Jump to content

Featured Replies

  On 10/05/2022 at 02:33, BAMF said:

Even that's not fair as you wouldnt play every team on there home ground and vice versa.

Thatโ€™s it, the only possible way a fixture is fair is to play them at home and away. But that would make too many games to fit into the entire year unless they were to go down the round ball path and make the team on top of the ladder wins the premiership. 

 

The fixture was a lot fairer many years ago when each team played each other twice (12 teams , 22 games). 

Perhaps if / when Tassie Devils come on board that the AFL hierarchy would consider having a 18 round season and a few byes. I bet most players would like this.

Unfortunately this most likely wonโ€™t occur.  AFL / broadcast interest basically means more games equal more money. Professional entertainment trumps purist principles.

Just maybe then if a 20th team is created (Canberra, NT or whoever!) it may slightly increase the chances of every team playing each other just once in the season proper  - but I am not still not confident .

 

The fixture should be equalised over 3 seasons, so over that period every teams plays every other team the same amount of times. And the result accurately reflects the competition.

The current fixturing undermines the integrity and simplicity of the competition.

 
  On 10/05/2022 at 06:57, PaulRB said:

The fixture should be equalised over 3 seasons, so over that period every teams plays every other team the same amount of times. And the result accurately reflects the competition.

The current fixturing undermines the integrity and simplicity of the competition.

I think the AFL does try to equalise the fixture, but not by each team playing every other team the same number of times. It's done more by ladder position. That is if you finish in the top third you play most, but not all, of your double up games against teams that also fished in the top third. Same for mid-third and bottom third. What the AFL can't do is design a fixture based on where they think teams will be during the year ahead. 

In short, there are always anomalies and always clubs with seemingly easier games. However, in all my years of watching football, I don't think there has ever been a Premier who didn't deserve to win the Grand Final, so I'm not sure it matters.


Case in point : Port Adelaide

Finished 2nd at the end of home and away season. Only beat one other top 8 side all year and that was the Dogs in rd 23 by 2 points. Beat Geelong in their QF, had week 2 off then got the dates wrong for their prelim only arriving at the ground with 12 minutes to go in the last qtr.

  • Author
  On 10/05/2022 at 07:47, Bombay Airconditioning said:

Case in point : Port Adelaide

Finished 2nd at the end of home and away season. Only beat one other top 8 side all year and that was the Dogs in rd 23 by 2 points. Beat Geelong in their QF, had week 2 off then got the dates wrong for their prelim only arriving at the ground with 12 minutes to go in the last qtr.

But what about the strength of their fixture that season? It may well be that they weren't capable of winning those high profile games during the H&A, but that doesn't mean they didn't earn the home prelim.

I guess my point was more about Geelong could potentially reach top 4 spot because of the weakness of their fixture, not because they deserve it i.e. winning against Melbourne, Brisbane or Freo.

  • Author
  On 10/05/2022 at 07:47, Bombay Airconditioning said:

Case in point : Port Adelaide

Finished 2nd at the end of home and away season. Only beat one other top 8 side all year and that was the Dogs in rd 23 by 2 points. Beat Geelong in their QF, had week 2 off then got the dates wrong for their prelim only arriving at the ground with 12 minutes to go in the last qtr.

I forgot to add Port did beat several top 8 teams, however only one top 4 (Bulldogs). I think you may have thought of the Bombers who I believe didn't beat any top 8 team and still made Finals.

 
  On 10/05/2022 at 08:01, ElDiablo14 said:

I forgot to add Port did beat several top 8 teams, however only one top 4 (Bulldogs). I think you may have thought of the Bombers who I believe didn't beat any top 8 team and still made Finals.

I donโ€™t have time to double check tonight, but Iโ€™m pretty sure they didnโ€™t, I remember posting about it on here during the finals. 
Who was it that you thought they defeated?

I am reminded of the days when we were dire and weren't concerned by the fixtures of the top 4.

Then when we were pushing for the 8 -- maybe with a bit of luck we'll scrape in!! -- fixtures & their ease or otherwise became a concern.

Now we're the best team in the land and put in the same effort whether we're playing 3rd or 13th. The fixtures of the top 4 don't concern us. Full circle!


  On 10/05/2022 at 08:01, ElDiablo14 said:

I forgot to add Port did beat several top 8 teams, however only one top 4 (Bulldogs). I think you may have thought of the Bombers who I believe didn't beat any top 8 team and still made Finals.

