Adam Simpson meets with AFL to discuss the inequalities that interstate teams put up with

[TiggerMan22]

The Grand Final being played at the MCG year in despite an obvious home ground advantage to Victorian teams needs to be first on the agenda.

Amazing this flies under the radar in an ‘equalised’ competition.

I mean its also not equal the West Coasts home finals are almost always going to be an actual advantage unless they play Freo, while MCG home teams have a reasonable chance of playing another MCG tenant.

There will never be a comp thats completely even with no advantages. Its not possible unless every team had their own home ground spread out across Australia so every team has the same travel distance in a year, everyone only plays each other once and a grand final hosed at the higher ranked teams home.

 

[kickazz]

The GF discussion is worth having, just far more difficult and convoluted.

The three things you have identified could be solved next year if there was sufficient will.

Totally agree on the GF. Needs to be discussed and planned for. Just right now I feel it's a bit of an exercise in pissing into the wind.

The other three are simple JFDIs that would make some difference.

 

[dplggr47]

Already forgotten that they won the grand final?

Also its not like being an interstate teams is all negatives, clearly its harder to win a grand final since its always going to be away game for them, but they have an easier road to the grand final since there home games are legitimate home ground advantages unless they pay Freo. So theres at least some kind of balancing.
Compared to Vic team like Richmond who this year had 2 'home' games against other MCG tenants, so a harder road to the grand final but then an easier grand final.

Didn't Richmond have like 16 games at the MCG this year? And only had to travel 4 times. Some disadvantage.

 

[Sweet Jesus]

Already forgotten that they won the grand final?

Also its not like being an interstate teams is all negatives, clearly its harder to win a grand final since its always going to be away game for them, but they have an easier road to the grand final since there home games are legitimate home ground advantages unless they pay Freo. So theres at least some kind of balancing.
Compared to Vic team like Richmond who this year had 2 'home' games against other MCG tenants, so a harder road to the grand final but then an easier grand final.

As opposed to Richmond, who played 14 H&A games at the MCG this season, and are guaranteed to play there if they make the GF?

How did Richmond go interstate this year?

 

[jo172]

Why is that an issue? The 'fix'ture is a problem but not for that reason, unless Hawthorn are more likely to play those teams then to play other teams as home games.

Why don't Fremantle get to play Hawthorn at the MCG instead of York Park?

Particularly given Fremantle may (and has) had to play a GF against Hawthorn, at the G .

Why shouldn't Collingwood, who plays at the G 10 times a year ever have to make the trip to Launceston?

 

[Balls In]

Move Perth closer to Australia, problem fixed!

That little bit of land outside the Melbourne cbd is actually called Australia.

 

[Sttew]

Does Geelong have to do it disproportionately more than other clubs? If so that's a fair grievance.

No more than other non SA teams, but often 100% more than Adelaide would travel to Geelong in a season, i.e., Port & Crows

 

[smasha]

Gold Coast needs fans at their venue,players don’t like walking out to a half empty stadium when they know they could walk out to 90k down here.

The Suns fans need to start the ball rolling even if it means buying a 3 game membership.

Even the Titans struggle up there,they have lost a fav player from that team as well.

Time to stop cruising the malls and follow your teams.

 

[tonygeeks]

Minimum number of MCG games for all teams.
Away games at Hobart, Alice, etc to be shared equally amongst all teams.
Friday night games involving two quality non Vic teams.


Those are achievable things that should be strongly considered.

Travel and GF location - bit of a waste of time talking about it.

GF at the MCG is unfair but how could anyone want it anywhere else ?

Couple of MCG games a year isn't unrealistic is it ?

Would anyone be upset if we worked out the average km's travelled by an AFL player / staff member per year and anyone who does more than that gets a metered payout , it doesn't have to be huge dollar but at least something to ease the burden of travelling a bit


On iPad using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[jo172]

No more than other non SA teams, but often 100% more than Adelaide would travel to Geelong in a season, i.e., Port & Crows

Meanwhile Adelaide is proportionately more likely than Geelong to also have to go to Sydney, Perth, Tasmania, NT and Queensland the same season it goes to Geelong ...

 

[kaiserchief13]

It's funny everyone jumps to conclusion about what the discussion is about. Who knows specifics?

 

[TiggerMan22]

You seem to forget that our away games are genuine away games.

Its true, thats why its a balance. I would say Vics still have the advantage because no travel time, but its not all black and white.

Richmond played 16 games at the G including finals. Thats obviously great.
3 were full home ground advantages v interstate teams. 2 were against Vic teams that rarely play there. Remaining 11 games are close to neutral.

Eagles played 14 games at Optus including finals.
12 were full home ground advantages v interstate teams. 2 were neutral v Freo.

You have a better home game advantage, we have a better away game advantage.

 

[dplggr47]

Why don't Fremantle get to play Hawthorn at the MCG instead of York Park?

