Fixture 2020 (COVID Edition)

[Clintosaurus 6,532]

Not sure clubs will want another 'festival' given all the injuries during this one.

[Nascent 7,339]

2 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

The way I read it, our ess game is during round 14-16.  ie 4 games over 2 to 3 weeks.  At best a game every 4.2 days. 

Surely its just a reference to when that game will be scheduled, not in addition to. If we have another compressed part of the fixture then my read is that we will play Essendon in either round 14, 15 or 16. Still just playing three games while other teams have their "byes." 

Edited August 7, 2020 by Nascent

[spirit of norm smith 13,037]

It’s farrrrtkkkkkn mad. We are likely to play 4 games in 18 days with some teams like saints having a bye.  Ridiculous scheduling from AFL.  

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,465]

3 minutes ago, Nascent said:

Surely its just a reference to when that game will be scheduled, not in addition to. If we have another compressed part of the fixture then my read is that we will play Essendon in either round 14, 15 or 16. Still just playing three games while other teams have their "byes." 

Six other teams are having their byes now during this so-called Festival of Footy. For example, Round 10, which finishes tonight, has four teams having a bye (Carlton, Hawthorn, Fremantle and West Coast) and Round 11 sees Sydney and GWS each having a bye. I dont know when other teams will have their bye but I expect our game against the Bombers will just become a game scheduled like any other without any need to squeeze it in as an extra game.

[Clintosaurus 6,532]

There is a game in Alice Springs in Round 14.

[kev martin 9,215]

Hoping for no more 4 day breaks between games.

Sunday will be our second.

They should endeavour to share the 4 and 5 day breaks around, as well as the travel days so as not to bias the teams.

[Nascent 7,339]

35 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Six other teams are having their byes now during this so-called Festival of Footy. For example, Round 10, which finishes tonight, has four teams having a bye (Carlton, Hawthorn, Fremantle and West Coast) and Round 11 sees Sydney and GWS each having a bye. I dont know when other teams will have their bye but I expect our game against the Bombers will just become a game scheduled like any other without any need to squeeze it in as an extra game.

That's my train of thought as well. 

[Demonland 65,651]

 

[titan_uranus 22,506]

4 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

That is awful for us.

Compressed rnd 14 - 16 means 3 games in about 2 weeks.  But we will have to play an extra game with Ess in that time.  4 games in 2 weeks without...just don't see it.  Nah, not on.  Not fair on the players.

And, potentially a game at Alice during that time.  Ess were lucky to get their NT game in a rnd 13 ie a 'normal' week.

All the more reason we circumspect with selections and not burn-out players.

3 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Yes, there will be 18 rounds.   8 rounds to go. 

I agree we won't play an 'extra' game, per se, it is the 'catch up' game for our 'bye' months ago.  My issue is the 'catch up' game is said to be during rounds 14 -16.   By my calcs that is a game every 4.2 days.  A gruelling schedule.  

Am I missing something...

By the end of rnd 16 all teams have played 15 games.   

No we'll be playing three games in that time, not four.

There are 18 rounds. Every club has a bye during one of them. Ours was in Round 3.

That means for every other round we play one game.

It will be the same from here to the end of the season for West Coast, Fremantle, Carlton and Hawthorn, all of whom have their bye this round and therefore are also 9-game teams like us.

There is prejudice to us, and that's that our bye was in Round 3, a completely useless time to have it given the long break between Rounds 1 and 2. Whereas all other clubs get a week off during the compressed fixture to rest.

But we're not going to have to play an extra game on top of the rest.

[furious d 447]

I've been thinking about the compressed fixture lately and wonder if it could possibly be the way back to a fair and even competition? It would require an absolute revolution in the way we do footy. For decades the AFL has prioritised profit over an even comp but this could be a way to even the comp and increase profits.

If we scrapped the preseason comp and started the season on the first weekend in March and ended it on the last weekend in August there'd be 26 weeks of regular season. If you compress each round to 5 days you could fit 36 rounds into the 26 weeks. Every club could play every other club twice and have room for 2 byes during the year. The AFL would need to make sure there are minimum 4 day breaks between games.

To make it work you'd need to keep the shortened quarters, probably shortening them a bit more to 15 minutes plus time on. List sizes would need to stay at least as big as they are now and coaches would need to manage players like they do in the big soccer leagues. A 22 round season of 20 minute quarters is 1760 minutes of regular time. A 34 round season of 15 minute quarters in 2040 minutes of regular time. It's pretty much an extra 3.5 games of footy each club in terms of minutes played.

