Preview Round 2 Lions at Home v Dockers Away (well 73klm away)

[dlanod]

Just noticed that the AFL have made our round 2 clash a little harder.
They hate anyone north of the Victorian border getting a fair shake.

For starters the Lions have to back up from round one with a shorter turnaround.
The Dockers played on a Saturday but we played Sunday for heavens sake.
Just not fair i say.
And of course if that wasn't bad enough they decided that our Gabba Home & Away record of only 1 loss in 2019 had to be addressed. More on that in a sec.

Back to that loss.
Why would the AFL make us play Collingwood in 2019 on a Thursday evening. I am sure our guys train on a Thursday. We never play Thursday.
Anyhow we turned up for training and got belted. At least the nation got to see us train.
Hardly unexpected i say.

So this year the AFL actually paid Fremantle's accommodation at a 5 star golf course on the Gold Coast. They can even bring family. What's happening here?
Have i mentioned things are not fair.
So our home ground advantage has been nullified as the Dockers only travel a measly 73 klm trip up the freeway. Not the usual 4000 klm.
Hope they run into some traffic. Something has to go our way.

Now it looks like the AFL have given us more pain with no free to air broadcast in round 2. Assuming the AFL site is correct.
The only thing i hope does not change is the AFL distribution to our club in 2020.
We were only given about $22 million last year so i suppose we will get stiffed with a reduced amount in 2020. Time will tell.

After all this I still think that even with all the odds stacked against us, we will come away with a win on Saturday.
It is still a Saturday game isn't it??.

Post of the year!

 

[CarterS]

A couple of questions going into the season

• How resilient are we? Can we play the same in front of an empty Gabba as a full one? I suspect every club is asking themselves this type of q right now.
  
  
• How good is our plan B? Hawthorn put up a pretty good model for how to beat us - flood back and organize defensively, slow down our attack so we kick down the boundary. Can we be smarter about this when Freo try this strategy on the weekend?

 

[Jpw22511]

1500 in the crowd on saturday...

 

[BRAB]

Move over nerds, I'm heading to the football.

 

[bato]

Interesting to see how they'll cap it this week. Caro thinks 1500, but can we push for more?

 

[Jpw22511]

Interesting to see how they'll cap it this week. Caro thinks 1500, but can we push for more?

Expecting 10000 by round 4 or 5.

 

[____]

I still have a Queensland drivers licence, hoping I can get myself over the border if I am one of the 1500.

It's a shame the AFL don't have a loyalty points system, people who are proven travellers should be first priority.

 

[HereIam86]

This article says that their allowed to have the stadium 25 percent full for The Gabba thats 10,000 fans. They won’t be ready for round 2 so this weekend their going with 1000. Also says they’ll increase the crowd number eveyround their also going to let some of the staff they got laid off into the game.

‘There will be crowds’ in Queensland for Round 2 games — and Victoria isn’t too far behind

‘There will be crowds’ in QLD for Round 2 — and Victoria isn’t too far behind

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[CarterS]

“I can tell you all there will be crowds at the Gabba and at Metricon Stadium this weekend,” Wilson told Footy Classified.

“Annastacia Palaszczuk, the Premier of Queensland, has announced that they will allow 25 per cent of every football stadium to be filled.

“Where the Gabba’s concerned, that’s around 10,000 or 11,000. The Gabba is not really ready to bring in that many people in this weekend. So on Saturday afternoon for the Fremantle game, they are going to bring in 1000 people.”

With the Lions playing their next four games at home, Wilson said the club would gradually increase the number of people allowed to attend, moving to 2500 for Round 3, 5000 for Round 4 then as many as 11,000 for the Round 5 clash against Port Adelaide. The Suns will start with 600 to 700 people at Metricon Stadium this weekend before increasing the amount to around 6000 by their next home game in Round 4.

Wilson said the Lions would open up the gates this weekend for staff that had been recently laid off or not paid full wage. Paid-up members and corporates would be included.

 

[CarterS]

If it is true that they have allowed10K people this weekend but The Gabba are "not ready" so we only bring in 1K, then WTF is going on! The Gabba is useless.

