Discussion 2023 Fixture

[Mowman]

Would this draw have put Ratts into finals?

No
Draw we just had should’ve put us in finals
If Ratts was still there for next year we would’ve gone even further backwards

Lost a lot of players and players were just going through the motions

 

[FQFjt]

A few of our double-ups are interesting watches this year. Brisbane will surely be top four. Carlton and Richmond are widely seen as finals sides. Gold Coast could improve but most likely middle-tier again. North and Hawthorn bottom four.

I think Carlton are a really interesting watch this year. They are so widely expected to improve but I could see things going pear-shaped for them after the heartbreak of this year.

Gold Coast are very interesting to me, purely because they had one of their most competitive years last year and now have the addition of Ben King which will likely result in a couple more goals a game. Internal expectations there would be top 8 or bust.

 

[snails13]

We actually got a FAIR Fixture for a change based on our ladder position, after year's of copping fixtures harder than our ladder position.

The easiest according to Zero Hanger

 

[Joffaboy]

Ratts must be dirty on the AFL. Happy with the ruthless coaching change, but the AFL didn't make it easy for him, and now we get a pretty decent draw.
Show you are kents and apparently you get rewarded.

 

[Joffaboy]

No
Draw we just had should’ve put us in finals
If Ratts was still there for next year we would’ve gone even further backwards

Lost a lot of players and players were just going through the motions

Yep. Training is a galaxy away from last season. Translate to gameday and we are cooking with gas.

 

[austinnn]

No
Draw we just had should’ve put us in finals
If Ratts was still there for next year we would’ve gone even further backwards

Lost a lot of players and players were just going through the motions

I agree but that is the answer to a different question.

We would have definitely made finals this year if we'd had that draw and it's embarrassing to say but thank **** we didn't.

We nearly scraped in as it was, but if we'd played Port in Melbourne and not had Geelong in Geelong we'd probably have made the elims.

 

[austinnn]

The easiest according to Zero Hanger

I'd agree with that.

 

[gringo2011]

Ratts must be dirty on the AFL. Happy with the ruthless coaching change, but the AFL didn't make it easy for him, and now we get a pretty decent draw.
Show you are kents and apparently you get rewarded.

I reckon it probably shows how much the club requests commercially favourable draws over competitive ones. As you said, we aren't making big bucks with this fixture but we should get a few more likely wins.

 

[gringo2011]

I agree but that is the answer to a different question.

We would have definitely made finals this year if we'd had that draw and it's embarrassing to say but thank * we didn't.

We nearly scraped in as it was, but if we'd played Port in Melbourne and not had Geelong in Geelong we'd probably have made the elims.

It's really impossible to say with anything but a guess. Football fixtures aren't static. Port could be terrible next season and Gold Coast could be a top 4 side. Geelong look like the end is really close this time and life without their spiritual leader will be different.

What looks like a favourable draw can start to look less so as the season rolls on. Two against the Dons at this time 12 month ago looked hard and Carlton looked easy. 2 years ago getting Melbourne was seen as an easy match. Collingwood twice would have looked like a win before this year.

 

[snails13]

Gold Coast are very interesting to me, purely because they had one of their most competitive years last year and now have the addition of Ben King which will likely result in a couple more goals a game. Internal expectations there would be top 8 or bust.

But have lost Rankine

 

[snails13]

Have people forgotten we played Port at an empty Marvel in 2021? Disgusting game

Must have played them twice that year

 

[saintmike65]

Essendon, no finals win since 2004, no top 4 since 2002, so they have earned their Anzac Day and Dreamtime game every single year?
Nothing to do with earnt.

Both games get huge crowds..both big clubs, simple as that!

 

[saintmike65]

I reckon it probably shows how much the club requests commercially favourable draws over competitive ones. As you said, we aren't making big bucks with this fixture but we should get a few more likely wins.

If we start winning more games playing attractive footy, attendance will increase by natural attrition

 

[Joffaboy]

Success and playing good, attractive footy gets rewarded..we’re yet to earn that!

Both games get huge crowds..both big clubs, simple as that!

So it has nothing to do with your first post as I said. Rules for some and not for others.

 

[Joffaboy]

Only 1 is a home game so shouldn't impact us financially much. 2 Friday night home games and 2 Saturday night home games gives us a chance for good crowds.

Eyeballs are worth much more than gate receipts. A crappy slot means less eyeballs meaning less exposure for sponsors meaning less sponsorship money.

 

[gringo2011]

Eyeballs are worth much more than gate receipts. A crappy slot means less eyeballs meaning less exposure for sponsors meaning less sponsorship money.

It's an entertainment industry as well as a sport. You create your product and then the broadcasters and stadium operators take you seriously. Big club's fans show up regardless and that gives then a leg up. We have to work harder to make ourselves pretty to potential suitors.

 

[austinnn]

If we start winning more games playing attractive footy, attendance will increase by natural attrition

Up to 20,000 you reckon?

 

[The Punter]

Up to 20,000 you reckon?

Probably - St Kilda only had one home crowd at Docklands smaller than that last season (Gold Coast on Easter Saturday).

 

[sammm]

Yep. Training is a galaxy away from last season. Translate to gameday and we are cooking with gas.

What has been the differences so far that you have seen?

and is it just a new coaching regime. eg when Ratts came in, was it similar?

 

[SaintsWill]

going through stkildas 2023 fixture

 

[Remboy]

Still not a good draw financially, 5 of the first 15 games are Sunday afternoon games, 4 of which are 4.40 starts.

I was just having a closer look at the fixture given we're getting closer to the start of the season. We've got six home games in the first 15 rounds and five of those are against interstate teams.
That can't be random. Next time anyone mentions how much the AFL give us every year shove that up their clacker.
Give us an extra home game or two with half against Vic sides and we'd be 100% better off financially.

 

[Fehring]

Disagree that it's an idiotic idea, I love the idea. I just don't think we need 5 games at the Adelaide Oval that weekend. Why can't they spread them out a bit more. I doubt the Pies vs Saints game will get more people than what they can carry at one of the SANFL grounds.

Agreed. I would have gone over if we were playing at one of the other grounds they're using.

 

[hangdog]

I was just having a closer look at the fixture given we're getting closer to the start of the season. We've got six home games in the first 15 rounds and five of those are against interstate teams.
That can't be random. Next time anyone mentions how much the AFL give us every year shove that up their clacker.
Give us an extra home game or two with half against Vic sides and we'd be 100% better off financially.

I hate the AFL fixture. I understand you want the best teams playing in prime time from a ratings perspective but it really should be more evenly shared. I am so over seeing the same 5-6 clubs playing Thursday/Friday nights over and over again.

Teams like Carlton, Richmond, Hawthorn, Collingwood and Melbourne got plenty of "undeserved" primetime games in the years they were struggling simply because of their big fan base. So teams like St Kilda, WB, North and the interstate sides will only ever get a look in if we're dominating.

The flow on effect this has to supporter numbers years down the line is significant. If you're a new comer to AFL and only ever see Geelong, Richmond, Carlton, Collingwood etc on TV then who are you going to pick a team from? The clubs that are never on free to air? Bit of a "rich get richer" scenario

 

[SaintBilly]

With the greatest of respect, duh. It clearly is a “rich get richer” business. It translates to everything - trade week, fixture, you name it. It’s amazing clubs like us or north or the dogs even get a look in at all.

 

[Dard Ball Get]

Someone posted this on Twitter. Great run home!