2025 Draw - hoping for MUCH softer

[119others]

Lol. Ok good luck getting to dandenong quicker than Ballarat. You might get to Ringwood a shade quicker than Ballarat.

it comes down to time of day and how packed the SE freeway is. In peak hour Ballarat probably is about the same but not normally

 

[ams4crows]

So because we play on ANZAC day, do we think we'll have a special Guernsey like we did last year?

 

[119others]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/winners-and-losers-which-clubs-will-benefit-most-from-2025-afl-fixture/news-story/d1de70c46d5724cc91f01114a66eafb6

2-3% of a whole of AFL club breakdown of the fixture.pretty accurate summation INO

Have left out half our stuff focussing on factual elements (teams played twice, bye round, timing of games) and also edited down the reminding and left their thoughts and comments

What’s hot: Surely Adelaide cannot go 0-4 again? It opens the campaign by playing four non-finalists and would be looking to use early wins as a platform in its September chase.
What’s not: After being the prime time Crows to begin last season, Adelaide’s poor 2024 means fans have to get used to their fair share of Sunday games at Adelaide Oval to begin with. But this does change before the Crows’ bye with two Friday night games in a row.
Fixture difficulty rating: 4/10
What we say: Matthew Nicks

Matthew Nicks

Age

49

Ht

187cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.6

3star

K

9.4

4star

HB

4.2

3star

M

4.1

4star

T

1.7

4star

G

0.7

4star

No current season stats available

D

6.6

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

2.2

2star

M

2.2

3star

T

1.4

4star

G

0.4

3star

probably needs to make the finals to keep his job and this draw can help Adelaide get to September for the first time since 2017. The Crows start with four non-finalists from last season, have strugglers North Melbourne and West Coast among their six double-up games and get six of their opening nine matches at Adelaide Oval. If Adelaide is struggling after that kind early-season draw, the pressure on Nicks will be massive.

 

[footy4ever]

Not for us Melbourne based members.
What you and the club don't give a shit about is we only have 4 games to attend this year. Only 4.
Used to be 6. Dropped to 5. Now only 4.
I tried the Ballarat drive last year. Why don't you check your Google and see where all the parking is. Allow a 30 minute walk through wet paths, maybe a small footpath in areas from any spot you can find in distant roads. My socks were soaked through last time. No protection from the blistering cold wind. Crap experience for what is meant to be AFL.
But us Melbourne supporters miss a docklands game for that place. Plus the Haw game in Tas.
I'd settle for one of them and still get 5 here in Melb.
But, like I matter hey.

On moto g84 5G using BigFooty.com mobile app

I've done the Ballarat thing. Your description of parking and hiking to that shithole ground is spot on. Inside the ground is also hotchpotch, few places to shelter from the Antarctic-like weather .

The surface of the oval looks pristine however. I'm surprised you say even the bulldogs players don't like playing on it.

 

[footy4ever]

Yeah don’t really care , us in northern states get one per year

Of course I’d prefer us to play dogs at marvel but there’s no point complaining about it

Not going Geelong is a positive

There is point in complaining about playing in Ballarat, for myriad reasons.

And for those of you playing at home, shocked as some might be, there is no need to use 'a' and 'of' preceding and succeeding, respectively, the word 'myriad'.

 

[jackster83]

I've done the Ballarat thing. Your description of parking and hiking to that shithole ground is spot on. Inside the ground is also hotchpotch, few places to shelter from the Antarctic-like weather .

The surface of the oval looks pristine however. I'm surprised you say even the bulldogs players don't like playing on it.

There's really no good reason at all for playing games for premiership points in Ballarat, especially in the middle of winter.

Preseason games are fine but that's where it should end.

 

[Captain Furious]

There is point in complaining about playing in Ballarat, for myriad reasons.

And for those of you playing at home, shocked as some might be, there is no need to use 'a' and 'of' preceding and succeeding, respectively, the word 'myriad'.

I feel like this is a trap.

 

[footy4ever]

I feel like this is a trap.

HAHA no trap.

