Fixture Melbourne requested to play the Bulldogs in Round 1. Is this a good or bad idea?

[TheSpaghettiBoy21]

Its very rare to see a GF rematch early in the season, far less rd1. Are you guys for or against a possible Friday Night Dees-Dogs clash in round 1?

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Yes but we should give them a 92 point head start to make it an even contest

 

[BallaratBulldog]

It’s Melbournes choice in the end which is obviously fair.

But other premiership sides probably rather it round 2-3. Because round 1 will always bump a crowd so to maximise crowd and money you put a lesser game on round 1.

 

[CarnTheScray]

Don't really care. Just find it dumb from the AFLs perspective to waste a guaranteed crowd puller in the first round.

 

[Kappa]

It’s dumb and should not be round 1.

Same reason u would never have the derby or showdown in round 1

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

It’s dumb and should not be round 1.

Same reason u would never have the derby or showdown in round 1

I think perhaps because the Grand Final was in Perth, and the Dees want to celebrate properly in front of their previous long suffering fans by unveiling their flag in front of their vanquished opponents.

I am happy for it to happen under those circumstances

 

[Coolangatta]

I like the idea of the reigning premier getting to decide who their opponent is.

Richmond wins 2022 flag.

"We want to play... Carlton in round 1."

 

[Kappa]

I think perhaps because the Grand Final was in Perth, and the Dees want to celebrate properly in front of their previous long suffering fans by unveiling their flag in front of their vanquished opponents.

I am happy for it to happen under those circumstances

I’m sure they just want to unfurl the flag in front of a packed mcg and get a win on the day, don’t think their supporters will care much who the opponent is

 

[Ron The Bear]

Puts a bit of pressure on the clubs for a match that's worth no more than Round 2 or 3. Long season, danger of being wound up too early.

 

[Sentinel]

Personally don't really care but at the same time don't understand the push from Melbourne to do it round 1 as opposed to any other round early in the season.

They'll obviously be unfurling the flag in round 1 but I don't really understand the need or relevance to do it against their Grand Final opponents - they didn't just beat the Bulldogs to the premiership, they beat 16 other clubs to it also, and the focus should be on the home team not who they're playing on the day.

They're going to get a decent crowd for the game regardless of who they play too.

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

Personally don't really care but at the same time don't understand the push from Melbourne to do it round 1 as opposed to any other round early in the season.

They'll obviously be unfurling the flag in round 1 but I don't really understand the need or relevance to do it against their Grand Final opponents - they didn't just beat the Bulldogs to the premiership, they beat 16 other clubs to it also, and the focus should be on the home team not who they're playing on the day.

They're going to get a decent crowd for the game regardless of who they play too.

For some reason, Melbourne in the modern era aside from maybe Collingwood and their annual Queen's Birthday fixture have never really had a true on field rival/enemy (least between both sets of supporters)

I think they are perhaps trying to create one with the Doggies (which I also think helps The Bulldogs)

Melbourne v Geelong in round 1 at the G would have been my choice (they are starting to build bit of a rivalry themselves) but understand why they went with The Dogs.

 

[Sellout Scully]

Some recent history for Premiers in Round 1 the following year for those curious. Have excluded Richmond as they always play Carlton.

Against 'easier-beats' Round 1:
2005: Port start with a 35 point loss to the unfancied Dockers who didn't play finals the year before
2006: Sydney start with a 27 point loss to the unfancied Bombers who finished 15th the year before
2010: Geelong start with a 31 point win against the unfancied Bombers
2011: Collingwood start with a 75 point win against the unfancied Port
2012: Geelong start with a 4 point loss to Freo who didn't play finals the year before
2013: Swans start with a 30 point win to GWS who had only won two matches in their history
2014: Hawks start with a 49 point win against unfancied Brisbane
2017: Dogs start with a 14 point win against unfancied Collingwood
2019: Eagles start with a 44 point loss to the Lions

