Roast Three consecutive 6 day breaks

[HR Roughnstuf]

Hey guys hope you don't mind the intrusion.

6 day breaks are the known enemy of team recovery and having 2 in a row is unthinkable, particularly when you take into account the meticulous way the FIXture is put together each and every year to ensure a fair and just draw.

Us over in Hawk land have seen our team pile up a few injuries to the older boys by having to play not one 6 day break, not 2 6 day breaks BUT 3 CONSECUTIVE 6 DAY BREAKS. And the team that we played after the 3rd 6 day break, $wans in Sydney.

Upon checking the draw I noticed something strange, Geelong have 2 consecutive 6 day breaks and who do they play after the 2nd............ $WANS IN SYDNEY!!! (who are coming of the ****ing bye I might add)

I know Geelong and Hawks supporters love to get into each other and underneath it all is a good level of respect for each other, but can you please do the fans of the 16 other clubs a favour and smash these Syds and shove it right up the AFL's plans.

 

[catstorm]

Hey guys hope you don't mind the intrusion.

6 day breaks are the known enemy of team recovery and having 2 in a row is unthinkable, particularly when you take into account the meticulous way the FIXture is put together each and every year to ensure a fair and just draw.

Us over in Hawk land have seen our team pile up a few injuries to the older boys by having to play not one 6 day break, not 2 6 day breaks BUT 3 CONSECUTIVE 6 DAY BREAKS. And the team that we played after the 3rd 6 day break, $wans in Sydney.

Upon checking the draw I noticed something strange, Geelong have 2 consecutive 6 day breaks and who do they play after the 2nd............ $WANS IN SYDNEY!!! (who are coming of the ******* bye I might add)

I know Geelong and Hawks supporters love to get into each other and underneath it all is a good level of respect for each other, but can you please do the fans of the 16 other clubs a favour and smash these Syds and shove it right up the AFL's plans.

I really dont think this should be on the Geelong board, while i sympathies with your plight doesn't belong here

 

[dazbroncos]

Hey guys hope you don't mind the intrusion.

6 day breaks are the known enemy of team recovery and having 2 in a row is unthinkable, particularly when you take into account the meticulous way the FIXture is put together each and every year to ensure a fair and just draw.

Us over in Hawk land have seen our team pile up a few injuries to the older boys by having to play not one 6 day break, not 2 6 day breaks BUT 3 CONSECUTIVE 6 DAY BREAKS. And the team that we played after the 3rd 6 day break, $wans in Sydney.

Upon checking the draw I noticed something strange, Geelong have 2 consecutive 6 day breaks and who do they play after the 2nd............ $WANS IN SYDNEY!!! (who are coming of the ******* bye I might add)

I know Geelong and Hawks supporters love to get into each other and underneath it all is a good level of respect for each other, but can you please do the fans of the 16 other clubs a favour and smash these Syds and shove it right up the AFL's plans.

Last year, at the start, we had 4 games in 19 days with 6 day breaks and travel.
Welcome to the AFL fisting club. Admittance to the club requires success, continued success and admiration from the league that manifests itself in the form of every attempt possible to bring you down. Wait till you start getting the short end of the MRP as well. Its a treat.

Either way, I feel your pain and frustration. We've had it for years. And there is SFA you can do about it. Makes it even better when you see the "BIG" clubs getting 18 games at their home ground….

As for posting here, more than welcome with reasonable and balanced talk…..

Go Catters

 

[you pick one]

All part of the AFL equalization policy,they're like the ATO, you can work your arse off as a club to try and get ahead of the game but there sole ambition is to keep the competition as even as possible by any means and they won't be happy now until our clubs come to back to the pack.They were forced into excepting free agency by the players and smart clubs will use that to gain an advantage but mark my words they will monitor that closely in light of Buddy finishing up at Sydney and not their preferred choice GWS.
Watch this space for a change in policy in the years to come on multiple 6 day turn a rounds once the expansion clubs are were we are and us were they are.

 

[bulletproof]

Most coaches, including our coach, say six day breaks are not really an issue.

 

[you pick one]

Most coaches, including our coach, say six day breaks are not really an issue.

In isolation I would agree,but with a trip to Perth to start it off and 3 games in 13 days against 3 good teams,I'd like to ask a couple of our over 30 players who we are heavily reliant on this season what they think.

 

[dazbroncos]

Would be interesting to see the # of teams that win off their 2nd 6 day break ( third as well i guess) and then how travel effects it.

IT can be asserted that it has no effect, but the results of that would be interesting.. and to the contrary I feel….

Go Catters

 

[you pick one]

Would be interesting to see the # of teams that win off their 2nd 6 day break ( third as well i guess) and then how travel effects it.

IT can be asserted that it has no effect, but the results of that would be interesting.. and to the contrary I feel….

Go Catters

The coaches and players wouldn't worry about the odd well spaced 6 day turn a round but the consecutive multiples is a different kettle of fish,coaches might say in the media it not a concern,but to balance that I've never heard a coach or player express their disappointment in not receiving a good quoter of back to back 6 dayers.

