The Cats want to play round 23 on the Monday night.  http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-07-12/cats-want-giant-monday-clash-to-end-season

Reasons:

1) Geelong are notoriously poor after a bye.  They can minimise the length of their time off the park, and a Monday night fixture would do that.

2) The second driver is the evidence thrown up by the 2016 finals series - The prevailing wisdom from that experience is that any attempt should be made to shorten gaps between matches.

A Monday night rnd 23 gives them 9 days from rnd 22.  I bet the next thing the Cats will ask is for their first final to be played on the Thursday night again to get an 8/9 day break and continue on from there.  Then a Saturday etc etc.

I believe one of the reasons the Bulldogs won the GF is because they had 8 or 9 days between every game - an ideal break to freshen up players but not so long to 'loose touch'. 

Geelong are getting in early but I hope the AFL is wise to it and not allow any team to have the advantage the Bulldogs had last year.  I actually think it was a deliberate plan by the AFL last year.  I hope (somewhat forlornly) that they mix it up this year so that no team has such an advantage.  I say forlornly as the AFL is likely to gift this advantage to GWS to help them to their maiden flag.  

I always thought the weekend finals scheduling was relatively fair to all teams and the higher you finished the better the draw.  Not the case anymore. Its at the whim of the AFL. 

 

 

1 minute ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

The Cats want to play round 23 on the Monday night.  http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-07-12/cats-want-giant-monday-clash-to-end-season

Reasons:

1) Geelong are notoriously poor after a bye.  They can minimise the length of their time off the park, and a Monday night fixture would do that.

2) The second driver is the evidence thrown up by the 2016 finals series - The prevailing wisdom from that experience is that any attempt should be made to shorten gaps between matches.

A Monday night rnd 23 gives them 9 days from rnd 22.  I bet the next thing the Cats will ask is for their first final to be played on the Thursday night again to get an 8/9 day break and continue on from there.  Then a Saturday etc etc.

I believe one of the reasons the Bulldogs won the GF is because they had 8 or 9 days between every game - an ideal break to freshen up players but not so long to 'loose touch'. 

Geelong are getting in early but I hope the AFL is wise to it and not allow any team to have the advantage the Bulldogs had last year.  I actually think it was a deliberate plan by the AFL last year.  I hope (somewhat forlornly) that they mix it up this year so that no team has such an advantage.  I say forlornly as the AFL is likely to gift this advantage to GWS to help them to their maiden flag.  

I always thought the weekend finals scheduling was relatively fair to all teams and the higher you finished the better the draw.  Not the case anymore. Its at the whim of the AFL. 

 

 

I heard on the radio this morning, that they've changed their tune on this. Geelong don't want the Monday anymore because they think they'll get less of a crowd on a Monday night. 

Personally I think we could be one of the big benefactors of the pre-finals bye, just because we've had  such an injury interrupted season and if we make it, then a week to freshen up those who've had to play every game will do us good. Guys like Vince and Lewis, I thought might have the odd game here or there off but they haven't been able too. 

The final round is being delayed (I think they'd normally like to have t locked in by now) as you said it should be up to the higher on the ladder teams to choose when they play (but the bye nearly makes it irrelevant). It looks like only Cats vs GWS and Rich vs Saints (maybe WCE vs Adel) will involve 2 teams in the finals.

My guess, we'll end up with the Saturday day or night game vs the Pies because the other MCG game is the Tigs vs StK and they both play Sunday games in round 22. 

what a load of rubbish this 'struggling after the bye' is.

funny how the top 2 don't complain when they have a week off before the prelim (and more often than not, win the prelim)

I agree that the pre finals bye will suit us.  Oliver/Trac etc will be hanging for it

The pre finals bye suits young teams like ours, just like it helped a very young Doggies team win the flag last year.  

It is going to be the most frustrating moment in MFC history if we miss the 8 this season, knowing the flag race is wide open.

42 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

The Cats want to play round 23 on the Monday night.  http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-07-12/cats-want-giant-monday-clash-to-end-season

Reasons:

1) Geelong are notoriously poor after a bye.  They can minimise the length of their time off the park, and a Monday night fixture would do that.

2) The second driver is the evidence thrown up by the 2016 finals series - The prevailing wisdom from that experience is that any attempt should be made to shorten gaps between matches.

A Monday night rnd 23 gives them 9 days from rnd 22.  I bet the next thing the Cats will ask is for their first final to be played on the Thursday night again to get an 8/9 day break and continue on from there.  Then a Saturday etc etc.

I believe one of the reasons the Bulldogs won the GF is because they had 8 or 9 days between every game - an ideal break to freshen up players but not so long to 'loose touch'. 

Geelong are getting in early but I hope the AFL is wise to it and not allow any team to have the advantage the Bulldogs had last year.  I actually think it was a deliberate plan by the AFL last year.  I hope (somewhat forlornly) that they mix it up this year so that no team has such an advantage.  I say forlornly as the AFL is likely to gift this advantage to GWS to help them to their maiden flag.  

I always thought the weekend finals scheduling was relatively fair to all teams and the higher you finished the better the draw.  Not the case anymore. Its at the whim of the AFL. 

 

 

I think you're giving the AFL w-a-a-a-y too much credit. I believe the AFL was just being reactive to clubs resting players previously in the final home-and-away round which was compromising the integrity of games being played in that round. Reactive decision-making seems to me to be standard operating procedure for matters associated with how the game itself is run.

(On the other hand, for commercial and long-term strategic decision-making, such as competition expansion, I think the AFL has a well-honed strategic thought process.)

