Fixture 2026 Fixture

[fl4gd0n5]

That specific match-up has.

Ok. 40k is a good crowd for Marvel that’s probably why they scheduled it there.

 

[BrutThough]

Ok. 40k is a good crowd for Marvel that’s probably why they scheduled it there.

And it would get more at the MCG which is why it's frustrating it's not scheduled there.

 

[fl4gd0n5]

And it would get more at the MCG which is why it's frustrating it's not scheduled there.

Carlton’s MCG home games this year are Richmond, Melbourne, Collingwood, Geelong and Hawthorn. All bigger drawing games than St Kilda. Not sure what you want them to do. Reality is majority of games would be higher drawing at the MCG, because more people like the MCG.

 

[manicmagpie]

As an aside with Richmond and Hawthorn taking back seating from Collingwood in the Ponsford Stand I’m actually surprised Collingwood hasn’t lobbied to play away games against non MCG tenants to make up the 14 games and keep the seating in the Ponsford Stand. A Collingwood home game for North, St Kilda and the Dogs is far more important to those clubs than a Hawks or Tigers.

Yes, we don't play nearly enough games at the G against the Docklands tenants.

Outside of covid, we've only had 1 home game at the G against St Kilda in a decade, 2 against North, and 2 against the Bulldogs. We've had more home games at Docklands against each of them.

Given that we've made 60k the floor at the MCG for home games against non-Vic teams recently it would be interesting to see what we could do against Docklands tenants while we're in contention. We might have missed the boat though as we're due to fall back to the pack before too long.

 

[HongKongRoo]

While I have no love for the floating fixture, they could have convinced me of its value if they did not make a dog's breakfast of it last year. Putting dead rubbers and snore-fests on prime time was appalling. I'm genuinely convinced they have no idea wtf they are doing at AFL house, apart from taking the money...oh and possibly massive amounts of cocaine and hookers. Can we drug test the AFL management? Because their decision-making borders on incompetence.
Scrap opening round. Just everyone play FFS. Seriously I think the AFL is judging their success by how much anger they stir up, they are calling it "engagement". It's the same metric Trump is using. They don't care if they burn us along the way as long as people are posting about it on social media then it is successful.
Wildcard is a joke. They confirmed it is not a wildcard but a finals game. 7 and 8 are now screwed because of that, they have to play an extra cut-throat final. Only 1 team has ever won from 7th so realistically 7-10 know they are just there for the extra cash.

 

[BrutThough]

Carlton’s MCG home games this year are Richmond, Melbourne, Collingwood, Geelong and Hawthorn. All bigger drawing games than St Kilda. Not sure what you want them to do. Reality is majority of games would be higher drawing at the MCG, because more people like the MCG.

They could have easily played Melbourne at Marvel instead if you want an example of that they could have done from the games you've listed. They arent exactly a big club or high drawing team. Melbourne being an MCG tenant shouldn't give them more rights to play an away game there over someone else.

 

[doppleganger]

While DG conveniently forgets the amount of hours in comparison spent in the air, as usual.

Nobody is forgetting about geography.

AFL fixture is such that is has a negligible impact - usually weeks between games - teams only travel what 6-10 times across a six month period - except for Gold Coast, who also choose to travel the most of all clubs.

If post game travel impacted recovery and subsequent performance, WA teams would have a shit record at home (they don't) and teams like Hawthorn would not choose to play in Tassie.

Travel is just one small component of home ground advantage / away ground disadvantage.

But in typical WA fan style, they only focus on the small component they believe they are disadvantaged by.

 

[TimothyJ23]

Yes, we don't play nearly enough games at the G against the Docklands tenants.

Outside of covid, we've only had 1 home game at the G against St Kilda in a decade, 2 against North, and 2 against the Bulldogs. We've had more home games at Docklands against each of them.

Given that we've made 60k the floor at the MCG for home games against non-Vic teams recently it would be interesting to see what we could do against Docklands tenants while we're in contention. We might have missed the boat though as we're due to fall back to the pack before too long.

I don't really understand why we're required to play games at Marvel still. Our average home crowd is now 15-20k above its capacity, and there's a strong argument that it would be even higher without being forced to host games at Marvel.

