The Grand Final Rematch

[Dante 2,562]

22 minutes ago, Accepting Mediocrity said:

I'd love to play the dogs round 1. 

As an aside, why the hell do Richmond and Carlton still automatically get granted the season opener blockbuster? You have to laugh at some of the 'VFL' conspiracy theories by interstate fans, but complaints about this fixture are entirely fair IMO. It's only been happening for around a decade, so it's not exactly a longstanding tradition. Plus the match is always a fizzer. Why not open the season with a GF rematch? Or a proper rivalry (showdown, derby etc)?

We get the ANZAC eve and QB blockbusters so we can't complain if other clubs get one as well. I agree with you that this is generally a fizzer but we have had a couple of fizzers ourselves.

The one I get annoyed at is the ANZAC day game and how they treat it as bigger then the GF and the ANZAC medal bigger than the Norm Smith, how can it be when only two clubs can participate.  There have been games when both of these sides have been sub par and half a dozen other clubs would have beaten either side.

[Cassiew 1,868]

3 hours ago, Dante said:

Cassie whoever we play we will beat and we may as well play the second best and capitalise on it. I've always been a proponent of playing the best sides during the year, I don't want a soft draw (Port), make the finals then get smashed.

We are not the old unreliable Melbourne anymore, get used to going to the football expecting to win.

I don't care about the feelings of the Bullies fans, they didn't care about mine when I left the Western Oval with my kids and copped their abuse as I walked out.

If the players are as timid as some of our supporters we will fail this year and I don't think they are.

Stay strong.

The thing is this will be likely the highest attended home and away game for that season. Many fans and potential fans will come to it. If we lose to the bulldogs and especially if we lose badly, this could have a devastating effect on people who haven’t signed up yet. No, I think we wait until we’ve had a few and then publicise the blockbuster. If fans are liking what they see, then the potential for large crowds is even higher  

[Dante 2,562]

12 minutes ago, Cassiew said:

The thing is this will be likely the highest attended home and away game for that season. Many fans and potential fans will come to it. If we lose to the bulldogs and especially if we lose badly, this could have a devastating effect on people who haven’t signed up yet. No, I think we wait until we’ve had a few and then publicise the blockbuster. If fans are liking what they see, then the potential for large crowds is even higher  

Cassie, we won't lose. 

[Mickey 4,173]

13 minutes ago, Cassiew said:

The thing is this will be likely the highest attended home and away game for that season. Many fans and potential fans will come to it. If we lose to the bulldogs and especially if we lose badly, this could have a devastating effect on people who haven’t signed up yet. No, I think we wait until we’ve had a few and then publicise the blockbuster. If fans are liking what they see, then the potential for large crowds is even higher  

This could equally happen if we or the dogs fall off a cliff to start next year. We will both get a harder draw next year based on where we finished.

I reckon have a big game first round. The players won't be worried about facing a good team round 1 and supporters shouldn't worry if we lose the first one. We are past that now

[Demon17 4,541]

5 minutes ago, Mickey said:

This could equally happen if we or the dogs fall off a cliff to start next year. We will both get a harder draw next year based on where we finished.

I reckon have a big game first round. The players won't be worried about facing a good team round 1 and supporters shouldn't worry if we lose the first one. We are past that now

I understand why Pert pushed for this, as a way for the Dees to re-create the GF having missed being at Optus. But it won't be the same.

Get the timing and date for the match right to maximise viewing and attendances. More important

I think its still disrespectful to the Dogs though.

[Accepting Mediocrity 1,418]

23 minutes ago, Dante said:

We get the ANZAC eve and QB blockbusters so we can't complain if other clubs get one as well. I agree with you that this is generally a fizzer but we have had a couple of fizzers ourselves.

I don't think it's comparable. Anzac Day, Big Freeze, Dreamtime at the G etc have been successfully developed by the participating clubs into major annual events that transcend the match itself. IMO the season opener should be treated like any other prime time fixture - good teams that play entertaining, high quality footy should be rewarded.

