The shambolic mess of Opening Round

[SSSSSS]

Why cant opening round teams play each other in round 1, then all have a bye in round 2, then play each other in round 3..?

Because that makes sense.

We can't have that.

 

[STPer18]

Does anyone even like flOpening Round? Apart from AFL HQ.

A survey of all members from every club would be hilarious viewing.

 

[Saint12]

Wave enough money under their nose and they'll happily play a 37 game season with 19 minute quarters, a change of guernsey in the second half, a wildball "8 pointer" when the ball bounces off the umpire's head, 29 players on the bench, and a hushed interview afterwards saying how difficult it all is.

What a brilliant idea....Goal umpires or Field umpires?

 

[OhhhhhCyril]

I have no issues with the idea of promoting the game in other states to start the season that's fine, but just everyone plays over that weekend, it's a real simple fix.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Its ok. The Cats got advantage, it wont hurt you to admit.

It certainly doesnt need a rambling post about it.

The Korn to the rescue.

 

[boncer34]

The Korn to the rescue.

Congrats on whatever win you think you've scored.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Congrats on whatever win you think you've scored.

Play stupid games you win stupid prizes. Well done.

 

[boncer34]

Play stupid games you win stupid prizes. Well done.

It appears you are indeed winning all the prizes.

 

[MadMaxx]

Don't think participation makes it desirable. Hawks have played the last 2, and I would prefer we didn't.

The build up to the start of the season is devoid of any excitement.

 

[Not a mere cat]

It’s a mess. No one seems to like it and the AFL haven’t bothered to invest in promoting it in the northern states so what is the point. I can’t get interested in footy this early in the year, even a good win on the weekend barely raised my interest

An excerpt from an article in The Age today:

Any change to the fixture should be primarily focused on fixing inequities, not creating new ones.

It is possible to have the benefits of opening round fairly. Give the four northern states teams the first window of the season to promote the game, but then have every other team play after that. The window of exclusivity would still exist, giving the expansion-market teams the precious prime TV real estate of season openers, but there is no reason the rest of the competition cannot play in the days afterwards.

The article also had a survey (I think 5000 responses from memory)

What should the AFL do with opening round?

Ditch it completely - 64%
Keep 4 games in the northern states but every team plays - 33%
Persist with current format - 3%

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

why highlight interstate clubs? Every fan is excited for round 1. Why not just have everyone involved, and if they are going to do something like this, make it 1 game in each of the main states. 5 states = 5 games. Having 4 games in NSW/QLD is ridiculous. It just kills the start of the season for everyone outside the states, as there is no build up to anything except the singular Saints/Pies game.. Hence 90k+ people to a Saints game!

I sort of don't mind the NSW-Qld focus. I don't expect it actually adds any interest, but if it does so be it. Just play those games as the prime time games; and if really necessary and scared Vic will take away the media focus don't play a Melbourne based game.
But the AFL really is more interested in the extra prime time games of adding a half round, and screwing up the remainder of the fixture with inherent unfairness of match fitness and unnecessary byes is a small price to pay for a few extra dollars in media rights.

 

[Bostonian]

The game is run by utter ****wits.

 

[Bostonian]

I have no issues with the idea of promoting the game in other states to start the season that's fine, but just everyone plays over that weekend, it's a real simple fix.

I mean we have a whole season to promote the game in other states.

Not enough time?

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

The game is run by utter ****wits.

It is run by professionals who put money ahead of sport, in a supposed not-for-profit.
Its the same with sports everywhere, except AFL runs both the game and the professional league so have additional ability to really screw things up in the short term media dollar chase.

Only cricket's self-destruction is worse (or maybe I'm just more aware of those two).

 

[CrumpetAgony]

It’s a mess no doubt. But so is the fixture in general, how hard is it to make every side play each other before double ups. Longmuir seems like a nice guy but whinging like he did when his side plays west coast guaranteed twice every year is a bit rich (are WC now the worst side since university with their record?)

 

[Purple Suit]

Yours maybe, but not mine.
Mine is that the so called biggest advantage is 1 game vs 0 games.

And there's barely any correlation to back it up.

The Rounds 2-4 byes are separate issues entirely as they are creating situations where teams with 2-4 games are getting a bye while others don't.

An easy fix would be to bring the main bye period forward, at present it is Rounds 12-16. Bring them forward to say round 10-12. 6 teams per round, with OR teams going 10-11 and that way all clubs still only get one bye through out the year. Not some getting one and others getting two. This reduces the period where we don't have a full 9 games down from 9 rounds down to 4 rounds.

Yes it makes the period of matches to finals longer without a break, but 8 sides won't make finals, and another 6 get a pre-finals bye so it only elongates that period for the 7-10 wildcard teams, who likely don't go much further than EF/SF weekend anyway.

We've got three years of games now to back it up.

1 game vs 0 games

2024 = 3 - 1
2025 = 3 - 1
2026 = 4 - 2

Total is 10 - 4

Seems like a trend to me. There is no reason it has to happen. The AFL could just schedule games against other OR teams and not have an issue.

