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http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/ne...lockbuster-draw/2008/10/01/1222651172061.html
Cats to get tougher 'blockbuster' draw
Jake Niall | October 2, 2008
GEELONG is likely to be granted its request for a tougher "blockbuster" draw in 2009, with the AFL indicating that it will probably schedule the Cats to play Hawthorn and Collingwood twice, with a grand final re-match in round one being given strong consideration.
Geelong, which did not play a home game at the MCG this year despite its draw-card status, is likely to be granted its official request to play home games against Hawthorn and the Magpies — the only teams to beat it in 2008 — and to play each of them twice at the MCG.
AFL chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan said last night that the Cats had played Hawthorn and Collingwood once each in 2008 and it was likely they would meet these teams twice in 2009, though next year's fixture was not settled.
"We've just started the fixturing process, but playing the grand final teams in round one has some merit and it (Port Adelaide versus Geelong) was a great success this year," said McLachlan. A grand final re-match in round one was not automatic, however, and would only be scheduled on a year-by-year basis he said.
McLachlan said it "does make sense" for Geelong and Hawthorn to play twice after they had played off in a grand final in 2008; the grand final combatants attracted the home-and-away season's second highest attendance (more than 86,000), after Collingwood-Essendon on Anzac Day, and broke the 100,000 barrier at the grand final for the first time since 1986. "It's something we're certainly considering and it does make sense."
McLachlan indicated that it was also probable that Geelong's request to play Collingwood twice — which it had asked for last year, without success — would be granted. He said the attendances those games were capable of drawing meant the matches would be suitable for the MCG.
Geelong has not played Collingwood twice in a season for the past five seasons and was the away team when the Magpies upset them by 86 points in round nine before more than 78,000 fans.
Geelong has also requested that its home games against the Hawks and Magpies be scheduled at the MCG, where the Cats wish to play two of their 11 home games, with the balance at Skilled Stadium in Geelong.
Some observers at club level believe that the fact Geelong played perhaps the teams that troubled it most — Hawthorn, Collingwood and the third-ranked Bulldogs — only once did not help the Cats' cause on grand final day.
Geelong chief executive Brian Cook said the club had run its requests to play those teams twice past the football department, which had approved. Cook said the club wanted to play those clubs twice — as it requested last year — despite its record against them. "We haven't been too good against those two teams."
Cook confirmed that Geelong had sought two games at the MCG and nine at Geelong; last year, it played eight at Skilled Stadium and three home games at Telstra Dome against Essendon, Carlton and Richmond. Cook said it had not played before 50,000 once in a home game in 2008.
Sounds very good, but does that mean GFC have requested no home games at Telstra Dome?
Cats to get tougher 'blockbuster' draw
Jake Niall | October 2, 2008
GEELONG is likely to be granted its request for a tougher "blockbuster" draw in 2009, with the AFL indicating that it will probably schedule the Cats to play Hawthorn and Collingwood twice, with a grand final re-match in round one being given strong consideration.
Geelong, which did not play a home game at the MCG this year despite its draw-card status, is likely to be granted its official request to play home games against Hawthorn and the Magpies — the only teams to beat it in 2008 — and to play each of them twice at the MCG.
AFL chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan said last night that the Cats had played Hawthorn and Collingwood once each in 2008 and it was likely they would meet these teams twice in 2009, though next year's fixture was not settled.
"We've just started the fixturing process, but playing the grand final teams in round one has some merit and it (Port Adelaide versus Geelong) was a great success this year," said McLachlan. A grand final re-match in round one was not automatic, however, and would only be scheduled on a year-by-year basis he said.
McLachlan said it "does make sense" for Geelong and Hawthorn to play twice after they had played off in a grand final in 2008; the grand final combatants attracted the home-and-away season's second highest attendance (more than 86,000), after Collingwood-Essendon on Anzac Day, and broke the 100,000 barrier at the grand final for the first time since 1986. "It's something we're certainly considering and it does make sense."
McLachlan indicated that it was also probable that Geelong's request to play Collingwood twice — which it had asked for last year, without success — would be granted. He said the attendances those games were capable of drawing meant the matches would be suitable for the MCG.
Geelong has not played Collingwood twice in a season for the past five seasons and was the away team when the Magpies upset them by 86 points in round nine before more than 78,000 fans.
Geelong has also requested that its home games against the Hawks and Magpies be scheduled at the MCG, where the Cats wish to play two of their 11 home games, with the balance at Skilled Stadium in Geelong.
Some observers at club level believe that the fact Geelong played perhaps the teams that troubled it most — Hawthorn, Collingwood and the third-ranked Bulldogs — only once did not help the Cats' cause on grand final day.
Geelong chief executive Brian Cook said the club had run its requests to play those teams twice past the football department, which had approved. Cook said the club wanted to play those clubs twice — as it requested last year — despite its record against them. "We haven't been too good against those two teams."
Cook confirmed that Geelong had sought two games at the MCG and nine at Geelong; last year, it played eight at Skilled Stadium and three home games at Telstra Dome against Essendon, Carlton and Richmond. Cook said it had not played before 50,000 once in a home game in 2008.
Sounds very good, but does that mean GFC have requested no home games at Telstra Dome?