[DistrACTION Jackson 6,418]

Bring it on. This team is made of the right stuff and it won't bother them who they play.

Cannot wait to see the flag unfurled.... hopefully by Jonesy.

[Sir Why You Little 34,430]

29 minutes ago, Demon17 said:

 

I think its still disrespectful to the Dogs though.

Care Factor??

Smash them up again i say

[Fork 'em 6,507]

3 hours ago, Cassiew said:

The thing is this will be likely the highest attended home and away game for that season. Many fans and potential fans will come to it. If we lose to the bulldogs and especially if we lose badly, this could have a devastating effect on people who haven’t signed up yet. No, I think we wait until we’ve had a few and then publicise the blockbuster. If fans are liking what they see, then the potential for large crowds is even higher  

It'll be the Dogs still having nightmares about what happened to them GF day.
We have no need to be frightened of any club.

[Diamond_Jim 11,731]

We are the away team for both QB and Anzac eve so no $$ there.

Need Essendon and Carlton home games at the MCG in the first six rounds preferably. (While their fans think they have a chance in 2022)

TBH Bulldogs won't deliver  a high number of away fans which is where you make the money. Also it will get its own Friday night status when played. Why would you share that TV coverage with a Thursday night game

[Rab D Nesbitt 7,105]

Why hand putrid clubs like Essendon or Collingwood a marquee round 1 match up against the premiers? I'd much rather give a leg up to one of the smaller Melbourne based clubs like the Dogs. 

Sorry to bore everyone with another anecdote from my native home but back in the first half of the 1980's Aberdeen (managed by Alex Ferguson) and Dundee United (with the likes of Richard Gough) swept all before them domestically and punched well above their weight in Europe. The former beat Real Madrid in the European Cup Winners Cup final in Gothenburg and the latter made a couple of UEFA Cup semis beating the likes of Barcelona along the way. Anyway, they were dubbed the 'New Firm' to rival the traditional 'Old Firm' of Rangers and Celtic. 

Perhaps Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs are our city's 'New Firm' and everyone else needs to get used that fact. 

 

[Engorged Onion 9,255]

21 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

The AFL is averse to playing GF replays  in round 1, so while it may happen it’s no certainty.

Would be a fantastic way to open the season though- Our first Friday night game at the G since 2019.

Why are they particularly adverse? Personally I am in two minds about it.

[WalkingCivilWar 31,345]

6 hours ago, Accepting Mediocrity said:

I'd love to play the dogs round 1. 

As an aside, why the hell do Richmond and Carlton still automatically get granted the season opener blockbuster? You have to laugh at some of the 'VFL' conspiracy theories by interstate fans, but complaints about this fixture are entirely fair IMO. It's only been happening for around a decade, so it's not exactly a longstanding tradition. Plus the match is always a fizzer. Why not open the season with a GF rematch? Or a proper rivalry (showdown, derby etc)?

This is a valid question. However, it wasn’t too long ago that some in the media were questioning our club’s involvement in the QB match, and suggesting having us replaced by a better-performing team. 
My point is a lot of these yearly match-ups remain a regular part of the fixture  regardless of how successful the clubs are. Swapping out one club for another depending on their current success levels sort of defeats the purpose. The purpose partly being to build a rivalry between two clubs via a long-standing spot on the fixture. 

Edited October 21, 2021 by WalkingCivilWar
Forgot to make my point.

[Cassiew 1,868]

5 hours ago, Dante said:

Cassie, we won't lose. 

Yeah I thought that round 1, 2019

2 hours ago, Fork 'em said:

It'll be the Dogs still having nightmares about what happened to them GF day.
We have no need to be frightened of any club.

They’ll be hungry for revenge. Out of all the teams most likely to beat us next year, they’ll be the most likely.