Look at how close it was last year, 1 game could be the different to making the six, top 2 or even sneaking into the wild card round.

 

[Sumwun]

It’s a mess no doubt. But so is the fixture in general, how hard is it to make every side play each other before double ups. Longmuir seems like a nice guy but whinging like he did when his side plays west coast guaranteed twice every year is a bit rich (are WC now the worst side since university with their record?)

Bit of a stretch to call it whinging. He was asked a direct question about it and answered it. Seems like most coaches don't want it either.

Freo's fixture gripe is not just sour grapes. Other clubs feel the same

AFL.com.au's Nathan Schmook analyses Justin Longmuir's criticism of the early-season fixture

www.afl.com.au

As for the rest of the fixtures I'm sure that Freo and West Coast would love to have a fair and equitable season fixture in place, but that's not what is being discussed here.

 

[Purple Suit]

It’s a mess no doubt. But so is the fixture in general, how hard is it to make every side play each other before double ups. Longmuir seems like a nice guy but whinging like he did when his side plays west coast guaranteed twice every year is a bit rich (are WC now the worst side since university with their record?)

Yet we don't get to play North or Richmond twice do we? Swing and round abouts, when they were good for 25 years no one said anything.

 

[WARoos]

If the league is adamant on starting the season so early, this has to be the solution for Victorian labor day weekend.

All teams play, but with a real emphasis on the Northern markets, but also making a big entrance in Perth. Its not hard.

Thurs Night - Brisbane vs Geelong - Gabba
Friday night - Gold Coast vs Hawthorn - People first
Friday night - West Coast vs Essendon - Optus

Now heres the kicker - Sydney super saturday - ONLY PLAY GAMES IN SYDNEY - take over the city

Saturday twilight - GWS vs Western Bulldogs - Engie stadium
Saturday night - Sydney vs Collingwood - SCG

and then:

Sunday early - North Melbourne vs St.Kilda - Marvel
Sunday afternoon - Adelaide vs Melbourne - AO
Sunday Twilight - Fremantle vs Port Adelaide - Optus

Monday afternoon (Labor day) - Richmond vs Carlton - MCG

actually froth this

 

[Cyclops]

What a brilliant idea....Goal umpires or Field umpires?

16 umpires on the field, they are all minor celebrities or media entertainers like Dermie, Jane Bunn, Sam Newman, the bloke from the Block etc.

Crowd gets to live vote which umpire is where each quarter through an interactive tracpad on each seat. The others have to dance to overly loud **** rock.

Each umpire has a collar that lights up for one minute each quarter, the flashing umpire is the wildball target.

In finals you can tackle the flashing wildball umpire, if they are brought to ground the next goal is a twelve pointer (careful though, its the next goal by either side).

 

[CrumpetAgony]

We've got three years of games now to back it up.

1 game vs 0 games

2024 = 3 - 1
2025 = 3 - 1
2026 = 4 - 2

Total is 10 - 4

Seems like a trend to me. There is no reason it has to happen. The AFL could just schedule games against other OR teams and not have an issue.

Look at how close it was last year, 1 game could be the different to making the six, top 2 or even sneaking into the wild card round.

Who were the favourites going into those games? Most have gone expected. Agree round 0 is no good, the nrl pounced and got their season going a week earlier. Makes no sense now.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

We've got three years of games now to back it up.

1 game vs 0 games

2024 = 3 - 1
2025 = 3 - 1
2026 = 4 - 2

Total is 10 - 4

Seems like a trend to me. There is no reason it has to happen. The AFL could just schedule games against other OR teams and not have an issue.

Look at how close it was last year, 1 game could be the different to making the six, top 2 or even sneaking into the wild card round.

Ah! the purple suit method.
Shallow analysis without thought.

10-4 means nothing until you quantify who's playing who and in many cases OR teams were playing against clubs they'd easily beat anyway so the argument there is moot.

 

[Doashuey]

Carlton is playing every Thursday or Friday night until round 7... bar one round + a bye. so get ready for some fun times.

PRetty sure they dominated those time slots last year too. Can't for the life of me work out why, my guess is to ensure that Blues fans have a really shitty start to their weekends, which is fari enough I guess.
It would be nice for the rest of us to watch some decent footy on a Thur/Fri night but.

 

[Scotland]

The Asian Cup is part of it but it's effectively Rd 3 before the first game is played in WA. Or SA.

The AFL has 3 main footy markets and two main expansion markets. Sorry Tassie and territories. Not having a game in Perth or Adelaide in Rd 0 or Rd 1 then having two in each in Rd 2 and none in Qld is.... interesting? I thought the whole point of two teams in WA/SA/Qld/NSW is to have a game in each market every round.

 

[Partridge]

Is there any way to quantify what the advantage is of playing this Round 0 on that weekend.

is it really just to compete with the NRL Las Vegas game ?

Are the AFL that insecure ?

Absolutely yes. You'd struggle to find an administrative body in world sport that could even come close in the combination of insecurity and paranoia. Plus basic incompetence.