(to be clear I have no issue playing away games v Dogs, North, Saints at Marvel though)

If we want to maximise AFL games at the G for all teams I think we need to look at the ridiculousness of forcing clubs like us, Richmond, Dees to host home games at Marvel.

 

[TimothyJ23]

Nobody is forgetting about geography.

AFL fixture is such that is has a negligible impact - usually weeks between games - teams only travel what 6-10 times across a six month period - except for Gold Coast, who also choose to travel the most of all clubs.

If post game travel impacted recovery and subsequent performance, WA teams would have a shit record at home (they don't) and teams like Hawthorn would not choose to play in Tassie.

Travel is just one small component of home ground advantage / away ground disadvantage.

But in typical WA fan style, they only focus on the small component they believe they are disadvantaged by.

Moreover, the general travel arrangements for all clubs don't change in a meaningful way year-to-year at the moment, but people still raise the same complaints every year for no good reason.

Everyone knows Collingwood will play 14 MCG games (contracted), 3 Marvel games, and the remainder interstate. That's how it is and how it has been for some time.

And if you look at the crowds we attract, you can see why. Play the biggest team and the biggest games at the biggest available ground. Simple stuff

 

[fl4gd0n5]

They could have easily played Melbourne at Marvel instead if you want an example of that they could have done from the games you've listed. They arent exactly a big club or high drawing team. Melbourne being an MCG tenant shouldn't give them more rights to play an away game there over someone else.

Yes, Melbourne are likely the least drawing game out of those five. However, not only is the Melbourne game a Sunday 3:15 (second most popular slot after Friday), the lowest that that game will get is probably 50-55k, if both Melbourne and Carlton start well it’ll get 70k+, which St Kilda won’t get on a Saturday night in May.

 

[Tom14]

I don't really understand why we're required to play games at Marvel still. Our average home crowd is now 15-20k above its capacity, and there's a strong argument that it would be even higher without being forced to host games at Marvel.

(to be clear I have no issue playing away games v Dogs, North, Saints at Marvel though)

If we want to maximise AFL games at the G for all teams I think we need to look at the ridiculousness of forcing clubs like us, Richmond, Dees to host home games at Marvel.

Isn’t it as simple as the AFL wanting to bank in a Collingwood home crowd at the ground they solely own?

 

[TimothyJ23]

Isn’t it as simple as the AFL wanting to bank in a Collingwood home crowd at the ground they solely own?

Surely 60-80k at MCG is worth more to the AFL than 35-45k at Marvel?

 

[Libbaaaa]

What is the logic behind the Bombers playing Freo at the MCG but the Lions at Marvel?

 

[TimothyJ23]

Yes, Melbourne are likely the least drawing game out of those five. However, not only is the Melbourne game a Sunday 3:15 (second most popular slot after Friday), the lowest that that game will get is probably 50-55k, if both Melbourne and Carlton start well it’ll get 70k+, which St Kilda won’t get on a Saturday night in May.

40k on a Saturday night this year. If Carlton are travelling poorly, sub 50k is easily possible. Add some shit weather and who knows

 

[fl4gd0n5]

What is the logic behind the Bombers playing Freo at the MCG but the Lions at Marvel?

Just the way the fixture lines up I guess. Fremantle may have needed another MCG game. Marvel games on Sat and Sun already in R9. They did have that match there in 2024.

Lions game also the week after Collingwood, which is a home game too. They may have asked to spread the MCG games out more.

 

[fl4gd0n5]

40k on a Saturday night this year. If Carlton are travelling poorly, sub 50k is easily possible. Add some shit weather and who knows

Other than ANZAC Day and the Grand Final, every attendance drops significantly due to poor weather.

I think a Sunday afternoon game in March is more likely to draw a bigger crowd than a Saturday night game in May. Eight rounds is a lot more time to start going poorly than three as well, where fan morale will still be high. That Carlton v Melbourne game last year was also a dead rubber in July. If both St Kilda and Carlton are travelling poorly by the round 8 game there will be less than 35k.

 

[Libbaaaa]

Just the way the fixture lines up I guess. Fremantle may have needed another MCG game. Marvel games on Sat and Sun already in R9. They did have that match there in 2024.