5 hours ago, Mickey said:

This could equally happen if we or the dogs fall off a cliff to start next year. We will both get a harder draw next year based on where we finished.

I reckon have a big game first round. The players won't be worried about facing a good team round 1 and supporters shouldn't worry if we lose the first one. We are past that now

I’m worried about it spoiling the flag unfurling. This is a day I want to remember 

[rpfc 27,432]

Losing a game is not the end of the world. The unfurling will be remembered as it’s own thing.

 

[Clayton van Oliver 1,665]

16 minutes ago, Cassiew said:

Yeah I thought that round 1, 2019

They’ll be hungry for revenge. Out of all the teams most likely to beat us next year, they’ll be the most likely.

I’m worried about it spoiling the flag unfurling. This is a day I want to remember 

There's no point worrying about an outcome that doesn't yet exist.

We could just as easily put a tasty cherry on top of the unfurling with another resounding win. Happy to play thw dogs 23 times next year if it gets us into the Granny again.

[Sir Why You Little 34,430]

How is this little Fella going to feel?

Out with “General Soreness”?

Never Forget Demons….

[Wrecker46 2,652]

20 hours ago, radar said:

Adelaide, Collingwood maybe

Adelaide will have massive improvement this year. Burgess is a huge get. 

[Cassiew 1,868]

34 minutes ago, AmDamDemon said:

There's no point worrying about an outcome that doesn't yet exist.

We could just as easily put a tasty cherry on top of the unfurling with another resounding win. Happy to play thw dogs 23 times next year if it gets us into the Granny again.

So I’d rather a game that more favours us. Not a team hungry for revenge. In all honesty  don’t think Footscray deserve it anyway. Not the way they lost in the grand final 

[Clayton van Oliver 1,665]

7 minutes ago, Cassiew said:

So I’d rather a game that more favours us. Not a team hungry for revenge. In all honesty  don’t think Footscray deserve it anyway. Not the way they lost in the grand final 

Sorry Cassie, but this is old MFC mentality. Relax. We are now the reigning premiers; the best footy club in the world. We got there with a group who has faced every challenge without qualm. If the AFL schedules us to play Footscray and Geelong at the same time, on the moon, I would give us a sniff.

Bring it on.

[Bring-Back-Powell 13,126]

1 hour ago, Engorged Onion said:

Why are they particularly adverse? Personally I am in two minds about it.

They haven't had a round 1 grand final replay since 2009.

[Engorged Onion 9,255]

Just now, Bring-Back-Powell said:

They haven't had a round 1 grand final replay since 2009.

Thanks for that, but is there a given reason why they are adverse?

[Hellaintabadplacetobe 4,089]

11 hours ago, Jaded No More said:

It will presumably be our home game so no issues with getting the members in. 
Secondly Friday night might not be family friendly but it’s cash friendly. It brings loads of dollars and sponsor money. 
Thirdly I have stopped giving a crap about the opposition’s feelings when I realized they don’t care about ours. We will play the Dogs twice in the season anyway. Why not in round 1?

The MFCSS is back… “oh but they’ll be motivated. We will lose. Let’s play an easy opponent”. 
How about our boys will be hella motivated to back up? How about it’s good to start the year with a really big challenge to set off the season right? 
 

We are goddamn premiers!

Agree 666%
 

And remember…. There is a apparently a “ nasty” rivalry between the club

[Bring-Back-Powell 13,126]

Just now, Engorged Onion said:

Thanks for that, but is there a given reason why they are adverse?

I suppose why waste a GF blockbuster replay on a round 1 game, when round 1 games generally attract higher crowds anyway due to the buzz/excitement factor of a new season and good weather.

I'm not certain of the exact reason but I'm assuming my above explanation is a factor.

[dworship 3,342]

1 hour ago, Cassiew said:

I’m worried about it spoiling the flag unfurling. This is a day I want to remember 

I thought they did that at the start of the game.