It's widely accepted to use 'a' and 'of' before and after, but if you replace 'myriad' with a synonym i.e. e.g. say... countless, many and varied, unlimited, generally you wouldn't say e.g. "there are a countless of reasons why..."


...so endeth the lesson.

Yes, I'm finally at a loose end today. I have nothing better to do, so.... ho hum.

Go you mighty Crows.

 

[PCORF]

There's really no good reason at all for playing games for premiership points in Ballarat, especially in the middle of winter.

Preseason games are fine but that's where it should end.

But early start at Adelaide Oval in R1, complete opposite to Ballarat in the middle of winter. If R1 is under 30 degrees C, that would be considered cold.

 

[PCORF]

It's the AFL equivalent as frozen f*cking tundra, hard as a rock. The Bulldogs players hate it, but they can't complain because the team is broke and they have no choice. If they think they will beat every non-Vic team dragged there to play handily every time they will do it... but if the losses mount up, it will be another story.

But yeah, there's nothing wrong with it.

They should play against Collingwood there .... AFL ummm sorry = venue too small.

 

[flashcrow]

HAHA no trap.

It's widely accepted to use 'a' and 'of' before and after, but if you replace 'myriad' with a synonym i.e. e.g. say... countless, many and varied, unlimited, generally you wouldn't say e.g. "there are a countless of reasons why..."


...so endeth the lesson.

Yes, I'm finally at a loose end today. I have nothing better to do, so.... ho hum.

Go you mighty Crows.

Interesting read.... https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/myriad-vs-myriad-of-grammar-rules

 

[Captain Furious]

HAHA no trap.

It's widely accepted to use 'a' and 'of' before and after, but if you replace 'myriad' with a synonym i.e. e.g. say... countless, many and varied, unlimited, generally you wouldn't say e.g. "there are a countless of reasons why..."


...so endeth the lesson.

Yes, I'm finally at a loose end today. I have nothing better to do, so.... ho hum.

Go you mighty Crows.

There is point in complaining about playing in Ballarat, for myriad reasons.

Ok, I'll bite...was referring to the bolded above. A grammar lesson with poor grammar is either a gift of amusement or a trap.

 

[kirky]

Will lose both to hawks and pies and split the ledger with Gold Coast and port


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

I’m not so sure with regard to Collingwood, we have match up well against them and our side in 2025 is going to be a lot stronger than the previous two years when we got within a kick in both 2023 and 2024. Collingwood are still the oldest side and side with most games and they will have 10 best 22 over the age of 31 and another 4 who will be 29.

They are going all in again but I reckon we can get them with the side we put on the park with no McHenry, no Murphy, no Himmelberg, no Hamill and hopefully no Brodie Smith from the last time we played them.

 

[1970crow]

If we're making finals we should start the season 4-0

Based on this year, only the home game against Roos is a certain win. If we're 4-0 I reckon we're going pretty well and should be heading towards finals.

 

[crows dude]

Adelaide Oval Games
Thursday Games = 1
1 x Thursday Night

Friday Games = 1
1 x Friday Night

Saturday Games = 3
2 x Saturday 3:45
1 x Saturday Night

Sunday Games = 3
2 x Sunday Lunchtime
1 x Sunday 2pm

 

[kirky]

Honest question - WTF is up with Port Adelaide's schedule

Home games vs Richmond, St Kilda, North Melbourne, Adelaide, Geelong, Melbourne, Sydney, Carlton, West Coast, Fremantle, Gold Coast - That's 5 of the 7 non-victorian teams (so will be banished to foxtel for all games).

Then the Victorian teams are the poor supported ones like North Melbourne, Melbourne and St Kilda. And a Richmond side with the wheels off the bandwagon.

They only have 3 teams that can draw in Geelong, Carlton and us. And that Geelong game isn't even primetime with Carlton TBD. Their only home primetime game is us in Rd 9.

Throw in the fact they have away games to Western Bulldogs in Ballarat, Greater Western Sydney in Canberra, Hawthorn in Launceston, and to top it off, Geelong in Geelong. (a club should only have to travel to 1 of the aforementioned venues, not 3 like Port. And if you include Geelong's 10 games, a little less than half the teams should be going to TWO regional venues, not the 4 that Port has)

And only 3 games in Melbourne, 2 of which are at Marvel, and the 1 at the MCG is in Rd 1. And if my calculations are correct, they only have 2 games with a national broadcast.

