Round 24 Fixture Prediction

[aCunningPlan]

Please, please, please give Geelong a Sunday game for a change, we've only had one at home all year. Sick of all these Saturdays.
Seriously though, fully expecting 4:40 Sunday game for Geelong v West Coast given the Eagles aren't making finals and the timezone showing the game on telly back in WA. Geelong and Ballarat won't have games on the same day using the same tech crews.

 

[kaiserchief13]

Please, please, please give Geelong a Sunday game for a change, we've only had one at home all year. Sick of all these Saturdays.
Seriously though, fully expecting 4:40 Sunday game for Geelong v West Coast given the Eagles aren't making finals and the timezone showing the game on telly back in WA. Geelong and Ballarat won't have games on the same day using the same tech crews.

Not sure why WA viewers will be relevant. Many fans will turn off at 1/4 time on what will most likely be a smashing

 

[the_big_sav]

Freo vs Port Friday Night
Dogs vs Giants Sunday 3.20

Biggest 2 games of the round on free to air. Dees Pies Ess games won't mean anything by then. The rest can raffle.

 

[BrainOfMorbius]

Three and a bit weeks to go and still it's not confirmed. Come on AFL

I wonder if the problem is that, as last rounds go, it's a bit of a dud? There's likely to be several games played between teams separated by around 10 positions or more.

 

[TigerTrain23]

I think they'll announce straight after this weekend's results.

If Hawks win this weekend Hawthorn v North will get the upgrade to Sunday 3.20pm free to air I reckon.

I think it's Collingwood v Melbourne for Friday night. We need a Dusty farewell game confirmed to give the Round a bit of a spark. It does look a little lacklustre.

 

[Boozeroo]

I think they'll announce straight after this weekend's results.

If Hawks win this weekend Hawthorn v North will get the upgrade to Sunday 3.20pm free to air I reckon.

I think it's Collingwood v Melbourne for Friday night. We need a Dusty farewell game confirmed to give the Round a bit of a spark. It does look a little lacklustre.

It will be on Fox footy as seven don't like to broadcast from York Park. It's also bloody cold in Launceston, hence why it's always a 1.10/1.45 game.

Surely this could be done earlier, it's less than a month away, how are interstate supporters supposed to arrange travel. With the following week a break before finals, this cr*P is all about the TV schedule, nothing to do with finals teams and a break.

 

[LongSerong]

Curious as to why so many posters have the Brisbane v Essendon game on Friday night?

On current form seems like not much of a contest, think the AFL will definitely want to cash in on one more blockbuster game for the pies fans on a Friday

 

[BrainOfMorbius]

My guess is that Dogs v Giants will be the Friday night game, a genuine contest with finals consequences for both sides. More likely than Dockers v Power, with Seven usually reluctant to schedule a game in that slot that doesn't feature a Victorian team.

(EDIT: Then again, Dogs playing on the previous Sunday probably makes that unlikely. Dockers-Power it is then.)

At this stage, while acknowledging there still plenty of time for form to go anywhere, and upsets can absolutely happen, none of the other games look all that compelling at the moment.

 

[magpiemaniac44]

My guess is that Dogs v Giants will be the Friday night game, a genuine contest with finals consequences for both sides. More likely than Dockers v Power, with Seven usually reluctant to schedule a game in that slot that doesn't feature a Victorian team.

(EDIT: Then again, Dogs playing on the previous Sunday probably makes that unlikely. Dockers-Power it is then.)

At this stage, while acknowledging there still plenty of time for form to go anywhere, and upsets can absolutely happen, none of the other games look all that compelling at the moment.

Agree should be one of those 2 games, however the Dogs game is at Ballarat and they've never played a night game there, and I could guarantee Freo Port will be the last game of the season, standalone Sunday night

 

[Obzerva]

It will be on Fox footy as seven don't like to broadcast from York Park. It's also bloody cold in Launceston, hence why it's always a 1.10/1.45 game.

Surely this could be done earlier, it's less than a month away, how are interstate supporters supposed to arrange travel. With the following week a break before finals, this cr*P is all about the TV schedule, nothing to do with finals teams and a break.

You raise a valid point there, the last round shouldn’t include games in Launceston, Hobart or Ballarat.

By and large they’re gov supported, so they should be getting some return on their investment, ie tourism, which means the ability for people to be able to plan to attend - so not part of the floating fixture.

From a players perspective, that means these games then become Marvel / MCG games, which is where any team would rather play in the lead up to the finals.

 

[peetoo]

Freo vs Port Friday Night
Dogs vs Giants Sunday 3.20

Biggest 2 games of the round on free to air. Dees Pies Ess games won't mean anything by then. The rest can raffle.

Bizarrely the only 2 games between potential finalists and neither in melbourne

 

[Cam Payne]

Freo vs Port should be the Friday night game, but it doesn't sit quite right with me.

 

[Underarm]

It will be on Fox footy as seven don't like to broadcast from York Park. It's also bloody cold in Launceston, hence why it's always a 1.10/1.45 game.

Surely this could be done earlier, it's less than a month away, how are interstate supporters supposed to arrange travel. With the following week a break before finals, this cr*P is all about the TV schedule, nothing to do with finals teams and a break.

