Analysis Can you make a 2020 Richmond fixture that would satisfy opposition fans?

Remove this Banner Ad

There’s a lot of inane chatter on the MB and social media about Richmond’s easy draw this year and how it gave us a soft run into the finals. The response from the AFL has been to mix up our fixture to give us late games interstate.
Now people are complaining that we have more games at the MCG and still have a run of games there mid season. I haven’t done any sums, but I think that because of our blockbuster games and games against co-tenants, there no way of making a fixture that would satisfy opposition fans, even if you tried.

To test this theory, I’d be interested to see the worst 22-game fixture you can devise for Richmond using the following parameters:
  • 22 game season with 11 home and 11 away games: name of opposition and ground
  • Don’t need to include time slots, just each round and one bye
  • Up to 2 home games can be at Etihad unless they are against another MCG co-tenant
  • Must play 3 of the 2019 top-six teams twice, 1 middle-six and 1 bottom-six twice as per AFL rules
  • Dreamtime at the G has to be included as it is an AFL staple, but you can dispense with the other regular blockbusters if you wish (the Carlton opening game is a dud and may go, and like Melbourne they are co-tenants anyway)
  • No effort to maximise television audience or attendance
 
Last edited:

Jack5

Cancelled
Richmond Tigers - Josh Gibcus Player Sponsor 2022 Richmond Tigers - Kamdyn McIntosh Player Sponsor 2022
Sep 15, 2017
929
3,442
AFL Club
Richmond
You've given them way too much credit for having sufficient maturity and / or intellect.

Anything where we don't win the flag is going to be ok with oppo.

Anything where we do - will not be ok.
 

Log in to remove this ad.

Coach_Required

Norm Smith Medallist
Feb 19, 2008
9,549
27,862
Perth
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
Liverpool & Boston Celtics
Easy

I would let Richmond finish the season off with the last 8 games at the G

* those salty opp fans.

I'd even make West Coast play in Tassie twice, Brisbane, Sydney, Geelong and Canberra. Play 3 times at Marvel (Essendon, Western Bulldogs & Saints) and twice at the G (Richmond & Collingwood only). They want to whinge how tough they have it travelling every second week, let them see how difficult the fixture could really be.
 
Last edited:
Sep 13, 2015
18,683
48,481
Hillary Step
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
76ers
We should travel as much as possible
So away games are WC, Freo, number 11, Port, Sydney, number 12, GC, Brisbane, Hawthorn (TAS), Norf (TAS), Geelong (SGRR)
Our home games should be against Vic teams as often as possible, but to maximise difficulty of double ups a couple must be against interstate teams. These will be at Docklands where possible.
Home games are WC (Dock), Number 12 (Dock), Geelong, WB, Hawthorn, Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon, Melbourne, St Kilda, Port (China)

That means 8 games at the G, 2 at Docklands, 1 in Geelong, 10 interstate and 1 in China. 11 games at full or near full disadvantage. 5 games with approx half advantage. 3-2-0 double ups (WCE, Geel, GWS, Haw, PORT). This is technically allowed, I’m not sure the AFL would ever do it, but the rest seems pretty unlikely too.

R1 - H MCG Carlton
R2 - A AO Number 11
R3 - H MCG WB
R4 - A SGRR Geelong
R5 - H MCG Melbourne
R6 - A GS Number 12
R7 - H DOCK WCE
R8 - A TAS Hawthorn
R9 - H MCG Essendon
R10 - H CHINA Port
BYE
R11 - A SCG Sydney
R12 - H MCG Collingwood
R13 - A TAS Norf
R14 - H MCG St Kilda
R15 - A MS GC
R16 - H MCG Geelong
R17 - A GABBA Brisbane
R18 - H MCG Hawthorn
R19 - A AO Port
R20 - H DOCK Number 12
R22 - A OS Fremantle
R23 - A OS WCE

Things to note
- never play the G consecutively
- only consecutive home games include China game
- early bye making us have a longer run into september
- last 2 weeks trips to Perth
- last 4 weeks all away from the G
 

