Odd Fixtures

[catstorm]

This might sound like a whinge but it's just something I noticed while having a look through the 2012 Schedule of games and saw that we are going to play both West Coast and Freo away this season. I thought to myself I'm sure we did that last season and yes we did.

So I have had a look at the fixtures from 2010, 2011, and 2012 and during that time we have/will play West Coast and Freo a total of 7 times ( Not including Finals) 6 of those games in Perth.

How could this happen it seems bizarre that there should be such a large discrepancy between Home and away games against the Perth based teams. Neither are ging to play a H and A game against Geelong in Victoria for two seasons that's just odd to say the least.

 

[bulletproof]

This really irks me, what a huge disadvantage. It would be odd, if the AFL based the draw on equality but as it is, the draw is based purely on maximising tv and crowd numbers. The Premier in Perth is always a huge tv game if the West sides are strong. Flip those games and you might flip the results, as they are our rivals for top 4 this is massive disadvantage.

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

Unrelated to fixtures, but I have noticed something odd about our four recent Grand Final appearances. Not once has the team worn blue shorts. Not once. Not even when we came first in 2007/2008.

 

[manboob]

This is a great stat whenever someone complains about us playing all those home games at Kardinia park!

 

[betchsta]

This is a great stat whenever someone complains about us playing all those home games at Kardinia park!

Yeah but remember we only dominate cause only the sh*t teams travel down to play us, we would never have been as good if we played the pies,saints,hawks down at skiilled over the years, According to other w***ers of course.

I saw a thread on the Collingwood board having a whinge saying Scott is overrated and they wont watch the Grand Final Recall on the 23rd of march cause the Geelong players are smug.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Unrelated to fixtures, but I have noticed something odd about our four recent Grand Final appearances. Not once has the team worn blue shorts. Not once. Not even when we came first in 2007/2008.

It's more than that. Forget grand finals, the last final of any kind we've worn blue shorts in has been the 2008 qualifying final against St Kilda, when Prismall did his knee. The time before that? The Nick Davis game. The time before that? The 1997 qualifying final that we lost to (the seventh placed) North Melbourne.

Since the 1994 grand final, we've played in 27 finals and worn blue shorts in three of those matches. I think it's partly just a by-product of the AFL in recent times trying to avoid clashes as much as possible. For example, it doesn't really make sense for us to play against Carlton, with Geelong wearing navy shorts and white jumpers and Carlton wearing the opposite. The other part may now be a bit of a traditional aspect that we are now recognised as wearing our all white strip for finals, similar to West Coast wearing their royal blue (away) jumper, even when they are playing at home. The other factors, that I personally think we look better in white shorts and the three finals where we've gone against the grain in fifteen years have all resulted in varying degrees of disappointment are also worth mentioning.

As for the draw, it's obviously something the WA teams, particularly Fremantle, request, as we haven't missed a fixture against the Dockers at Subiaco since 2005 and we've played against them before Anzac Day for the past three years. So it's probably a case of Fremantle saying they want a home game against us and then we say 'Fine, but we want it in the first month of the season.' It's more accentuated now, because both the Dockers and Eagles should be good this year, but to play them four times in two years and every time to be in WA is a bit strange. As long as we get the bulk of our travel out of the way before July (as we do this year), I don't have a problem with it.

The opposite is true for North Melbourne and is probably easier to recognise, because it's the only time we wear our clash jumper in the home and away season. This will be the first time we have to do so since 2008. Unless they're masochists, Melbourne would also not be too fond about their annual trip down the highway, which has been on the schedule every year since 2008 and continues in 2012.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

In Modern football and with a truly national competition, particulary now with 2 new interstate teams, Victorian clubs are going to have to travel more throughout the season, and i accept that.
In regards to playing in Perth every year i don't see it as a disadvantage at all, but rather a positive. Having been to both Perth and Adelaide, the Perth crowds are more parochial and it's almost like a finals type atmosphere, which can only hold the younger players in good stead for future finals games.
You look at the interstate sides, particulary Fremantle and West Coast and they travel twice as much as Victorian teams throughout the season where distances double again.
It's time to accept the circumstances as part of the modern game. Fixturing will never be about equality now that money rules our game which can only be a good thing with regards to our NRL counterparts as we keep plugging away into their markets and keeping our game at the forefront of Australian sport.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Having been to both Perth and Adelaide, the Perth crowds are more parochial and it's almost like a finals type atmosphere, which can only hold the younger players in good stead for future finals games.

