Gather Round Feedback

[Back Pocket Rocket]

Why couldn’t Mel/Essendon be put on another ground. If you had tickets to AO you’d be postal over that scheduling.

Brisbane being the reigning premiership and put on a cow paddock? Surely blind Freddy before the season would think Syd and GC would be a good game too?

The schedule was diabolical. The SA sides have to play AO and they got those games perfect, the rest yikes

The schedule was fine. Suns and Swans don't bring any fans so The Parade was perfect. Same as Brisbane v North. As a local Hawk my favourite Gather Round game so far has been at The Parade v GWS.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

The schedule was fine. Suns and Swans don't bring any fans so The Parade was perfect. Same as Brisbane v North. As a local Hawk my favourite Gather Round game so far has been at The Parade v GWS.

Again, change the games around. Why couldn't Carlton play Brisbane for instance...and put that at AO. Why have Brisbane played North what is it nearly every year in Gather Round?

 

[Bay53]

Less repeat Gather round fixtures in future (Ess v Melb, Crows v Carl)

Brisbane need to play on Adelaide Oval

Less overlapping games (eg consider bringing back the early Friday game at Norwood)

Collingwood to play the Barossa / McLaren Vale fixture in the future to finally give them a taste of playing in smaller venues (when did they last play Kardinia Park) and maximise tourism revenue.

Completely agree about the Friday afternoon game. Two games in the first two days is not enough. I know the Friday afternoon game is probably not great for fans back in home markets, but for the festival it is great.

Collingwood are not going to play in a small venue. The SA govt are not going to put millions into this event and then exclude a big part of the highest supported team.

 

[Back Pocket Rocket]

Again, change the games around. Why couldn't Carlton play Brisbane for instance...and put that at AO. Why have Brisbane played North what is it nearly every year in Gather Round?

Can agree with that but who plays the crows then? Maybe Essendon and send Melbourne to play North to the Barossa

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Can agree with that but who plays the crows then? Maybe Essendon and send Melbourne to play North to the Barossa

Anyone, the Suns could would be a nice draw, or if you need a slightly bigger name the Cats. Just change it up. Your idea works fine too, though I'd be nervous putting Essendon on prime time right now (and yes I know they won). There's been too many repeat Gather round games for mine. Concept is good, just don't think the AFL are thinking about the quality on the field.

 

[Back Pocket Rocket]

Their thinking is purely crowds and $$$$

 

[PenfoldsFan]

Again, change the games around. Why couldn't Carlton play Brisbane for instance...and put that at AO. Why have Brisbane played North what is it nearly every year in Gather Round?

You may find that theres a degree of convenience factored into the scheduling too.
Like, if Brisbane and North play the same venue every year the fans that travel can rebook accommodation for next year locally.
People are creatures of habit, I know we go to the same short holiday locations every year which makes it easy/familiar to rebook as we leave.

 

[Bay53]

Anyone, the Suns could would be a nice draw, or if you need a slightly bigger name the Cats. Just change it up. Your idea works fine too, though I'd be nervous putting Essendon on prime time right now (and yes I know they won). There's been too many repeat Gather round games for mine. Concept is good, just don't think the AFL are thinking about the quality on the field.

Opening Gather Round with Adelaide v Brisbane would be massive.

There are a lot of variables with the fixturing but I am pretty sure Brisbane have played North 3 times, Essendon played Melbourne 3 times and Geelong played West Coast twice. All those fixtures should be on ice for Gather Round for the next 5 years.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Opening Gather Round with Adelaide v Brisbane would be massive.

There are a lot of variables with the fixturing but I am pretty sure Brisbane have played North 3 times, Essendon played Melbourne 3 times and Geelong played West Coast twice. All those fixtures should be on ice for Gather Round for the next 5 years.

Bingo. just change it up. Those 3 sides should not play each other in Gather Round for the next 3 years at least. No more repeats next year. I like the idea of Adelaide vs BL to start, good call

 

[M Malice]

Simple, just have it as a given that every Gather round the reigning Premiers play either the Crows or Port, that game is a sure fire sell out regardless of who won the flag.

If the reigning Premiers are Port or Crows then their opposition is whoever.