Lsta062

Brownlow Medallist
Jul 15, 2014
21,432
41,125
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
Chelsea, LA Lakers, Western United
Round 1: Collingwood (MCG) A
Round 2: Carlton (MCG) H
Round 3: St Kilda (Marvel) A
Round 4: Adelaide (MCG) H
Round 5: West Coast (OS) A
Round 6: Melbourne (MCG) H
Round 7: GWS (GIANTS) A
Round 8: Brisbane (MCG) H
Round 9: Geelong (GMHBA) A
Round 10: Essendon (MCG) H
Round 11: Sydney (SCG) A
Round 12: North Melbourne (Bellerive Oval) A
Round 14: West Coast (MCG) H
Round 15: GWS (MCG) H
Round 16: Port Adelaide (Marvel) H
Round 17: Collingwood (MCG) H
Round 18: Gold Coast (Metricon) A
Round 19: Western Bulldogs (Marvel) H
Round 20: Adelaide (AO) A
Round 21: Carlton (MCG) A
Round 22: Hawthorn (MCG) H
Round 23: Fremantle (OS) A

There were slight alterations to the current fixture:
- 11 MCG games
- 3 Marvel games (2 as home team and 1 as away team)
- Travel interstate 6 times
- Brisbane play Richmond at the MCG for exposure
- Collingwood vs Richmond as opener and not Carlton
- Swap the GIANTS Stadium game with the MCG game against GWS to reduce the frequency of MCG games in a period
- Play North Melbourne in Tasmania and Geelong in Geelong

May not satisfy those that genuinely want to see us travel 8 times, but the others will probably like it apart from the fact that there are a couple of 4 week periods where we don’t travel.

EDIT: Spelling and grammar
 
Last edited:
People like AFL for all types of reasons. Since joining BF, I've come to believe that a good chunk of "AFL supporters" enjoy banter, s**t stirring and whinging much more than the actual sport. Nothing would please these trolls more than Richmond playing Gold Coast 22 times at the MCG then being knocked out of the finals by their team. Plenty on this board would react the same way if it happened to Geelong.

Personally, I wanted to play the other top 8 teams twice. I want to see just how good this team can be.

FWIW, Rohan Connolly has done an analysis of the fixture for many years. This year's found that the Eagles have the hardest draw in 2020 from any season that Connolly has analysed - https://footyology.com.au/afl-fixture-2020-finding-the-real-winners-losers/
 
Jan 13, 2005
18,896
48,637
The Hospital
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
Golden State, Daniel Rioli
There’s a lot of inane chatter on the MB and social media about Richmond’s easy draw this year and how it gave us a soft run into the finals. The response from the AFL has been to mix up our fixture to give us late games interstate.
Now people are complaining that we have more games at the MCG and still have a run of games there mid season. I haven’t done any sums, but I think that because of our blockbuster games and games against co-tenants, there no way of making a fixture that would satisfy opposition fans, even if you tried.

To test this theory, I’d be interested to see the worst 22-game fixture you can devise for Richmond using the following parameters:
  • 22 game season with 11 home and 11 away games: name of opposition and ground
  • Don’t need to include time slots, just each round and one bye
  • Up to 2 home games can be at Etihad unless they are against another MCG co-tenant
  • Must play 3 of the 2019 top-six teams twice, 1 middle-six and 1 bottom-six twice as per AFL rules
  • Dreamtime at the G has to be included as it is an AFL staple, but you can dispense with the other regular blockbusters if you wish (the Carlton opening game is a dud and may go, and like Melbourne they are co-tenants anyway)
  • No effort to maximise television audience or attendance
The best worst fixtures will be put up on the main board for general comment and analysis.


Round 1 Opposition Ground
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Round 9
Round 10
Round 11
BYE
Round 13
Round 14
Round 15
Round 16
Round 17
Round 18
Round 19
Round 20
Round 21
Round 22
Round 23

lol

Why bother? For this even to be possible the entire fixture has to be built around us for this to work. Which oppo fans would whinge about further.

then of course there is the hit to our revenue the AFL would be forced to compensate us for as part of equalisation. Not to mention the hit to other teams revenue because they wouldn’t be able to play us at the G as a home game.

with all that being paid out of the equalisation fund and us not paying tax in there will be less in the pot for Port, GC, GWS, Lions, StKilda, Dee, Norf and Dogs forcing these teams close to extinction.

And all this would be our fault and oppo fans would sook about teams folding, broadcast money going down etc...
 
