The Draw

[Shellz]

We're discussing it in The Draw thread

 

[ipswichpies]

Think the afl stuffed us with all the late season trips last year and they are attempting to do the same again next season,we will have to rotate our players much better than we did last season,that is the main reason Geelong
beat us in the gf.

 

[eddiebankbalance]

A commercial win for CFC with home matches against Geelong, Hawks, Carlton & Essendon (4 huge home crowds at the G). Also home games against Richmond, St Kilda & West Coast shud also attract good crowds.
Only 1 Sunday game. 13 night games (Fri/Sat). Great TV coverage.
Should be the best ever commercial year/revenue earnings for CFC with this draw.
From a football perspective it is challenging (probably the toughest draw of all clubs), Buckley should thrive on the challenge.

Top post

Gee how ****ing easy do North have it.

Is the AFL trying to prop them up to stop their inevitable death or something?

Doubt North would like it, cause tanking would then seem obvious

Think the afl stuffed us with all the late season trips last year and they are attempting to do the same again next season,we will have to rotate our players much better than we did last season,that is the main reason Geelong
beat us in the gf.

That's right, rest players and if we have a good ladder positionc- we can take it real easy, none of this win every game BS.

 

[THATSGOLD]

Re: Fixture incase you havent seen it yet.

I'll say this now. when we go to perth for the second last game of the year, leave all the good players at home!

 

[Zahki]

Re: Fixture incase you havent seen it yet.

I'll say this now. when we go to perth for the second last game of the year, leave all the good players at home!

Didn't really work all that well for Hawthorn

 

[rustyg70]

Re: Fixture incase you havent seen it yet.

Collingwood's 2012 Fixture

1 Friday, March 30 Hawthorn @ MCG 7:50pm Might win
2 Saturday, April 7 Richmond @ MCG 7:40pm Win
3 Friday, April 13 Carlton @ MCG 7:50pm Win
4 Saturday, April 21 Port Adelaide @ Etihad Stadium 2:10pm Win
5 Wednesday, April 25 Essendon @ MCG 2:40pm Win
6 Friday, May 4 Western Bulldogs @ Etihad Stadium 7:50pm Win
7 Saturday, May 12 Brisbane Lions @ Gabba 7:40pm Win
8 Friday, May 18 Geelong Cats @ MCG 7:50pm Might Win
9 Saturday, May 26 Adelaide Crows @ AAMI Stadium 7:10pm Win
10 Sunday, June 3 Gold Coast SUNS @ MCG 4:40pm Win
11 Monday, June 11 Melbourne @ MCG 3:15pm Win
12 Bye
13 Saturday, June 23 West Coast Eagles @ MCG 4:40pm Win
14 Saturday, June 30 Fremantle @ MCG 1:45pm Win
15 Friday, July 6 Carlton @ MCG 7:50pm Win
16 Saturday, July 14 Geelong Cats @ MCG 7:40pm Might Win
17 Saturday, July 21 Hawthorn @ MCG 1:45pm Might Win
18 Saturday, July 28 GWS GIANTS @ Skoda Stadium 4:40pm Win
19 Saturday, August 4 St. Kilda @ MCG 7:40pm Win
20 Saturday, August 11 Sydney Swans @ ANZ Stadium 7:40pm Win
21 Saturday, August 18 North Melbourne @ Etihad Stadium 7:40pm Win
22 Saturday, August 25 West Coast Eagles @ Patersons Stadium 5:40pm Might Win
23 TBC Essendon @ MCG 7:50pm Win

Theres my tips for our year.

 

[THATSGOLD]

Re: Fixture incase you havent seen it yet.

Didn't really work all that well for Hawthorn

They still won by over 10 goals didn't they.. nobody was going to beat Geelong the week after!

 

[2009premiers]

That's right, rest players and if we have a good ladder positionc- we can take it real easy, none of this win every game BS.

Would be happy with a 17-5 or 16-6 season that gains a top 4 position.

 

[Ed D]

In 2010, we did all our travel prior to Round 14, then played 8 straight and 3 finals at the MCG. We hit the finals in tip top chape and dominated.

