Two byes for every team next year

[jenny61_99]

The AFL has announced this:

2011 FIXTURE SUMMARY
* The introduction of the Gold Coast Suns provides 11 extra games across the season - 187 games in total (was 176 games), plus finals.

* 19 rounds x eight matches (one bye) - Starting times and television slots same as in 2010.

* Five rounds x seven matches (three byes) - one slot to be dropped in each round, with the AFL and television networks to decide which one.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/102170/default.aspx

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

I'm glad the split round/bye weekend has been banished.

Hated it. Had to reintroduce myself to friends and family, mow the lawn, clean out the shed... shudder. Give me couch and foxtel any day.

I hope we don't bring it back when GWS enters. If the players are so hell bent on getting a rest then the clubs should rest them for a game, like they do in the EPL. No need for the whole league to have a week off.

 

[Coopers]

Won't the AFL think of dreamteam!

This will be terrible for the game!

 

[Pilchard_Adams]

Won't the AFL think of dreamteam!

This will be terrible for the game!

Yeah, does this mean Dream Team is boned?

 

[knobby]

I'm glad the split round/bye weekend has been banished.

Hated it. Had to reintroduce myself to friends and family, mow the lawn, clean out the shed... shudder. Give me couch and foxtel any day.

I hope we don't bring it back when GWS enters. If the players are so hell bent on getting a rest then the clubs should rest them for a game, like they do in the EPL. No need for the whole league to have a week off.[/quote]

Yes I know the feeling - LOL

I reckon that could be the next development in the game similar the EPL, NBA, NFL etc, Mark Harvey experimented with it this year (and others before him - disguised as "soreness") with reasonable/justifiable success. Would need bigger playing lists though to totally succeed like EPL, NBA, NFL as teams would still want/need to win.

 

[jo172]

Yeah, does this mean Dream Team is boned?

You'd hope we just get a larger bench and bigger salary cap?

Would make an interesting element of the game though, forcing people to change their strategy from having their starting 22 loaded, with practically no-names on the bench.

I'm all in favour of two byes instead of a split round. I hate the split round.

 

[spexau]

Yeah split round sucks. Byes aren't too bad, atleast there will be the same amount of matches on every weekend and the bye gives some softer injuries a bit of extra time to heal.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Yes I know the feeling - LOL

I reckon that could be the next development in the game similar the EPL, NBA, NFL etc, Mark Harvey experimented with it this year (and others before him - disguised as "soreness") with reasonable/justifiable success. Would need bigger playing lists though to totally succeed like EPL, NBA, NFL as teams would still want/need to win.

Good call. Mark Harvey may have banished the bye weekend forever.

Plus Mick Malthouse this year has made a point of rotating his squad to keep players fresh and also to widen his playing roster to better cope with injuries. So change is in the wind.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Yeah, does this mean Dream Team is boned?

The EPL fantasy stuff still works ok.

There are usually 10 games in a round but due to European commitments, FA Cup replays and cancelled matches there are some rounds with fewer than 10 matches and some with more than 10 (eg one of your players might play twice in the same game week).

It adds another dimension to managing your squad. For instance you can make one of your double up players captain.

You need to make sure that your bench players are actually taking the field. And you also need to keep a close eye on the future draw.

It isn't as clean as the AFL DT has been but it still works.

 

[J-Ro-20]

You'd hope we just get a larger bench and bigger salary cap?

Would make an interesting element of the game though, forcing people to change their strategy from having their starting 22 loaded, with practically no-names on the bench.

I'm all in favour of two byes instead of a split round. I hate the split round.

I think we are going to get 24 trades instead of 20. and an extra sub in each position. Which if you think about it - isnt a lot really.

 

[Glenno23]

I think we are going to get 24 trades instead of 20. and an extra sub in each position. Which if you think about it - isnt a lot really.

Good, will weed out the average players who benefit from others research

Yep, 24 trades and an extra sub in each possie except ruck

Same salary cap (or the usual increase as per inflation) so picking the mid rangers will have more importance next year for DT and SC

 

[Thumpy]

Yeah, does this mean Dream Team is boned?

Nah, Dream Team will be fine. We'll have an extra player on the bench so as long as we have a variety of players from each team then we should be okay.

 

[PCORF]

Same top 8 and finals format, so 9 teams will miss out.

 

[DieHardCrow]

Another point on the draw - not 100% on what the Crows requests are but apparently the Gold Coast may be heading to Adelaide in Round 3 or 4 as their first away game to take on the Crows here at AAMI - just a whisper from an official at the club from one of the very early draws from the AFL

 

[Big Sledge #32]

Another point on the draw - not 100% on what the Crows requests are but apparently the Gold Coast may be heading to Adelaide in Round 3 or 4 as their first away game to take on the Crows here at AAMI - just a whisper from an official at the club from one of the very early draws from the AFL

Makes sense as a lot of people will turn up just to...

a)See the new team and...

b)Boo Nathan Bock

Plus the AFL can say that the GC are good for attendances with the extra motivation to see the new team.