Jon Ralph on Fox Footy saying that there will most likely be no pre-finals bye so likely teams in Top 6 will play early in the round. 

Bulldogs vs Port on Friday night. 

Cats vs Dees on Saturday night. 

If there's no pre-finals bye, does that mean a Sunday final in week 1? Or three finals on the Saturday? If not, they'll have to do a Thursday night, but that won't work unless Bulldogs v Port is a repeat match up in the first final and they're both on a six-day break. Otherwise they'll be sending at least one, if not two, sides into that game off a five-day break.

From our perspective we'll have already had two consecutive six-day breaks so you'd hope we're on the Saturday in week 1, so that we don't have a third straight six-day break.

Hence I see nothing wrong with "managing" a couple of players this weekend. 

 

 

Just now, Jibroni said:

Hence I see nothing wrong with "managing" a couple of players this weekend. 

 

 

Certainly if there's no pre-finals bye, one of my concerns about resting players (missing every second week for five weeks potentially, through to the prelim) isn't a concern anymore.

1 hour ago, Jibroni said:

Hence I see nothing wrong with "managing" a couple of players this weekend. 

 

 

Yes this would seem to be extra important now that the buy is likely to be scrapped

It’s only been a few years with the pre finals bye but it already feels rushed to jump straight into finals after the home and  away season is over. But whatever gives the afl the best chance of getting the finals done in good fashion will work for me. 

3 hours ago, Demonland said:

Jon Ralph on Fox Footy saying that there will most likely be no pre-finals bye so likely teams in Top 6 will play early in the round. 

Bulldogs vs Port on Friday night. 

Cats vs Dees on Saturday night. 

Any reason given? 

Will the GF still be on the 25th of September? 

7 hours ago, Win4theAges said:

Will the GF still be on the 25th of September? 

That’s an interesting question. If pre-finals bye is scrapped then no it would be on the 18th unless things are looking good COVID-Wise (although how can you be sure where COVID is concerned) and they institute a pre-GF bye.

The Herald Sun understands Western Bulldogs-Port Adelaide will be the Friday night clash of Round 23.

But with no bye, clubs playing on the Sunday of Round 23 could have six-day breaks leading into the finals.

So Geelong-Melbourne shapes as a likely Saturday night clash given their ladder standing, with Brisbane-West Coast the other Saturday night clash at the Gabba.

Sydney could take on Gold Coast in an afternoon or twilight clash on Saturday, maximising the Swans’ chances of a seven-day break.

Hopes of a Darwin clash for Brisbane and West Coast in Round 23 are dwindling, and the Eagles would need a 14-day quarantine period if they returned from the Gabba after visiting Queensland.

So there is every likelihood they will play at the Gabba and then remain out of Perth for the early weeks of the finals if they keep winning.

Fremantle take on St Kilda in Round 23 in Melbourne and would also likely remain out of Perth if they qualified for finals.

While clubs can play off seven days of hotel quarantine in Perth, they need a full 14 days before they are allowed out into the community.

So the league could still use its bye week after the preliminary finals if it eventually shifted the last two weeks of the the finals to Perth.

Teams could play the preliminary finals in hotel quarantine and then spend another week in quarantine before being released on the weekend of the bye.

It would allow them into the community to enjoy Grand Final week without quarantine.

Well glad my pre finals holiday is getting canceled 🤷‍♀️🙄

 

 

Unless there are no cases in vic after 27 /28 august  the chances of melb supporters getting to wa in grand final week are buckleys .

TV graphic shows Melb v Cats MCG

6 minutes ago, Satan said:

Unless there are no cases in vic after 27 /28 august  the chances of melb supporters getting to wa in grand final week are buckleys .

Unless you are an WA member.

We still have time.🙏🤔

Just now, radar said:

TV graphic shows Melb v Cats MCG

Think its wrong , cats wont give up home advantage no matter how slight it is

On 8/14/2021 at 12:29 AM, DubDee said:

Any reason given? 

 

On 8/13/2021 at 9:17 PM, Demonland said:

Jon Ralph on Fox Footy saying that there will most likely be no pre-finals bye so likely teams in Top 6 will play early in the round. 

Bulldogs vs Port on Friday night. 

Cats vs Dees on Saturday night. 

