Opening Round: GWS v Collingwood, Saturday afternoon

[eddiesmith]

Given we've played Sydney is Sydney every year bar one since 2002 (one being 2020), I'll happily cop them in Adelaide, where they lost by 112 in their last outing.

Of course there's still a chance we'll double up and it'll be in Sydney. That'd be quite humorous

There is a 99.9% chance we’ll play them in Sydney as well, we’ve just given up a chance to play them at the MCG where they last got thumped also…

 

[doofdoof]

How did it fail? Games were sold out everywhere, afl got what it wanted.
I reckon it's here to stay if people keep turning up.

The vibe was good, I enjoyed it.

Only 21,235 people turned up to see the reigning premiers play their first game of the year on a Saturday night.

Our smallest crowd in forever.

 

[Mollythedolly]

Only 21,235 people turned up to see the reigning premiers play their first game of the year on a Saturday night.

Our smallest crowd in forever.

The only non-Derby game at the show grounds to draw more people was the Doggies PF game in 2016. In fact, excluding finals and Derby’s, it’s about 6k bigger than than the next highest H&A crowd against the Weagles. No wonder the afl love us playing there. I think we’ll best the ground record of 21,924 next year.

 

[sideswipe]

not as ridiculous as some of your posts ...I dont think Geelong are too envious of us when they get all those games at Kardinia park ????...lol..go and look at fixture degree of difficulty year after year ..no one is saying its a full on AFL conspiracy.. just was highlighting how the pies usually get the rough end of the pineapple in terms of teams played twice and 5-6 day breaks..So what about blockbusters ??...every game against us is nearly a blockbuster...blockbusters are related more to crowd size and financial gain..it has nothing to do with degree of difficulty ... AFL use us as a cash cow ..and if it means our draw becomes harder ..tough bikkies...amazing how we played Essendon twice for years and years and as soon as bombers players got suspended after the drugs scandal and they became easy beats there was no more double blockbusters against them no matter the crowd size

Not a full on conspiracy, just a partial one eh?

Keep chipping away.


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[jmac70]

Can someone please explain why opening round is a good idea?

 

[AmericanMustard]

Can someone please explain why opening round is a good idea?

It increases attendances and by placing Collingwood against the giants is guarantees a sell out which means executives are more likely to reach their bonuses.

It also allows for some good short term arguments about how the AFL is winning the code war in Sydney before we all forget that in round 12 when they host Port Adelaide that the attendance is under 10,000

 

[jmac70]

It increases attendances and by placing Collingwood against the giants is guarantees a sell out which means executives are more likely to reach their bonuses.

It also allows for some good short term arguments about how the AFL is winning the code war in Sydney before we all forget that in round 12 when they host Port Adelaide that the attendance is under 10,000

Can’t the same exposure be achieved by just scheduling the northern teams at home in round 1?
I don’t care about playing GWS in Sydney, just don’t get this concept of only some teams opening the season.

 

[JLC]

I will also go with ridiculous. Our draw is the envy of other clubs - we get the most "blockbusters" of any team in the comp - yes our crowds justify us getting them, but the fact remains we get the best H&A games of the year.

And, again because we currently deserve it, we get plenty of Friday nights as well.

If the AFL was of the mind to manufacture results to help the competition(ie. to make more dough), close to their number 1 preference(behind boosting the expansion clubs) would be Collingwood always in contention.

The Kangaroos would be envious for sure.

The afl 100% manufactures every possible situation to boost crowds /make more money. I am pretty confident the Suns will get a user friendly fixture.

 

[sr36]

Can someone please explain why opening round is a good idea?

Trying to kick off interest in Northern states. Extra round of footy to watch. Good for TV rights.

I'm more interested in why it's seen as a bad thing for us.

To me it knocks off one of our travels at a time least likely to negatively impact us, puts us at an early season advantage against non opening round teams and gives us an extra bye at a really good time to assess and make game plan tweaks.

 

[JLC]

Trying to kick off interest in Northern states. Extra round of footy to watch. Good for TV rights.

I'm more interested in why it's seen as a bad thing for us.

To me it knocks off one of our travels at a time least likely to negatively impact us, puts us at an early season advantage against non opening round teams and gives us an extra bye at a really good time to assess and make game plan tweaks.