198 game season becomes a 306 game season and there is a game of footy on tv and radio every day from early March until late August. It would be a six month non stop festival of football every season. The shorter games would likely please broadcasters and there is an extra 108 games to sell. It could be the cash injection they need to keep revenue somewhere near pre cold levels.

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts. Is it too much footy? Too hard on the players? Could it work?

 

Edited August 9, 2020 by furious d
added a sentence

[Diamond_Jim 11,853]

1 hour ago, furious d said:

198 game season becomes a 306 game season and there is a game of footy on tv and radio every day from early March until late August. It would be a six month non stop festival of football every season. The shorter games would likely please broadcasters and there is an extra 108 games to sell. It could be the cash injection they need to keep revenue somewhere near pre cold levels.

That's the big unknown. Is there someone willing to pay. Prices paid for niche sports (and that is what AFL is) are under pressure. Very few if any media companies are making a profit.

If clubs want to make your idea work (playing each other twice) ideally you would reduce the number of teams to 12 with four in Melbourne, one in Geelong and one perhaps in Tasmania.

[Bring-Back-Powell 13,266]

3 hours ago, furious d said:

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts. Is it too much footy? Too hard on the players? Could it work?

I’d be hoping the games return to normal length games next year.

I will still put a small asterix next to this year’s premier simply due to there not being traditional length games this year.

[binman 38,582]

44 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

I’d be hoping the games return to normal length games next year.

I will still put a small asterix next to this year’s premier simply due to there not being traditional length games this year.

Agree on both points.

16 minute quarters represents a fundamental change to the game. Teams can keep their zones working till the end of quarters. 

Fitter teams so not get the comparative advantage they do wirh normal quarters, nor those that rely on high pressure, contested footy, like the tigers and us. That game style reaps its real benefit when opposition teams tire lat3 in quarters.

Look at this block of compressed games. Scores are going up and I'm convinced that is related to fatigue. 

[titan_uranus 22,506]

7 hours ago, furious d said:

I've been thinking about the compressed fixture lately and wonder if it could possibly be the way back to a fair and even competition? It would require an absolute revolution in the way we do footy. For decades the AFL has prioritised profit over an even comp but this could be a way to even the comp and increase profits.

If we scrapped the preseason comp and started the season on the first weekend in March and ended it on the last weekend in August there'd be 26 weeks of regular season. If you compress each round to 5 days you could fit 36 rounds into the 26 weeks. Every club could play every other club twice and have room for 2 byes during the year. The AFL would need to make sure there are minimum 4 day breaks between games.

To make it work you'd need to keep the shortened quarters, probably shortening them a bit more to 15 minutes plus time on. List sizes would need to stay at least as big as they are now and coaches would need to manage players like they do in the big soccer leagues. A 22 round season of 20 minute quarters is 1760 minutes of regular time. A 34 round season of 15 minute quarters in 2040 minutes of regular time. It's pretty much an extra 3.5 games of footy each club in terms of minutes played.

198 game season becomes a 306 game season and there is a game of footy on tv and radio every day from early March until late August. It would be a six month non stop festival of football every season. The shorter games would likely please broadcasters and there is an extra 108 games to sell. It could be the cash injection they need to keep revenue somewhere near pre cold levels.

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts. Is it too much footy? Too hard on the players? Could it work?

 

Don't think it could work, nor should be tried.

Too much football will ruin it. We don't need football every day. We don't even need Thursday night games. The less is more approach is a far better way to improve the quality, fan engagement, umpiring levels, etc.

The 22-game fixture is inadequate but can be improved through a formula which ensures the 5 extra games are rotated and teams play each other a certain number of times over a certain number of years. 

Trying to get 34 games into a season is just unworkable, IMO.

[Satan 2,775]

Looking at fixture , essendon has not played wc and we have not played freo

wonder subject to COVID restrictions in Wa  being relaxed  (and the season is still alive)  That after rnd 15 we and essendon fly to perth play midweek and we play freo rnd 16 on following weekend and ess play. Wc. 

[titan_uranus 22,506]

12 minutes ago, Satan said:

Looking at fixture , essendon has not played wc and we have not played freo

wonder subject to COVID restrictions in Wa  being relaxed  (and the season is still alive)  That after rnd 15 we and essendon fly to perth play midweek and we play freo rnd 16 on following weekend and ess play. Wc. 

Possibly.

West Coast can only have one more home game, having already had 8 to the end of Round 13. If they're going to be sent to a hub for their remaining 4 games (rather than flying out of Perth every week like in a regular season), I suspect they'll want their 4 away games to be in a block so they can play another hub. So that may mean their final home game (assuming the AFL gives them 9 home games, rather than 8 ), could be in Round 14 or Round 18 instead.