If the Dogs bounce back against the Power, then we finish top 2. If we beat the Cats, we are minor premiers! Also, with the other two top 4 teams playing Friday night we can rest however we like Saturday night if we are content with 2nd place.

 

if we hadn't drawn with hawks or if umps got it right vs crows first time for a draw at least......then it wouldn't matter if we lose to geelong (by not too much) we would finish on top by %

or if the afl agreed error in cats vs lions game was paid.....

 umpiring howlers could cost us the minor premiership......gggrrrrrr!

Confirmed 7.25 Saturday at GMHBA. Dogs Port on Friday.

Round 23 updates (all times EST):

Western Bulldogs vs. Port Adelaide will take place at Marvel Stadium at 7:50pm on Friday, August 20. The AFL, together with the Western Bulldogs and Port Adelaide, have agreed to strict travel arrangements and other protocols as approved by the South Australian Government. Port Adelaide will fly-in and fly-out for the match via charter flight.

Sydney Swans vs. Gold Coast SUNS will take place at Marvel Stadium at 1:45pm on Saturday, August 21.

Richmond vs. Hawthorn will take place at the MCG at 1:35pm on Saturday, August 21.

Brisbane Lions vs. West Coast Eagles will take place at The Gabba at 4:35pm on Saturday, August 21.

Geelong Cats vs. Melbourne will take place at GMHBA Stadium at 7:25pm on Saturday, August 21.

Carlton vs. GWS GIANTS will take place at Marvel Stadium at 7:40pm on Saturday, August 21.

St Kilda vs. Fremantle will take place at 12:15pm on Sunday, August 22 with the venue to be confirmed.

Essendon vs. Collingwood will take place at the MCG at 3:20pm on Sunday, August 22.

Adelaide Crows vs. North Melbourne will take place at Adelaide Oval at 4:40pm (4:10pm local) on Sunday, August 22. The AFL, together with the Adelaide Crows and North Melbourne, have agreed to strict travel arrangements and other protocols as approved by the South Australian Government. North Melbourne will fly-in and fly-out for the match on Sunday via charter flight.

Friday, August 20
Western Bulldogs v Port Adelaide at Marvel Stadium, 7.50pm AEST (SEVEN)

Saturday, August 21
Richmond v Hawthorn at the MCG, 1.35pm AEST (FOX)
Sydney v Gold Coast at Marvel Stadium, 1.45pm AEST (FOX)
Brisbane v West Coast at the Gabba, 4.35pm AEST (FOX)
Geelong v Melbourne at GMHBA Stadium, 7.25pm AEST (SEVEN)
Carlton v GWS Giants at Marvel Stadium, 7.40pm AEST (FOX)

Sunday, August 22
St Kilda v Fremantle at TBC, 12.15pm AEST (FOX)
Essendon v Collingwood at the MCG, 3.20pm AEST (SEVEN)
Adelaide v North Melbourne at the Adelaide Oval, 4.10pm ACST (FOX)

Channel 7 are the big winners with 3 v 4 on Friday night and 1 v 2 on Saturday night with half the country in lockdown.

I'm waiting for the conspiracy theorists to claim that Covid, the AFL's draw released way back whenever (in late 2020, was it?) and the results of 189 separate AFL matches played throughout the year were all deliberately manufactured to generate this outcome.

 

30 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Channel 7 are the big winners with 3 v 4 on Friday night and 1 v 2 on Saturday night with half the country in lockdown.

I'm waiting for the conspiracy theorists to claim that Covid, the AFL's draw released way back whenever (in late 2020, was it?) and the results of 189 separate AFL matches played throughout the year were all deliberately manufactured to generate this outcome.

 

A long bow by conspiracy theorists as almost no person in the media even had us in the 8 let alone sitting top @ round 22.

 

As an aside, anyone else regularly checking the ladder to see it is really true that we are on top  Such joy, with much promise to come.

30 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

A long bow by conspiracy theorists as almost no person in the media even had us in the 8 let alone sitting top @ round 22.

 

As an aside, anyone else regularly checking the ladder to see it is really true that we are on top  Such joy, with much promise to come.

Surely it's no more improbable than:

• the moon landings were fake
• Covid-19 is caused by 5G
• Covid-19 vaccinations include tracking software
• Clive Palmer