News Fixture Discussion

[Chip_]

Latest HS leaked report, we play Freo in Perth in the last round.

Supposedly they've grouped teams together who haven't played finals for a few years (also leaked North v GWS, Rich v Port).

Not ideal, but I guess that's a break of not making finals for 5 years & really, if we make finals I'd want it to not hinge on winning in the last round.

 

[Demon 86]

That's a terrible result.... WA hangover for round one finals if we somehow make it...

 

[tasmanlvr]

It only says that one draft shows it... definitely not confirmed yet.

 

[Demon JP]

Round 1 - Melbourne vs. Brisbane Lions (MCG)
Round 2 - West Coast Eagles vs. Melbourne (PS) (T)
Round 3 - Richmond vs. Melbourne (MCG)
Round 4 - Melbourne vs. Western Bulldogs (MCG) (T)
Round 5 - Melbourne vs. St Kilda (MCG) (N)
Round 6 - Geelong Cats vs. Melbourne (SS)
Round 7 - Melbourne vs. Hawthorn (MCG) (N)
Round 8 - Sydney Swans vs. Melbourne (SCG) (T)
Round 9 - Carlton vs. Melbourne (MCG)
Round 10 - Essendon vs. Melbourne (MCG) (N)
Round 11 - Melbourne vs. Collingwood (MCG)
Round 12 - Bye
Round 13 - Melbourne vs. GWS GIANTS (MCG)
Round 14 - Brisbane Lions vs. Melbourne (G)
Round 15 - Melbourne vs. Richmond (MCG)
Round 16 - Melbourne vs. Fremantle (ES)
Round 17 - Melbourne vs. Port Adelaide (TIO) (N)
Round 18 - North Melbourne vs. Melbourne (ES)
Round 19 - Melbourne vs. Gold Coast SUNS (MCG) (E)
Round 20 - St Kilda vs. Melbourne (MCG)
Round 21 - GWS GIANTS vs. Melbourne (MO)
Round 22 - Melbourne vs. Adelaide Crows (MCG) (T)
Round 23 - Fremantle vs. Melbourne (PS)

 

[CaptainDavey]

Round 1 - Melbourne vs. Brisbane Lions (MCG)
Round 2 - West Coast Eagles vs. Melbourne (PS) (T)
Round 3 - Richmond vs. Melbourne (MCG)
Round 4 - Melbourne vs. Western Bulldogs (MCG) (T)
Round 5 - Melbourne vs. St Kilda (MCG) (N)
Round 6 - Geelong Cats vs. Melbourne (SS)
Round 7 - Melbourne vs. Hawthorn (MCG) (N)
Round 8 - Sydney Swans vs. Melbourne (SCG) (T)
Round 9 - Carlton vs. Melbourne (MCG)
Round 10 - Essendon vs. Melbourne (MCG) (N)
Round 11 - Melbourne vs. Collingwood (MCG)
Round 12 - Bye
Round 13 - Melbourne vs. GWS GIANTS (MCG)
Round 14 - Brisbane Lions vs. Melbourne (G)
Round 15 - Melbourne vs. Richmond (MCG)
Round 16 - Melbourne vs. Fremantle (ES)
Round 17 - Melbourne vs. Port Adelaide (TIO) (N)
Round 18 - North Melbourne vs. Melbourne (ES)
Round 19 - Melbourne vs. Gold Coast SUNS (MCG) (E)
Round 20 - St Kilda vs. Melbourne (MCG)
Round 21 - GWS GIANTS vs. Melbourne (MO)
Round 22 - Melbourne vs. Adelaide Crows (MCG) (T)
Round 23 - Fremantle vs. Melbourne (PS)

Not bad. Round 6 to 11 would be a struggle though

 

[Flyswatter]

that's doable, can't blame the fixture if we don't make the finals.

no games in Adelaide, woo woo.

 

[Crusty Demon]

Round 1 - Melbourne vs. Brisbane Lions (MCG)
Round 2 - West Coast Eagles vs. Melbourne (PS) (T)
Round 3 - Richmond vs. Melbourne (MCG)
Round 4 - Melbourne vs. Western Bulldogs (MCG) (T)
Round 5 - Melbourne vs. St Kilda (MCG) (N)
Round 6 - Geelong Cats vs. Melbourne (SS)
Round 7 - Melbourne vs. Hawthorn (MCG) (N)
Round 8 - Sydney Swans vs. Melbourne (SCG) (T)
Round 9 - Carlton vs. Melbourne (MCG)
Round 10 - Essendon vs. Melbourne (MCG) (N)
Round 11 - Melbourne vs. Collingwood (MCG)
Round 12 - Bye
Round 13 - Melbourne vs. GWS GIANTS (MCG)
Round 14 - Brisbane Lions vs. Melbourne (G)
Round 15 - Melbourne vs. Richmond (MCG)
Round 16 - Melbourne vs. Fremantle (ES)
Round 17 - Melbourne vs. Port Adelaide (TIO) (N)
Round 18 - North Melbourne vs. Melbourne (ES)
Round 19 - Melbourne vs. Gold Coast SUNS (MCG) (E)
Round 20 - St Kilda vs. Melbourne (MCG)
Round 21 - GWS GIANTS vs. Melbourne (MO)
Round 22 - Melbourne vs. Adelaide Crows (MCG) (T)
Round 23 - Fremantle vs. Melbourne (PS)

