There's an article outlining the log jam of footy that's going to be caused by both the Easter weekend games (Thur-Mon) but immediately after comes the Anzac round (Wed-Sun). 

While the article seemed to suggest that only North, Carlton, Dogs or Saints could play on Good Friday, logically it makes more sense if either us or Richmond play then, with the other team to play on the Thursday night. Then both teams at least have a 6 or 5 day break before instead of a 4 day break. 

Below highlights the potential schedule - and article in full http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-08-03/easter-anzac-day-fixture-logjam-looms-in-2019 

2019's festival of footy

Thursday 18 April: Thursday Night Footy
Friday 19 April: Good Friday game
Saturday 20 April: Four games
Sunday 21 April: Easter Sunday – two games
Monday 22 April: Geelong v Hawthorn
Tuesday 23 April: No footy
Wednesday 24 April: Richmond v Melbourne
Thursday 25 April: Anzac Day – Collingwood v Essendon
Friday 26 April: Friday Night Footy
Saturday 27 April: Four games
Sunday 28 April: Two games

The article suggests Brisbane will request the Thursday night game before Good Friday with Pies touted as a likely opponent.

Surely the AFL can’t have Brisbane on that night. If we or Richmond play on the Saturday the break isn’t long enough heading into Anzac Eve.

10 minutes ago, Dee Zephyr said:

The article suggests Brisbane will request the Thursday night game before Good Friday with Pies touted as a likely opponent.

Surely the AFL can’t have Brisbane on that night. If we or Richmond play on the Saturday the break isn’t long enough heading into Anzac Eve.

Hopefully the club will be standing up to argue about this, surely they just shift around the fixture from this year where we played the Tigs Anzac eve then the Bombers the next week while the Tigs played the Pies. Just do that the week before, but on the Thursday/Friday night, not the Saturday which gives a short break to all 4.

4 minutes ago, Red and Blue realist said:

Hopefully the club will be standing up to argue about this, surely they just shift around the fixture from this year where we played the Tigs Anzac eve then the Bombers the next week while the Tigs played the Pies. Just do that the week before, but on the Thursday/Friday night, not the Saturday which gives a short break to all 4.

If Brisbane do get the Thursday night against Pies, Pies will have a full week’s break heading into Anzac Day. How convenient!

The season will again start on a Thursday night, while round five will run from Thursday, April 18, to Monday, April 22, to coincide with Easter, and round six will feature Anzac Day (Thursday) and Anzac Day eve (Wednesday) games.

 

 

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Edited August 3, 20186 yr by MSFebey

Not a fan. 

We should be given the Thursday night game. But we are dealing with the AFL here, so we will end up being fixtured to play the Sunday!

Thursday night should be Brisbane v Richmond 

Good Friday North v us

Both Collingwood & Essendon can play whoever on Saturday.

Only way it can work.

Gotta consider that our game my be the last of the round, with anzac day being first of the next round. In such a scenario i imagine us and Richmond would play Hawthorn and Geelong that Sunday. Either way both Melbourne and Richmond stand to have a 4 day break and I imagine both are pushing for it to be after rather than before anzac eve.

Essendon and Pies to play Thursday and Good Friday leading into Anzac Day.

Edited August 3, 20186 yr by praha

Hopefully we will play a good lot of very good Friday footy next year if the AFL are true to their word about wanting attractive high scoring games in prime time 

10 hours ago, Dee Zephyr said:

The article suggests Brisbane will request the Thursday night game before Good Friday with Pies touted as a likely opponent.

Surely the AFL can’t have Brisbane on that night. If we or Richmond play on the Saturday the break isn’t long enough heading into Anzac Eve.

That's part of the price for getting the Anzac Eve game. From the other teams perspective it's a bit rich to lobby for Anzac Eve and then complain if we don't get a prime time game the week prior to allow us a longer break. As long as we get the same break as our opponents I don't see the problem.

4 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

That's part of the price for getting the Anzac Eve game. From the other teams perspective it's a bit rich to lobby for Anzac Eve and then complain if we don't get a prime time game the week prior to allow us a longer break. As long as we get the same break as our opponents I don't see the problem.

Fair point Doc. I was thinking more along the lines of the standard we will produce after a 4-5 day break on such a big occasion. Our last two against Essendon have been stinkers on the back of really short breaks. 

Looks like Essendon has got in early for Good Friday Eve https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/essendon-proposes-good-friday-eve-blockbuster-against-carlton-for-2019-20180809-p4zwlb.html

It gives Ess the maximum break to the ANZAC Day game and be fresher the week after which is against us.  It will be interesting to see when we get fixtured over Easter?  I suspect it won't be to our scheduling advantage with ANZAC Eve game and then a few days later Ess.  We could easily end up playing 3 games in 10 days. 

That will be two Prime Time Thursday night games for Carlton in the first few weeks (they also have the opening round vs Richmond).  "Both the MCC and Carlton support the Bombers' move with both clubs hoping their fortunes will change in the near future, leading to the clash becoming one of the most anticipated annual fixtures".   The AFL make no secret of wanting Carlton to be 'great again'.  Carlton have done nothing to deserve this favouritism either FTA TV or another stand alone 'blockbuster' game at the G vs a big drawing (ie big revenue club).  Rant over!

Edit:  Ideally, we play Coll on Good Friday as it is still 6 weeks before the QB game so a reasonable gap.  But I wouldn't be surprised to see Good Friday go to Richmond and Collingwood so they have a slightly longer break before ANZAC games. 

Edited August 9, 20186 yr by Lucifer's Hero