VFL Draw 2004

[Dasher39]

Here is the 2004 TXU VFL Draw for Geelong


Rnd 1: Nortern Bullants - Sun 4 April, Optus Oval 10.30am (AFL CR)
Rnd 2: Bendigo Bombers - Sat 10 April, QEO Oval 1pm
Rnd 3: Tasmania - Sun 18 April, York Park 2pm
Rnd 4: BYE
Rnd 5: North Ballarat - Sat 1 May, Northern Oval 1.10pm
Rnd 6: Frankston - Sat 8 May, Skilled Stadium 2pm
Rnd 7: Sandringham - Sun 16 May, Skilled Stadium 10.30am (AFL CR)
Rnd 8: Williamstown - Sun 23 May, Burbank Oval 2pm
Rnd 9: Coburg - Sun 30 May, Coburg City Oval 2pm
Rnd 10: Werribee - Sat 5 June Skilled Stadium 2pm
Rnd 11: Port Melbourne - Sun 13 June, Skilled Stadium 10.30am (AFL CR)
Rnd 12: Box Hill - Sun 27 June, Box Hill City Oval 2pm
Rnd 13: Springvale - Sat 3 July, Skilled Stadium 2pm
Rnd 14: Frankston - Sun 11 July, Frankston Oval 2pm
Rnd 15: Tasmania - Sat 17 July, Hobart 1pm
Rnd 16: North Ballarat - Sat 24 July, Skilled Stadium 2pm
Rnd 17: BYE
Rnd 18: Bendigo Bombers - Sat 7 August, Skilled Stadium 2pm
Rnd 19: Box Hill - Sat 14 August, Skilled Stadium 10.30am (AFL CR)
Rnd 20: Port Melbourne - Sun 22 August, TEAC Oval 2pm

Notes

- We play in Tasmania twice (that seems a bir unfair)
- We get five 8 day breaks
- Four 6 day breaks
- Not once do we play on the same day as the AFL team when they both play in Victoria.
- We play twice on the same day as the AFL side, however this is when AFL side play Interstate, in Rnd 2 vs Bendigo (AFL vs Sydney @ SCG) and in Rnd 9 vs Coburg (AFL vs Pt Adel. @ AAMI)
- First home game isnt until Rnd 6
- 4 AFL Curtain Raisers
- 8 games at Skilled Stadium, which means we play 10 Away games and 8 Home games.


IMO a reasonable draw, although there are a few inequities in there, i.e playing in Tas twice and not an even amount of Home and Away games. I am still optimistic that we will have a successful year in the VFL.

 

[ScouseCat]

Originally posted by Dasher39
- Not once do we play on the same day as the AFL team when they both play in Victoria.
- We play twice on the same day as the AFL side, however this is when AFL side play Interstate, in Rnd 2 vs Bendigo (AFL vs Sydney @ SCG) and in Rnd 9 vs Coburg (AFL vs Pt Adel. @ AAMI)

Unfortunately, one of the sad things about today's football is that we don't get a chance to see the VFL team play before the main game much anymore.

 

[jim boy]

What's this! Playing every team twice and almost half of them at home (I assume it's a one-off because of the stand redevelopment).

I demand an inquiry into how something so even and fair can be allowed to happen! This goes totally against the spirit of modern football.

 

[Unwritten_Law]

Originally posted by Dasher39
Here is the 2004 TXU VFL Draw for Geelong

Notes

- We play in Tasmania twice (that seems a bir unfair)

No complaints here. With the exodus of players from Tassie we should be easy beats anyway.

 

[catattack]

Originally posted by Dasher39
IMO a reasonable draw, although there are a few inequities in there, i.e playing in Tas twice and not an even amount of Home and Away games.

I reckon the draw is grossly unfair. How can you justify playing more away games in a home and away season than home games? 20 rounds - but only playing 18 games due to byes - allows for an equal number of home games to away games. And to rub salt into the wound, we see ourselves on the plane twice to Tassie. Some teams wouldn't even play there at all, some would be one and one, but for some unforseen reason we're playing there twice and they're not even coming up here.

I am still optimistic that we will have a successful year in the VFL.

I believe that we will. Players that we drafted last year have had a full year to develop in the VFL as well as playing in the AFL. That same scenario was in 2002, with a full batch on newly drafted youngsters that aspired to the pinnacle of VFL football. Although they were first year players, they were talented enough to gain selection in the senior team for a good part of the 2002 season.

 

[Seb]

Geelong's VFL side will be pressing for another Premiership, given the abundance of AFL talent we'll have rotating through...

The players I expect will see some VFL action are:

Tim Callan
Paul Chambers
Daniel Foster
Charlie Gardiner
Josh Hunt
David Johnson
Tom Lonergan
Andrew Mackie
Brent Moloney
Henry Playfair
David Spriggs
Shannon Byrnes
Jeff Smith
and Will Slade

Add to that list our new draftees, in Mark Blake, Kane Tenace, Matthew Spencer and a couple of new rookies and our pick in the PSD and we'll almost be a certain favourite

I think guys like Jimmy Kelly and Jimmy Bartel will also have a run around. It's more than likely, that some stage during the year, they will have a bit of a form slump or suffer from injury or some hindrance will arise, preventing them from playing 20 AFL games.