Not overly happy with this draw. I know we had a dream draw last year, but having to travel to Perth twice while both those teams are hard to beat is a tough ask. No trips to Adelaide which is good and bad. Both sides are struggling, so might have been a good chance to sneak a win over there. No bye after Darwin which is a big loss. Especially when we have to play our bogey team at our bogey ground the week after. We play GWS, Richmond and Brisbane twice which is great. We play Freo at Etihad, but play St.kilda twice at the G? Strange!

Also a very tough section from Round 4 through to round 11 which includes a trip to Geelong and Sydney as well as tough games against Hawthorn, Carlton and Collingwood. I can see 11 wins out of this draw though which puts us in the mix for the 8.

 

[Devastating Boris]

Hell yes August 18 gws @ Manuka I know most won't appreciate this but I will love it, sitting next to the gws bench drink full strength beer (yeah we get full strength at Manuka) and letting fly over the fence. Happy days.

 

[Wise Guy Sam]

Not overly happy with this draw. I know we had a dream draw last year, but having to travel to Perth twice while both those teams are hard to beat is a tough ask. No trips to Adelaide which is good and bad. Both sides are struggling, so might have been a good chance to sneak a win over there. No bye after Darwin which is a big loss. Especially when we have to play our bogey team at our bogey ground the week after. We play GWS, Richmond and Brisbane twice which is great. We play Freo at Etihad, but play St.kilda twice at the G? Strange!

I think st kilda are the only 2011 top eight team we play twice and I'd rather play them twice at the G' then once at ethihad.

The North game will be tough. I guess if we were going to lose it anyway we may as well do it when we can wave a big bag of cash in their faces.

Rd 23 is annoying but I'll worry about that if we are playing in the finals.

One friday night game is obviously less then 3 last year but i think we have a couple of Sat night instead. AFL have obviously learnt from their mistakes

Only 2 games at ethihad to lose.

GWS, Richmond, Lions and Freo twice. Freo will look much different this season if they don't get killed by injuries. GWS and Lions should see us as Favourites and Richmond games are great, maybe a furture big Rivalry.

The Draw is pretty good actually. I won't complain. Mind you our 2011 draw was softer then Cale but that didn't help much anyway.

 

[saj_21]

Its a very good draw the saints the only top 8 side twice. Round 13-22 only one side from the top 8, all very very winnable games. Downside is round 5 to 12 playing 7 of the top 8 sides and of couse travelling to Freo in the last round.

 

[Captain Jack]

Given how terrible we were this year it's a good result. Very happy to not be playing at AAMI, what a hell-hole. I don't like the trend of playing all the good teams/having our big-drawing games all in the middle period of the year.

 

[melbournemartin]

Definitely a tougher draw than last year. Not a lot of gimme games and we have to travel interstate 6 times plus once down to Geelong. Luckily one interstate game is against GWS and one is a pseudo-home game vs Port.

Playing Fremantle in Perth in the last round isn't great but last time we did it, and made finals, we one the first final (2006 for those playing at home).

Playing Fremantle at Etihad isn't great but at least it's against an interstate team and one that travels poorly. Playing St Kilda at the MCG is baffling but makes up for it.

I can forsee some confusion with starting times. We have:

1.15
1.40
1.45
2.10
3.15
4.40
7.10
7.40
7.50

 

[Donald_McRonald]

I can forsee some confusion with starting times. We have:

1.15
1.40
1.45
2.10
3.15
4.40
7.10
7.40
7.50

Looks more like the timetable on the Sydenham Line.

Pretty fair draw in my opinion considering the AFL now has 8 non-Vic sides. Three against GWS/GC, a welcome bye in the middle of the season after the toughest stretch of opponents, and an easier run home allows for no excuses for a finals berth.
Concerns lie in how quick the team picks up a new game plan, how well the younger bods last the season and ....the usual... how well we player manage injuries.

