Round 23 Fixture

[Bomberboyokay]

Since there's a bye the week after Seven's Sunday game won't be a shit one.

 

[MightyHawks]

As teams get a bye the week after then I think the teams competing in the finals would prefer a 7 day break between their Round 22 and Round 23 matches - there'd also be an advantage in playing on the Sunday as you'd know what is required if % is to count

 

[FootyJunkie]

You guys are forgetting that there will be a Monday Night game.
Adelaide v West Coast looks like to be an attractive prime time game that will have big finals implications as the last H&A game of the season, and I'd guess it would be chosen as the Monday Night game on Channel 7 (in place of the Channel 7 game on Saturday arvo)

 

[i am a logo]

The Friday night game will be either Hawthorn vs Collingwood (the safe, default choice) or North vs GWS (depends on how well those two finish out the season). I highly doubt Channel Seven would be willing to show an all-interstate game on a Friday night. Anyway, that Crows vs Eagles fixture isn't even looking that promising all of a sudden. There's every chance it could just be a 10 goal plus percentage booster for Adelaide, as was the case in Round 22 last year.

 

[Bokonon]

The Friday night game will be either Hawthorn vs Collingwood (the safe, default choice) or North vs GWS (depends on how well those two finish out the season). I highly doubt Channel Seven would be willing to show an all-interstate game on a Friday night. Anyway, that Crows vs Eagles fixture isn't even looking that promising all of a sudden. There's every chance it could just be a 10 goal plus percentage booster for Adelaide, as was the case in Round 22 last year.

Just on club support and previous bias would have to be Hawks Collingwood game you would think.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

It's to give the MCG groundsmen the maximum amount of time to be repaired for the finals. Surely we want have the best surface for the finals.

Theyll have close to 2 weeks between games, it won't be an issue.

 

[Wild Bill]

Friday
Fremantle vs Western Bulldogs - 7.40pm (Domain Stadium)

Saturday
Geelong vs Melbourne - 1.40pm (Simonds Stadium)
Adelaide vs West Coast - 2.10pm (Adelaide Oval)
North Melbourne vs GWS - 2.40pm (Etihad Stadium)
Sydney vs Richmond - 4.10pm (SCG)
Hawthorn vs Collingwood - 7.10pm (MCG)

Sunday
St Kilda vs Brisbane - 1.10pm (Etihad Stadium)
Essendon vs Carlton - 3.20pm (MCG)
Gold Coast vs Port Adelaide - 4.40pm (Metricon Stadium)

Dogs no chance of Friday night. They play Sunday in round 22.

 

[marty36]

Dogs no chance of Friday night. They play Sunday in round 22.

If that's the case, the dogs will be in rage. They will be playing finals the following week, they have been given the draw of having to play in the West it's only fair they get the biggest break!

 

[Wild Bill]

If that's the case, the dogs will be in rage. They will be playing finals the following week, they have been given the draw of having to play in the West it's only fair they get the biggest break!

The bye cancels out any issue of travelling to WA.

 

[marty36]

The bye cancels out any issue of travelling to WA.

Don't think they will change it, look at the Friday night games we have had this year. Still the extra days rest would be beneficial regardless of the bye. 80 % of the last round will be irrelevant it could even be 100% of the last round will be interesting to see what happens and how the AFL handle it.

 

[Flags_In_The_Bag]

On another note it was a 6 day turn around between Collingwood v Essendon (Round 23) & Western Bulldogs v Adelaide (Elimination Final) last year.

With the introduction of the bye weekend this year it's even less of an issue. Though I'm not sure if it ever was.

Yeah it was, as in a side coming back from the heat of Brisbane like us last year or say Perth would be more taxing with no week break in between like this year.

 

[MooreTreloar]

Yeah it was, as in a side coming back from the heat of Brisbane like us last year or say Perth would be more taxing with no week break in between like this year.

Sorry mate, I was actually referring to the MCG preparation. Not the Dogs.

 

[W.C. Fry]

If that's the case, the dogs will be in rage. They will be playing finals the following week, they have been given the draw of having to play in the West it's only fair they get the biggest break!

Haha those poor dogs. All that travelling. Have they left the dome yet this year?

Perth to Melbourne or Perth to Adelaide isn't really much difference. We have been given the draw of playing in the east, along with having travelled probably 10 times further than the dogs this year, its only fair we get the bigger break!

FWIW the bye cancels this all out anyway, but its amazing people think the dogs deserve preference due to travel Oo

 

[2007]

Friday; Adelaide vs West Coast. Two finals teams, don't care that they're not Victorian.