That's one of, if not the worst commercial draws I've ever seen. With a fixture like that, I'd be sitting here wondering whether they've just won the last 3 wooden spoons, with no foreseeable hope.

Perhaps it is that no matter who comes here they still can’t get over 40k average to their games when they have been top 4 for the last 5 seasons (2022 excepted) and they have had prime tv spots during that time.

GWS in Canberra will get more people than if it was played in Western Sydney.

 

[Blue Red and Gold]

Honest question - WTF is up with Port Adelaide's schedule

Home games vs Richmond, St Kilda, North Melbourne, Adelaide, Geelong, Melbourne, Sydney, Carlton, West Coast, Fremantle, Gold Coast - That's 5 of the 7 non-victorian teams (so will be banished to foxtel for all games).

Then the Victorian teams are the poor supported ones like North Melbourne, Melbourne and St Kilda. And a Richmond side with the wheels off the bandwagon.

They only have 3 teams that can draw in Geelong, Carlton and us. And that Geelong game isn't even primetime with Carlton TBD. Their only home primetime game is us in Rd 9.

Throw in the fact they have away games to Western Bulldogs in Ballarat, Greater Western Sydney in Canberra, Hawthorn in Launceston, and to top it off, Geelong in Geelong. (a club should only have to travel to 1 of the aforementioned venues, not 3 like Port. And if you include Geelong's 10 games, a little less than half the teams should be going to TWO regional venues, not the 4 that Port has)

And only 3 games in Melbourne, 2 of which are at Marvel, and the 1 at the MCG is in Rd 1. And if my calculations are correct, they only have 2 games with a national broadcast.

That's one of, if not the worst commercial draws I've ever seen. With a fixture like that, I'd be sitting here wondering whether they've just won the last 3 wooden spoons, with no foreseeable hope.

 

[Captain Furious]

Honest question - WTF is up with Port Adelaide's schedule

Home games vs Richmond, St Kilda, North Melbourne, Adelaide, Geelong, Melbourne, Sydney, Carlton, West Coast, Fremantle, Gold Coast - That's 5 of the 7 non-victorian teams (so will be banished to foxtel for all games).

Then the Victorian teams are the poor supported ones like North Melbourne, Melbourne and St Kilda. And a Richmond side with the wheels off the bandwagon.

They only have 3 teams that can draw in Geelong, Carlton and us. And that Geelong game isn't even primetime with Carlton TBD. Their only home primetime game is us in Rd 9.

Throw in the fact they have away games to Western Bulldogs in Ballarat, Greater Western Sydney in Canberra, Hawthorn in Launceston, and to top it off, Geelong in Geelong. (a club should only have to travel to 1 of the aforementioned venues, not 3 like Port. And if you include Geelong's 10 games, a little less than half the teams should be going to TWO regional venues, not the 4 that Port has)

And only 3 games in Melbourne, 2 of which are at Marvel, and the 1 at the MCG is in Rd 1. And if my calculations are correct, they only have 2 games with a national broadcast.

That's one of, if not the worst commercial draws I've ever seen. With a fixture like that, I'd be sitting here wondering whether they've just won the last 3 wooden spoons, with no foreseeable hope.

I was going to do this funny post where I list all the things I care less about than Port having a bad schedule but came up totally blank.

 

[Vader]

Not for us Melbourne based members.
What you and the club don't give a shit about is we only have 4 games to attend this year. Only 4.
Used to be 6. Dropped to 5. Now only 4.
I tried the Ballarat drive last year. Why don't you check your Google and see where all the parking is. Allow a 30 minute walk through wet paths, maybe a small footpath in areas from any spot you can find in distant roads. My socks were soaked through last time. No protection from the blistering cold wind. Crap experience for what is meant to be AFL.
But us Melbourne supporters miss a docklands game for that place. Plus the Haw game in Tas.
I'd settle for one of them and still get 5 here in Melb.
But, like I matter hey.