Round 1: Carlton (Marvel)
Round 2: Collingwood (Adelaide Oval)
Round 3: St Kilda (Marvel)
Round 4: Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)
Round 5: West Coast (Optus)
Round 6: Melbourne (GABBA)
Round 7: GWS (GIANTS)
Round 8: Brisbane (GABBA)
Round 9: Geelong (GMHBA)
Round 10: Essendon (Optus)
Round 11: Sydney (SCG)
Round 12: North Melbourne (Bellerive Oval)
Round 14: West Coast (Optus)
Round 15: GWS (GIANTS)
Round 16: Port Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)
Round 17: Collingwood (China)
Round 18: Gold Coast (Metricon)
Round 19: Western Bulldogs (Marvel)
Round 20: Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)
Round 21: Carlton (The Moon)
Round 22: Hawthorn (UTAS)
Round 23: Fremantle (Optus)
 
Jul 3, 2008
10,927
19,323
eastern-most tiger in the nation
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
Abers
Don't read Twitter posts from whingers. Don't read oppo boards. Don't read the salt mine thread. And you'd be surprised how refreshing it is. I intend to follow the AFLW team a bit more. Watch local footy. RFC is on top by just about any measure. If we can't find something to enjoy from within our walls we aren't trying hard enough. Has training started yet?
 

Coach_Required

Norm Smith Medallist
Feb 19, 2008
9,549
27,862
Perth
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
Liverpool & Boston Celtics
Round 1: Collingwood (MCG) A
Round 2: Carlton (MCG) H
Round 3: St Kilda (Marvel) A
Round 4: Adelaide (MCG) H
Round 5: West Coast (OS) A
Round 6: Melbourne (MCG) H
Round 7: GWS (GIANTS) A
Round 8: Brisbane (MCG) H
Round 9: Geelong (GMHBA) A
Round 10: Essendon (MCG) H
Round 11: Sydney (SCG) A
Round 12: North Melbourne (Bellerive Oval) A
Round 14: West Coast (MCG) H
Round 15: GWS (MCG) H
Round 16: Port Adelaide (Marvel) H
Round 17: Collingwood (MCG) H
Round 18: Gold Coast (Metricon) A
Round 19: Western Bulldogs (Marvel) H
Round 20: Adelaide (AO) A
Round 21: Carlton (MCG) A
Round 22: Hawthorn (MCG) H
Round 23: Fremantle (OS) A

There were slight alterations to the current fixture:
- 11 MCG games
- 3 Marvel games (2 as home team and 1 as away team)
- Travel interstate 6 times
- Brisbane play Richmond at the MCG for exposure
- Collingwood vs Richmond as opener and not Carlton
- Swap the GIANTS Stadium game with the MCG game against GWS to reduce the frequency of MCG games in a period
- Play North Melbourne in Tasmania and Geelong in Geelong

May not satisfy those that genuinely want to see us travel 8 times, but the others will probably like it apart from the fact that there are a couple of 4 week periods where we don’t travel.

EDIT: Spelling and grammar

"What a s**t fixture you guys have 14 games in Melbourne" ...… #VICBIAS
 

GN272

All Australian
Dec 2, 2014
668
1,691
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
Jove de Tarragona (Castellers)
Maybe - play the season as normal -

IF and ONLY IF the Tigers make the finals, no matter where they finish in the top 8 - the are relegated to play from 8th spot. - and even then they'd whine.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

wart101

Norm Smith Medallist
Mar 18, 2006
6,838
7,915
Under the fridge
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
Portland FC
Round 1 A Port
Round 2 A Adelaide
Round 3 A Port
Round 4 A Adelaide
Round 5 A Port
Round 6 A Adelaide
Round 7 A Port
Round 8 A Adelaide
Round 9 A Port
Round 10 A Adelaide
Round 11 A Port
BYE
Round 13 A Adelaide
Round 14 A Port
Round 15 A Adelaide
Round 16 A Port
Round 17 A Adelaide
Round 18 A Port
Round 19 A Adelaide
Round 20 A Port
Round 21 A Adelaide
Round 22 A Port
Round 23 A Adelaide
 

BF Tiger

Norm Smith Medallist
Jun 5, 2007
9,739
22,081
9th
AFL Club
Richmond
Nothing would appease oppo supporters. If we played our last seven away from the MCG you’d only hear how that had hardened us and gave us too much confidence and belief so that playing on the MCG through September was like running downhill with a tailwind for us.
 