The amount of fans who travel and book ahead is an incredibly small amount of attendees to a game.

 

[Walshawk]

The amount of fans who travel and book ahead is an incredibly small amount of attendees to a game.

Small but very important. The diehards. A few thousand for Launceston,

 

[flamethrower]

The AFL won't do it but they should swap the Dogs v North game in round 23 to Ballarat, and the Dogs v GWS game round 24 to Marvel Stadium.

Games at Ballarat need to start at or before 2pm due to the lights being sub-standard, and a 1.45pm start on Foxtel would be disappointing for what could be a game to decide the top 4 and top 8.

 

[parano1a]

The AFL won't do it but they should swap the Dogs v North game in round 23 to Ballarat

This wouldn't be fair on the thousands of North supporters planning to attend the game. It may also be a replacement home game for their members.

 

[hawkman]

Bulldogs v GWS should be Friday night. A night game in Ballarat in August is exactly what this competition needs

 

[Underarm]

You raise a valid point there, the last round shouldn’t include games in Launceston, Hobart or Ballarat.

By and large they’re gov supported, so they should be getting some return on their investment, ie tourism, which means the ability for people to be able to plan to attend - so not part of the floating fixture.

From a players perspective, that means these games then become Marvel / MCG games, which is where any team would rather play in the lead up to the finals.

Yep, However playing them at Docklands/MCG means the AFL have very little actual control over moving games around for that final round.

 

[missfinland]

Curious as to why so many posters have the Brisbane v Essendon game on Friday night?

On current form seems like not much of a contest, think the AFL will definitely want to cash in on one more blockbuster game for the pies fans on a Friday

Zero chance this game will be the friday night game, no chance whatsoever.

 

[Bulldog Brent]

Has to be Port v Freo for the Friday night if the AFL is serious.

Dogs & Giants would have been a prime candidate if it was at Marvel, but instead I reckon it'll be the Sunday afternoon, to keep the intrigue going across the entire weekend.

 

[BStaff17]

Has to be Port v Freo for the Friday night if the AFL is serious.

Dogs & Giants would have been a prime candidate if it was at Marvel, but instead I reckon it'll be the Sunday afternoon, to keep the intrigue going across the entire weekend.

When was the last time a WA side & SA Side played each other on a Friday night FTA game.

Probably have to go back 15-20 years

 

[hawkman]

Has to be Port v Freo for the Friday night if the AFL is serious.

Dogs & Giants would have been a prime candidate if it was at Marvel, but instead I reckon it'll be the Sunday afternoon, to keep the intrigue going across the entire weekend.

Port v Freo is prime candidate for Sunday twilight

The game that has the most impact for where everyone finishes

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Port v Freo is prime candidate for Sunday twilight

The game that has the most impact for where everyone finishes

Fox like to have the final game a meaningful one. With that and a WA, where the timeslot is the least unfriendly, side involved it seems almost inevitable the match of the round will be in the east coast club-killer slot.
The Launceston and Ballarat games will be early starts, Ballarat probably the Sunday.

Which leaves probably Brisbane-Essendon for the Friday night? Hardly inspiring but nor are other games and puts a big-Vic (which the AFL loves above all else) and a meaningful team on Friday.
Melbourne-Collingwood and Sydney-Adelaide the Saturday night?

Leaving something like:

Fri : Brisbane v Essendon (7 nationally)
Sat early : Hawthorn v North (no 7 anywhere) - could go twilight, except Launceston means its almost certain to be the early start
Sat : Geelong v West Coast (7 except Qld) - could easily swap with the twilight game
Sat twi : Richmond v Gold Coast (7 : Qld)
Sat night : Melbourne v Collingwood (7 : Vic, WA, Qld, Tas, NT)
Sat night : Sydney v Adelaide (7 : NSW, SA, ACT)
Sun early : Bulldogs v GWS (7 : NSW, ACT) - early because Ballarat
Sun : Carlton v St Kilda (7 : Vic, Qld, Tas)
Sun twi : Fremantle v Port Adelaide (7 : WA, SA)

 

[Underarm]

Leaving something like:

Fri : Brisbane v Essendon (7 nationally)
Sat early : Hawthorn v North (no 7 anywhere) - could go twilight, except Launceston means its almost certain to be the early start
Sat : Geelong v West Coast (7 except Qld) - could easily swap with the twilight game
Sat twi : Richmond v Gold Coast (7 : Qld)
Sat night : Melbourne v Collingwood (7 : Vic, WA, Qld, Tas, NT)
Sat night : Sydney v Adelaide (7 : NSW, SA, ACT)
Sun early : Bulldogs v GWS (7 : NSW, ACT) - early because Ballarat
Sun : Carlton v St Kilda (7 : Vic, Qld, Tas)
Sun twi : Fremantle v Port Adelaide (7 : WA, SA)

Richmond/GC and Melbourne/Collingwood are both at the MCG. It works if you switch move the Carlton Saints game to Saturday?

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Richmond/GC and Melbourne/Collingwood are both at the MCG. It works if you switch move the Carlton Saints game to Saturday?

Good point, missed that.