It's time to accept the circumstances as part of the modern game. Fixturing will never be about equality now that money rules our game which can only be a good thing with regards to our NRL counterparts as we keep plugging away into their markets and keeping our game at the forefront of Australian sport.

I've never been to Subiaco, but the Fremantle games in particular, even on TV, have an amazing atmosphere.

Agree with your main point though. We'd all love the Cats to only play two interstate games a year, but if you can't win when you're on the road, you're a pretender. It's really as simple as that. Maybe you can sneak into the top four, but you'll eventually be found out, if you continually fail to beat good teams interstate, even if all your finals are at home. Those games are character tests for your team.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

I've never been to Subiaco, but the Fremantle games in particular, even on TV, have an amazing atmosphere.

Agree with your main point though. We'd all love the Cats to only play two interstate games a year, but if you can't win when you're on the road, you're a pretender. It's really as simple as that. Maybe you can sneak into the top four, but you'll eventually be found out, if you continually fail to beat good teams interstate, even if all your finals are at home. Those games are character tests for your team.

Exactly You have to be good enough to beat any side at any ground in order to be good enough to compete for a flag.

 

[YOTC]

I've never been to Subiaco, but the Fremantle games in particular, even on TV, have an amazing atmosphere.

It's an experience that's for sure.

 

[RogersResults]

Matches in W.A. 2008-2011 (Finals not included.)

Geelong       8 
Essendon      7 
Port Adelaide 7       
Hawthorn      6       
St Kilda      6       
Richmond      6       
WB/Footscray  6       
Nth Melbourne 6       
Carlton       5       
Adelaide      5       
Collingwood   4       
Brisbane      4       
Melbourne     4       
Sydney/SM     4

Matches in W.A. 1995-2011 (Finals not included.)

St Kilda      29       
Carlton       28       
Melbourne     27       
Geelong       25       
Port Adelaide 24       
Nth Melbourne 24       
Essendon      24       
Brisbane      24       
WB/Footscray  23       
Sydney/SM     23       
Richmond      23       
Adelaide      23       
Hawthorn      22 
Collingwood   16

 

[marshhhhh]

What an absolute joke with Collingwood only having played 16 games there in that time frame.

 

[mac_cat]

Unrelated to fixtures, but I have noticed something odd about our four recent Grand Final appearances. Not once has the team worn blue shorts. Not once. Not even when we came first in 2007/2008.

I thought I read somewhere that for the grand final, it's no longer the "home" (top) team that gets their home/dark shorts. Instead the AFL decides purely on visual aesthetics which colored shorts look best with which guernsey.

So with our blue and white hoops, obviously either white or dark shorts look fine, whereas Port, St Kilda and Collingwood all have predominantly darker colored tops, so got the black shorts.

I must admit I prefer the look of the dark shorts, but after our three GF wins in the white, I'm becoming reconciled to them as well

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

I thought I read somewhere that for the grand final, it's no longer the "home" (top) team that gets their home/dark shorts. Instead the AFL decides purely on visual aesthetics which colored shorts look best with which guernsey.

So with our blue and white hoops, obviously either white or dark shorts look fine, whereas Port, St Kilda and Collingwood all have predominantly darker colored tops, so got the black shorts.

I must admit I prefer the look of the dark shorts, but after our three GF wins in the white, I'm becoming reconciled to them as well

Geelong has been pretty mature with regards to the clash issue; they will always wear white shorts and white-topped socks against Collingwood, regardless of who the home team is and I presume we'd do the same against dark coloured teams like Carlton, Melbourne and Fremantle, as well.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

What an absolute joke with Collingwood only having played 16 games there in that time frame.

Collingwood only have 1 flag in that time so in the scheme of things it means nothing.

 

[marshhhhh]

Collingwood only have 1 flag in that time so in the scheme of things it means nothing.

They couldn't get more help from the AFL if they tried and they still only have that to show for it

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

It's more than that. Forget grand finals, the last final of any kind we've worn blue shorts in has been the 2008 qualifying final against St Kilda, when Prismall did his knee. The time before that? The Nick Davis game. The time before that? The 1997 qualifying final that we lost to (the seventh placed) North Melbourne.

