The Annual ANZAC DAY Thread

[Bomberman86]

Such an insightful topic, I'm surprised it hasn't been discussed before...

 

[Gavin Excell]

I will watch

But its a bit like Carlton v Collingwood games of last 5 years.

Overblown hype leading to a tedious one sided affair

 

[mantis]

I love how every year there is the sooking about this match, but I console myself knowing that everyone of the whingers will be watching it.

 

[Dan26]

Good luck scheduling the week prior...how would the AFL accommodate four EIGHT clubs having a 4-5 day break....would they need to play 3 Friday night games the previous week???

Here's how I'd schedule it next year:


ROUND 4 (the round before Anzac day)
Friday
Hawthorn vs Geelong MCG (N)
St.Kilda vs Carlton ES (N)

Saturday
Essendon vs Melbourne ES
Collingwood vs Geelong MCG
Fremantle vs West Coast Sub (Twi)
Sydney vs Kangaroos SCG (N)
Brisbane vs Richmond Gabba (N)

Sunday
Adelaide vs GWS AAMI (early)
W.Bulldogs vs Gold Coast (ES)
Melbourne vs Port Adelaide MCG (Twi)

_______________________________________________

ROUND 5
Wednesday
Hawthorn vs Carlton MCG (N)

Thursday
Essendon vs Collingwood MCG (2:30pm)
Fremantle vs Geelong Sub (N)

Saturday and Sunday, whoever vs whoever.

*Hawthorn and Carlton both have a 5 day break before their Wednesday night MCG blockbuster

*Essendon and Collingwood both have a 5 day break (and both play afternooon games on the Saturday) before their Thursday Anzac Day match.

*Fremantle have 5 days to prepare for their Anzac day match, and Geelong have 6, but Freo get to play at home.

 

[Tassieboy]

It does seem a little bit unfair that Essendon and Collingwood got together in the mid 90s and permanently hijacked what was already one of the most sought-after and lucrative regular-season fixtures.

That said, they are the ones who came up with the idea of packaging and selling Anzac Day as a football product so they arguably deserve the benefits of it.

Now C'mon, isn't all this a little far fetched and extreme? Hijacked? I think not. It's already been argued how it wasn't "one of the most sought-after and lucrative regular-season fixtures," however you overlook the tedious effort Essendon and especially Sheedy undertook to get approval to get a permanent fixture happening. Now you do realise Collingwood were chosen as Essendon's opponent to appease whoever it was that needed convincing (my recollection of the exact details has escaped me)?

 

[The Prosecutor]

80's North Melbourne Friday night games says hi.

I love how quickly North bring this up.

There are roughly 22 Friday night games a season, there is only one ANZAC Day...

 

[Beasley]

Who cares? I'm going for a bike ride.

 

[Dan26]

And here is an alternate way it could have been done this year:

ROUND 4 (the round before Anzac day)
Friday April 20th
Essendon vs St.Kilda MCG (N)
Collingwood vs Fremantle ES (N)

Saturday April 21st
Adelaide vs Geelong AAMI
West Coast Vs Port Adelaide Sub (Twi)
W.Bulldogs vs Brisbane ES (N)
Richmond vs Sydney MCG (N)

Sunday April 22nd
GWS vs Kangaroos Skoda
Gold Coast vs Melbourne Met (twi)

Tuesday April 24th
Hawthorn vs Carlton MCG (N)

________________________________________________

ROUND 5
Wednesday April 25th
Collingwood vs Essendon MCG (N)
Fremantle vs St.Kilda Sub (N)

Friday April 27th
Richmond vs Geelong MCG (N)

Saturday April 28th
North.Melb vs West Coast ES
Brisbane vs W.Bulldogs (N)
Adelaide vs Port. Adel AAMI (N)

Sunday April 29th
Hawthorn vs GWS MCG (early)
Sydney vs Melbourne (SCG)
Carlton vs Gold Coast ES (Twi)

*Hawthorn and Carlton have a 5 day break from the Tuesday to the Sunday, but they both have home games agaisnt travelling non-Vic teams who are on a 7 day break (as opposed to an 8 or 9 day break which often happens when teams play on a Sunday)

*Essendon and Collingwood both have 5 day breaks ahead of their Anzac Day match.

