The shambolic mess of Opening Round

[Mat Mann]

It's just not opening round, though is it? The entire fixture is a steaming pile of poo

When clubs' fans don't get to see their sides for an entire month, we get home games in rounds 0 3 7 10, 6 interstate trips and a bye in that period, barely get to see our team before the season could well be over for us (noting we play 7 of last year's top 8 in this period)
Suns open with 2 home games, then nothing for a month ( also noting again they open with mostly bottom 8 teams (WC, Rich, Melb, StK, Port, Ess Nth - all by rnd 11)

The AFL's meddling has a far bigger impact on teams' seasons, far beyond the win/loss ratio

 

[WARoos]

Remember the good old days of the 2000s when you mostly had alternating home and away games with a split round halfway through. Good times

 

[Billy ray]

Remember the good old days of the 2000s when you mostly had alternating home and away games with a split round halfway through. Good times

they seriously need to bring that back
we had 2 home games in 2 weeks, now 5 weeks off (game in melb, bye, game in melb, game in adelaide) and then home game again

 

[hawkman]

I can't wait to see one of two results on Bigfooty.

Geelong wins - Hawthorn nuffies blame the 18 day gap.
Hawthorn wins - Geelong nuffies blame the 18 day gap.

And if it is a draw?

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Professional what tho?


They have no feel for the game and are actively trying to change it into a marketable highlights package instead of managing a game that regularly provides spectacular, marketable highlights.

Professional sports administrators.
i.e. chasers of media rights bonuses

 

[Wallaby]

And if it is a draw?

Obviously ordered by Kayo to keep everyone watching.

 

[SC_Power]

Ok. If/when they do away with opening round, round 1 will almost certainly be moved to labour day weekend (i.e. with 9 matches scheduled), and teams having at least two byes throughout the season.

Yes, there'll be still inequities. A club having an 18-day break (as opposed to a 14-day break) barely ranks as an issue at all. If i was to list the problems with the fixture, it wouldn't make the top 50.

This tells you how bad the fixturing really is, doesn’t it?

 

[PerthBoy86]

I know given current events this is the most first world of problems (though the 'first world' is as vulnerable as anywhere), but this is a footy forum, and - maybe this is my OCD talking (I actually have diagnosed quite severe OCD, so don't mean to make light of it) - I like following the ladder, and the 100th reason why Opening Round is a bad idea is the ladder is messed up for a few weeks, not representing the state of the league (an indication I should get a life, which I do outside of footy). I mean, it's not a big deal - among other reasons why Opening Round sucks - but I kind of don't pay attention to the ladder until later.

But yeah, i feel we should just boycott the idea until the AFL actually listens to the vast majority. Don't watch 'Round 0' (which doesnt really exist) on tv, go to games etc..
I didnt this year, but maybe start next year. All this talk about how it disadvantages certain teams is bleeding obvious, the extended byes and smaller rounds are laughable (and now Hawthorn and Sydney get an 18 day break?)...but then we have 'wildcard' round which penalises 7-8 for playing another game cos of ratings and money.

The AFL obviously doesn't care about fans, its a corporate entity. Notice how increasingly Aussie rules is synonymous with AFL for many? If it fails a new league can always be created. Anyway rant over, nothing many others haven't been going on about...

 

[shaqsuns]

I know given current events this is the most first world of problems (though the 'first world' is as vulnerable as anywhere), but this is a footy forum, and - maybe this is my OCD talking (I actually have diagnosed quite severe OCD, so don't mean to make light of it) - I like following the ladder, and the 100th reason why Opening Round is a bad idea is the ladder is messed up for a few weeks, not representing the state of the league (an indication I should get a life, which I do outside of footy). I mean, it's not a big deal - among other reasons why Opening Round sucks - but I kind of don't pay attention to the ladder until later.

But yeah, i feel we should just boycott the idea until the AFL actually listens to the vast majority. Don't watch 'Round 0' (which doesnt really exist) on tv, go to games etc..
I didnt this year, but maybe start next year. All this talk about how it disadvantages certain teams is bleeding obvious, the extended byes and smaller rounds are laughable (and now Hawthorn and Sydney get an 18 day break?)...but then we have 'wildcard' round which penalises 7-8 for playing another game cos of ratings and money.

The AFL obviously doesn't care about fans, its a corporate entity. Notice how increasingly Aussie rules is synonymous with AFL for many? If it fails a new league can always be created. Anyway rant over, nothing many others haven't been going on about...

Fair rant....

Worst part is that footy is in its best shape for over a decade.

But the afl only are about corporates and have been for a very long time. Thats why im about to part ways with $5k for a grand final ticket and a lunch i dont want to go to. Im everything i have ever hated.

 

[AndyLucimitis]

My point with this whole Round 0 concept is - why ?


Why do we need it ?. Without any Wizard cup type lead in (which I'm Ok with) and starting on March 5th it all just feels premature and not needed. Season is way too long !!

 

[Underarm]

I know given current events this is the most first world of problems (though the 'first world' is as vulnerable as anywhere), but this is a footy forum, and - maybe this is my OCD talking (I actually have diagnosed quite severe OCD, so don't mean to make light of it) - I like following the ladder, and the 100th reason why Opening Round is a bad idea is the ladder is messed up for a few weeks, not representing the state of the league (an indication I should get a life, which I do outside of footy). I mean, it's not a big deal - among other reasons why Opening Round sucks - but I kind of don't pay attention to the ladder until later.