GoTigers2015

🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆2017🏆2019🏆2020🏆
Oct 27, 2014
16,763
117,421
AFL Club
Richmond
This would please opposition fans because they love to whinge and claim a moral premiership


Round 1: Carlton (MCG) H

Round 2: Collingwood (MCG) A
Round 3: Adelaide (AO) A
Round 4: St Kilda (Marvel) A
Round 5: Melbourne (MCG) H
Round 6: Brisbane (Gabba) A
Round 7: Hawthorn (MCG) A
Round 8 : GWS (GIANTS) A
Round 9: West Coast (MCG) H
Round 10: Essendon (MCG) H

Round 11: Sydney (SCG) A
Round 12: Gold Coast (Metricon) A
Round 13 Bye
Round 14: North Melbourne (MCG) H
Round 15: Collingwood (MCG) H
Round 16: Port Adelaide (MCG) H
Round 17: GWS (MCG) H

Round 18: Geelong (MCG) A
Round 19: Western Bulldogs (MCG) H
Round 20: Adelaide (MCG) H

Round 21: Carlton (MCG) A
Round 22: Essendon (MCG) A
Round 23: Fremantle (MCG) H
 

rmcq

????????????
Sep 6, 2017
1,331
4,851
AFL Club
Richmond
Round 1: Carlton (Marvel)
Round 2: Collingwood (Adelaide Oval)
Round 3: St Kilda (Marvel)
Round 4: Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)
Round 5: West Coast (Optus)
Round 6: Melbourne (GABBA)
Round 7: GWS (GIANTS)
Round 8: Brisbane (GABBA)
Round 9: Geelong (GMHBA)
Round 10: Essendon (Optus)
Round 11: Sydney (SCG)
Round 12: North Melbourne (Bellerive Oval)
Round 14: West Coast (Optus)
Round 15: GWS (GIANTS)
Round 16: Port Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)
Round 17: Collingwood (China)
Round 18: Gold Coast (Metricon)
Round 19: Western Bulldogs (Marvel)
Round 20: Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)
Round 21: Carlton (The Moon)
Round 22: Hawthorn (UTAS)
Round 23: Fremantle (Optus)
No good. We don’t play anyone better than us.
No games against teams that finished higher, and we even play against a team that finished 17 places lower than us.
Get real.
Here is the only fair fixture:

Rd 1: H Rich vs Rich VFL
Rd 2: A Rich VFL vs Rich
Etc.
 
R1 Carlton MCG Home
R2 Fremantle Optus Away
R3 Sydney Marvel Home
R4 Brisbane Gabba Away
R5 WCE MCG Home
R6 Melbourne MCG Away
R7 Saints Marvel Away
R8 Pies MCG Home
R9 GWS Giants Stadium Away
R10 Essendon MCG Away
R11 Port MCG Home
R12 Bye
R13 Bulldogs Marvel Away
R14 Gold Coast Marvel Home
R15 Adelaide AO Away
R16 North MCG Home
R17 Hawks MCG Away
R18 Bulldogs MCG Home
R19 Geelong GMHBA Away
R20 GWS MCG Home
R21 Brisbane MCG Home
R22 Melbourne MCG Home
R23 WCE Optus Away

Double ups: WCE Brisbane GWS Bulldogs Melbourne

12 MCG games - 9 home 3 away
5 Interstate trips
Away to Moe by the Sea
4 Marvel games - 2 home 2 away
 
Feb 14, 2014
4,974
12,115
AFL Club
Richmond
You can't make the opposition supporters happy at all. They can't handle the fact that we are a better team after being s**t for so long. They have to engage is such mind boggling levels of cognitive dissonance. They have their comfort zone of Richmond being a joke and nothing short of industrial equipment will make them move out of it.

To be fair the amount of bullshit we get just reenforces the a world view that most people are stupid because they cant handle some else's 'tribe' being being better than theirs. There is only one Premier that I put an asterisk over in the last 10 years and that is the dogs. Reason for that is I genuinely believe there was outside influence against Sydney from the umpires in that game.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Back