 

[OhhhhhCyril]

Gather round itself is awesome and I had a great time last time I went over for it.
As many have already said the fixture was really poor and a huge factor as why I didn't bother with it this year.

I don't know the exact answer but maybe have more of the bottom teams play each other and the better sides face off.

North / Brissy and WC / Geelong is a great example, could have easily swapped them - would have made for much better and more competitive games. St.kilda v Melbourne and Essendon / GWS would games like that would have made much more sense.

I know it can't be perfect, but the fixture needs a bit more respect, I was surprised that Adelaide v Hawthorn didn't open the round, a Semi replay would have been a great start.

 

[ItsAllAboutMe]

Good concept and seems like a lot of fun, personally think its unfair that this was the 2nd time Carlton have had to play Adelaide which effectively gives us an extra away game in the fixture, also seems a bit of an own goal to schedule one of the bigger fan bases to play the Crows who would fill the stadium regardless.

 

[Interstater]

A showdown in Gather Round would be pointless because why would you take away seats from the Crows and Port members?

But also this business of "it stops the SA sides from getting an extra home game" is completely false.

Currently the Crows and Port 13 games at the Adelaide Oval. The play 10 home games against teams that have to travel interstate to play them, one home and away showdown and a "neutral" Gather Round match.

Substitute the Gather Round to a showdown, and assuming you are not going to have 3 Showdowns a year, both clubs will still have 13 games at the Adelaide Oval except for one club the make up will be 11 games against teams that travel from interstate, an away Showdown and a "home" Showdown in Gather Round.

Doesn't make sense to me.

Ok the way I was looking at it is this:

If I'm in Victoria and bringing the kids over for a long weekend of footy I'd like to see:

• my team play (whoever that is) plus
• the Friday night game at AO,
• a game in the Barossa and
• a game at Norwood.

If I can also get tickets to be a neutral at a Showdown that's a huge win because I've heard how good these games are and with a 30/30/40 crowd mix that game would be pumping.

Just trying to see it from the Vic perspective.

Port and the Crows can alternate the home one each year, but as I said, the PB jumper issue needs resolving.

 

[The Terrible Thinker]

Ok the way I was looking at it is this:

If I'm in Victoria and bringing the kids over for a long weekend of footy I'd like to see:

• my team play (whoever that is) plus
• the Friday night game at AO,
• a game in the Barossa and
• a game at Norwood.

If I can also get tickets to be a neutral at a Showdown that's a huge win because I've heard how good these games are and with a 30/30/40 crowd mix that game would be pumping.

Just trying to see it from the Vic perspective.

Port and the Crows can alternate the home one each year, but as I said, the PB jumper issue needs resolving.

You realise that the competing club members has first access. Port & Crows members will gobble up the allocation leaving nothing behind for general access? The only thing this will achieve is an even 50/50 split for Port and Crows attendees.

 

[The Terrible Thinker]

9 games in 4 days on AO would be too much.
The investment in Lyndoch and potentially Mclaren Vale requires more than 1 game at each to be worthwhile.

I did the double header as a neutral in GR2 and to be honest, was a bit over it by half way through the 2nd qtr of game 2 and went home.

I felt a Sunday double header at AO was a missed opportunity to get another 40k+ attendance to the round.

Believe it or not, there was a state game of SANFL vs VFL mens & womens played at Glenelg Oval that no one attended which could have been played in that Sunday midday slot at AO. Just offer free entry to anyone who was sticky around Elder Park for the festivities.

 

[SC_Power]

A showdown in Gather Round would be pointless because why would you take away seats from the Crows and Port members?

But also this business of "it stops the SA sides from getting an extra home game" is completely false.

Currently the Crows and Port 13 games at the Adelaide Oval. The play 10 home games against teams that have to travel interstate to play them, one home and away showdown and a "neutral" Gather Round match.

Substitute the Gather Round to a showdown, and assuming you are not going to have 3 Showdowns a year, both clubs will still have 13 games at the Adelaide Oval except for one club the make up will be 11 games against teams that travel from interstate, an away Showdown and a "home" Showdown in Gather Round.

Doesn't make sense to me.

