Geelong v Hawthorn. Time to move it to ANZAC Day

[Stone in sock]

Hey I would say that Hawthorn & Geelongs last 9 consecutive games of football against each other in the last 5 years. Have been far better than the best 9 games of football Collingwood & Essendon have produced in matches against each other in the last 25 years.

Even more definitive "evidence"

 

[Wish Wellingtons]

Too one sided, these games are foregone conclusions.

 

[The_Wookie]

I for one would be happy for the Cats and Hawks to play on Anzac Day.

It would be great for the people of Van Diemen's Land and Kardinia Park Land to have their own special day (alternating venues ever year), coinciding with the real deal.

Much like Yarra Valley Races Melbourne Cup Day!

I don't know why it has to be one or the other

Could do half at Kardinia...then catch the ferry and do half at York Park. Something for everyone! Every year!

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

Too one sided, these games are foregone conclusions.

I hope the Top Four remains as it is. Would be lovely to touch you up when it counts like we always do

 

[Donakebab]

I hope the Top Four remains as it is. Would be lovely to touch you up when it counts like we always do

If things keep going the same way you'll be playing half of Box Hill when it counts.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

While I don't agree with the OP on changing the ANZAC Day game I do agree with the essence of the post and others that have posted on the pure unadulterated rivalry, regardless of where the clubs are at. I've been witnessing it since the 70s and in particular since '87.

Boss or Darcy I think it was touched that ball, it was RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. I could see his fingers bending as the ball hit his hand. Virtually the last play of the game and cost the Cats a spot in the finals.

Melbourne then beat Footscray to make the finals for the first time in decades.

 

[Stone in sock]

Also you keep convieniently ignoring it but if Hawthorn and Geelong is such a "true" rivalry and not "manufactured" shouldn't there have been a bigger crowd than 60 000 there to watch 1st take on 3rd?

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

If things keep going the same way you'll be playing half of Box Hill when it counts.

I know

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

Also you keep convieniently ignoring it but if Hawthorn and Geelong is such a "true" rivalry and not "manufactured" shouldn't there have been a bigger crowd than 60 000 there to watch 1st take on 3rd?

We got just under 90k there in the 2008 H&A match if I recall correctly. Saturday night though was a strange one, as it was a Geelong home game full of Hawthorn supporters. It was just an anomaly.

 

[Wish Wellingtons]

I hope the Top Four remains as it is. Would be lovely to touch you up when it counts like we always do

So four points doesn't count?

 

[Stone in sock]

it was just an anomaly.

2010 - 68 000, 69 000
2009 - 69 000, 64 000

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Also you keep convieniently ignoring it but if Hawthorn and Geelong is such a "true" rivalry and not "manufactured" shouldn't there have been a bigger crowd than 60 000 there to watch 1st take on 3rd?

Return matches between "big 4" clubs always draw less then the first.
The afl and media are unable to pump it up with cheap marketing.

Give the fans one year, and see crowds decrease between those by at least 50k

Give the "blockbuster" timeslots to the likes of hawthorn and geelong and see the crowds rise.

 

[Copernicus]

Eh, let the toothless hordes and arrogant Bombers have their special day. They'll be lamenting most years about a crap spectacle on the field making light of the ANZAC Day festivities off them.

Meanwhile, we will continue to enjoy a cracking game in Round 13 or whatever, no special day necessary.

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

2010 - 68 000, 69 000
2009 - 69 000, 64 000

So on a heavily marketed day such as ANZAC day we would pull just as many as Collingwood & Essendon.

What are the non ANZAC day Collingwood v Essendon crowds like? I'm sure they are nowhere near 90k on a regular basis either.

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

I've seen Jeff Kennett pull off some great heists as a politician. So surely as a parting gift to the HFC, he can lay the seeds for Hawthorn & Geelong to take away the ANZAC day game from Collingwood & Essendon.

 

[jonoman89]

Gotta be the best rivalry in the AFL by a mile.

Hawthorn and Geelong?

....wow.