 

[Dalions]

If it is true that they have allowed10K people this weekend but The Gabba are "not ready" so we only bring in 1K, then WTF is going on! The Gabba is useless.

There have been renovations going on at the Gabba, so by not ready, it may mean that work is still going on?

 

[MSB ROYS]

It's getting closer.

 

[Dalions]

Asked if it would be costly to open stadiums to smaller crowds, McLachlan said: “Broadly, most of the crowds in the smaller numbers will be uneconomic.

“But our members have been unbelievable, and they’ve been getting our clubs through, and we’re investing back in our supporters as much as anything. And our reserved seat holders and others, to be able to go to the venues.

“It’s not an economic decision to be opening up the venues, it’s about the core of the game and the heartbeat of it, which is our supporters and members.”

 

[M Malice]

By the looks of it there is little doubt that by the later rounds of the season and finals full stadiums will be allowed, hopefully after this block of 4 home games we get a block away and then another block at home with 30,000+ screaming fans at the Gabba. A block of 3-4 in Melbourne would be great for our fans down there.

LIIIIIIIIOOOOOOOONNSSSS!

 

[LongLion]

If we're allowed 1000 in the ground, it'll be something like corporates and the cheer squad.

Highly doubt that they'd go the Platinum 25+ year member route. Most of those fans are going to be older (no offence to any here) and used to going along and spectating in an orderly fashion. They'll want some kids, and some loud people, to make some noise and play up for the camera. That'd likely be the main focus.

Rest assured. I'm loud

 

[Gadzorks]

Rest assured. I'm loud

Now there’s I challenge I reckon I can win. We need a ‘sound off’

 

[LongLion]

Now there’s I challenge I reckon I can win. We need a ‘sound off’

I can see it's gunna get ugly. Is there to be a formula applied i.e. age discounts and decibel based?

 

[briztoon]

Me thinks the AFL will look after the Vic teams when it comes full stadiums later in the season.

 

[Gadzorks]

I can see it's gunna get ugly. Is there to be a formula applied i.e. age discounts and decibel based?

I’ll take on the young ones as is on behalf of the over 50s brigade. And team up with my son for the doubles event. We are horrendously and offensively loud once we get going. Has to be useful at least once in our lives.

 

[Dalions]

Now there’s I challenge I reckon I can win. We need a ‘sound off’

I will join that challenge.

 

[Dalions]

We might see the ole,
“Restraint of Trade“ clause come out from the VFL, threatening legal action if Daniel Andrews doesn’t come to the party with crowds by the end of the week.

 

[BangyBangy]

Me thinks the AFL will look after the Vic teams when it comes full stadiums later in the season.

I'm certainly happier playing away games in Melbourne with full crowds rather than Adelaide or Perth. The hub has been a blessing for us in that way.

 

[Jpw22511]

******* caro now it sounds like she's full if s**t.

 

[CarterS]

So the state government has nixed it? Or is this a case of, the announcement hasn't happened yet so we are going to deny it until then?

Footy reporter Caroline Wilson told Footy Classified on Monday night that Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk had given the all-clear for stadiums in the state to be at up to 25 per cent capacity this weekend.

Wilson went on clarify the Gabba will only have around 1000 people in attendance, but the news was “categorically denied” by the Queensland government, while the AFL CEO added to the dialogue.

“My understanding clearly this morning is no,” he told SEN.

“I think there’ll be announcements this week but as we sit here at whatever it is, quarter-past-nine on Tuesday morning, my understanding is that there’s not an authorisation in Queensland and there’s not an authorisation in New South Wales.

“That may change, there’s discussions going on all the time and we’re ready if it changes but these decisions are being looked at every day and being prosecuted every day by the right people.

“Right here right now, there’s not an authorisation that I’m aware of, in fact I’ve got a pretty clear view that there isn’t at the moment.”

 

[Dalions]

So the state government has nixed it? Or is this a case of, the announcement hasn't happened yet so we are going to deny it until then?

Maybe because they haven’t approved a 25% capacity?
Only 1500.
I was thinking 25% was a bit excessive for a start.
Although the original article wasn’t really worded that way.