Roast Has Opening Round been totally botched?

[BarbieITFC]

Cannot come up with a single meritorious feature of this Opening Round nonsense.

Didn't paid any attention to the build up to the season or fall out of the first few games. Didn't watch any of the games. Forgot to do my tipping. A random kid gets a rising star nomination even though only 40% of the teams played. Freo now get to open their season against a team with one game already under their belt. Teams that participated in Opening Round get an extra bye in the season. Four of the first six rounds have reduced number of fixtures. Won't get am level look at how the ladder is shaping up until Round 7.

And I've still yet to hear a rational argument for what it achieved or was intended to achieve.

It takes something to displace AFLX and games in China as the dumbest thing the AFL has tried - but well done AFL, well done. Let's hope it quickly follows the same demise as those two stupid ideas.

 

[zyzzbruh]

Regardless of who the reigning premier is, they should play their first game at home to unfurl their flag.

ironic that reigning premier Geelong had to play their round 1 home game against collingwood at collingwoods home ground.

That aside, who cares? it's not a rule nor tradition to have such an arrangement.

 

[STPer18]

i get the whole move into NRL territory for the weekend.
And perhaps with it being a long weekend in Vic, this was the week not to have games here

But why not have Freo and WCE host a couple of games too
Ade and Port as well.

and a final game in Tas as we lead up to the team there.

Round "zero" is a dumb concept.
Opening round outside Vic isn't a bad concept imo.

so i'd say partly botched.

That's what I've been trying to say all along too but the vicbias shit gets people sidetracked. SA showed they alone could host nine games in a round - I think you could still easily have all eyeballs on NSW/QLD to open the season with the first batch of games there while getting supporters of all eighteen clubs involved around the country.

 

[Doc1763]

ironic that reigning premier Geelong had to play their round 1 home game against collingwood at collingwoods home ground.

That aside, who cares? it's not a rule nor tradition to have such an arrangement.

Yes, they should have had a game at Kardinia Park to start the season

 

[citizen-erased]

That's what I've been trying to say all along too but the vicbias s**t gets people sidetracked. SA showed they alone could host nine games in a round - I think you could still easily have all eyeballs on NSW/QLD to open the season with the first batch of games there while getting supporters of all eighteen clubs involved around the country.

Thurs: swans v Dees
Fri: Bris v Carl
Sat G1: Crows v Saints
Sat G2: GWS v Pies
Sat G3: Freo v Dogs
Sun G1: Port v Cats
Sun G2: GCS v Tigers
Sun G3: WCE v Dons
Mon: Hawk v Kang

I don't see why that isn't the fixture setup every rd.
Then have one bye week mid July.

 

[1990crow]

Worst preseason and opening round possibly ever

 

[STPer18]

Thurs: swans v Dees
Fri: Bris v Carl
Sat G1: Crows v Saints
Sat G2: GWS v Pies
Sat G3: Freo v Dogs
Sun G1: Port v Cats
Sun G2: GCS v Tigers
Sun G3: WCE v Dons
Mon: Hawk v Kang

I don't see why that isn't the fixture setup every rd.
Then have one bye week mid July.

All four NSW/QLD games would still sell out, SA and WA get a couple of great games and even Tassie get included AND the fixture doesn't get further compromised with extra byes. Seems a genuine no brainer for future years.

 

[citizen-erased]

All four NSW/QLD games would still sell out, SA and WA get a couple of great games and even Tassie get included AND the fixture doesn't get further compromised with extra byes. Seems a genuine no brainer for future years.

i think with the Thurs-Mon stretch as well, you can even out the fixture to 18 rounds.
Everyone plays each other once.
Flip the home fixtures the year after.

Start late March (GP weekend and tweak the times around the race)
Finish the season end of July
Have 7 weeks of finals with return games for all but the GF (returning to 1v8, 2v7 finals structure)

I'd back a home GF too, but the MCG deal won't go away anytime soon.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

AFL at this point is like the guy who bought a new jacket so he could ask a girl out for the 8th time thinking the lack of jacket was the cause of his first 7 rejections

She just isnt that interested in you mate. Move on and quit the stalking

 

[Underarm]

Thurs: swans v Dees
Fri: Bris v Carl
Sat G1: Crows v Saints
Sat G2: GWS v Pies
Sat G3: Freo v Dogs
Sun G1: Port v Cats
Sun G2: GCS v Tigers
Sun G3: WCE v Dons
Mon: Hawk v Kang

I don't see why that isn't the fixture setup every rd.
Then have one bye week mid July.

