Round 23

[JV7 2,351]

Anyone got thoughts on when they think we will be playing round 23 Vs GWS ? It seems in previous years the AFL has released the fixture around this time so we may hear something this week. I think given the possible ramifications of our game channel 7 will be wanting it so I'd guessing we'll either Saturday night or Sunday 3:20pm slot... You'd think coming back from Perth the AFL wouldn't give us a 6 day break so Sunday 3:20pm seems most logical...

[Lucifers Hero 39,819]

You are right on the money JV7!  The AFL will release the round 23 fixture in the next week.  Channel 9 just reported our game is most likely the Sunday 3.20 time slot (to give us a week's rest).   And yes, it means that game will be on FTA. 

Which reminds me, all our remaining games will be broadcast FTA and our past 2 have been FTA.  While not premium time slots, that is 6 games on the trot FTA which, if they get good audiences, help our FTA premium time slot chances next year...we can happily take all the Thurs/Fri/Sat nights FTA gifted to Carlton this year. 

Edited July 29, 2018 by Lucifer's Hero

[SFebes 4,884]

10 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

You are right on the money JV7!  The AFL will release the round 23 fixture in the next week.  Channel 9 just reported our game is most likely the Sunday 3.20 time slot (to give us a week's rest).   And yes, it means that game will be on FTA. 

Which reminds me, all our remaining games will be broadcast FTA and our past 2 have been FTA.  While not premium time slots, that is 6 games on the trot FTA which, if they get good audiences, help our FTA premium time slot chances next year...we can happily take all the Thurs/Fri/Sat nights FTA gifted to Carlton this year. 

Isn't there a bye after round 23 anyway so who cares when anybody plays? Another AFL brainwave.

[Lucifers Hero 39,819]

5 minutes ago, MSFebey said:

Isn't there a bye after round 23 anyway so who cares when anybody plays? Another AFL brainwave.

I reckon it is really important for us. 

Giants would have a full 7 days if the game was on Sat and we would have 6.  If played on the Sunday as mooted that will be 8/7 day rest with us returning from the West.  Either way Giants will have an extra day advantage - round 23 on a Sunday game evens up the odds just a little. 

[SFebes 4,884]

6 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

I reckon it is really important for us. 

Giants would have a full 7 days if the game was on Sat and we would have 6.  If played on the Sunday as mooted that will be 8/7 day rest with us returning from the West.  Either way Giants will have an extra day advantage - round 23 on a Sunday game evens up the odds just a little. 

Ah, so you're talking about the break between R22 and R23, my bad. Didn't read the OP

Edited July 29, 2018 by MSFebey

[Mickey 4,684]

8 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

I reckon it is really important for us. 

Giants would have a full 7 days if the game was on Sat and we would have 6.  If played on the Sunday as mooted that will be 8/7 day rest with us returning from the West.  Either way Giants will have an extra day advantage - round 23 on a Sunday game evens up the odds just a little. 

They also have to travel to Melbourne, so that's half a day travel/settling at hotels. But probably nullified by our travel back from Perth, except that our players are heading home

[JV7 2,351]

I'm on a family holiday with the in-laws & travelling on Saturday arvo/night so Saturday arvo/night would be disastrous. Hoping for a sunday game, pi$$ed I'll miss the game live but watching at the pub in sunny port douglas will have to suffice!

[Farmer 883]

The fact is that every match in the last round with bearing on the finals should be played at the one time. This happens in The Premiership in UK soccer, even in the lower division , the Championship. It happened in the recent World Cup when the last matches in the Group stage were played at the one time. No one should have the advantage of playing later than its competitors . Last year, sure, we were responsible for the loss to Cwood, but even then we would have made the finals if results had gone as expected. Before the Cats v GWS match was played on the Saturday night ( remember,  until then GWS could still have finished top of the ladder) WC were heavy odds against to beat Adelaide in the last match. But as it became plain the Cats would beat GWS, the odds on Adelaide blew out. By 11 pm WC had become  favourites to beat  Adelaide, who no longer could lose top spot. And so it transpired. Adelaide left a couple out, WC knew EXACTLY what it needed to do. And we missed out effectively by a couple of goals. 