In 2011, we did all our travel AFTER Round 14, limped into the finals with injury concernes, suspensions and weary players. We all know what happened.

I don't care who we play, in fact I prefer a tough draw in terms of opposition. But again in 2012, our travel is clustered at the end of the year including 3 trips in final 6 weeks and as trip to Perth in penultimate round (just like 2011).

Not happy about it at all, but hopefully Buttifant and Bucks learnt some lessons from the late season fadeout in 2011, which couldn't be entirely blamed on travel, but certainly didn't help.

I know what you're saying but I don't think the travelling had anything to do with our poor form in the finals. The players weren't tired, they were either playing injured or out of form from being injured/suspended. The team will be able to cope with 3 trips in 5 weeks or whatever it is before the finals.

 

[Ed D]

Re: Fixture incase you havent seen it yet.

Hawks rested the week before the finals, we have a game between them. We should certainly rest players in the final weeks, against GWS would be a perfect time as well.

 

[Quicky]

Blue = Away games
Green = Top five teams from last year

Collingwood's 2012 Fixture

1 Friday, March 30 Hawthorn @ MCG 7:50pm
2 Saturday, April 7 Richmond @ MCG 7:40pm
3 Friday, April 13 Carlton @ MCG 7:50pm
4 Saturday, April 21 Port Adelaide @ Etihad Stadium 2:10pm
5 Wednesday, April 25 Essendon @ MCG 2:40pm
6 Friday, May 4 Western Bulldogs @ Etihad Stadium 7:50pm
7 Saturday, May 12 Brisbane Lions @ Gabba 7:40pm
8 Friday, May 18 Geelong Cats @ MCG 7:50pm
9 Saturday, May 26 Adelaide Crows @ AAMI Stadium 7:10pm
10 Sunday, June 3 Gold Coast SUNS @ MCG 4:40pm
11 Monday, June 11 Melbourne @ MCG 3:15pm
12 Bye
13 Saturday, June 23 West Coast Eagles @ MCG 4:40pm
14 Saturday, June 30 Fremantle @ MCG 1:45pm
15 Friday, July 6 Carlton @ MCG 7:50pm
16 Saturday, July 14 Geelong Cats @ MCG 7:40pm
17 Saturday, July 21 Hawthorn @ MCG 1:45pm
18 Saturday, July 28 GWS GIANTS @ Skoda Stadium 4:40pm
19 Saturday, August 4 St. Kilda @ MCG 7:40pm
20 Saturday, August 11 Sydney Swans @ ANZ Stadium 7:40pm
21 Saturday, August 18 North Melbourne @ Etihad Stadium 7:40pm
22 Saturday, August 25 West Coast Eagles @ Patersons Stadium 5:40pm
23 TBC Essendon @ MCG 7:50pm

Not too many easy games and a really tough run into finals.

That run into finals is the biggest worry. Buttifant will have his work cut out. We need to manage this properly.

I think we are up for it!

 

[Bay Pie]

Blue = Away games
Green = Top five teams from last year



Not too many easy games and a really tough run into finals.

That run into finals is the biggest worry. Buttifant will have his work cut out. We need to manage this properly.

I think we are up for it!

Not so sure Quickster.

Round 18 GWS - rest players needing it after a finals like previous 3 weeks
Round 19 St.Kilda -Should have a few fresher players. Not the team they were
Round 20 Swans - Bunnies
Round 21 NM - pffft.
Round 22 WCE - chance to rest players that didn't rest in round 18 if we've won enough games
Round 23 Essendon - Nice tune up for the finals

The 2 Sydney trips are really no big deal, especially round 18 where we really need to rest 6/7 sore players

Eagles game not ideal, but could be either a good tune up or a chance to rest some players if we've won enough games.

Looking at some other teams fixtures, WCE travel in round 23. They'd want to finish 1/2 or 5/6 or it's 2 trips in a row for their 1st week of the finals. Now that's tough.

Given carltons & Geelong soft draws, you'll need to win 16/17 games to assure yourself of a top 4 spot. carlton realistically could lose all their games to Pies, Cats, Hawthorn & WCE and still grab 17 wins.

Geelong could lose all games to Pies, Hawks, WCE & carlton and still get 16 wins.