I think you are right actually. They beat the Bombers, Swans & Giants.

Edited by Bombay Airconditioning

Back in the Neeld era, Essendon said โ€œthey werenโ€™t going to complain cos they only got to play Melbourne onceโ€. 
 

Guess who knocked off Essendon 

Cannot possibly imagine a C 2000 side with the Fab Four, J Brown and Martin Pike whinging about a โ€œtough drawโ€

  On 10/05/2022 at 00:14, ElDiablo14 said:

Just heard on the radio that the Cats are playing both North and West Coast twice! 4 easy wins there for the geriatric cats.

Do we know if there is any other team from last year's top 4 with such and advantage?

I understand West Coast was competitive last year, but why do you give 2 games against the wooden spoon to any of the top 4?

If this helps them to make finals then I say great. Especially if we meet them in a final 

 

  On 10/05/2022 at 01:11, Lucifers Hero said:

Well, 2 of last year's top 4 are virtually out of the race.  The 4th was the mighty dees.

 

That 4 teams have fallen out of last year's top 8 has created a heap of anomalies in the draw.  It has made ours harder, Geelong's easier and given the Blues a dream run.

Tigers haven't done too badly either.  Games they have for the rest of the season:  Port x 2, Hawks x 2, Bombers, x 2, Eagles x1, North x 1, GCS x 1.  On that they could easily sneak into top 4.

 

But, it is what it is.  The first few weeks of he finals will sort it out.

Port will beat them, twice, GCS a sneaky chance also.


Surely Essendon have the most reason to complain?! Fringe finals side gets to start the first three rounds of the season against three of the top 4 including the premiers.

No wonder they're stuffed this year...

Until we have a situation where every club plays everyone else home and away it will always be compromised. 

I get more irritated by the compromises within these compromises like every interstate side getting to play their cross town rivals twice every year regardless of ladder position and the big Melbourne clubs never having to visit KP. 

Letโ€™s just concentrate on getting to 18 wins as soon as we can whilst expending the least amount of energy and in the best possible health. The gloves can come off in September. 

  On 10/05/2022 at 02:17, Jaded No More said:

There is no point playing easy teams and making finals. If you can't beat top sides, you won't go far in September.

Last year we beat everyone in the top 8. I rather play hard games and test ourselves and our game plan against the best sides heading into finals. What do Geelong get from playing North and West Coast other than a false sense of achievement? 

16 points.

  On 10/05/2022 at 01:26, deelusions from afar said:

I kinda love it - it gets Geelong thinking they're a chance again - but there's no way they will be able to knock off two of Dees, Freo and Bris in finals.  It means they get worse picks which means a longer rebuild when the cliff finally arrives.  

We pushed them over the cliff, these years of bubbling mid-table mediocrity are just the rock edges that they are hitting on the way down.

Even the ridiculous discussion on the ground from Scott to not discuss their reversion back to slow kick โ€˜keepingโ€™s offโ€™ is a sign of their mental weakness - both in reverting and in not owning up to it.


Conspiracy theory. Who is the current Afl Operations boss and is there a family link.  Who was the previous AFL operations boss and what club does he work at now. Geelong has been receiving charity for years in the rebuild of its stadium, why stop now.

The most logical way to get the closest to making it fairer is once everyone has played each other once then set who plays each other twice. The AFL proved last year and this year that you can set the fixture on a rolling basis so there shouldn't be a reason this couldn't be done. 

As for Cats, get a ridiculous home ground advantage without the penalty of having to play interstate every other week like the interstate teams. Plus that game is not a real AFL ground and with all the redevelopment there surely they could have fixed the width but that would have taken away that massive home ground advantage. 

  On 11/05/2022 at 01:42, Its Time for Back to Back said:

The most logical way to get the closest to making it fairer is once everyone has played each other once then set who plays each other twice. The AFL proved last year and this year that you can set the fixture on a rolling basis so there shouldn't be a reason this couldn't be done. 

As for Cats, get a ridiculous home ground advantage without the penalty of having to play interstate every other week like the interstate teams. Plus that game is not a real AFL ground and with all the redevelopment there surely they could have fixed the width but that would have taken away that massive home ground advantage. 

I guess the issue with that approach (i.e. top 6 playing each other, 7-12 and 13-18 likewise) is that 6th gets a really tough final five rounds and much tougher than the teams in the next group. If 6th is a game ahead of 9th after 17 rounds, they could easily miss finals due to the much tougher final five rounds. 