Situations such as these actually lead to corruption , and I'm not talking of betting. The top side may rest half its best players. Sure, if by the last round they must finish top, nothing can be done to prevent them from treating the last match with little interest. But if it's only in that last round that final positions will be determined, then no-one should be given the very real advantage of playing last. One other matter. Many here will remember the last round of 1987. All those matches played at once produced the best season finale I can recall.

[Mickey 4,684]

6 minutes ago, Farmer said:

The fact is that every match in the last round with bearing on the finals should be played at the one time. This happens in The Premiership in UK soccer, even in the lower division , the Championship. It happened in the recent World Cup when the last matches in the Group stage were played at the one time. No one should have the advantage of playing later than its competitors . Last year, sure, we were responsible for the loss to Cwood, but even then we would have made the finals if results had gone as expected. Before the Cats v GWS match was played on the Saturday night ( remember,  until then GWS could still have finished top of the ladder) WC were heavy odds against to beat Adelaide in the last match. But as it became plain the Cats would beat GWS, the odds on Adelaide blew out. By 11 pm WC had become  favourites to beat  Adelaide, who no longer could lose top spot. And so it transpired. Adelaide left a couple out, WC knew EXACTLY what it needed to do. And we missed out effectively by a couple of goals. 

Situations such as these actually lead to corruption , and I'm not talking of betting. The top side may rest half its best players. Sure, if by the last round they must finish top, nothing can be done to prevent them from treating the last match with little interest. But if it's only in that last round that final positions will be determined, then no-one should be given the very real advantage of playing last. One other matter. Many here will remember the last round of 1987. All those matches played at once produced the best season finale I can recall.

While I agree with you 100%, the AFL can't allow it to happen. They are some of the most important games all year, and only one could be FTA. 

Fox would love it though.

[Little Goffy 14,568]

A whole string of thrillers for the Demons, followed by the ultimate final-round match of the round to finish the season.

If the AFL HQ wants to fix the look of the game, clearly they just need to put the Demons on TV more.

[boydie 655]

2 hours ago, Mickey said:

While I agree with you 100%, the AFL can't allow it to happen. They are some of the most important games all year, and only one could be FTA. 

Fox would love it though.

There's also the issue with overlaps for grounds, using the Round 23 fixture from this year there are 2 games scheduled at both the MCG and Etihad. No chance of moving either Richmond or Melbourne to play at some other venue to avoid a clash.

[Forest Demon 4,681]

2 hours ago, Little Goffy said:

A whole string of thrillers for the Demons, followed by the ultimate final-round match of the round to finish the season.

If the AFL HQ wants to fix the look of the game, clearly they just need to put the Demons on TV more.

If nothing else, we certainly made for great TV for the neutral last Saturday night against Geelong.

I heard numerous people saying it was the most gripping and tense game from start to finish they had watched all year.

[Supermercado 2,797]

5 hours ago, Farmer said:

The fact is that every match in the last round with bearing on the finals should be played at the one time. This happens in The Premiership in UK soccer, even in the lower division , the Championship. It happened in the recent World Cup when the last matches in the Group stage were played at the one time. No one should have the advantage of playing later than its competitors . Last year, sure, we were responsible for the loss to Cwood, but even then we would have made the finals if results had gone as expected. Before the Cats v GWS match was played on the Saturday night ( remember,  until then GWS could still have finished top of the ladder) WC were heavy odds against to beat Adelaide in the last match. But as it became plain the Cats would beat GWS, the odds on Adelaide blew out. By 11 pm WC had become  favourites to beat  Adelaide, who no longer could lose top spot. And so it transpired. Adelaide left a couple out, WC knew EXACTLY what it needed to do. And we missed out effectively by a couple of goals. 

Situations such as these actually lead to corruption , and I'm not talking of betting. The top side may rest half its best players. Sure, if by the last round they must finish top, nothing can be done to prevent them from treating the last match with little interest. But if it's only in that last round that final positions will be determined, then no-one should be given the very real advantage of playing last. One other matter. Many here will remember the last round of 1987. All those matches played at once produced the best season finale I can recall.

Where are you going to play nine games simultaneously?