On moto g84 5G using BigFooty.com mobile app

Sounding off about it from a supporter perspective is fine, and you have a valid point. However, the point that n4sir was making was about how it would impact the players - who don't have to worry about parking, or a lack of sheltered viewing points around the ground.

The whole argument by n4sir falls apart in the face of reality - it's only a 78 min drive from Tullamarine, not the multi-hour journey they were railing against. It's the equivalent of playing games in the Barossa Valley (SA) or Mandurah (WA), neither of which are outlandishly long bus trips.

 

[footy4ever]

There is point in complaining about playing in Ballarat, for myriad reasons.

Ok, I'll bite...was referring to the bolded above. A grammar lesson with poor grammar is either a gift of amusement or a trap.

Yes, hurried typing on a phone with one finger when you think you've hit a letter and clearly you haven't.

 

[Captain Furious]

Yes, hurried typing on a phone with one finger when you think you've hit a letter and clearly you haven't.

...so endeth the lesson.

 

[DJ75]

Adelaide Oval Games
Thursday Games = 1
1 x Thursday Night

Friday Games = 1
1 x Friday Night

Saturday Games = 3
2 x Saturday 3:45
1 x Saturday Night

Sunday Games = 3
2 x Sunday Lunchtime
1 x Sunday 2pm

How many of these are stand alone, nationally televised I wonder?
Would be interesting to see how that compares to other clubs.

 

[Scorpus]

How many of these are stand alone, nationally televised I wonder?
Would be interesting to see how that compares to other clubs.

Channel 7's timeslots next year are Thursday night, Friday night and Sunday 3.20pm. So any of the games we have in those slots will be nationally televised

So for us that's four of the first 14 rounds. My guess is the Friday night clash with Fremantle will not be nationally televised as the Anzac match is earlier that day

 

[OzSparrow]

Not for us Melbourne based members.
What you and the club don't give a shit about is we only have 4 games to attend this year. Only 4.
Used to be 6. Dropped to 5. Now only 4.
I tried the Ballarat drive last year. Why don't you check your Google and see where all the parking is. Allow a 30 minute walk through wet paths, maybe a small footpath in areas from any spot you can find in distant roads. My socks were soaked through last time. No protection from the blistering cold wind. Crap experience for what is meant to be AFL.
But us Melbourne supporters miss a docklands game for that place. Plus the Haw game in Tas.
I'd settle for one of them and still get 5 here in Melb.
But, like I matter hey.

On moto g84 5G using BigFooty.com mobile app

Exactly. I share your pain.
Even better, the club has put the Vic membership fee UP this year with less Vic games to go to. How does that even possibly work for the club's membership department? Do they think we Vic members agree?
And don't get me started on the lack of support the club continues to give to its Vic members. Nothing. Nada. Treats us like crap.
Different rules and entitlements for us compared to SA members. As an example, just try to actually get out of the auto debit membership renewal system only to be told that there are different termination rules for Vic members versus SA members! Lmao.
This will be my last year as a Vic member (along with my daughter) while this club continues to year after year treat its Vic members like crap.
And yet again this gutless club doesn't say a a word to the AFL as to the lack of Vic games yet again, including dropping yet another MCG game. Why?
And for those who defend the AFL forcing us year after year to that shithole Ballarat ground maybe you should all come over for this years game. Ballarat is a truly lovely place in the middle of winter! Come and stand on the hill in the rain and wind (cause you won't get a seat in the grandstand as you aren't Dogs members and there are no other seats at the ground). Try and get accommodation in town or park at the ground. Try and leave the ground after the game and get to your car as there is no public transport to the ground like in Adelaide.
Try and get into one of the only 2 gates into the ground. Heaven help you if have to actually buy a ticket at the ground at the ancient ticketing system. Try and get something to eat at the small number of portable eatery stands selling soggy and overpriced food.
Its a really enjoyable experience for a paid up member of the club to endure. Why the club puts up with this treatment year after year is beyond me.
But hey it is the AFC after all. Cant expect anything different from the AFL's perennial whipping boys.