 

I think this season is being statistically skewed by the massive early drop in form from Port and the Dogs. If both those sides played true to last years form then we would look even further out in front than we are. To be fair I think we are the reason the Dogs have dropped off. The GF and then round 1 psychological damaged them. They KNOW they are a fair way behind us.

As for Geelong Iโ€™m not sure it really matters. They have the experience and ground advantage to make top 4 anyways. Itโ€™s whether theyโ€™ve got the speed, depth  and dynamics to do it in September - and thatโ€™s been the same question for 5 years. 

  On 11/05/2022 at 02:59, The heart beats true said:

I think this season is being statistically skewed by the massive early drop in form from Port and the Dogs. If both those sides played true to last years form then we would look even further out in front than we are. To be fair I think we are the reason the Dogs have dropped off. The GF and then round 1 psychological damaged them. They KNOW they are a fair way behind us.

As for Geelong Iโ€™m not sure it really matters. They have the experience and ground advantage to make top 4 anyways. Itโ€™s whether theyโ€™ve got the speed, depth  and dynamics to do it in September - and thatโ€™s been the same question for 5 years. 

Completely agreed regarding the Dogs 

The worst possible outcome for them this season was playing us round 1, getting out to a lead and then losing comfortably. Psychology I think it ruined them as they realized this season is not going to be one of redemption but again being second best (or worse as it turned out). 


Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

Featured Content

  • REPORT: West Coast

    On a night of counting, Melbourne captain Max Gawn made sure that his contribution counted. He was at his best and superb in the the ruck from the very start of the election night game against the West Coast Eagles at Optus Stadium, but after watching his dominance of the first quarter and a half of the clash evaporate into nothing as the Eagles booted four goals in the last ten minutes of the opening half, he turned the game on its head, with a ruckmanโ€™s masterclass in the second half.  No superlatives would be sufficient to describe the enormity of the skipperโ€™s performance starting with his 47 hit outs, a career-high 35 possessions (22 of them contested), nine clearances, 12 score involvements and, after messing up an attempt or two, finally capping off one of the greatest rucking performances of all time, with a goal of own in the final quarter not long after he delivered a right angled pass into the arms of Daniel Turner who also goaled from a pocket (will we ever know if the pass is what was intended). That was enough to overturn a 12 point deficit after the Eagles scored the first goal of the second half into a 29 point lead at the last break and a winning final quarter (at last) for the Demons who decided not to rest their champion ruckman at the end this time around. 

    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • PREGAME: Hawthorn

    The Demons return to the MCG to take on the High Flying Hawks on Saturday Afternoon. Hawthorn will be aiming to consolidate a position in the Top 4 whilst the Dees will be looking to take a scalp and make it four wins in a row. Who comes in and who goes out?

      • Thanks
      • Like
    • 117 replies
    Demonland
  • PODCAST: West Coast

    The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 5th May @ 8:00pm. Join Binman, George & I as we analyse the Demons 3rd win row for the season against the Eagles.
    Your questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show.
    If you would like to leave us a voicemail please call 03 9016 3666 and don't worry no body answers so you don't have to talk to a human.

      • Thanks
    • 20 replies
    Demonland
  • POSTGAME: West Coast

    Following a disastrous 0โ€“5 start to the season, the Demons have now made it three wins in a row, cruising past a lacklustre West Coast side on their own turf. Skipper Max Gawn was once again at his dominant best, delivering another ruck masterclass to lead the way.

      • Love
      • Like
    • 215 replies
    Demonland
  • VOTES: West Coast

    Max Gawn leads the Demonland Player of the Year from Jake Bowey in 2nd place. Christian Petracca, Ed Langdon and Clayton Oliver round out the Top 5. Your votes for the win over the West Coast Eagles in Perth. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 & 1.

      • Clap
      • Love
      • Like
    • 40 replies
    Demonland
  • GAMEDAY: West Coast

    It's Game Day and the Demons have a chance to notch up their third consecutive win โ€” something they havenโ€™t done since Round 5, 2024. But to do it, theyโ€™ll need to exorcise the Demons of last yearโ€™s disastrous trip out West. Can the Dees continue their momentum, right the wrongs of that fateful clash, and take another step up the ladder on the road to redemption?

      • Thumb Down
      • Haha
    • 669 replies
    Demonland