1. MCG

2. Etihad

3. SCG

4. Sydney Showground

5. Gabba

6. Metricon

7. Adelaide Oval

8. Perth Stadium

9. Kardinia Park/Launceston/Hobart/Cairns/Wellington/Tonga

Would take some fantastic rigging of the draw to come up with something workable there. Interstate teams (and likely Geelong) would have home games in the last round every year which wouldn't go down particularly well.

Update - just re-read the bit about it only being the games with finals implications. Might save a couple of venues but will still be unworkable.

Edited July 29, 2018 by Supermercado

[Clintosaurus 7,849]

Is a Monday night game a possibility?

[Jibroni 5,004]

Hope so, expecting it to be a game of epic proportions.

[What 18,810]

Sunday would be great.  Will give us a full weeks rest between all our remaining games.

Havent checked the other fixtures but would be nice if a few of the teams we are fighting for a finals spot with have some six day breaks.  The war of attrition is upon us.

[John Demonic 5,797]

7 hours ago, Farmer said:

By 11 pm WC had become  favourites to beat  Adelaide, who no longer could lose top spot. And so it transpired. Adelaide left a couple out, WC knew EXACTLY what it needed to do. And we missed out effectively by a couple of goals. 

Situations such as these actually lead to corruption , and I'm not talking of betting. The top side may rest half its best players. Sure, if by the last round they must finish top, nothing can be done to prevent them from treating the last match with little interest. But if it's only in that last round that final positions will be determined, then no-one should be given the very real advantage of playing last. One other matter. Many here will remember the last round of 1987. All those matches played at once produced the best season finale I can recall.

 

If we're not in contention for top 4, then GWS may have 4th spot locked and it could be a dead rubber, which would be nice karma for last year. Change the fixture to simultaneous next year instead ?

Edited July 29, 2018 by johndemonic

[Lucifers Hero 39,819]

16 minutes ago, johndemonic said:

GWS may have 4th spot locked and it could be a dead rubber, which would be nice karma for last year. (assuming we aren't in contention for top 4)

That is exactly what the Crows did to let the Eagles into last year's finals.  (I reckon they feared us in the finals as had said how tough we were to play against earlier in the season so they tanked).  They had the last game of the season so knew exactly where every team was on the ladder.

At Sunday 3.20 pm we have the 2nd last game.  I believe the last game will be Freo vs Coll but it starts while our game is still going. 

Whether GWS treat it as a dead rubber depends on whether there is a chance for them to get a top 2 spot (and 2 home finals). They will assume that Coll beat Freo.  If there is a chance of a top 2 spot they will show us no mercy.  If there isn't they may just decide to rest a few extra players and we get the win.

Given how badly Port are playing and the Pies injury woes there is a good chance GWS will have a top 2 spot locked in before the last round.

Edited July 29, 2018 by Lucifer's Hero

[John Demonic 5,797]

17 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

That is exactly what the Crows did to let the Eagles into last year's finals.  (I reckon they feared us in the finals as had said how tough we were to play against earlier in the season so they tanked).  They had the last game of the season so knew exactly where every team was on the ladder.

At Sunday 3.20 pm we have the 2nd last game.  I believe the last game will be Freo vs Coll but it starts while our game is still going. 

Whether GWS treat it as a dead rubber depends on whether there is a chance for them to get a top 2 spot (and 2 home finals). They will assume that Coll beat Freo.  If there is a chance of a top 2 spot they will show us no mercy.  If there isn't they may just decide to rest a few extra players and we get the win.

Given how badly Port are playing and the Pies injury woes there is a good chance GWS will have a top 2 spot locked in before the last round.

Based on my predictor, I think it all comes down to Melb v WCE. If we lose that then we're not in top 4 contention, if we win then our game v GWS will be a top 4 game. The interesting thing (If we lose to WCE) is that Coll beating Freo cements GWS in 4th, or a Freo win gives GWS opportunity to go for 3rd. Interesting quandary for them. I would guess that GWS will come out to win the game as a September MCG rehearsal and if they do, then we can finish 9th with a loss. [censored] [censored] [censored] [censored].

Edit: I can't see WCE losing to Port away and conceding 2nd

Edited July 29, 2018 by johndemonic

[bobby1554 1,244]

45 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

That is exactly what the Crows did to let the Eagles into last year's finals.  (I reckon they feared us in the finals as had said how tough we were to play against earlier in the season so they tanked).  They had the last game of the season so knew exactly where every team was on the ladder.

