Bring-Back-Powell

AFL #14 in scoring is a sure way of being removed from prime time.

Clearly Gather Round as you can realistically see 6-7 games on a weekend. Anyone who bags it hasn't attended it. Might also head over for the Adelaide game as it's in the middle of school holidays. As much as I love a GC footy trip, I don't want to go to the GC game as I don't want to be the one responsible for our first loss up there since the Neil Craig tenure!

I'm really bad at detecting sarcasm, so not sure if you're serious but I'd have Matt Owies in a heart beat over McAdam.

He might have the break out year some may have expected for 2024. He looked really good in the opening game until he did his shoulder.

Yeah that South Sea bloke who said Kozzie had requested a trade also said that McAdam is on the verge of retirement. Sounds like there might be something in this.

I can’t remember a season that we travelled just one less time than Collingwood.

I think the Dogs, St Kilda and extra Carlton home games meant the AFL had no choice but to send us to Marvel to make up the numbers. Pert was trumpeting to the members at the end of 2020 that we'd increased our MFC home game schedule to 10 for the first time since 2010 (according to my research). It was seen as an achievement at the time - that we were the only MCG tenant that didn't host a game at Marvel. A bit of comms would be good to explain why we're back at Marvel.

Bad things happen when we play Collingwood.... He's a critical out for the first 3 games. Hopefully we're fit, rejuvenated and can absorb his loss in the early rounds.

I wonder if Foxtel will still be around in 10-20 years, or whether it will be either 100% streaming or free to air tv as your options.

We once got 37,000 to a GWS game at the G (hard to fathom but true). The fan base is capable of 30K+ for the opener. If we get 16K on a 24 degree mid March afternoon, then we can starting get used to Marvel as a part time venue going forward, while the likes of Carlton, Essendon and St Kilda try to get into the G for more home games. We've already been punished with our first home game at Marvel since 2016, probably as a result of those 16K crowds against Port and GWS.

Not a massive fan of the floating fixture but at least it gives you an opportunity to play your way back into prime time games after round 15. If we're 6-3 / 5-4 after round 9 when the floating fixture is getting finalised, you'd imagine we'll have some prime time games against Carlton, Hawthorn and possibly Bulldogs and St Kilda. There's also Collingwood in the final game which is a potential Friday night.

PROS: *Open the season at the MCG when we invariably win our round 1 game. *3 Saturday afternoon games at the MCG which is 3 more than last year *Do not play any of last year's top 5 twice. *Play 3 of last year's bottom 6 twice. *Avoid Freo at Optus and Dogs at Marvel which I consider very hard matchups. *Do not leave VIC in the final 7 weeks. *One less interstate trip *Our home game at Marvel isn't against a Marvel tenant. CONS: *Not playing in Melbourne for 4 weeks. (I hope the club travels direct from Gold Coast to Adelaide and spends the week there) *The two hardest assignments in the AFL at the GABBA and GMHBA. *playing a home game at Marvel after successfully managing to play 10 home games at the G for the prior couple of years. *lack of Prime time games but that would be a positive for those that prefer day games. OBSERVATIONS: *First game against GC at the MCG since 2018 *Haven't played GWS in Sydney since 2014. *Haven't played Essendon twice in a year since 2005. 20th anniversary!

Yep just picked up on that. Didnt we have an agreement to play 10 home games at the G?

We have 3 Saturday afternoon games at the G which is 3 more than what we had this year.

We have Pies, Hawks and Blues as away games at the G so I think it’s 13 games at the G. Edit - 1 mcg home game has been moved to Marvel. Thought we had an agreement to play 10 at the G because of Alice.

Thanks for the updates. Disappointed that our only scheduled Friday night game is in Geelong rather than at the G. Hope your Rd 1 prediction about GWS at the MCG is correct as opposed to Giants stadium.

I think that was in reference to Melbourne and Richmond playing 1 Friday night each rather than playing on Friday night against each other. At this stage it’s unknown if we play Richmond twice.

If that’s the case, then we’ve apparently got our first 3 games in Melbourne with North at Marvel and GC at the G, if you believe the Herald Sun. Expect a lot of travel between say round 4 and 10 to catch up on our obligatory 8 road trips.

@FearTheBeard any intel on round 1. Obviously won't be Carlton, Richmond, Hawthorn, Essendon, Sydney or Brisbane. North are rumoured to play Dogs in round 1, while Collingwood are hosting Port. So that leaves GC, Adelaide, Freo, West Coast, St Kilda, GWS or Geelong. I have a feeling it will be either West Coast at Optus or GWS at the MCG. We're allegedly playing North at Marvel in round 2 on a Sunday. AND then; Gold Coast round 3 at the MCG (first time since 2018) on Saturday afternoon.

We absolutely deserve to be off prime time given what we dished up after round 5 last year. I wonder if the Friday night game will be some random interstate game on Good Friday night against West Coast over there, or if it will be a genuine Friday night MCG game for all to turn up to.

The problem was that we were #14 in scoring this year. The AFL and channel 7 want clubs that play attractive high scoring footy on prime time. Explains why Hawthorn have 3 Thursday nights, 2 Friday nights (in OR and round 1) and one wonders how many more Friday nights before the floating fixture takes effect. They're obviously banking on an Essendon resurgence (3 Thu night games) more so than an MFC resurgence.

So we get one Thursday night game by default (Anzac eve) Perhaps an early indication that the AFL wants us off prime time. We might get one Friday night at best, and it will probably be away to Geelong or interstate.

Agreed. It's a hassle going to the Thu night games mainly because when you get home from the game you're still amped but still need to get up early for work. However they're to watch at home. Sounds like we'll have somewhere between 0 and 2 Thu night games in the first 15 round block. If we're any good through May, we'll likely get a couple in the floating fixture from round 16 onwards. If we're garbage then it will be 1:45 Saturday, 1:10 Sunday and 4:40 Sunday and the occasional Saturday night game against an interstate side in July and August.

The latest count is now 24 out of a possible 26 Thursday night games including week 1 finals. Great result for fans that love their footy and love the footy weekend to start early. I get your concern of 5 day breaks becoming more prevalent, but we've reached the stage where Thursday nights are ready to be full time I'd of thought.

If that's true, expect the fixture to be delayed 2 weeks as the Pies try to weasel their way out of that one.