Sat 1:10 or 1:45; Essendon vs Carlton
Sat arvo; Fremantle vs Western Bulldogs
Sat 3:20 start; Sydney vs Richmond
Sat twilight; North Melbourne vs GWS
Sat night; Hawthorn vs Collingwood
Sat night; Gold Coast vs Port Adelaide

Sunday 3:20; Geelong vs Melbourne
Sunday twilight; St Kilda vs Brisbane

You chose to have 6 games on Saturday one including Port Adelaide/Gold Coast & another featuring Essendon/Carlton. None of these four will make the top 8 as it's basically set in stone.

You still put Geelong on Sunday? What do you have against us that we have the biggest disadvantage of any other finalist.

 

[getgaff]

Friday night

Hawthorn vs Collingwood MCG

Saturday

North Melbourne vs GWS ES - Early
Adelaide vs West Coast AO - Afternoon
Gold Coast vs Port MS - Twillight
Sydney vs Richmond SCG - Night
Geelong vs Melbourne SS - Night

Sunday

Essendon vs Carlton MCG - Early
St. Kilda vs Brisbane ES - Afternoon
Fremantle vs Western Bulldogs DS - Twillight

Bulldogs draw the short straw of being the likely finals bound team to play on Sunday.

Considered switching the Gold Coast and Fremantle home games to allow all 8 finals clubs the Sunday off but it would make for a rather underwhelming last day of the regular season. At least putting the Bulldogs on adds something

 

[Suma Magic]

Think they will want to put some of the better games on the Sunday so the round is interesting right until the end.

 

[eagles80]

I would have thought Ade v WCE or NM vs GWS for the Friday night game, purely because they're the only two with two finals teams going head to head

Eagles have 2 straight 6 day breaks round 20 play on Sunday, Round 21 Travel to GWS on 6 day break then back home the following Friday night against Hawthorn, so 2 6 day breaks in a row, I would prefer the Saturday afternoon timeslot, yes I know if we play on the Friday its 7 days break.

In regards to the round 23 fixture, who cares as theres a week off the following week.

 

[walhawk]

You guys are all crazy.
Please the games that matter last to build up the tension.
North v GWS Sunday 3.20.
Crows v WCE Monday 7.50.

 

[milhouse1]

Is there really a Monday night game in Round 23? Doesn't sound right

 

[Justinpa1]

Is there really a Monday night game in Round 23? Doesn't sound right

Pretty sure there will be a Monday Night game, Gill said something like wouldn't it be great to finish the season with a bang.

Imagine the atmosphere at Adelaide Oval with 53,000 fans, if the Crows have to win to make top 4 or top 2 and the Eagles need to win to host a home elimination final in Week 1.

 

[TigerTrain23]

I like the idea of a Adelaide v West Coast on the Monday night. Adelaide fans seem to like an unconventional timeslot and would definitely turn up in droves for that regardless. But would Seven want to broadcast this game anyway, or would it be a Fox Footy only affair?

The bye weekend will be painful so Monday Round 23 game and Thursday Finals game sounds like a good move to make it feel like less of a wait. Next year though bring on Wildcard Weekend - 7v10, 8v9. Especially given there are 5 Saturdays in September in 2017!

 

[im_a_lazy_sod]

I really wish they'd float the last 3 rounds - that way they can potentially avoid issues surrounding the Thursday night final - imagine if one of the teams played the Sunday in round 22, then the Saturday round 23 and then had to back it up on the Thursday night? Would be a tough ask. Either that or have a solid week off before finals.

I know logistics are an issue, but at least the city of each game is already set - people seem to manage okay come finals time at any rate

We aren't making finals anyway so no real concern for me

Edit: didn't realise there was a 1 week break before finals; would still like last 3 rounds floated

 

[The_Reaper]

I really wish they'd float the last 3 rounds - that way they can potentially avoid issues surrounding the Thursday night final - imagine if one of the teams played the Sunday in round 22, then the Saturday round 23 and then had to back it up on the Thursday night? Would be a tough ask. Either that or have a solid week off before finals.

I know logistics are an issue, but at least the city of each game is already set - people seem to manage okay come finals time at any rate

We aren't making finals anyway so no real concern for me

There is a bye week in between round 23 and the first week of the finals so it really shouldn't be an issue

 

[im_a_lazy_sod]

There is a bye week in between round 23 and the first week of the finals so it really shouldn't be an issue

Haha I wonder how I missed that? Would still like last 3 rounds floated, however

 

[pazza]

Seeing as there is a Monday game, I wonder if the AFL is thinking that they could have Hawthorn v Collingwood that night?

Friday: North Melbourne v GWS (Etihad)
Saturday: Essendon v Carlton (MCG)
Saturday: Sydney v Richmond (SCG)
Saturday Twilight: Geelong v Melbourne (Simonds)
Saturday Night: Adelaide v West Coast (Adelaide Oval)
Saturday Night: Fremantle v Western Bulldogs (Subiaco)
Sunday: St. Kilda v Brisbane (Etihad)
Sunday: Gold Coast v Port Adelaide (Carrara)
Monday: Hawthorn v Collingwood (MCG)