 

[Gazza_11]

For the inevitable predictions thread

Bold - Win

Round 1 - Melbourne vs. Brisbane Lions (MCG)
Round 2 - West Coast Eagles vs. Melbourne (PS) (T)
Round 3 - Richmond vs. Melbourne (MCG)
Round 4 - Melbourne vs. Western Bulldogs (MCG) (T)
Round 5 - Melbourne vs. St Kilda (MCG) (N)
Round 6 - Geelong Cats vs. Melbourne (SS)
Round 7 - Melbourne vs. Hawthorn (MCG) (N)
Round 8 - Sydney Swans vs. Melbourne (SCG) (T)
Round 9 - Carlton vs. Melbourne (MCG)
Round 10 - Essendon vs. Melbourne (MCG) (N)
Round 11 - Melbourne vs. Collingwood (MCG)
Round 12 - Bye
Round 13 - Melbourne vs. GWS GIANTS (MCG)
Round 14 - Brisbane Lions vs. Melbourne (G)
Round 15 - Melbourne vs. Richmond (MCG)
Round 16 - Melbourne vs. Fremantle (ES)
Round 17 - Melbourne vs. Port Adelaide (TIO) (N)
Round 18 - North Melbourne vs. Melbourne (ES)
Round 19 - Melbourne vs. Gold Coast SUNS (MCG) (E)
Round 20 - St Kilda vs. Melbourne (MCG)
Round 21 - GWS GIANTS vs. Melbourne (MO)
Round 22 - Melbourne vs. Adelaide Crows (MCG) (T)
Round 23 - Fremantle vs. Melbourne (PS)

 

[melbournemartin]

If we win 10 in a row I will eat my hat. I know that each game on its own looks doable but it just won't happen We'll slip up and lose to North or something.

 

[Donald_McRonald]

If we win 10 in a row I will eat my hat.

Or release a DVD entitled The Streak

 

[Gazza_11]

If we win 10 in a row I will eat my hat. I know that each game on its own looks doable but it just won't happen We'll slip up and lose to North or something.

North looks like the one we are most likely to drop, admittedly. Good side who are prolly ahead of us in development at arguably our worst ground on the back of a trip to Darwin.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Good draw; rounds 4-12 make our season.

It would be stupid to write the Dogs off; especially considering they have a fair number of very good players in their side.

We need one of Sydney, Carlton and Hawthorn.

 

[Djcjdees]

North looks like the one we are most likely to drop, admittedly. Good side who are prolly ahead of us in development at arguably our worst ground on the back of a trip to Darwin.

Hahaha loved your predictions, Gazza.

I love how Melbourne supporters always fall prey to the club's ability to look great in the off season. Not this year for me. Not having a go at you AT ALL, in fact I admire you faith. I will however save my predictions of winning 10 in a row when the best we have done the last 3 years is three in a row (if I'm not mistaken (?)).

FWIW I give us about 11/12 wins from the whole season. A slight improvement on last year and that's all I'm after. As long as we keep improving and avoid getting absolutely pasted (238) in the games we lose, finals will come.

 

[Topkent]

Melbourne Fixture 2012

Ive Bolded the expected wins, and underlined the 50-50's


1 Saturday, March 31 Brisbane Lions MCG
2 Saturday, April 7 West Coast Eagles Patersons Stadium
3 Saturday, April 14 Richmond MCG
4 Sunday, April 22 Western Bulldogs MCG
5 Saturday, April 28 St. Kilda MCG
6 Saturday, May 5 Geelong Cats Simonds Stadium
7 Friday, May 11 Hawthorn MCG
8 Saturday, May 19 Sydney Swans SCG
9 Sunday, May 27 Carlton MCG
10 Saturday, June 2 Essendon MCG
11 Monday, June 11 Collingwood MCG
12 Bye
13 Sunday, June 24 GWS GIANTS MCG
14 Sunday, July 1 Brisbane Lions Gabba
15 Saturday, July 7 Richmond MCG
16 Saturday, July 14 Fremantle Etihad Stadium
17 Saturday, July 21 Port Adelaide TIO Stadium
18 Saturday, July 28 North Melbourne Etihad Stadium
19 Sunday, August 5 Gold Coast SUNS MCG
20 Saturday, August 11 St. Kilda MCG
21 Saturday, August 18 GWS GIANTS Manuka Oval
22 Sunday, August 26 Adelaide Crows MCG
23 TBC Fremantle Patersons Stadium

For mine with that draw a minimum of 11 wins should be expected. with the difference between us making finals and not being whether we can pinch one or two of those underlined ones.

Overall id say a very satisfying draw, does seem weird we get the saints twice at the G but im not arguing

 

[fushy]

Woooooooo a game at the scg, means I can see a game without flying


Interesting only 2 games at jihad.

 

[Franky_024]

Interesting only 2 games at jihad.

IF we are gonna be a serious contender those two games are must win games.

Especially the one against North....

 

[Wise Guy Sam]

No team has ever won the week after playing in Darwin.


Mind you the teams playing there are all pretty average....

 

[tasmanlvr]

Gee round six to eleven... absolute torture. Otherwise it looks alright. The run home looks a beauty.

 

[syl]

Melbourne Vs Freo at Etihad? Get ****ed... what a farce