Since the 1994 grand final, we've played in 27 finals and worn blue shorts in three of those matches. I think it's partly just a by-product of the AFL in recent times trying to avoid clashes as much as possible. For example, it doesn't really make sense for us to play against Carlton, with Geelong wearing navy shorts and white jumpers and Carlton wearing the opposite. The other part may now be a bit of a traditional aspect that we are now recognised as wearing our all white strip for finals, similar to West Coast wearing their royal blue (away) jumper, even when they are playing at home. The other factors, that I personally think we look better in white shorts and the three finals where we've gone against the grain in fifteen years have all resulted in varying degrees of disappointment are also worth mentioning.

I thought I read somewhere that for the grand final, it's no longer the "home" (top) team that gets their home/dark shorts. Instead the AFL decides purely on visual aesthetics which colored shorts look best with which guernsey.

So with our blue and white hoops, obviously either white or dark shorts look fine, whereas Port, St Kilda and Collingwood all have predominantly darker colored tops, so got the black shorts.

I must admit I prefer the look of the dark shorts, but after our three GF wins in the white, I'm becoming reconciled to them as well

Geelong has been pretty mature with regards to the clash issue; they will always wear white shorts and white-topped socks against Collingwood, regardless of who the home team is and I presume we'd do the same against dark coloured teams like Carlton, Melbourne and Fremantle, as well.

Cheers for that info, especially you, MC. I thought we hadn't worn the blue shorts much, but only three times in 27 finals? Wow. Seems to be a good explanation for it though.

 

[RogersResults]

White shorts in finals:

In the past it was decided by a toss of a coin who wore which colour shorts and who had the 'visitors' rooms at the MCG.

Geelong although they finished on top and Collingwood 4th, wore white shorts for their first Premiership win 10 October 1925.

 

[jim boy]

Shorts aren't like jumpers, both the white and navy shorts are part of our traditional garb.

 

[RogersResults]

Shorts aren't like jumpers, both the white and navy shorts are part of our traditional garb.

I think you will find that the navy shorts have been 'traditional' only since 1975.

"With the introduction of colour television in 1975 came coloured
shorts, and the adoption of nylon materials still in use today".

Changing the Garb - Article, AFL Record Round 5 2008 p14.

"1975: Clubs permitted to adopt coloured shorts for introduced colour television coverage."

AFL Record Season Guide 2010 p 956.

Meanwhile:
Matches in South Australia 1997-2011 (Excluding finals.)

Fremantle     24       
Richmond      23       
Melbourne     23       
Carlton       23       
WB/Footscray  22       
Geelong       22       
West Coast    21       
Nth Melbourne 21       
Hawthorn      21       
Collingwood   21       
Essendon      20       
Brisbane      20 
Sydney/SM     19       
St Kilda      18

 

[Whiskers]

The thread is about playing in Perth not the colour of our shorts.

The reason why we travel to Perth is because those sides request not to play in Geelong due to travel factor. They don't like the drive after the long flight. This is pretty stupid as Geelong have the same distance to travel when playing them.

We should include in our requests not to travel to Perth and/or request a home game against them.

 

[RogersResults]

The thread is about playing in Perth not the colour of our shorts.

The reason why we travel to Perth is because those sides request not to play in Geelong due to travel factor. They don't like the drive after the long flight. This is pretty stupid as Geelong have the same distance to travel when playing them.

We should include in our requests not to travel to Perth and/or request a home game against them.

Matches at Kardinia Park 1997-2011

West Coast    12       
Sydney/SM     11       
Port Adelaide 11       
Brisbane      11       
Fremantle     10       
Adelaide      10

 

[SJ]

We go to Perth, the Perth teams come to us.

This happens because it maximises the amount of Melbourne-team versus Melbourne-team matches at the MCG/Etihad.

 

[RogersResults]

We go to Perth, the Perth teams come to us.

This happens because it maximises the amount of Melbourne-team versus Melbourne-team matches at the MCG/Etihad.

West Coast matches in Victoria 1995-2011 (Finals excluded)

Geelong       14       
Collingwood   14 
Richmond      13       
Melbourne     12       
Essendon      12       
St Kilda      12       
WB/Footscray  10       
Carlton        8       
Nth Melbourne  7       
Hawthorn       7

Fremantle matches in Victoria 1995-2011 (Finals excluded)

Collingwood   14       
Melbourne     13       
Essendon      13       
WB/Footscray  13       
Geelong       12 
Richmond      11       
St Kilda       9 
Carlton        9       
Nth Melbourne  8       
Hawthorn       7

 

[witsend]

Collingwood don't even travel in the NAB...