Lions game also the week after Collingwood, which is a home game too. They may have asked to spread the MCG games out more.

Just always been a pet peeve of mine in the past when say Collingwood would host the Dogs at Marvel but play the Eagles the G or something.

 

[boncer34]

That specific match-up has.

So has Carlton v Melbourne

 

[fl4gd0n5]

Just always been a pet peeve of mine in the past when say Collingwood would host the Dogs at Marvel but play the Eagles the G or something.

I think it depends on what other games you play at the MCG. Someone posted earlier but it seems as though they aim for 2/3 MCG games for teams who aren’t tenants.

Just looked up and found that Essendon and the Bulldogs haven’t played at the MCG since they opened Docklands. Last time was 1999. They were getting good crowds too, last two games were 67k and 55k.

They’ve actually only played at the MCG 10 times EVER. Two of those were Semi Finals in the 50’s as well.

 

[boncer34]

What is the logic behind the Bombers playing Freo at the MCG but the Lions at Marvel?

Gives Freo and Brisbane 2 games each at MCG

 

[BrutThough]

Yes, Melbourne are likely the least drawing game out of those five. However, not only is the Melbourne game a Sunday 3:15 (second most popular slot after Friday), the lowest that that game will get is probably 50-55k, if both Melbourne and Carlton start well it’ll get 70k+, which St Kilda won’t get on a Saturday night in May.

They got 40k at the MCG for their match-up this year so I dont think you can confidently say the lowest they will get is 50k.

 

[fl4gd0n5]

They got 40k at the MCG for their match-up this year so I dont think you can confidently say the lowest they will get is 50k.

Yeah for a dead rubber. Melbourne’s just a higher drawing team than St Kilda. I’d hate to think what the Carlton v Melbourne this game would’ve got if it was Melbourne v St Kilda. 25k? Less probably.

Maybe if St Kilda didn’t have games where they get 13k people there, the AFL would be more confident in giving them big games.

 

[Libbaaaa]

I think it depends on what other games you play at the MCG. Someone posted earlier but it seems as though they aim for 2/3 MCG games for teams who aren’t tenants.

Just looked up and found that Essendon and the Bulldogs haven’t played at the MCG since they opened Docklands. Last time was 1999. They were getting good crowds too, last two games were 67k and 55k.

They’ve actually only played at the MCG 10 times EVER. Two of those were Semi Finals in the 50’s as well.

That is pretty crazy, would get 60k there I would think for Easter Sunday even this year if it was moved there.

I went to the game in 1993 when Derek Kickett kicked 8 goals!

 

[BrutThough]

Yeah for a dead rubber. Melbourne’s just a higher drawing team than St Kilda. I’d hate to think what the Carlton v Melbourne this game would’ve got if it was Melbourne v St Kilda. 25k? Less probably.

Maybe if St Kilda didn’t have games where they get 13k people there, the AFL would be more confident in giving them big games.

You're holding on real tight to one Gold Coast Sun 4:40pm crowd as some sort of justification about a game that is unrelated to that.

 

[doppleganger]

Moreover, the general travel arrangements for all clubs don't change in a meaningful way year-to-year at the moment, but people still raise the same complaints every year for no good reason.

You would think that people might actually look at H&A results and see which teams finish top4 the most.

A hint, it ain't teams playing heaps of games in Melbourne and not getting on planes (Carlton, Essendon, StK, WB, Richmond).

Everyone knows Collingwood will play 14 MCG games (contracted), 3 Marvel games, and the remainder interstate. That's how it is and how it has been for some time.

It used to be 14 MCH and 4 Etihad in late 2000s, but after GC and GWS came in the AFL got rid of the 2nd away Marvel game (again impacting teams like StK, NM, WB) and instead having Pies play an extra away game outside of VIC.

And if you look at the crowds we attract, you can see why. Play the biggest team and the biggest games at the biggest available ground. Simple stuff

Yep - ALL clubs want to play a home game against Collingwood.

And majority of Melbourne based teams want to play their home game against us at the G (ie StK.opening round, WB anniversary game, Essendon on ANZAC, etc.)

So makes sense we get 5 "away" games at the G each year.