Opening Round 2025

Some deal has clearly been done behind the scenes in regards to NSW wanting gather round initially

14 minutes ago, John Demonic said:

Some deal has clearly been done behind the scenes in regards to NSW wanting gather round initially

NRL in Vegas .. a free hit

TBH I'm not sure whether participation is a good or bad thing. Some teams thought that the extra bye gave them a plus last year.

The fixture is fixed mais quelle surprise

9 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

It's technically nobody's home game. Just an additional game on top of every club's 11 home and 11 away games, which is not part of a club's membership package. (I've also seen us listed as the home team in the Gather Round promo)

For example, in 2023 Richmond were the home team against Sydney at Adelaide Oval, Gather Round. Then later in the season Richmond played Sydney again as the home team at the MCG, but in a normal home game. On paper Richmond were the home team twice against Sydney in 2023, but realistically the MCG game was the only genuine home game of the two.

If we play Essendon later in the season, Gather Round will have no bearing on who's home game it would be.

In theory the concept is a crock, but attending the event is actually pretty fantastic and the city of Adelaide has a tremendous vibe. It's a ton of fun if you love your AFL footy, not just MFC.

That's not quite true by my reckoning.  Last year we played the Crows in gather round, meaning more effectively an additional away game for us and an additional home game for them.  Means the Crows and Power get an additional home game so long as they play gather round in Adelaide.

I actually hate the Gather Round concept for this reason and that it's another example of the AFL putting TV revenue and excessively priced reserved tickets ahead of the average punters ability to pay for and attend games.  I would occasionally travel interstate to see our team play, but bundling it all up in the one small state at the same time sends airline tickets and accommodation at premium prices as well, so small chance I'll ever attend a Gather Round.

Edited November 11, 20241 yr by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

1 hour ago, Demonland said:

Opening Round 2025

Couldn't happen to a nicer four teams, travelling early, interstate, 'hot'wards.

We're going to end up back down at Geelong aren't we?

Get ready for Sunday games 

much like playing the two adelaide-based teams in gil's round, who plays in the northern states opening round should be shared around all clubs

it won't be of course - the filth are going to feature in it as often as the afl can shoehorn them into it

52 minutes ago, Demonsone said:

Get ready for Sunday games 

I’m looking forward to Sunday games. Much more convenient for bringing the kids along

Just now, BDA said:

I’m looking forward to Sunday games. Much more convenient for bringing the kids along

not if they're at 440pm in the middle of winter at the mcg they ain't

Round zero just makes the season that much longer. Add in Gather round and the bye week the home and away period is now 26 weeks.

Add in the week off before finals and you have 31 weeks

Hard for fans and players to stay interested for that long unless you're winning

3 hours ago, dees189227 said:

We're going to end up back down at Geelong aren't we?

62.5% chance we'll be playing Geelong in Geelong. 10/16 (62.5%) clubs have a chance to play down there, excluding Hawthorn who are fixtured to play an away game at the MCG against Geelong next year.

Given we didn't play Geelong down there this year, I'd put at 98% we'll be down there in 2025.

 

 

Edited November 11, 20241 yr by Bring-Back-Powell

12 hours ago, John Demonic said:

Some deal has clearly been done behind the scenes in regards to NSW wanting gather round initially

And Queensland, it seems.

12 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

NRL in Vegas .. a free hit

TBH I'm not sure whether participation is a good or bad thing. Some teams thought that the extra bye gave them a plus last year.

The fixture is fixed mais quelle surprise

Fixture: Fixed? Sure!

2 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

62.5% chance we'll be playing Geelong in Geelong. 10/16 (62.5%) clubs have a chance to play down there, excluding Hawthorn who are fixtured to play an away game at the MCG against Geelong next year.

Given we didn't play Geelong down there this year, I'd put at 98% we'll be down there in 2025.

 

 

100%, they won't be sending Hawthorn there this year because its a Geelong home game on Easter Monday. They won't send Collingwood or Carlton. They probably don't send Richmond down there two years in a row. So there's 2 of the 9 teams last year who won't go there again which means 3 new teams have to go there this year.

We probably play them on an arctic Thursday night in the middle of July when the V Line is down, the West Gate is shut and they make our team and supporters swim across the bay to get there.

I don't care where, who, when or what time we play all I want is 16 wins. They can play 23 games at Marvel for all I care. I also don't care how we play!

Edited November 12, 20241 yr by Roost it far

22 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

It's technically nobody's home game. Just an additional game on top of every club's 11 home and 11 away games, which is not part of a club's membership package. (I've also seen us listed as the home team in the Gather Round promo)

For example, in 2023 Richmond were the home team against Sydney at Adelaide Oval, Gather Round. Then later in the season Richmond played Sydney again as the home team at the MCG, but in a normal home game. On paper Richmond were the home team twice against Sydney in 2023, but realistically the MCG game was the only genuine home game of the two.

If we play Essendon later in the season, Gather Round will have no bearing on who's home game it would be.

In theory the concept is a crock, but attending the event is actually pretty fantastic and the city of Adelaide has a tremendous vibe. It's a ton of fun if you love your AFL footy, not just MFC.

Many thanks.   I was just worried about another Marvel game but I guess it would still be at the G possibly.

Didn't all the teams (bar 1?) Who played in R0 last year win in round 1 against sluggish opponents? Isn't it better to break up an ever increasingly long season with more byes? It seems to me playing in R0 is an advantage we didn't make the most of last year.

The 6th of March?

Not too long ago it was the last week in March the season started

Now we have 10 bye rounds to water down the season over an extra month

The AFL continue to make the game worse

26 minutes ago, Demon4Life said:

Didn't all the teams (bar 1?) Who played in R0 last year win in round 1 against sluggish opponents? Isn't it better to break up an ever increasingly long season with more byes? It seems to me playing in R0 is an advantage we didn't make the most of last year.

No, the Lions, Pies and Tigers all lost in round 1.

The OR contributed to the Pies and Lions having their worst start in years.  Obviously the Lions later overcame that!

23 hours ago, The heart beats true said:

Sounds rough man.

The Watch AFL App can be kind of clunky to use, hopefully a few poolside Singhas will make the experience more enjoyable 🍺🏖😃

As Melbourne supporters we're quick to jump on the AFL for fixture, next gen academy, MRO (despite Kozzy being a recidivist) and other unfair elements.

I think it's fair to say we got a bit lucky to get the Adelaide Oval 3 years in a row for Gather Round rather than be fixtured at the sub par Norwood venue or out it in the bush.

 

 

17 hours ago, Demonland said:

Opening Round 2025

Blimey, tough start to the year for the Cats, Hawks, Dons and Pies.

Breaks my heart. 

Whispers are that Collingwood are going to Geelong this year in round 9. I'll believe it when I see it and then I'll ride my flying pig.

3 hours ago, Demon4Life said:

Didn't all the teams (bar 1?) Who played in R0 last year win in round 1 against sluggish opponents?

Pretty much.

Sydney beat Collingwood (who both played round 0

Melbourne beat Dogs

Carlton beat Richmond (who both played round 0)

Brisbane lost to Fremantle

Gold Coast beat Adelaide

GWS beat North

We actually did take advantage against a sluggish opponent in the Dogs for round 1.

Hopefully our round 1 opponent didn't play in round 0.