Fixture Future permanent fixture on ANZAC day: The Len Hall game

[Daddoo]

It's been floating around in the media, podcast, and video world this week that Freo will be approaching the AFL asking to make the Len Hall game a permanent fixture on ANZAC day after 53,000 rocked up on the weekend. After 28 years of playing the Len Hall game (which is one less than the Pies v Dons game), I think this is a no brainer for the AFL to agree to. But there's some things for us BF experts to discuss.

Do we play Adelaide every year or a different team? Or, does it always feature Freo and then rotate who we play? Why?

Do we always play it on ANZAC day even if it a Tuesday (2027), Thursday (2028), or other day of the week?

Should there be any additions to the opening ceremony or keep it as is? What's the best part?

If we always play Adelaide, it means WA, Vic, and SA all get a part in the celebration (since the vic team vs vic team doesn't do this). I personally agree with Glen Quartermain that Freo should be the star team and then it just rotates each year. But many others think it should always be the Crows. I totally understand why there's these entrenched match ups up and down the AFL fixture, but I think it's better for the game when there is some rotation to some of the games, especially when one team is down and the other up and about. Freo deserve to host, but we should play a different team each year.

Even though I'm not from Aus, the Len Hall game opening ceremony gives me goosebumps. It's incredible.

 

[Spirit Level]

I think we should push for the permanent game and having the recent Len Hall game on a Friday night beamed around the country was a great way to get the conversation started.

Rotate it between Adelaide and Port

 

[BStaff17]

I think we should push for the permanent game and having the recent Len Hall game on a Friday night beamed around the country was a great way to get the conversation started.

Rotate it between Adelaide and Port

Wont be Port Adelaide they are the ANZAC Round Host side in SA similar to us.

They have hosted it every year since 2004.

Western Bulldogs have played us a lot in these games i reckon there a fair chance.

 

[AstonSouffle]

Tbh there's something to be said that a big outside of Vic club should benefit as well from the national exposure... which tbh means when you really scan all the clubs - it seems like Adelaide is the only genuine option (maybe Tassie further down line once they come on board).

I exclude Brisbane and Sydney from this because the AFL has other mechanisms at play to get eyeballs on them, Port have their own ANZAC arrangement, West Coast is for derbies, and the Sun and GWS obviously not. so it almost seems quite fair that Freo get a marquee game and Adelaide also benefit and they build it accordingly.

 

[Taylor]

I would like it to be a regular team, be it Adelaide or Port, with a return fixture so we always play two games in Adelaide (excluding Gather Round) every fixture.

For travel.

 

[mightymouse75]

It won't happen.
But if it it did.
Pair us up with a club with a large Perth following.
North Melbourne?
Geelong?

 

[mightymouse75]

Then you would have a Melbourne club whining about the travel to Perth every year

 

[dont bowl there]

Conflicted about this, great exposure for the club and they deserve the fixture based on what they have done on this day in the past. BUT. The short breaks when the game lands on a Tuesday/Wednesday could hurt our chances the following week, would rather play the fixture when the date allows and leave the mid week game to the clubs that don't travel every second week. I want us to have every chance to win a flag and IMO this will hurt in those seasons.

 

[freo_leo29]

Conflicted about this, great exposure for the club and they deserve the fixture based on what they have done on this day in the past. BUT. The short breaks when the game lands on a Tuesday/Wednesday could hurt our chances the following week, would rather play the fixture when the date allows and leave the mid week game to the clubs that don't travel every second week. I want us to have every chance to win a flag and IMO this will hurt in those seasons.

AFL currently fixture Anzac eve v Anzac day clubs on years when the midweek thing is an issue

No reason we can't be included in that as there will be 6 clubs needing 3 games between them, it may even help their fixturing a little bit

 

[dont bowl there]

AFL currently fixture Anzac eve v Anzac day clubs on years when the midweek thing is an issue

No reason we can't be included in that as there will be 6 clubs needing 3 games between them, it may even help their fixturing a little bit

Yes they do, between 4 Victorian clubs that hardly travel. I want the club to be in the best possible position to win a flag and don’t think playing on a Tuesday/Wednesday helps that. It sucks but we would be better off trying to make Good Friday night a thing.

 

[Eski3]

Whateley was saying that they should rotate it between the Non-Vic teams every year. An extremely Vic central view but I don't mind the idea of it being the "Non-Victorian" recognition of Anzac Day

 

[largebus]

I'll play devils advocate and say I don't want us playing midweek if 25 April is on a Tuesday.
It's easier for Essendon and Collingwood who have a fraction of the travel to play on potential 5 day breaks.

 

[go_the_dockers]

I'll play devils advocate and say I don't want us playing midweek if 25 April is on a Tuesday.
It's easier for Essendon and Collingwood who have a fraction of the travel to play on potential 5 day breaks.

Tuesday is the worst day.

If it was Wednesday, ideally you both play Thursday or Friday the week before, and then it just a 5 or 6 day break following by a 8 or 9 day break.

If you both play Sunday, then you get a 9 day break before the game followed by another Sunday game after (5 day break).

I think the national exposure you get from the game, and the additional sponsorship the clubs and players could get would make it worth it.

I think you need to take the opportunities for national exposure, when you can. If you don't, they won't come back.

 

[TheLastCall]

I'll play devils advocate and say I don't want us playing midweek if 25 April is on a Tuesday.
It's easier for Essendon and Collingwood who have a fraction of the travel to play on potential 5 day breaks.

When Tas makes up the 19th team, they can use the buys creatively to extend a break.

 

[pK75]

When Tas makes up the 19th team, they can use the buys creatively to extend a break.

Good point, one team could have a bye the week before while the other the week after.

 

[Purple Suit]

Conflicted about this, great exposure for the club and they deserve the fixture based on what they have done on this day in the past. BUT. The short breaks when the game lands on a Tuesday/Wednesday could hurt our chances the following week, would rather play the fixture when the date allows and leave the mid week game to the clubs that don't travel every second week. I want us to have every chance to win a flag and IMO this will hurt in those seasons.

For it to work and become etched in stone, I think we need to do it every year as it will back up the Pies v Essendon game. A Tuesday or Wednesday game won't kill us and there will be more scope with 4 teams doing it to get similar 5 day break vs 5 day break.

It will cost us as much as a bad decision in the first quarter of a game. If you can't recover from that then you never deserved to win anyway.