 

[DV2000]

I understand the AFL trying to help teams like Melbourne and GWS have some on field success and boost their financial situations, but I don't think it's right for the AFL to constantly "attack" the good quality teams with very hard fixtures. In the latter stages of Geelong's dominant period from about 2009 -2011, the AFL have handed us very hard fixtures week after week. This includes MANY six-day breaks, not many home games (I also understand that Simonds Stadium cannot host big matches, but still...) and pitting us against the top teams. We rose to the challenge, and won 3 premierships from 2007-2011. The next season, 2012, we AGAIN got a hard fixture, and we were expected to slide down the ladder. We did. We finished sixth and got knocked out in the elimination final against Freo. In 2013, the AFL gave Another very hard draw, hard to believe when we had just gone from 1st position in 2011 to 6th the following year. We again fought through the hard fixture and did well, but didn't have good form leading into the finals, causing us to lose 2/3 of our finals matches. This season, we've got yet another difficult fixture, with few games at our REAL home ground Simonds stadium and playing The two grand final teams of last year (Dockers and Hawks) twice. If you look at Port adelaide, they have an unbelievable number of games at their home ground Adeliade Oval (12/22). They are establishing this ground as their fortress, unbeaten at AO, including big scalps in the Cats and Dockers. With this in mind, they are likely to finish VERY high on the ladder (top 3 I reckon), mainly thanks to their fixture. I'm not saying that the draw should be COMPLETELY RANDOM, and I know it' severe difficult and complicated to please everyone, but the AFL needs to come up with a better more concrete way to sort out the fixture every year.

 

[HR Roughnstuf]

Last year, at the start, we had 4 games in 19 days with 6 day breaks and travel.
Welcome to the AFL fisting club. Admittance to the club requires success, continued success and admiration from the league that manifests itself in the form of every attempt possible to bring you down. Wait till you start getting the short end of the MRP as well. Its a treat.

Either way, I feel your pain and frustration. We've had it for years. And there is SFA you can do about it. Makes it even better when you see the "BIG" clubs getting 18 games at their home ground….

As for posting here, more than welcome with reasonable and balanced talk…..

Go Catters

Thanks for the response.

I was hoping not to make this a Geelong vs Hawthorn discussion at all. I was just highlighting a 'quirk' in the FIXture which looks to benefit one team (you know that team that the AFL is always trying to benefit) and punish two other teams, Hawthorn and Geelong.

It's things like this that allows the AFL to do as it pleases with all aspects of the game. Presidents and CEO's of individual clubs are criticised if they comment about a broader issue or an issue they see in another club. 'Mind your own business' etc. is the most common response.

And as I said I really hope that Geelong will be able to beat the Swans up there because they are a club that everyone in the league respects because they have fought so hard for their success. But the AFL has definitely purposefully stacked the deck as much as they possibly can in the Swans favour here.

 

[Commando]

Three in a row is a massive concern, particularly the last one with travel to sydney while they are fresh off a 13 day break & bye

We could lose all three

 

[jusjoshin]

It looks like the AFL has adjusted your scheduling along similar lines to ours.

 

[MightyHawks]

Geelong actually had the same thing after the Easter Monday clash last year

Monday-Sunday-Saturday-Friday (v Sydney in Sydney)

Both clubs really do need to point out to the AFL that triple 6 day breaks is rubbish - and completely unnecessary in the fixturing

 

[Bobby_]

It looks like the AFL has adjusted your scheduling along similar lines to ours.

I posted this on the mainboard at the start of the year which kind of highlighted how easy of a run Fremantle have had in recent seasons,
http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/afl-fixture-in-hindsight-2012-2013-seasons.1046325/

Obviously didn't go down well with the usual posters but if Fremantle feel hard done by this year, relax, you haven't had to face as many good sides as some.

 

[jusjoshin]

I posted this on the mainboard at the start of the year which kind of highlighted how easy of a run Fremantle have had in recent seasons,
http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/afl-fixture-in-hindsight-2012-2013-seasons.1046325/

Obviously didn't go down well with the usual posters but if Fremantle feel hard done by this year, relax, you haven't had to face as many good sides as some.

The Freo board did note that we had a very soft draw last year. So far this season the breaks between games that we have had have been 8,6,9,6,6,9,6,6 and another 6 day break against Geelong. At least we haven't had to travel in the last couple of weeks

I'm not sure who you are referring to as having a harder start to the draw than us? We have a soft run coming up now (after the Cats) so hopefully we'll be able to string a few wins together.

edit: oops, i gave us an extra game by misreading the schedule.

 

[Nankervis brothers]

I generally agree with equalisation measures as it prevents the comp becoming like the English Premier League, i.e., team with most money wins.

However, I agree with the OP here - this is one equalisation method that stinks. I just wish that the AFL would come out and be honest about it and say that this is a means of handicapping teams that have had success. Because there is just no other way you can explain only certain teams - successful ones like GEE and HAW - having these three consecutive 6 day breaks.