WCE could lose all games to Cats, Hawthorn, Pies & carlton and still snare 16 wins.

Hawthorn loses to Pies, Cats, WCE & carlton = 15 wins

Pies lose Cats, Hawks, WCE & carlton = 14 wins

There looks a real lack of depth again in the AFL, where the top 5 teams could clear out the rest. But we do say that most years at the start of the year. Luck plays a part.

To make the top 4 we'll have to do quite a bit better against the other contenders, then they'll themselves have too.

 

[Quicky]

I hear you Bay Pie. It's the travel that is a worry more than the teams we play. And we got those after a pretty tough run against good sides in the middle end of the season. Not ideal IMO.

 

[HereComes16]

If Geelong could rotate their older players every week to nurse them through the season we shouldn't have any problem

 

[Swooop]

Nothing like 2010

But bring it on anyway

I suspect you've misinterpreted what I said Thommo.

"Tough draw like 2010" could mean i guess one of two things

First, both years had tough draws ( this is the one I meant)
Second, the draws both years had similar patterns eg road trips early or late

If you are still disagreeing with the first meaning, then we shall agree to disagree...we had a very difficult draw that year, as we do this year.

 

[blaze036]

Rest half the team against GWS and we'll be all sweet leading into the last rounds to get some form and touch

 

[docks]

It's really no different to 2010. IMO it's good to have a tough and testing draw, and I can't see how anyone can complain about it. Oh wait we still play games at the MCG, my mistake.

If we win most of our games wait for people to say our draw was easy.

Not enough 6 day breaks is their complaint this year

 

[DIDAIC0S]

Would have rather played all our interstate games early in the season al la 2010, really not impressed with the 4 day break before Anzac day, that is the stupidest thing I think the AFL has done (next to Meatloaf).
And in terms of who we play twice, I hope this is the new norm, cos I don't recall Hawthorn, St Kilda or Geelong playing top four teams twice the next season!

 

[Shellz]

the four day anzac day thing is something we just have to live with. Essendon have a harder match than we do. If we want this blockbuster we have to suck it up.

10 days after to recover

 

[DIDAIC0S]

No 4 days is ridiculous! What kind of game do they want? A true Anzac day last man standing as players over fatigued snap muscles? Should have played two Friday night games, staggered by one hour for congestion in the city, or staggered by a few hours if they both needed to be televised one after the other. That would give atleast a 5 day break which is acceptable, 4 days is a #%^ ing joke, and not something any club should have to endure.

 

[Shellz]

I'm pretty sure the last time it was on a Wednesday we only had four days in between as well.

It's just the way it has to be. At least it's even, if not in our advantage, and we get 10 days off to prepare for the next one.

I'm pretty sure there's 16 other clubs who would swap with us!

 

[blaze036]

No 4 days is ridiculous! What kind of game do they want? A true Anzac day last man standing as players over fatigued snap muscles? Should have played two Friday night games, staggered by one hour for congestion in the city, or staggered by a few hours if they both needed to be televised one after the other. That would give atleast a 5 day break which is acceptable, 4 days is a #%^ ing joke, and not something any club should have to endure.

4 Days isnt that bad, just means we wont have any time to do gym/training just will spend it all on recovery, will no doubt have to rest quiet a few players the week before and couple on anzac day but it'll be fine.

 

[Ed D]

Yep, we've played off 4 day breaks before, it's not that big of a worry. It's better coming off a 4 day break going into ANZAC day then having 10 days break after that the other way around.

 

[DermiesLuvChild]

Yep, we've played off 4 day breaks before, it's not that big of a worry. It's better coming off a 4 day break going into ANZAC day then having 10 days break after that the other way around.

The Port Adelaide match is the perfect opportunity to rest a few players:
- rest Jolly (play Wood & Celgar/Witts)
- rest Ball (play Thomas)
- rest Tarrant (play Goldsack/Young)
- rest Krak/Didak (play Fasolo/Elliott/Caff)
- rest Swan play (Seedsman - Beams into the centre)
- rest others with niggles

 

[PremiumPies]

Challenging fixture, but I'm relatively confident the team can triumph over whatever hurdles are thrown at them.