13 AO games, 11 home and 2 neutral. Equivalent to 12
Compared to a rolling 23 round fixture where we’d get 11 one year, 12 the next. Equivalent to 11.5.
Gather Round provides the two SA teams with an extra 0.5 game, at the expense of two other clubs who are down 0.5 game.
Rotate the 2 away teams each season for 8 seasons, and the disadvantage per team is less than 0.1 games per year.
And it all goes away if AFL bring a 20th team in, the schedule can be balanced to suit on the return fixture against the same opposition, where there’ll be no SA hosted game.

Now, about that Grand Final…..

 

[SC_Power]

Completely agree about the Friday afternoon game. Two games in the first two days is not enough. I know the Friday afternoon game is probably not great for fans back in home markets, but for the festival it is great.

Collingwood are not going to play in a small venue. The SA govt are not going to put millions into this event and then exclude a big part of the highest supported team.

Collingwood won’t even be scheduled at Kardinia Park, let alone The Parade.

 

[Bay53]

13 AO games, 11 home and 2 neutral. Equivalent to 12
Compared to a rolling 23 round fixture where we’d get 11 one year, 12 the next. Equivalent to 11.5.
Gather Round provides the two SA teams with an extra 0.5 game, at the expense of two other clubs who are down 0.5 game.
Rotate the 2 away teams each season for 8 seasons, and the disadvantage per team is less than 0.1 games per year.
And it all goes away if AFL bring a 20th team in, the schedule can be balanced to suit on the return fixture against the same opposition, where there’ll be no SA hosted game.

Now, about that Grand Final…..

The grand final (barring pandemics or other major disruptions) is not going to be played at a venue that holds half the capacity of the MCG.

End of.

 

[The Tilt]

Simple, just have it as a given that every Gather round the reigning Premiers play either the Crows or Port, that game is a sure fire sell out regardless of who won the flag.

If the reigning Premiers are Port or Crows then their opposition is whoever.

The Adelaide and Port games will sell out regardless of the who the opposition is - you don't need the reigning premier for this.

 

[Bay53]

The Adelaide and Port games will sell out regardless of the who the opposition is - you don't need the reigning premier for this.

agree, which is why they don't have to play Victorian clubs. Part of the attraction for fans coming from Vic is they can go to Gather Round and see games they would never normally see.

 

[The Tilt]

And it all goes away if AFL bring a 20th team in, the schedule can be balanced to suit on the return fixture against the same opposition, where there’ll be no SA hosted game.

Now, about that Grand Final…..

In theory the return fixture solution will come in to play with the move to 19 clubs (no need to wait for 20 teams). With Tasmania in, it's likely all teams will play 11 home, 11 away + 2 neutral games. You can then have crows/Port playing their second 'neutral' game against whoever they played in the SA Gather round (e.g. Port playing St Kilda at the Docklands).

 

[M Malice]

The Adelaide and Port games will sell out regardless of the who the opposition is - you don't need the reigning premier for this.

I was not particularly thinking about attendance, more about the Premiers not being sent to Oodnadatta in 2027.

 

[Bay53]

I was not particularly thinking about attendance, more about the Premiers not being sent to Oodnadatta in 2027.

Totally agree with that and the AFL basically admitted over the weekend they have stuffed that up.

 

[Aussie_boy]

Still think there should be more games at Adelaide Oval. I just don't think Norwood should get 2 games, I'd give them one and the state game. Other issue is the fixtures seem very similar every year, seems like North play Brisbane every year.

I'd personally go with something like:
Thursday opener- Crows or Port vs vic club
Friday double header Adelaide oval with an assortment of GWS, GC, Sydney, Freo, North, Melbourne, St Kilda etc.
Sat arvo- Adelaide oval
Sat twilight- Norwood game
Sat night- Adelaide oval
Sun lunchtime- Adelaide oval, state game at Norwood
Sunday mid afternoon- Mt Barker/ McLaren Vale/Barossa
Sunday night- Crows or Port vs vic club

 

[SC_Power]

In theory the return fixture solution will come in to play with the move to 19 clubs (no need to wait for 20 teams). With Tasmania in, it's likely all teams will play 11 home, 11 away + 2 neutral games. You can then have crows/Port playing their second 'neutral' game against whoever they played in the SA Gather round (e.g. Port playing St Kilda at the Docklands).

So moving to a 24 round fixture?