 

[manboob]

Most coaches, including our coach, say six day breaks are not really an issue.

Of course it is. They just say that it isn't because they don't want to be seen as either complaining nor making excuses.

 

[Play it Sam]

There's a fly in the rubbing oil for the Swans, a tougher last half of the season.
Point taken though, less wear and tear on their players to ease into that.
I'd say the AFL have their gold fingers massaging for more Sydney interest,
given the investment in GWS.
Flops to tops, and will still only get page 54 up there.

So that's three teams so far(on here) that are feeling the setup.
Anyone else?
Eddie's been quiet - what's Collingwood's draw like?
Ah, don't worry, zero interest in the flogs.
Richmond might have had an early armchair ride.

 

[Teriyakicat]

There's a fly in the rubbing oil for the Swans, a tougher last half of the season.
Point taken though, less wear and tear on their players to ease into that.
I'd say the AFL have their gold fingers massaging for more Sydney interest,
given the investment in GWS.
Flops to tops, and will still only get page 54 up there.

So that's three teams so far(on here) that are feeling the setup.
Anyone else?
Eddie's been quiet - what's Collingwood's draw like?
Ah, don't worry, zero interest in the flogs.
Richmond might have had an early armchair ride.

Rounds 12, 13 and 14 are consecutive 6 day breaks for the Pies- against Melbourne, Bulldogs and... wait for it... the Hawks!

 

[catswhiskers]

Having the Easter Monday - stand alone game v Hawks. Adds an automatic extra 6 day break each year, and if you want Saturday and Friday night games as well that makes one "string" of consecutive 6 day breaks almost inevitable. Going into this string with a bye under the belt should help.

The Bullies / Saints/ Melb who enjoy (?) Sunday arvo after sunday arvo, get fewer 6 day breaks.

 

[InnocentBystandr]

Good thread, thanks OP (and rational discussion with opposition supporters should always be welcome). My points are:

• By making Easter Monday 'our' game we have set ourselves up somewhat.
• An easy/hard draw should 'only' make a position or 2 difference on the ladder - however this becomes important if it is the difference between 8/9, 4/5 or 2/3 and has bearing on interstate/home finals. In the end, I think the eventual premier will have been the best team, but I'm not convinced that runner-up will have been the second-best team. (This argument makes more sense when verbalised, but not so much when written).
• Port do seem to have a draw advantage, but they are also playing bl@@dy good football and will be hard to beat wherever they are.
• As for Sydney getting a soft run from the AFL.....you would traction complaining about taxes, weather, corruption, attitude of young people or whatever your favourite soap box issue is.

 

[HR Roughnstuf]

I generally agree with equalisation measures as it prevents the comp becoming like the English Premier League, i.e., team with most money wins.

However, I agree with the OP here - this is one equalisation method that stinks. I just wish that the AFL would come out and be honest about it and say that this is a means of handicapping teams that have had success. Because there is just no other way you can explain only certain teams - successful ones like GEE and HAW - having these three consecutive 6 day breaks.

Part of the issue though is this form of 'equalisation' has never been explicit by the AFL. Now fans start copping it and saying its fair. Need I remind you that the Swans were top 4 last year and the year before they won the premiership. They are not the deem deserving another extra leg up under the AFL's so called equalisation measures.

How interesting to note that Geelong had 3 consecutive breaks last year and the last game was against who? Swans in Sydney.

 

[vinum coupe]

The Swans theory is just rubbish.

So what is the optimum break between games?
Are we sticking to 7 days because that's what happened every week 30 years ago?

Who says 6 days isn't spot on?
Who says 8 days is better?

Wait until the AFL play 17 rounds only. Then you are going to see all sorts of madness. Because they'll want every bit of exposure that they can get.

 

[Partridge]

Part of the issue though is this form of 'equalisation' has never been explicit by the AFL. Now fans start copping it and saying its fair. Need I remind you that the Swans were top 4 last year and the year before they won the premiership. They are not the deem deserving another extra leg up under the AFL's so called equalisation measures.

How interesting to note that Geelong had 3 consecutive breaks last year and the last game was against who? Swans in Sydney.

Yep. Best part was we beat them too.

 

[Teriyakicat]

Having the Easter Monday - stand alone game v Hawks. Adds an automatic extra 6 day break each year, and if you want Saturday and Friday night games as well that makes one "string" of consecutive 6 day breaks almost inevitable. Going into this string with a bye under the belt should help.

The Bullies / Saints/ Melb who enjoy (?) Sunday arvo after sunday arvo, get fewer 6 day breaks.

Happened to look at this last night- just looking at a few teams I'd imagine to be top 4 (Hawks, Cats, Sydney, Port, Freo) and noticed that Port was pretty flush with Sat and Sun games as well. They have two Fri night games in the last 2 rounds, so they have a 6 day break then a 7, leading into finals.
Freo have had their 2x6 day breaks already but have a good run of Sats and Suns also leading into the back end of the season, before a 5 day break immediately before their last game vs Port in WA Hope it wears them both out!