This dilutes the attention on the Clubs in the Northern states.

 

[citizen-erased]

This dilutes the attention on the Clubs in the Northern states.

yeah it does.
I guess you could do the opening round with the sat arvo GCS v tigers into sat night GWS v Pies, and move tas game to sunday arvo.
monday night in WA.

 

[Dangerousfield]

Who's idea at the AFL was this? They need to be ******* fired.

Please don't ever do this s**t again

Do you exist in a vacuum?

The AFL have already said Opening Round was a huge success, it will s**t you that it will now be a feature of future seasons, gives the AFL sell out crowds and big exposure north of the Murray in enemy NRL territory

 

[g_TRAIN]

Do you exist in a vacuum?

The AFL have already said Opening Round was a huge success, it will s**t you that it will now be a feature of future seasons, gives the AFL sell out crowds and big exposure north of the Murray in enemy NRL territory

Neither the AFL nor you have provided a single piece of evidence to suggest that is the case. Just because someone says as much doesn't make it true.

 

[tropicaltiger]

Tigers and the Blues were obviously thrown under a bus coming to play in the tropical heat with the shortest breaks and furthest travel time preparation.

134 v 41 in the first halves to me means Tigers and blues were in Self preservation mode until they woke up and pulled their fingers out for a 105 v 51 reversal in the second halves.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

This dilutes the attention on the Clubs in the Northern states.

Have a season Northern states opener gather round then.

Three games on the GC, two in Brisbane, SCG and Showground (three in GC because it's the most appealing travel destination for fans).

Double header two of the GC games (for ease of logistics) and both the Showground games (as this will get the lowest crowds so hopefully fans of all 4 teams watch both games).

Play the hosting teams against the smallest drawing Victorian clubs because hopefully with enough promotion home fans will sell out their own stadium anyway without the need to add travelling fans. Then combine the big travelling Western and Victorian clubs to also fill out the stadium in combination.

Thursday night will have to be a Swans home game because people will only begin travelling for the weekend on the Friday, so there won't be any away travellers yet, so hope they sell out the stadium.

Thu night: Sydney vs. North Melbourne @ SCG
Fri night: Brisbane vs. Melbourne @ Gabba
Sat afternoon: Collingwood vs. Fremantle @ Gabba
Sat evening: Essendon vs. West Coast @ Showground
Sat night: GWS vs. St Kilda @ Showground (double header)
Sat night: GC vs. Western Bulldogs @ Cararra
Sun early afternoon: Richmond vs. Port Adelaide @ Cararra
Sun afternoon: Geelong vs. Essendon @ SCG
Sun evening: Hawthorn vs. Adelaide @ Cararra (double header).

They could sell ticket packages for three Sydney games across Sat/Sun, for all Queensland games from Fri-Sun, for the travelling fans for just one of the teams.

This could work because with 19 teams in 2028, there needs to be an even number of games if there is an odd number of teams by mathematics. Teams will still have the historic 11 home games at their normal stadium. And then this gives Tasmania clear air for their first ever game in R2, who will be given a free air Thursday or Friday night slot.

This could do wonders to promote the game in the northern states. Imagine 30,000 fans travelling to each of GC, Sydney, Western Sydney and Brisbane!

 

[Bostonian]

What moron actually came up with the idea?

Did anyone claim it or was it a group think thing?

 

[GC2015]

There was an interesting point made on AFL 360 last night about the Fox Footy production crew heading to western Sydney & the Gold Coast for the first time ever on Saturday and they also stated that it was a massive positive for the coverage of the game for that to have occurred. You could definitely tell when watching the games because the footage they were getting from the ground level, the aerial shots etc was infinitely better than anything the Suns or Giants have had in the past and the only reason it happened was because there were no games in Melbourne that weekend.

 

[Cleavy]

There was an interesting point made on AFL 360 last night about the Fox Footy production crew heading to western Sydney & the Gold Coast for the first time ever on Saturday and they also stated that it was a massive positive for the coverage of the game for that to have occurred. You could definitely tell when watching the games because the footage they were getting from the ground level, the aerial shots etc was infinitely better than anything the Suns or Giants have had in the past and the only reason it happened was because there were no games in Melbourne that weekend.

and because Fox Footy are lazy campaigners

 

[FreddyTwoShoes]

I don’t think it went far enough this year.
Sure, round zero was introduced for 8 clubs. But next year I’d like to see round -1 introduced too, and if they’re really serious about it let’s have a round -2 as well.
They’re definitely onto a winner

 

[Westend]

Do you exist in a vacuum?

