Extra Home Game For WA Teams

[Ocha905]

Afl website did a short debate on whether or not West Coast and Fremantle should have an extra home game to offset the massive amounts of travel they do in comparison to the other teams (in particular victorian teams that travel roughly 5 times a season).

At first I thought it was impossible logistically and was also an unfair benefit considering that the Dockers and Eagles have arguably the best home ground advantage but after some consideration believe it has merit considering the extra rigours on the WA players (shorter careers).

Doesn't seem like this problem will be addressed any time soon but it is an interesting debate none the less.

 

[Quivorir]

Its a 3 hour flight.

 

[Suma Magic]

It would be ridiculous. It would be unfair.

 

[Cmarsh]

Would Brisbane and GC get an extra home game too?

 

[clivenator26]

It's crazy off season talk.

Its a 3 hour flight.

It is 4 actually.

 

[Taylor]

Its a 3 hour flight.

It's a five hour window right after a match where recovery is put on hold, meanwhile the home team has ice bathed and massaged all before being asleep in bed.

The traveling team gets dehydrated and doesn't recover as well.

That goes both ways but if two clubs are doing it 12 times a season and the majority are doing it half as often the effect is obvious.

 

[cammo78]

So - who gets less home games to accommodate this?

 

[Moist Biscuit]

So - who gets less home games to accommodate this?

Carlton.

 

[Sttew]

Its one of those stupid, crazy ideas that will come back to bite us mere mortals on the eastern seaboard when WCE & Dockers become power-house clubs, or when Brisbane, Adelaide & Port claim an extra home game over, say, two seasons for the same reason.

 

[Taylor]

So - who gets less home games to accommodate this?

It would work with another WA team.

 

[harliquin]

They kind of already do. Guaranteed 2x Derbys a year.

 

[JUBJUB]

Would Brisbane and GC get an extra home game too?

and Sydney and GWS

 

[The_Eagles]

This always gets raised on talkback, most boring stupid discussion ever

We get a home ground advantage for East teams, it evens out

Just a bit stupid if wa teams always play in Launceston though

Shorter careers is still kinda speculation
Pavlich is doing okay

 

[Taylor]

It isn't even.

West Coast can be down 20 hours of recovery over a month on a team who hasn't left Melbourne for five weeks.

 

[Sttew]

It isn't even.

West Coast can be down 20 hours of recovery over a month on a team who hasn't left Melbourne for five weeks.

Source?

 

[Taylor]

Source?

Do I need to get Darren Burgess or Jason Weber to say that getting to the airport, flying and then getting from the airport costs recovery time?

I will look into it if you really need me to but having that weight behind it will probably sink any arguments against reducing air time for WA teams.

 

[MarkT2]

When a WA team is very good they have very good results. When they are poor they have poor results. Same for any other club.
For all the theories, there is no evidence that location has any impact on results over a year and into finals.

 

[Darcy 2 Fyfe]

Just stop sending us to Tasmania or a 1 in 100 year final in Geelong, dur

 

[Taylor]

When a WA team is very good they have very good results. When they are poor they have poor results. Same for any other club.
For all the theories, there is no evidence that location has any impact on results over a year and into finals.

Have a read of this:
http://www.exercisemed.org/research-blog/the-effects-of-flying-on.html

 

[carnthedons]

It's a five hour window right after a match where recovery is put on hold, meanwhile the home team has ice bathed and massaged all before being asleep in bed.

The traveling team gets dehydrated and doesn't recover as well.

That goes both ways but if two clubs are doing it 12 times a season and the majority are doing it half as often the effect is obvious.

So fly home after rehab. Fixed.

You get genuine home ground advantage in 10 of your 12 games in WA, Melbourne sides are playing against teams that play out of the same ground approx half their "home" games. It's swings and roundabouts.

 

[MarkT2]

Have a read of this:
http://www.exercisemed.org/research-blog/the-effects-of-flying-on.html

There is no evidence in the results. Whatever the biologic downside, results suggest it is overcome by the end of the week and over a season.
There is simply no evidence that location impacts an AFL teams results.

 

[Mr Eagle]

It is 4 actually.

And if you account for the inevitable trips to Brisbane, Tassie, etc. it could be 5 or more.

 

[Taylor]

So fly home after rehab. Fixed.

You get genuine home ground advantage in 10 of your 12 games in WA, Melbourne sides are playing against teams that play out of the same ground approx half their "home" games. It's swings and roundabouts.

So the WA teams should be required to spend an extra night in Melbourne? Sleeping away from home would be just as costly as not being able to run rehab, compromised rest and compromised recovery is a recipe for disaster.

Ideally they would just move the team to Melbourne. Flying every second week costs recovery, costs training time and costs games over a career.

 

[Upgrayedd]

So fly home after rehab. Fixed.

You get genuine home ground advantage in 10 of your 12 games in WA, Melbourne sides are playing against teams that play out of the same ground approx half their "home" games. It's swings and roundabouts.

Urg. Do they rent cheap motel rooms or something and go swimming and dodge the dead rats in the pool?

 

[Alberton]

The simple solution is to have 4 derbies, showdowns, Qclashes, battles of the bridge each year.

22 games per year, 4 derbies (etc) and 18 games against the other 16 clubs.

In the same vein Vic clubs in the top 8 play each other more often, Vic clubs in the bottom 10 play each other more often.

The draw isn't even or fair anyway, so why not.

Gives each of the non-Victorian clubs 2 more home games a year without upsetting the precious ones in the garden state.