Fixture North Melbourne vs Essendon on Good Friday

[TheGrizz]

The idea of a 100% 'fair' draw is a misnomer as there is too many moving parts (and money involved) for it to happen.

The closest we can get i believe is the current system that runs with the current 17 games and then the 5 in your bracket.

The catch is that the 17 games run on a 2 years cycle - that is that everyone hosts everyone else at least once over those 2 years.
If for example we hosted the lions at etihad next year then in 2020 the 'return 17' game would have to be in brisbane. And then alternate it accordingly for all clubs.

 

[pepsi]

With 9 teams sharing the same 2 home grounds, interstate clubs having to travel interstate every second match, matches being spread over 4 days each round and some teams having bigger breaks than others and some clubs selling home games for financial reasons, it is an impossibility to have an even fixture.

Not to say the afl couldn't go further to provide a fairer fixture. For example, Melbourne teams having an equal amount of interstate trips.

 

[Mr_McBoogerBalls]

It just makes sense. Everyone knows it. The AFL especially knows it. Would be a $$$$ cow!!!
Just need Kevin Sheedy to start a narrative on it and HERE, WE, GO!

The AFL is rigged, in-house private school networks perpetuate the incredibly biased ‘FIXture’.

 

[The Prosecutor]

Ok Boncer. Initially seemed challenging.. but in the end only took me about ten seconds because it turns out everyone plays each other twice!!!

Just saying that fair and lucrative aren’t mutually exclusive.

You could have 22 games and have it fair. Eg the last 5 could be actually drawn. Or could be based exclusively on ladder position.

Now go negotiate with the AFLPA, stadiums etc. and see how that goes.

 

[fairbump_playon]

Now go negotiate with the AFLPA, stadiums etc. and see how that goes.

geez i'm getting asked to do a lot of negotiating.
i'm in the design team... we just set the vision and principles and then the implementation team nuts it out!

 

[fishardansin]

Can't wait for this to be turned into the Essendon vs Carlton game next year.

Move it to the G. Guaranteed 80+ thousand every year.

I was thinking about Carlton in blockbusters just before. They don't really have any "official" ones, do they? I think we should have Essendon Carlton on Thursday night. Let the peasants like Norf and Doggies have the Friday evening game. Perhaps a bit of runoff from the tv fundraiser will bump up the ratings. Channel 7 could do all the filming at Docklands too so celebrity watchers could help fill out the stadium as well, not to mention promotion about the Friday game at our game vs Carlton. Perhaps it could run into a night game from Adelaide.

I'd like there to be a night game in Perth on Anzac day too. It would be great if there was a promo game between two Melbourne clubs who don't really sell out stadiums here, like Hawthorn, Melbourne, Doggies, Norf or Saints, in Aukland. The AFL should learn how to use its time zones to have an orgy of football on these big days. The time zones make it easy for TV and being in different cities means they don't interfere with each other's ticket sales.

The other thing about the Anzac day having three teams play like that is that for the week prior and after the game, Essendon and Collingwood could be playing teams who are in the exact same situation as us regards timing.

 

[boncer34]

geez i'm getting asked to do a lot of negotiating.
i'm in the design team... we just set the vision and principles and then the implementation team nuts it out!

And your solution is the best one in theory.

In reality it'd never work.

 

[yaco55]

And....one day we might all get a true ‘draw’. Where all teams play each other equally( either once or twice) and the fixture has no preferences for dates or timeslots but earned on merit that is known and equally achievable to all clubs, ie Premiers get top billing down to wooden spoon getting Sunday arvo’s. In other words totally incentivised on ladder position with no other external BS.

You do realise that for most of it's history, the VFL/AFL has come up with an unbalanced fixture - The only time teams have played each other twice was from 1969 to 1986.

 

[DERO]

There is no way the AFL will reduce the number of games to "even" up the draw. Think of the revenue that they would lose. Maybe if the finals somehow went for an extra three weeks and we had a best of 3 grand final and a massive hike to ticket prices to soften the blow.

Not gunna happen!

 

[fishardansin]

There still wouldn't be a draw because they will manage the fixture to ensure there are certain blockbusters, teams don't go to Perth two weeks in a row and there are adequate breaks between games.