is good to keep in mind also.

 

[Colonial]

If Tassie, as a heartland, deserves a fulltime team then so does Western Sydney. Probably more so. Fulltime and ownership will build our club more.

Come at me my Capital brothers!!!!

 

[Bjo187]

Andrew Dillon has a favourable view of the Giants attendance at Giants Stadium being able to grow and fill the stadium moving forward.

‘By any measure, we’re the No.1 sport’: AFL boss Dillon won’t concede to PVL

Andrew Dillon wants one million participants in his code across Australia by 2033, using $1 billion of investment. He believes Sydney is a key part of the puzzle.

www.smh.com.au

I think the last paragraph, in particular the last sentence, is good to keep in mind also.

The Sydney morning Herald is the most AFL friendly paper in Sydney, their readers are a bit more switched on. You can tell by the comments section. You of course still get a few league trolls that seem to pop up everywhere sooking any time the AFL is mentioned in Sydney, but overall the readership isn't as dumb as dogshit like the telegraph.

Dillon is keen on western sydney unlike gill was, he tipped the giants for the gf too.

 

[3207]

The Sydney morning Herald is the most AFL friendly paper in Sydney, their readers are a bit more switched on. You can tell by the comments section. You of course still get a few league trolls that seem to pop up everywhere sooking any time the AFL is mentioned in Sydney, but overall the readership isn't as dumb as dogshit like the telegraph.

Dillon is keen on western sydney unlike gill was, he tipped the giants for the gf too.

Which is odd because the owner of the SMH is the owner of the FTA broadcast partner of the NRL.

You’d think that the SMH would be more invested in the NRL than the AFL