But yeah, i feel we should just boycott the idea until the AFL actually listens to the vast majority. Don't watch 'Round 0' (which doesnt really exist) on tv, go to games etc..
I didnt this year, but maybe start next year. All this talk about how it disadvantages certain teams is bleeding obvious, the extended byes and smaller rounds are laughable (and now Hawthorn and Sydney get an 18 day break?)...but then we have 'wildcard' round which penalises 7-8 for playing another game cos of ratings and money.

The AFL obviously doesn't care about fans, its a corporate entity. Notice how increasingly Aussie rules is synonymous with AFL for many? If it fails a new league can always be created. Anyway rant over, nothing many others haven't been going on about...

Guess what's going to happen when we move to 19 teams?

Sports around the world deal with far more egregious Byes and uneven matches played and people survive just fine.

The Ladder is only relevant at 2 points in the season - Whenever they lock in the middle season draft placements; and at the End.

 

[LoBu]

I boycotted this year, not sure anyone noticed though.
I think they scrap it next year, too many vic clubs losing.

 

[Bluelegs]

If we must keep Opening round I think Hinkley's idea makes the most sense. Make it a split round, get it over and done with and by round 2 resume normal services. It's still a stupid soft launch but it's not as much of a mess as what we've got now.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Imagine how messy it will be when the 19th team comes in.

 

[franjon]

Before you know it, there will be games being played in December. Until there's some change in direction as opposed to the people running the game who's main aim is lining their own pockets, this is our game.

 

[joe444]

I hate just about every attempt by the AFL to fabricate big matches, eyeballs on screens, northern markets, excitement, etc, etc,

Now apparently the buzzword is margin compression, which means that the rules are being defined and decided in order to make games as close as possible.

No other competition that I know of would stand for this, no other competition that I know of has a hopelessly compromised draw. I think this season has reached a tipping point for me, opening round seems so farcical that it's actually been harder to become enthusiastic, plus in the pursuit of ratings the AFL is making it impossible to get to many games.

For example, what lunatic schedules a match in Geelong on a Thursday night?

Geelong have a geographically divided supporter base, roughly half in Geelong and half in Melbourne; if you schedule a game in the afternoon on the weekend everyone can get there, even Friday nights are doable, but by scheduling a Thursday night game you're virtually guaranteeing a disappointing crowd because the Melbourne based fans won't be able to attend.

 

[M Malice]

O round is an aberration, just get rid of it. Here is a radical suggestion, lets start with every team playing in Round 1

 

[Roachy8]

My point with this whole Round 0 concept is - why ?


Why do we need it ?. Without any Wizard cup type lead in (which I'm Ok with) and starting on March 5th it all just feels premature and not needed. Season is way too long !!

Why?
As an ex Victorian living in Sydney, the why is to raise AFL profile the week that the NRL is off rooting around on their Vegas adventure and dominating coverage.
Made more sense last year when there were 2 Sydney games - stupid this year to have 4 NSW/QLD games and then the dumb Sunday night St Kilda Collingwood effort - that made no sense IMO

Re, thread title - I'm less worried about ladder inequity but more about the match fitness inequity with teams that have already had a competitive hit out coming up against ones that had not.

 

[Del239335]

Why not just call it round 1 and have all teams play, so no one gets a leg up via an extra bye?
The AFL can still schedule home games for the New South Wales/Queensland clubs given how important it is to grow the game in those states, and play the other 5 games wherever.
I remember when Sydney ran over the top of us in 2024 because they'd had an extra bye, it's bad enough we get shafted by having to play home games/home finals in Melbourne we really don't need to be on the receiving end of more shafting from the AFL.

 

[Colonial]

Im afraid I got some bad news for you.

Very soon there will be 1 bye a round. Messing up the ladder every week and every year going forward.

 

[tombomb]

Im afraid I got some bad news for you.

Very soon there will be 1 bye a round. Messing up the ladder every week and every year going forward.

Messing up the fixture in 2026 because there will be odd number teams in 2028 is the kind of logic that will get you a job at AFL House.

 

[Colonial]

Messing up the fixture in 2026 because there will be odd number teams in 2028 is the kind of logic that will get you a job at AFL House.

lol not what I said at all but do go on.

 

[AndyLucimitis]

Why not just call it round 1 and have all teams play, so no one gets a leg up via an extra bye?
The AFL can still schedule home games for the New South Wales/Queensland clubs given how important it is to grow the game in those states, and play the other 5 games wherever.
I remember when Sydney ran over the top of us in 2024 because they'd had an extra bye, it's bad enough we get shafted by having to play home games/home finals in Melbourne we really don't need to be on the receiving end of more shafting from the AFL.

Agee - can't be that hard ?

 

[AndyLucimitis]

O round is an aberration, just get rid of it. Here is a radical suggestion, lets start with every team playing in Round 1

Takes me back to the Y2k argument. Does the new century officially start in the year 2000 or 2001 ?

 

[Del239335]

Agee - can't be that hard ?

Unless of course Opening Round is designed to give a leg up to the New South Wales/Queensland clubs with an extra bye every year, rather than genuinely trying to grow the game in those states.

I remember when Opening Round began in 2024, and the AFL said it was to take advantage of the NRL being in Las Vegas.
If this is true then why not schedule Opening Round during the same weekend the NRL are in Las Vegas?
Instead it gets scheduled for the week after when the NRL are back in Australia.