Bye or no bye if we can't be switched on for our 1st final in 11 years then we don't deserve it, I like the bye round before finals gives everyone a chance to take a deep breath and freshen up 

49 minutes ago, DubDee said:

what a load of rubbish this 'struggling after the bye' is.

funny how the top 2 don't complain when they have a week off before the prelim (and more often than not, win the prelim)

I agree that the pre finals bye will suit us.  Oliver/Trac etc will be hanging for it

Both teams that had the week off last year lost the prelims. 

The difference was, for the first time, the fact there was a bye after round 23. So GWS and Geelong effectively had 1 game in a month.

It has seen little comment and overall the AFL would be thrilled that everyone in the 8 now has a chance of winning the flag. The advantage of finishing in the top 4 has been reduced to home ground and the extra week off. Although there is only 1 year of 'evidence' it would seem that earning the double chance and having a further week off is detrimental to the physical readiness a team needs for finals.

 terrible idea having the bye after R23.

12 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

Both teams that had the week off last year lost the prelims. 

The difference was, for the first time, the fact there was a bye after round 23. So GWS and Geelong effectively had 1 game in a month.

It has seen little comment and overall the AFL would be thrilled that everyone in the 8 now has a chance of winning the flag. The advantage of finishing in the top 4 has been reduced to home ground and the extra week off. Although there is only 1 year of 'evidence' it would seem that earning the double chance and having a further week off is detrimental to the physical readiness a team needs for finals.

bit of an exaggeration, 3 games in 29 days is another way of putting it.  but I get what your saying they missed 2 games in 3 weeks and that meant they could not prepare as usual and threw them off a bit physically.  teams will just have to learn how to prepare for this better

to me it was more a coincidence. GWS should have won and Sydney were the best team last year and were top of the ladder

2 hours ago, DubDee said:

bit of an exaggeration, 3 games in 29 days is another way of putting it.  but I get what your saying they missed 2 games in 3 weeks and that meant they could not prepare as usual and threw them off a bit physically.  teams will just have to learn how to prepare for this better

to me it was more a coincidence. GWS should have won and Sydney were the best team last year and were top of the ladder

Each to his own. Happy with my comment.

2 hours ago, DubDee said:

bit of an exaggeration, 3 games in 29 days is another way of putting it.  but I get what your saying they missed 2 games in 3 weeks and that meant they could not prepare as usual and threw them off a bit physically.  teams will just have to learn how to prepare for this better

to me it was more a coincidence. GWS should have won and Sydney were the best team last year and were top of the ladder

Finals are another competition. The record books are littered with teams that failed after being easily the best team all year.

Collingwood must hold the record. There were many times in the seventies where they lost very few games and finished games clear at the top but could not win a GF. 

The Top 2 sides have to restructure their training methods. 

2 breaks before a GF could be absolute gold if the right planning is in place. 

Start now MFC, just in case. 

This is a classic Paul Roos move coming out of the Cattery. Put a casual focus on a perceived inequity with a mildly disruptive play and then quietly walk away. I see the Cats have backed down now.

I'd prefer to see what happens this year before making a call on the impact of the week off before finals.

If the two teams who get the week off into the prelims then both lose their prelims, I'll support the argument that the week off before finals is diluting the benefit of finishing top 4.

Until then, last year was an aberration.

Ive no idea why they need a floating round 23 with a week off before finals anyway. 

Its not like someone will have a 6 day break 

18 hours ago, biggestred said:

Ive no idea why they need a floating round 23 with a week off before finals anyway. 

Its not like someone will have a 6 day break 

It was the knee jerk reaction to Freo resting 11 players for their final game before finals.

39 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

It was the knee jerk reaction to Freo resting 11 players for their final game before finals.

North also did it. Pretty sure Freo's was in the second last round away form home. They all played the next week at home.

BUMP

2017 rnd 23 fixture is out http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/afl-2017-luke-hodges-likely-farewell-to-kick-off-round-23-20170801-gxn6ei.html

We play pies on Sat @ 1.45 at the G.  Unfortunately it is a Foxtel game so no FTA.

But on the bright side if we make finals it gives us a good break for injury recovery until first final!

 

Nice to see we are playing rnd 23 on a Saturday, during the day final  round. 

Hopefully we're finals bound or needing to win it to get in.

4 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

BUMP

2017 rnd 23 fixture is out http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/afl-2017-luke-hodges-likely-farewell-to-kick-off-round-23-20170801-gxn6ei.html

We play pies on Sat @ 1.45 at the G.  Unfortunately it is a Foxtel game so no FTA.

But on the bright side if we make finals it gives us a good break for injury recovery until first final!

 

Another 6 day break. Thanks, AFL ?

And if we are relying on other results to fall our way to make the 8 surely it would be meth coke v Adelaide.... a whole 24 hours later !!!! Great ... geez I hope it's wrapped up before rd 23

So we're the only top 8 team given a 6 day break between rounds 22 and 23. What a [censored] surprise. 7 day break for Collingwood.

Essendon given 8 days to recover between matches against Gold Coast and Fremantle. What a staggering coincidence.

Only other teams to get 6 day breaks are Brisbane, North Melbourne, Hawthorn and Bulldogs, all playing against each other to keep it fair. Of the teams also vying for a spot:

Sydney - 8 days

West Coast - 8 days

Essendon - 8 days

You'd think a logical person would've scheduled West Coast v Adelaide on Saturday, considering they have an 8 day v 9 day break, rather than allowing 6 v 7 for a team on the cusp. Self inflicted, sure, but the AFL never do us any favours. Once again treated like pushovers by the AFL.

1 hour ago, Cards13 said:

Nice to see we are playing rnd 23 on a Saturday, during the day final  round. 

Hopefully we're finals bound or needing to win it to get in.

Sounded great until I heard it's yet another 6 day break! 

Can't wait

2 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Can't wait

Any day is a good day to beat the filth, eh BB?