At Sunday 3.20 pm we have the 2nd last game.  I believe the last game will be Freo vs Coll but it starts while our game is still going. 

Whether GWS treat it as a dead rubber depends on whether there is a chance for them to get a top 2 spot (and 2 home finals). They will assume that Coll beat Freo.  If there is a chance of a top 2 spot they will show us no mercy.  If there isn't they may just decide to rest a few extra players and we get the win.

Given how badly Port are playing and the Pies injury woes there is a good chance GWS will have a top 2 spot locked in before the last round.

No team will be resting players in round 23, as there is a week off the week after. It is the very reason the AFL bought in the week off before finals.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,221]

We better get the Sunday game or I'm going to miss it again as I did last year due to my son's birthday party (my older son is also invited to another party that day). This floating fixture sucks and is irrelevant now as there is a bye pre-finals.

[John Demonic 5,797]

7 minutes ago, bobby1554 said:

No team will be resting players in round 23, as there is a week off the week after. It is the very reason the AFL bought in the week off before finals.

IN: K.Hartigan, P.Seedsman, W.Milera

OUT: D.Talia, H.Greenwood, T.Walker

That's not even to mention the bruise-free resting they did within the game.

Edited July 29, 2018 by johndemonic

[buck_nekkid 5,866]

8 hours ago, Farmer said:

The fact is that every match in the last round with bearing on the finals should be played at the one time. This happens in The Premiership in UK soccer, even in the lower division , the Championship. It happened in the recent World Cup when the last matches in the Group stage were played at the one time. No one should have the advantage of playing later than its competitors . Last year, sure, we were responsible for the loss to Cwood, but even then we would have made the finals if results had gone as expected. Before the Cats v GWS match was played on the Saturday night ( remember,  until then GWS could still have finished top of the ladder) WC were heavy odds against to beat Adelaide in the last match. But as it became plain the Cats would beat GWS, the odds on Adelaide blew out. By 11 pm WC had become  favourites to beat  Adelaide, who no longer could lose top spot. And so it transpired. Adelaide left a couple out, WC knew EXACTLY what it needed to do. And we missed out effectively by a couple of goals. 

Situations such as these actually lead to corruption , and I'm not talking of betting. The top side may rest half its best players. Sure, if by the last round they must finish top, nothing can be done to prevent them from treating the last match with little interest. But if it's only in that last round that final positions will be determined, then no-one should be given the very real advantage of playing last. One other matter. Many here will remember the last round of 1987. All those matches played at once produced the best season finale I can recall.

Fox show every game live.  It’s in their offer.  This will never happen.

[Pates 9,660]

17 hours ago, Farmer said:

The fact is that every match in the last round with bearing on the finals should be played at the one time. This happens in The Premiership in UK soccer, even in the lower division , the Championship. It happened in the recent World Cup when the last matches in the Group stage were played at the one time. No one should have the advantage of playing later than its competitors . Last year, sure, we were responsible for the loss to Cwood, but even then we would have made the finals if results had gone as expected. Before the Cats v GWS match was played on the Saturday night ( remember,  until then GWS could still have finished top of the ladder) WC were heavy odds against to beat Adelaide in the last match. But as it became plain the Cats would beat GWS, the odds on Adelaide blew out. By 11 pm WC had become  favourites to beat  Adelaide, who no longer could lose top spot. And so it transpired. Adelaide left a couple out, WC knew EXACTLY what it needed to do. And we missed out effectively by a couple of goals. 

Situations such as these actually lead to corruption , and I'm not talking of betting. The top side may rest half its best players. Sure, if by the last round they must finish top, nothing can be done to prevent them from treating the last match with little interest. But if it's only in that last round that final positions will be determined, then no-one should be given the very real advantage of playing last. One other matter. Many here will remember the last round of 1987. All those matches played at once produced the best season finale I can recall.

100% agree, but it will never happen because the broadcasters have too much control. They would lose out massively on viewership/advertising.

But yes for the integrity of the competition they should be playing all matches at the same time in the last round.

[Dee Zephyr 19,267]

Lyon and Watson on SEN suggested the R23 fixture could be released as early as today.