Richmond, Port and Melbourne have all played a game or two at Darwin this year.

There have been a total of 21 games played following each teams trip north and of those 21 games, only one has been a victory with Richmond beating Brisbane in round 13.

Is there something in this?

If it is having a negative effect, is the 1 million dollars enough compensation for this?

Great stat! As we move forward and attempt to push for the top 8 then no the compensation is not worth it. For a team like Port Adelaide, or us 2 years ago this is a worthwhile exercise.

It's time to stop selling games and putting success before everything else.

Coincidence / causality..?

I think those 3 teams were pretty abysmal anyway before playing in Darwin, but I think there is some merit in the idea it lowers performance for the next round or 2. Not after that.

I find it hard to believe Richmond are still suffering from the residual effects from their match up north.

I do think its a pretty realistic call to suggest we are very very flat after Darwin. If we cant do it with a bye following we ought to give it away. NAB and pretend games by all means...not real ones for four points. Unless im misinformed even the locals dont play footy then !!

Also got to look at the opposition that they're coming up against, ie. this year us against the Hawks we probably weren't going to win. Might've been worth an extra few goals, but we have been so bad lately it's hard to know.

I'm not so much concerned about the matches following, more so the matches themselves. Richmond proved the danger of selling those games, they could've been pushing for the 8 if those games had been played in Melbourne. Fact is we roll this dice every time we go up there.

If we play in Darwin and are knackered the following week and get belted, what does that do to the confidence of the players, we can't measure the effect a hard slogging game in Darwin would have on the younger players. The kids build up muscle during the preseason and lose it as the year goes on due to the aerobic nature of football, so the later they play these games in the season the weaker the kids have become, relatively, and the bigger effect the game will have.

Sometimes these games are essential for finance but I would bet the coach would prefer they weren't part of our calendar, not that he would ever say that of course, club unity and all.

Cop out.

All three also have something else in common - being fairly rubbish teams.

The Dogs played in Darwin the last two years - they went on to make prelims in each year.

  On 09/08/2011 at 07:47, 45HG16 said:

Cop out.

All three also have something else in common - being fairly rubbish teams.

The Dogs played in Darwin the last two years - they went on to make prelims in each year.

Don't the Bulldogs have a fair % of senior and more mature bodied players?

My point was more along the lines of good teams win wherever the play and the week after wherever they play. Further, that it's not playing in Darwin that is the problem.

If we were a good team we wouldn't be complaining about pulling up from Darwin.

To be a good team we need, as you say, experienced, senior and bigger bodied players. In a few years time, it won't even be a concern.

  On 09/08/2011 at 08:45, 45HG16 said:

My point was more along the lines of good teams win wherever the play and the week after wherever they play. Further, that it's not playing in Darwin that is the problem.

If we were a good team we wouldn't be complaining about pulling up from Darwin.

To be a good team we need, as you say, experienced, senior and bigger bodied players. In a few years time, it won't even be a concern.

Yes to the first part and I hope you are right with the second

  On 09/08/2011 at 09:07, old dee said:

Yes to the first part and I hope you are right with the second

Darwinian theory is never far from AFL .

  On 09/08/2011 at 06:43, WAClark said:

Richmond, Port and Melbourne have all played a game or two at Darwin this year.

There have been a total of 21 games played following each teams trip north and of those 21 games, only one has been a victory with Richmond beating Brisbane in round 13.

Is there something in this?

If it is having a negative effect, is the 1 million dollars enough compensation for this?

We were robbed having the bye prior to, instead of after the Darwin game. I'm of the opinion it will take a week & a half to recover, especially for a young inexperienced team.

We played all the tough teams bar the Pies, since the Darwin game. Hawks, Cats, Blues, Eagles to come. Just a bit of a stretch for a young developing side coming off the sapping heat of our Far North.

The bye must be guaranteed to follow the Darwin game... If the Darwin game is played on a Saturday night, perhaps we could play our next match 12 Days later, a 6.45PM or 7.00PM Thursday Night game??? Shown Free to air on a delayed timeslot?