How to fix the 2011 season and still have a grand final in September

[pazza]

Whilst the AFL has seemingly made its mind up about this, there is still a way you can accommodate the fixturing of the Gold Coast, a 22 round season and have a grand final in September in 2011 and beyond.

People have said that cricket grounds (MCG, SCG, Gabba) are the problems - but, only if you make them out to be.

So here goes - Round 1 2011, to be scheduled for the weekend of the 17th to 20th of March.

Thursday night: North Melbourne versus Essendon (Etihad Stadium 7.40pm AEST)
Friday night: West Coast versus Collingwood (Subiaco 7.40pm AEST)
Saturday afternoon: Hawthorn versus Fremantle (Aurora Stadium 2.10pm AEST)
Saturday afternoon: Gold Coast versus Brisbane (Carrara 2.10pm AEST)
Saturday night: St. Kilda versus Melbourne (Etihad Stadium 7.10pm AEST)
Saturday night: Adelaide versus Western Bulldogs (AAMI Stadium 7.40pm AEST)
Sunday early: Geelong versus Sydney (Skilled Stadium 1.10pm AEST)
Sunday late: Carlton versus Port Adelaide (Etihad Stadium 4.40pm AEST)
Bye: Richmond

 

[Neville Bartos]

2:10pm at Carrara in March!?!? Glad the Hawks aren't playing that game. Roughead would get skin cancer

 

[im_a_lazy_sod]

Get rid of one of the teams stuggling financially =) easy

Or better still, don't allow the GC to join

 

[shintemaster]

I see you've gone with Richmond to have the bye this year even though Carlton have had it the last 2 years?

 

[KoutoufidesGhost]

Seeing as everybody gets a bye now, surely the easiest way to do it is get rid of the split round?

 

[FootyJunkie]

2:10pm at Carrara in March!?!? Glad the Hawks aren't playing that game. Roughead would get skin cancer

Day games in South East Queensland are a rarity these days (yes, it did happen last Sunday), besides Carrrara will be out of commision for the first month or so of the season. Gold Coast said they may play home games in Cairns as well as the GABBA.

Could structure the season so that one round only has 3 games... and make that round Round 1.

A game on Friday Night, Saturday Night, and Sunday. Lots of flexibility in terms of matches that can be played. See 1992.

 

[raskolnikov]

I see you've gone with Richmond to have the bye this year even though Carlton have had it the last 2 years?

I thought Richmond was the bye.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

The 2010 minor premier deserves the bye in round 22 2011.

 

[scazvegner90]

Seeing as everybody gets a bye now, surely the easiest way to do it is get rid of the split round?

thats a genius idea..

agree with this i hate the split round anyway!!

 

[Premiers2007]

Seeing as everybody gets a bye now, surely the easiest way to do it is get rid of the split round?

thats a genius idea..

agree with this i hate the split round anyway!!

Off course there will be no split round next year! There will be an extra two rounds next year which would mean if there was still a split round the Grand Final would be need to played on the second Saturday of October if the season starts at the normal time.

The current AFL proposal for 2011 is;

Round 1 - Weekend of the 26th of March
Round 24 - Weekend of the 3rd of September
Finals - Weekend of the 10th of September to the 1st of October

 

[STC]

The 2010 minor premier deserves the bye in round 22 2011.

Why not the actual premier?

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Why not the actual premier?

Good point!!!

Same thing, anyway.

 

[albundysmate]

only have 1 week for the first round of the nab cup. that's the real reason why it's a october gf. i am stuffed if i know why they keep having 2 weeks for the first round of the nab cup. no one gives a shit about it any way

 

[flamethrower]

Seeing as everybody gets a bye now, surely the easiest way to do it is get rid of the split round?

No split round next year. Each team gets 2 byes which are spread throughout the season.

only have 1 week for the first round of the nab cup. that's the real reason why it's a october gf. i am stuffed if i know why they keep having 2 weeks for the first round of the nab cup. no one gives a shit about it any way

Agree with this but unfortunately the television networks would never allow it. AFL football exists fot television ratings first, the corporates 2nd, players 3rd and the actual football attending public a long way last.

 

[FootyJunkie]

only have 1 week for the first round of the nab cup. that's the real reason why it's a october gf. i am stuffed if i know why they keep having 2 weeks for the first round of the nab cup. no one gives a shit about it any way

it's because the AFL don't have access to the MCG, SCG, Gabba in the week they would like to start. they want a big Round 1 to kick start the season.

technically its possible to have a 24 round season, 4 weeks of finals and have the GF still at the end of september... but the AFL still want big games at the MCG to kick off the season

nothing to do with the nab cup

the other thing is that neither the Gabba nor Carrara will be available the second last week of march... one of the queensland clubs would have to have a bye or have a home game up in Cairns (which Gold Coast are considering anyway for early next season since Carrara won't be available for a little while due to the reno/upgrade)

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

only have 1 week for the first round of the nab cup. that's the real reason why it's a october gf. i am stuffed if i know why they keep having 2 weeks for the first round of the nab cup. no one gives a shit about it any way

Good point. Its easily done in a week - especially if you play games on weeknights as well as the wekend. A game at Etihad on say Wednesday, Friday , Saturday and Sunday and then four interstate games on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.