The AFL have already said Opening Round was a huge success, it will s**t you that it will now be a feature of future seasons, gives the AFL sell out crowds and big exposure north of the Murray in enemy NRL territory

Yes I can understand the AFL stating it's been a huge success..due to eyeballs on tv and Northern states crowds up.....But the flow effect hasn't been felt yet..or you can argue it has already begun

fixture is flawed always has been but having byes for certain teams who played the opening round doesn't sit well for me

Teams will be coming up against teams that have already played...is that fair ???...

Some teams would've already played 2 games before any team in WA has even played ....like seriously come on

 

[The 747]

Surprised to see so much hate, but each to their own I guess. I thought it worked well for the northern states and looking forward to round 1 this week.

 

[hawkman]

There was an interesting point made on AFL 360 last night about the Fox Footy production crew heading to western Sydney & the Gold Coast for the first time ever on Saturday and they also stated that it was a massive positive for the coverage of the game for that to have occurred. You could definitely tell when watching the games because the footage they were getting from the ground level, the aerial shots etc was infinitely better than anything the Suns or Giants have had in the past and the only reason it happened was because there were no games in Melbourne that weekend.

That is because Fox normally try and do it on the cheap. One round won't change that

Next week they will be back calling non Victorian games from a studio

 

[glengowan]

I don't mind it starting earlier and all eyes on NSW/QLD to begin with big Vic clubs playing, but with the public holiday on the Monday in Victoria, SA and Tas, why not finish the round off over the remainder of the weekend?

With the 3-hour time difference between Sydney and Perth at this time of year, you could start the GWS vs Coll game at 7pm local time in Sydney and West Coast vs someone in Perth at 7pm Perth local time and it wouldn't clash.

The Hawks could start in Tassie with the long weekend and likewise Port or Crows hosting a Vic team on the public holiday Monday. With Fringe, the Festival and Womad on, it's a big weekend in Adelaide already, why not make it bigger.

Essendon and Geelong would pack out the MCG on a Sunday night.

THU N SYD vs MELB
FRI N BRIS vs CARL
SAT GC vs RICH
SAT N GWS vs COLL
SAT N WC vs ADEL (Perth)
-----------------------
SUN NM vs FRE (Marvel)
SUN T HAW vs SK (Launceston)
SUN N ESS vs GEEL (MCG)
MON PORT vs WB (Adel Oval)

 

[hawkman]

I don't mind it starting earlier and all eyes on NSW/QLD to begin with big Vic clubs playing, but with the public holiday on the Monday in Victoria, SA and Tas, why not finish the round off over the remainder of the weekend?

With the 3-hour time difference between Sydney and Perth at this time of year, you could start the GWS vs Coll game at 7pm local time in Sydney and West Coast vs someone in Perth at 7pm Perth local time and it wouldn't clash.

The Hawks could start in Tassie with the long weekend and likewise Port or Crows hosting a Vic team on the public holiday Monday. With Fringe, the Festival and Womad on, it's a big weekend in Adelaide already, why not make it bigger.

Essendon and Geelong would pack out the MCG on a Sunday night.

THU N SYD vs MELB
FRI N BRIS vs CARL
SAT GC vs RICH
SAT N GWS vs COLL
SAT N WC vs ADEL (Perth)
-----------------------
SUN NM vs FRE (Marvel)
SUN T HAW vs SK (Launceston)
SUN N ESS vs GEEL (MCG)
MON PORT vs WB (Adel Oval)

These were never options this year because Optus, Marvel and potentially the MCG weren’t ready due to concerts.
Feb & March are big times for these stadiums to get these extra events so it will be the case most years

 

[demondavey]

Not at all. Isn’t it a national competition? People need to get over the MCG bullshit for the first game. John Longmire hit the nail on the head by saying if you’re keeping the GF at the MCG then there can be an OR solely interstate. In fact it really should be between Brisbane, GC, Sydney, GWS. We should also have a showdown in WA and SA as well. The non Vic teams should be able to play for an additional 4 points than the Victorian teams given they get the GF at the MCG.