Particularly given Fremantle may (and has) had to play a GF against Hawthorn, at the G .

Why shouldn't Collingwood, who plays at the G 10 times a year ever have to make the trip to Launceston?

Collingwood's interstate trips have always been vs Sydney, both SA teams and one of WA/QLD. They rarely travel more than 4 times a year. The other big Vic clubs probably get the same treatment.

 

[TiggerMan22]

Why don't Fremantle get to play Hawthorn at the MCG instead of York Park?

Particularly given Fremantle may (and has) had to play a GF against Hawthorn, at the G .

Why shouldn't Collingwood, who plays at the G 10 times a year ever have to make the trip to Launceston?

Pies haven't even been down to Geelong since 1999, good luck getting them to Tasmania.

 

[Sweet Jesus]

It's funny everyone jumps to conclusion about what the discussion is about.

Maybe another club has lodged a complaint about how our fans' booing hurts their feelings?

 

[Tiger2709]

You seem to forget that our away games are genuine away games.

Yes but equally your home games hold a big advantage over an MCG tennants home games, you are also not required to play a home game at a different ground than your home which at times is the away teams home ground.

Swings and roundabouts really unless we can play each team twice home and away, you can never really get a fair fixture.
Although the AFLs preference for money over equality doesn't help either.

 

[jo172]

Pies haven't even been down to Geelong since 1999, good luck getting them to Tasmania.

Which is categorically insane.

 

[jo172]

Yes but equally your home games hold a big advantage over an MCG tennants home games, you are also not required to play a home game at a different ground than your home which at times is the away teams home ground.

Swings and roundabouts really unless we can play each team twice home and away, you can never really get a fair fixture.
Although the AFLs preference for money over equality doesn't help either.

Hardly a reason not to make the incremental improvements such as the one's being discussed though.

Hell, next year have Hawthorn play Richmond once, have that game in Tasmania and replace the Hawthorn v Richmond G game with Richmond playing Fremantle.

Everyone gets their 100% home ground advantage.

 

[WeeBlake]

You support a VICTORIAN club

Wonder what Adelaide supporters who live in Victoria think about it

I think it is ****ed

 

[Dazzler9]

Its true, thats why its a balance. I would say Vics still have the advantage because no travel time, but its not all black and white.

Richmond played 16 games at the G including finals. Thats obviously great.
3 were full home ground advantages v interstate teams. 2 were against Vic teams that rarely play there. Remaining 11 games are close to neutral.

Eagles played 14 games at Optus including finals.
12 were full home ground advantages v interstate teams. 2 were neutral v Freo.

You have a better home game advantage, we have a better away game advantage.

Yep, I totally agree that it all balances out.

But you did say that we have an easier road to the GF. That's not accurate. If we finish 2nd, then we have earned that advantage, sure. But if we finish 3rd, then it's a tough road to the GF. Whereas when you guys finished 3rd in 2017, you had a much easier road to the GF than we would have finishing 3rd.

But yes, these things balance out I think.

 

[Danger_zone]

You support a VICTORIAN club

Wonder what Adelaide supporters who live in Victoria think about it

I live in Melb and wholeheartedly support the Crows. Not unexpected for the media to focus on the Vic teams given it's Melb, but the people here lap up the narrative that is pushed. It really doesnt feel like a national comp, more like Vic vs the rest of Australia.

 

[quotemokc]

Eagles have the biggest home ground advantage of any team.

 

[mightymouse75]

Clarko gets to whinge to the AFL every other week, so why not?

And brad scott. Biggest whinger outside of england, who isnt a pom

 

[Hoops]

Why don't Fremantle get to play Hawthorn at the MCG instead of York Park?

Particularly given Fremantle may (and has) had to play a GF against Hawthorn, at the G .

Why shouldn't Collingwood, who plays at the G 10 times a year ever have to make the trip to Launceston?

That's my point in an earlier post. It's only an issue due to the fact that the GF is at the MCG.
Let's say the MCG is not the venue for the GF. The fact that Freo play at York Park and Pies at the MCG should be neither here nor there. Yes Hawthorn are harder to beat at York Park and Yes the extra travel is more brutal but that's Hawthorns choice.

But the Grand final is at the MCG and i would fully support Geelong playing their MCG games against interstate sides there (to get a feel for the ground) and against all Victorian sides at Kardinia Park as it would probably mean more wins for Geelong.

 

[Obeanie1]

Crows, West Coast etc aren't real clubs, they are franchises that lack character. Let them start their own wannabe NBA franchise league run how they want to they can stop whinging. Go back to VFL with muddy suburban grounds that had charm, with full forwards kicking a hundred goals a year and the Winners being the only football show on TV.

I fully understand as a Saints fan why you think this way.

As a national competition Saint Kilda pretty much makes up the numbers and helps win big TV rights deals.

As for character. Did you follow the Eagles highs and lows this year? Or even watch one of the best and closest come from behind GF's in years?

I guess you didn't.