Also, other players are likely to push up, as part of the evil rotation plan.

 

[catattack]

Originally posted by Shaitan
Geelong's VFL side will be pressing for another Premiership, given the abundance of AFL talent we'll have rotating through...

My thoughts exactly.

We were quite competitive in the VFL this season, and really with a little more luck we could have finished quite a few spots higher on the ladder.

With pretty much the same group next year as this year’s - of course the additions of the new draftees - we will emulate on this season. Top four finish I would say and the Premiership is not out of our reach that's for sure. Last year's group will be well settled into the VFL and with the help of several AFL appearances, will gel together to make a very competitive team.

 

[Seb]

Originally posted by catattack

With pretty much the same group next year as this year’s - of course the additions of the new draftees - we will emulate on this season. Top four finish I would say and the Premiership is not out of our reach that's for sure. Last year's group will be well settled into the VFL and with the help of several AFL appearances, will gel together to make a very competitive team.

Add to that the factors of maturation, both mentally and physically.

Another summer in the weights room for Charlie Gardiner, Kelly, Lonergan and Mackie etc... And they'll be able to intimidate the opposition and brush off the younger guys (for opposing teams).

Exciting times ahead for our VFL side... Even though, that is quite a sad case...

 

[Dasher39]

For some reason I can never really remember the VFL draw being fair, it always seems to favour some teams more than others. The fact we play in Tassie twice is quite simply a disgrace. They must think that cos we are a AFL stand alone club that we should be given a tougher draw, which is a disgrace. Nut when we win the Premiership it will make it all the more satisfying knowing that we have had to overcome this draw.

 

[catattack]

The VFL should put themselves into the Book of the World's Biggest Jokes. They are giving Tassie an armchair ride to the finals. For one Tasmania isn't a city of Victoria and two, how does 12 home games justify Geelong’s eight. Really fair that. Please, for the love of God, make this a misprint of the draw!

And if my memory serves me correctly, I do believe we were denied a HOME final just so Tassie could have one. Really fair system if you ask me!

Absolute and utter bull****!

 

[ScouseCat]

Originally posted by catattack
The VFL should put themselves into the Book of the World's Biggest Jokes.

Really fair system if you ask me!

Absolute and utter bull****!

But at the end of the day, the VFL side is there to develop our players so they can experience success at AFL level, not VFL level, and although it would be nice to see the VFL team be successful like they were in 2002, it's not the end of the world if they're not.

 

[Seb]

Originally posted by ScouseCat
But at the end of the day, the VFL side is there to develop our players so they can experience success at AFL level, not VFL level, and although it would be nice to see the VFL team be successful like they were in 2002, it's not the end of the world if they're not.

At the same time, winning is everything, albeit in at VFL level.

Geelong develop their players through the VFL, but it's more than match practice. Learning to play a team game, learning how to win... bonding with fellow teammates. If you ask me, the VFL isn't given enough respect by the club.

 

[catattack]

Originally posted by ScouseCat
But at the end of the day, the VFL side is there to develop our players so they can experience success at AFL level, not VFL level, and although it would be nice to see the VFL team be successful like they were in 2002, it's not the end of the world if they're not.

I'm a very passionate follower of the VFL, and although I prefer the AFL team to win over the VFL team any day, the fact is they're still Geelong and still have Geelong players running around in Cats colours.

It makes my blood boil to see us get jibbed like that in the draw. Sure, it 'may just be the VFL', but at the end of the day I want a fair draw. It's great to see the VFL team doing so well, and I hope it continues in 2004. The VFL are the biggest joke around.

Our players will develop and play better footy if they're part of a winning environment, and feel the hunger to match that in the AFL team. I'm sure a draw like this will infuriate them like it does me.

 

[Unwritten_Law]

Originally posted by catattack
For one Tasmania isn't a city of Victoria and two, how does 12 home games justify Geelong’s eight. Really fair that. Please, for the love of God, make this a misprint of the draw!

Not our problem if clubs are willing to sell games to us, it is no different to Melbourne playing home games against Brisbane at the Gabba.

Originally posted by catattack
And if my memory serves me correctly, I do believe we were denied a HOME final just so Tassie could have one. Really fair system if you ask me!

Memory is wrong. Tasmania finished 5th, Geelong 8th. Only club that has any right to complain is Port Melbourne.

 

[ScouseCat]

Originally posted by Unwritten_Law
Not our problem if clubs are willing to sell games to us, it is no different to Melbourne playing home games against Brisbane at the Gabba.

Have we agreed to play our home game against Tasmania in Tassie next year to make some extra money??

 

[catattack]

Originally posted by ScouseCat
Have we agreed to play our home game against Tasmania in Tassie next year to make some extra money??