Fremantle is the same, by the way, with 8 home games to the end of Round 13.

[Lucifers Hero 37,173]

37 minutes ago, Satan said:

Looking at fixture , essendon has not played wc and we have not played freo

wonder subject to COVID restrictions in Wa  being relaxed  (and the season is still alive)  That after rnd 15 we and essendon fly to perth play midweek and we play freo rnd 16 on following weekend and ess play. Wc. 

Or play them in NT:  Ess vs WCE and Dees vs Freo.  And play Dees vs Ess in NT (as Ess play Rich in  Darwin in rnd 13).

But my mfcss says Ess will get to hub in Darwin and we move between Qld, Darwin and Alice...

[Demonland 65,651]

Melbourne vs Essendon in Alice Springs Round 14?

 

[spirit of norm smith 13,037]

I’d love to see Dees v Freo at Alice springs and then Dees v Dons in Darwin.  Then Dees back to Qld to play Saints and Swans and Giants.  
 

Of course the Saints would come off a bye and 10 days rest and we would have a 4 day break after dons in Darwin. Saints are one of the Mr Gill Mcclayaclhlalhlhannn’s new loves!!

[Pickett2Jackson 3,904]

35 minutes ago, Demonland said:

Melbourne vs Essendon in Alice Springs Round 14?

 

I love playing in Alice..  actuallynever been there but on the TV it looks like an amazing location and surface.   Would be absolutely delightful to destroy the Essendon cheats there and rocket up into the 8 while officially ending their season.

[58er 5,619]

On 8/9/2020 at 3:02 PM, binman said:

Agree on both points.

16 minute quarters represents a fundamental change to the game. Teams can keep their zones working till the end of quarters. 

Fitter teams so not get the comparative advantage they do wirh normal quarters, nor those that rely on high pressure, contested footy, like the tigers and us. That game style reaps its real benefit when opposition teams tire lat3 in quarters.

Look at this block of compressed games. Scores are going up and I'm convinced that is related to fatigue. 

Powell Sorry but an asterisk fir a different time per quarter of the game?? 
Did the 1896 season have 20 mins plus tome on?

Whst about the 1948 Grand  Final  replay we won fir instance.20 mins quarters??

You under your system could have as many asterisks as their Are time zones in USA or Europe!!

Perhaps  when we finally move to a night GF we should have a MOON style emoji to accompany the result in all record books.

Please KISS principle is best  for AFL they complicate things far too much as it is.

Rules of game etc. especially and that's not even anything to do with The Covid-19 amendments which were NECESSARY.

Hopefully Dees win a flag in my lifetime and I won't care about the time of quarters  I will be celebrating far too hard to worry!!

[Demon Spofforth 280]

Rumours up here in Qld that the Dees, Freo and Swans will be hubbed in Cairns to play Rds 15-16.

I strongly highlight the word 'rumours' until something official is announced as it's a mate of a mate of a mate situation.

Given our recent experience playing games in Darwin, it could be to our advantage compared to Freo/Swans.

But it would make it a fourth hub location since the team left Melbourne - Sydney, Maroochydore, Adelaide, Cairns - which isn't ideal.

[Lucifers Hero 37,173]

3 minutes ago, Demon Spofforth said:

Rumours up here in Qld that the Dees, Freo and Swans will be hubbed in Cairns to play Rds 15-16.

I strongly highlight the word 'rumours' until something official is announced as it's a mate of a mate of a mate situation.

Given our recent experience playing games in Darwin, it could be to our advantage compared to Freo/Swans.

But it would make it a fourth hub location since the team left Melbourne - Sydney, Maroochydore, Adelaide, Cairns - which isn't ideal.

Thanks for the tip DS.

Another (fairly strong) rumour is we play Ess in Alice in rnd 14.  So a Cairns hub looks very unfair on us as it means a trip to Alice then a trip to Cairns after a long series of short breaks (without the bye other clubs have) for another series  of short breaks.

A bunch of clubs have hubbed in Qld from the start, have not hubbed anywhere else and barely left Qld, if at all:  Richmond, Saints, Ess, Suns, Lions, Bulldogs...  Those are the clubs that should be going to Cairns. 

[Pickett2Jackson 3,904]

33 minutes ago, Demon Spofforth said:

Rumours up here in Qld that the Dees, Freo and Swans will be hubbed in Cairns to play Rds 15-16.

 

 

Not ideal playing in the tropics, but at least its two mediocre opponents.  We  will be knackered come Round 1 of the finals if we make it.

[Clintosaurus 6,532]

Alice Springs in Round 14 is against St Kilda. Saturday night.