2025 Draw - hoping for MUCH softer

[adelaidecrows]

I am a firm believer in the draw is what it is. You still have the same amount of home games and you play every team at least once. Soft draws are for cowards. If we have a tough draw and miss out on finals, we werent good enough to be in them. A soft draw and making finals is just as bad especially if we lose like chumps in the first two weeks.

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Is it? How were Hawks and Brisbane early?

* Vital for us

 

[Dirty Bird]

2023 was the season that got Nick's extended, it was done on the back of a great sunset season from Tex and a very soft draw. I'd hate to again get a really soft draw and fall into finals on the back of that, thus saving Nicks again.

Fear not, we'll get a soft draw because we're 15th. A gutted Richmond twice for certain, WC probably won't improve much, Norf may but who knows, probably get those twice. Only Port in the top six, in the middle bracket I'd like Essendon twice as they're looking dead set bottom four replacing us

AFL paid us for the goal error so reckon we'll again be sent all over the place, but take whatever comes and just win, not whinge!

I didn't realise playing 3 of the top 4 twice was a soft draw

 

[Carn The Texan]

I can't remember the last time we won an away game to start the season. Probably 2009 against Collingwood.

Can you imagine the AFL scheduling this match up in Melbourne in round 1 in this day and age?

 

[radiojake]

Delete this thread

We make finals if we are good enough and don't if we're not
Asking for a soft draw sounds pathetic

 

[WaynesWorld19]

 

[DJ75]

I can't believe what I'm reading in here.

Yes of course you still have to be a good team to win finals.

BUT, the draw absolutely impacts on your chances of making finals and/or winning them. It absolutely impacts your chances of winning the flag.

A fair draw means that maybe we make finals in the last two years. Imagine the benefit of experience for our guys playing some finals games.
A fair draw also means that you are a chance (eventually for the mens team, not yet obviously) of getting home finals. Home finals is huge. It means you have a much bigger chance of winning and hence making a GF. It could make the difference between a top 2 finish and a 4th or 5th placed finish.

In the AFLW it can make the difference between a home GF or not (as we have seen). Our draw the last 2 years has been blatant cheating by the AFL.

The draw is not an accident. It is very deliberately crafted by the AFL for the outcome they want.

Given the way we get treated with this, the all Vic umpiring panels, the Father-Son and academy etc... it's fair to say we don't get the benefits of others and we absolutely should be complaining about it.

 

[WeeBlake]

The draw is not an accident. It is very deliberately crafted by the AFL for the outcome they want.

The outcome they want is more viewers/money, more wins for nsw and qld teams a very distant second.

 

[Cromulant]

Id rather make finals off the back of a tough draw, that way weve earned it.

No point coasting through to a 7th or 8th after a soft draw and bombing in Wk1 of the finals. Mind you, our record against bottom 10 sides wasnt great.

 

[jackster83]

I think people get too focussed on the double ups when assessing a draw. There's other factors too, for us and other sides.

Such as:

Having to play the Suns up there at the start of the year in oppressive conditions compared to Port playing them later in the year when it is much milder.

Six day break before and after a showdown/western derby.

Not all teams starting on the same weekend. Opening Round sucks - get rid of it.

Having our mid season bye after several teams had already had two byes - our last game before the bye was against Sydney who IIRC had already had 2x byes by then.

Playing in Ballarat right in the middle of winter. This was shithouse for GWS.

 

[Smoooothy]

Playing in Ballarat right in the middle of winter

playing in ballarat full stop..