I haven't seen the draw, but if it's our home game in Tassie then that would be why. I don't know how we would actually make money from the VFL, I'd love to know. I would have thought it was only an AFL moneymaking scheme.

 

[Dasher39]

Originally posted by catattack
I haven't seen the draw, but if it's our home game in Tassie then that would be why. I don't know how we would actually make money from the VFL, I'd love to know. I would have thought it was only an AFL moneymaking scheme.

I saw the draw today, and it is an AWAY game in Tasmania, so we do play twice down there for 2 away games. The VFL must seriously be dumb to do something like that.

I second everything catattack said about the VFL. WE are very passionate about the VFL, and attend most games that we can. Yes it might be for development, but it is still a pivotal part of the club, and to dismiss this draw as no big deal is ludicrous. Whether you are playing U/8's or in the VFL, there should always be an EVEN and FAIR draw, and this ISNT!!

 

[catattack]

Originally posted by Dasher39
I saw the draw today, and it is an AWAY game in Tasmania, so we do play twice down there for 2 away games. The VFL must seriously be dumb to do something like that.

Well there we go. Justify that outrageous draw, VFL! Dasher, what teams do not have to play in Tassie at all? There would have to be at least a couple.

Yes it might be for development, but it is still a pivotal part of the club, and to dismiss this draw as no big deal is ludicrous. Whether you are playing U/8's or in the VFL, there should always be an EVEN and FAIR draw, and this ISNT!!

Well said!

 

[Unwritten_Law]

Originally posted by Dasher39
I saw the draw today, and it is an AWAY game in Tasmania, so we do play twice down there for 2 away games. The VFL must seriously be dumb to do something like that.

And that means what exactly?

I don't have access to the Addy but has any Geelong officials, or officials from any other club for that matter, complained about Tasmania having 12 home 6 away games?

It is a financial thing. Why play games infront of a couple of hundred people in Melbourne when you can get 3000-5000 to show up in Hobart. I also think the stadium expansion has a lot to do with it. Again, I don't know whether or not the expansion stops football being played fullstop or just AFL because of the capacity issue. It does however make for a heavy schedule come the second half of the AFL season and Geelong officials might be worried that too many games, combined with the heavy possibility of bad weather, will chop the ground up too much and have decided that a few extra dollars and an extra trip to Tasmania is the way to go this season.

 

[JUBJUB]

Originally posted by Unwritten_Law
And that means what exactly?

I don't have access to the Addy but has any Geelong officials, or officials from any other club for that matter, complained about Tasmania having 12 home 6 away games?

There's been no mention of the VFL draw in the Addy.

 

[catattack]

Originally posted by Unwritten_Law
I don't have access to the Addy but has any Geelong officials, or officials from any other club for that matter, complained about Tasmania having 12 home 6 away games?

Because no-one particularly cares about the VFL, it gets hardly any publicity. Only band wagoners jump on board when the team makes the finals. There is no VFL draw in the paper, no analysis of the draw, and nothing to suggest the club being happy with the draw at all.

It is a financial thing. Why play games infront of a couple of hundred people in Melbourne when you can get 3000-5000 to show up in Hobart.

Why travel interstate twice to get an unfair advantage when it really is your home game. We get nothing for it, except for the cost of travelling up and back twice, plus accommodation and transfers. The Club has already come out many times saying that it costs so much to run the VFL and they get hardly any back, so do you think they would be happy having to crack even more money into the VFL team??

I also think the stadium expansion has a lot to do with it. Again, I don't know whether or not the expansion stops football being played full stop or just AFL because of the capacity issue.

The capacity issue has nothing to do with it. With the re-development only a couple of thousand seats will be lost. As you have said, only a few go to the VFL so capacity has nothing to do with it what so ever. There are many suburban grounds in Melbourne that can only accommodate up to 7/8,000. They are playing the same amount of home games for the AFL team at Skilled Stadium next year, so how can that hinder the VFL team?

It does however make for a heavy schedule come the second half of the AFL season and Geelong officials might be worried that too many games, combined with the heavy possibility of bad weather, will chop the ground up too much and have decided that a few extra dollars and an extra trip to Tasmania is the way to go this season.

Now come on. The ground has all of the summer to grow back, if in the event it gets chopped up. The Club will not say: "we don't want to take advantage of a home game because our ground might get chopped up." I'm sure the club would prefer saving the money from the extra trips to Tassie, to risk the ground for one game. In the long run, the Club pays for the travel, but the council looks after the ground anyway! It has never been a problem in the past, the VFL team have played their 10 or so games at Skilled, the AFL team play their eight games, and there's training on the oval practically every day. Add to that the GFL finals, Interleague carnival, Geelong Falcon’s TAC Cup matches, and a variety of events staged on the oval. Do you think the Club is really worried about the damage that “could” be done to the oval?

So really all in all, the ground is an elite sporting ground that has people working on it regularly to insure it's up to scratch. I had a look at it the other day, and it has pulled up sensationally well from all of this year's action, so to dismiss the Cats' uneven VFL draw by saying its "to save the ground" is ridiculous.