 

[lepregnome]

What happens when those two teams head to the bottom of the ladder?

so when essendon and collingwood are at the bottom of the ladder they should get it taken off them?

no thanks to ANZAC day for us anyway, dont want it

 

[Biggy_Boy]

Hawthorn and Geelong?

....wow.

Which AFL rivalry is bigger?

 

[Rack Watts]

I think Essendon and Hawthorn is a bigger rivalry.

 

[The Speaker]

so when essendon and collingwood are at the bottom of the ladder they should get it taken off them?

No, what I was implying was to do with crowds.

Still managed to get 70,033 to the 2005 match despite the MCG redevelopment and the two teams heading for a bottom four position.

The AFL wants to maximise the Anzac Day crowds.

 

[Lord Nicholson]

So basically, the argument is that the Geelong/Hawthorn rivalry is totally organic, therefore it must be assigned a manufactured "event" fixture that has already established by two other clubs of their own volition 16 years ago.

I see.

 

[the dog's kennel]

Normally I like your work HAD, but this is mega-weak.

1) 2 supposedly powerful clubs with massive followings who happen to be premiership contenders meet on a perfect night and they draw 60,000 spectators. I'm sorry - simply writing it off as an "anomaly" doesn't cut it. That would NEVER happen for Ess v Collingwood.

2) You reckon these two teams always turn it on? What - like in 2005 when Geelong beat Hawthorn 113-58 in front of 38,000 people at Telstra Dome? Or in 2006 when Hawthorn beat Geelong 101- 49 in front of 24,000 people at Skilled? (admittedly close to capacity) or when Hawthorn beat Geelong 133-72 in front of 28,000 people at Telstra Dome. Those 3 games were all in a row. And they were the first 3 games I looked for when you guys were down. You don't think I could find plenty more? Get your hand off it.

3) You think Hawthorn & Geelong have such an awesome rivalry that stretches back for millenia. Then how come Hawthorn plays Essendon in the Rivalry Round? FFS, Geelong plays Melbourne! if you can't even crack it for a bigger rivalry than Geelong & Melbourne I don't think you're quite ready for Anzac Day.

Leave Anzac Day as it is, and get off the drugs, HAD.

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

I think Essendon and Hawthorn is a bigger rivalry.

That's another massive rivalry! Hawthorn-Essendon games always seem to produce something as well. Has a great history of big games, great football and very spiteful incidents.

I will never forget the line in the sand game that turned our culture around and created our brand of unsociable football. Or Buddy's two freakish goals in the final quarter to steal victory last year. Or the Matthew Lloyd bump in 09 that ended our season, and resulted in an Essendon fightback to steal the last finals spot. And then the comments, spite and commotion after the game. Very, very, very heated rivalry. You just don't get that with Collingwood - Essendon ya know.

 

[Rack Watts]

That's another massive rivalry! Hawthorn-Essendon games always seem to produce something as well. Has a great history of big games, great football and very spiteful incidents.

I will never forget the line in the sand game that turned our culture around and created our brand of unsociable football. Or Buddy's two freakish goals in the final quarter to steal victory last year. Or the Matthew Lloyd bump in 09 that ended our season, and resulted in an Essendon fightback to steal the last finals spot. And then the comments, spite and commotion after the game. Very, very, very heated rivalry. You just don't get that with Collingwood - Essendon ya know.

I completely agree, they always cause something special and something that will stick in our minds, I hate Hawthorn with respect because of these battles, they make my blood boil.
I think Essendon v Hawthorn should be the headliner in rivalry round as both teams every single time give their all.
Collingwood v Essendon is definitely a rivalry but only because it's two of the biggest AFL clubs going head to head, it's pretty manufactured. Sydney v West Coast (always an awesome match), West Coast v Essendon, Sydney v North Melbourne and Essendon v Hawthorn, these are all matches I look forward to every year because of the contests they produce.

 

[SuperVolley11]

ANZAC day - pies v bombers
round 1 thursday - blues v tigers (always good to see tigers rip up the cards so early)
round 1 friday - gf rematch
ANZAC Night(if fri-sat) Freeo v ????
easter monday - hawks v cats
good friday - roos v port (that way no one will know that footy has been played)