Kick off interest? The Northern states just played off in a grand final ffs.

It's a gimmick concept. Afl should look after their bread and butter market,

 

[sr36]

Kick off interest? The Northern states just played off in a grand final ffs.

It's a gimmick concept. Afl should look after their bread and butter market,

Not sure why you think it costs the Southern footy states.

 

[sr36]

Can’t the same exposure be achieved by just scheduling the northern teams at home in round 1?
I don’t care about playing GWS in Sydney, just don’t get this concept of only some teams opening the season.

Last year it was a week without NRL. I'm assuming that will be the case again.

 

[jmac70]

Last year it was a week without NRL. I'm assuming that will be the case again.

I don’t see that it makes a difference, at least not in the long run.

 

[sr36]

I don’t see that it makes a difference, at least not in the long run.

It's the get them in the door marketing philosophy and it's actually about the long run rather than just a year or two.

With no NRL, you're likely to get more Northern press and eyes on AFL to start the year. The hope is that the extra viewing results each year in a few more maintaining interest for the rest of the year. It's a long slow build of a Northern footy market.

 

[cfc19902010]

Not a full on conspiracy, just a partial one eh?

Keep chipping away.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Yes it’s a micro conspiracy wipe
Stick with your blockbusters theory
Your posts are the envy of bigfooty

 

[barrackers]

Suns are slated to play Essendon
We cant play Bris, given we play them a few weeks later
We play Syd gather round..

So who is left? GWS lol

Bombers to shine in opening round; Petracca ready for Demons camp

Essendon are expected to meet the Suns on the Gold Coast in opening round before playing the emerging Hawks at the MCG in round one, a tough start to the season.

www.theage.com.au

Worst justification. We’re pretty much always one of the giants biggest crowds and that venue is pretty much always one of our lowest crowds.

Should have opened at the G last year to unfurl the flag. Should have refused this shit for ‘25 as it done us no favours last year.

 

[sr36]

Unfortunately, the notion of Gather Round means that all non-Adelaide teams play 'away', and therefore those that are scheduled as the home side are giving up home ground advantage. It is annoying, but I'd expect it evens out over time (as this concept is here to stay).

We don't give uyp home ground advantage. It's 11 home and 11 away + gather round. The two SA teams are advantaged and the two teams that play them are disadvantaged - it'll never be us - we'll be fixtured as the third "big game" - so not against Port or Crows - Fri night, Sat night and the closing game are the slots.

 

[PiCkLeJuiCe]

Opening round is so ****ing stupid. I see Carlton already have got out of being in Round 0.

I blame GWS’ social media nuffs for creating a faux rivalry with us.

 

[barrackers]

I blame GWS’ social media nuffs for creating a faux rivalry with us.

Everyone claims be to rivals with us. Not many go the other way though at least for any significant length of time. Carlton and Essendon are the only two that standup regardless of onfield form.

 

[Mollythedolly]

Last year it was a week without NRL. I'm assuming that will be the case again.

Didn’t the NRL have games in the US this year?

 

[sideswipe]

Yes it’s a micro conspiracy wipe
Stick with your blockbusters theory
Your posts are the envy of bigfooty

Aim higher. There are better things to be envious about.

 

[Mollythedolly]

Worst justification. We’re pretty much always one of the giants biggest crowds and that venue is pretty much always one of our lowest crowds.

Should have opened at the G last year to unfurl the flag. Should have refused this shit for ‘25 as it done us no favours last year.

Crowd numbers for an away game aren’t our concern.

 

[sideswipe]

Can someone please explain why opening round is a good idea?

A number of reasons - the most obvious is that it makes money by providing an extra broadcast weekend, without requiring players to play an extra game.

There is also the grow footy in the northern states angle.

I dunno why anyone wouldn't like it. We get footy a week earlier.

 

[parano1a]

Thread title is incorrect. The game is on Sunday, 3.20pm bounce.

 

[unplugged]

On the plus side we'll have had a long pre-season and 3 weeks longer than theirs.

But negatively given it's a Sunday it means we're more likely to cop a 6 day break into Round 1 which is the same harshness we copped (and struggled with) last year.