Premiership rematch Round 1:
2007: Eagles start with a 1 point win against the Swans
2008: Cats start with a 9 point win away to Port
2009: Hawks start with an 8 points loss to Geelong

Against other contenders Round 1:
2015: Hawks start with a 62 point win against Geelong
2016: Hawks start with a 30 point loss to Geelong

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

People are overthinking this. We played the Dogs twice in 1v2 clashes last year and once in a GF and no one from Victorian except Hayden Burbank and Garry Lyon got to watch any of these games. It’s just about redeeming that by recreating the experience with a Victorian crowd in the very first possible instance. Instead of having a very good R1 experience or a very good GF rematch experience you out them together and make it as special as possible.

 

[Milanista28]

Not every year but next year is the perfect time to do it.

 

[Stabby McGee]

I would have gone the round 3 option for reasons mentioned above but it’s not a big deal either way

 

[Brick Loosener]

Its very rare to see a GF rematch early in the season, far less rd1. Are you guys for or against a possible Friday Night Dees-Dogs clash in round 1?

Should ask for the round 1 bye like we do every year.

 

[freddy mercury]

Big believer that the grand final rematch should open the season every year in a stand alone prime time fixture.

 

[freddy mercury]

Should ask for the round 1 bye like we do every year.

Mate not next year, Carlton got Voss cerra and Hewett. You're ****ed.

 

[Brick Loosener]

Mate not next year, Carlton got Voss cerra and Hewett. You're f’ed.

Good point. Playing Voss at half back means Saad or Williams can push into the midfield.

 

[Power Raid]

just as long as carlton opens the season

 

[freddy mercury]

Good point. Playing Voss at half back means Saad or Williams can push into the midfield.

I reckon Williams has good potential to be a midfielder. Just need an opportunity.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

I'm one of those who reckons it should happen every year. Probably the only guaranteed match-up that should occur in the season is the grand finalists playing each other round one as the only game of the timeslot, and with the reigning premier hosting.

 

[Coolangatta]

I like letting the reigning premier choose who they want to play and what ground (I'm guessing they'd prefer to open at home). And if the minor premier is different from the reigning premier, they can choose their Friday night opponent.

 

[master bate]

The NFL system where the reigning premier plays a decent opponent (often a different playoff team) to open the season has a lot of merit to me. But I don't hate Rich v Carl as much as I probably should (let's be honest, it stinks), so I don't really care about getting the true season opener.

I understand the argument not to waste a grand final rematch. I think that's a bigger thing for Channel 7 - ruins their ability to promote a random week - than for the Dees though.

If Melbourne want the Friday night and 7/AFL are willing to have it on offer then the Dees have to make sure it's a worthy game.

The Dees are locked in to playing Richmond on Anzac Eve and Collingwood on Queens Birthday. We often play Geelong about a month in to the year, we seem to get 2 games against them a year because we get sent down the highway and they get reasonable crowds at the MCG too (MCC especially) so it works both ways.

Melb v non Victorian side probably isn't going to get the Friday night round 1 kick off. Brisbane in a finals rematch might be the only way to get that up and I haven't checked when Easter is next year which might rule that out.

I'm not sure North or St Kilda (is Spud's game locked in?) are getting it done either. So that leaves Hawthorn or Essendon. Whilst they'd be great for 7 from a crowds perspective they are big drawing MCG clubs that the Dees can fixture later in the season.

The appeal of the Dogs is we played 3 times last year with no Victorian crowds, they aren't an MCG team so the crowd will be predominantly Melbourne, whilst plenty of Dogs fans will come specially for round 1, and the clubs have a chance at a bit of a rivalry too. So it draws a far bigger crowd than it would've and the game means a lot too which the Melbourne fans frankly deserve.

It makes sense for the Dees. It's not ideal for 7, but we kicked so many goals in the grand final they started giving away ads for free so they might owe us one.

 

[Beauski]

Should be the losers of both Prelims to open the season.

Save the Grand Final rematch for at least a month into the season.