*Fremantle and St.Kilda both have a 5 day break before their Anzac Day match

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

And here is an alternate way it could have been done this year:

ROUND 4 (the round before Anzac day)
Friday April 20th
Essendon vs St.Kilda MCG (N)
Collingwood vs Fremantle ES (N)

Saturday April 21st
Adelaide vs Geelong AAMI
West Coast Vs Port Adelaide Sub (Twi)
W.Bulldogs vs Brisbane ES (N)
Richmond vs Sydney MCG (N)

Sunday April 22nd
GWS vs Kangaroos Skoda
Gold Coast vs Melbourne Met (twi)

Tuesday April 24th
Hawthorn vs Carlton MCG (N)

________________________________________________

ROUND 5
Wednesday April 25th
Collingwood vs Essendon MCG (N)
Fremantle vs St.Kilda Sub (N)

Friday April 27th
Richmond vs Geelong MCG (N)

Saturday April 28th
North.Melb vs West Coast ES
Brisbane vs W.Bulldogs (N)
Adelaide vs Port. Adel AAMI (N)

Sunday April 29th
Hawthorn vs GWS MCG (early)
Sydney vs Melbourne (SCG)
Carlton vs Gold Coast ES (Twi)

*Hawthorn and Carlton have a 5 day break from the Tuesday to the Sunday, but they both have home games agaisnt travelling non-Vic teams who are on a 7 day break (as opposed to an 8 or 9 day break which often happens when teams play on a Sunday)

*Essendon and Collingwood both have 5 day breaks ahead of their Anzac Day match.

*Fremantle and St.Kilda both have a 5 day break before their Anzac Day match

Fremantle have a 5 day break including travel.....and a twilight game meaning they probably have to stay the night in Melbourne

Unworkable.

 

[Selggad]

I think using ANZAC day to market a game of football is a load of horse s***. If you want to honour the ANZACs go to the dawn service and spend the day in contemplation of the sacrifice they made. If you want to enjoy the footy, go to the footy.

 

[Dan26]

Fremantle have a 5 day break including travel.....and a twilight game meaning they probably have to stay the night in Melbourne

Unworkable.

Okay scratch the Freo game then. I was just trying to get another game on Anzac Day.

The rest of it is absolutely workabale.

I'ma big fan of the Anzac "eve" match.

Ever since 1995 when 62,000 saw Richmond play North Melbourne the night before the 94,825 who saw the draw the next day, I've always thought that the Anzac day eve match is a fantastic opportunity to get a crowd maybe 20% higher than what a normal day or night would get for the same match.

 

[AndyLucimitis]

Now C'mon, isn't all this a little far fetched and extreme? Hijacked? I think not. It's already been argued how it wasn't "one of the most sought-after and lucrative regular-season fixtures," however you overlook the tedious effort Essendon and especially Sheedy undertook to get approval to get a permanent fixture happening. Now you do realise Collingwood were chosen as Essendon's opponent to appease whoever it was that needed convincing (my recollection of the exact details has escaped me)?

Sorry, but what exactly was the 'tedious effort ' ?

 

[Hump 17]

Sorry, but what exactly was the 'tedious effort ' ?

Now now cmon the TV stations did intros before the game and Collingwood used there own TV programme hosted by their President to talk it up.

 

[Normy132]

On playing footy on ANZAC Day: It brings outstanding awareness to the cause I'll be honest, if they didn't play footy on ANZAC Day I probably wouldn't give two shits about the cause and Australia Day would be the undisputed most patriotic day on the calendar. But because the AFL are involved it allows the young to understand what has happened to our country and those who sacrificed themselves for our freedom.

On Collingwood and Essendon: James Hird summed it up best when he said this on On The Couch - "If you bought a house and then spent the next 15 years renovating it and making it the best house in the street and then some guy from down the street says he likes your house and if he can live it in it, would you let him?"

 

[Hump 17]

You own a house so you get 15 years if you want. It's only been 15 years because the AFL won't go against what Eddie wants or says.

 

[Ari]

Commercialisation is such a bad thing? Anyone think maybe some teens learn more about the Anzacs from this day than what they dont read in their text books.

As for Ess v Coll being unfair.... get over it. When they sell the game out two months in advance the AFL won't change a thing. It's easy money.

 

[Ari]

Anzac Day Footy is not a ticket to cash. Essendon and Collingwood made this day together and made it work. Run 4 games on this day/eve and you will have 1 sell out and 3 games of average attendance.

AFL will be keen to emulate this event with other clubs on other occasions and not bugger up the one that works.

It's cute that we all want our teams to play in such a blockbuster..... but at some point you gotta wake up.

 

[maelcoluim]

I think the idea of having two games on ANZAC day is a good one, you can keep the traditional Collingwood v. Essendon fixture while giving other teams the chance to play and commemorate that day.

 

[L_W_P]

Leave the day alone! It should belong to Essendon and Collingwood forever.

If other teams want to try and get a second game up - ala St Kilda's pitch for a game in NZ - fine BUT the afternoon game at the G stays with these 2 teams.

Personally I would love to see the round setup as a rivalry round every year.

Freo v Eagles
Crows v Port
Lions v Suns
Giants v Swans
Cats v Tigers
Dees v Blues
Dons v Pies
Saints v Dogs in NZ
Hawks v North in Tassie

Would prefer to run Geel v Dees and Blues v Tigers but the Blues and Tiges would want to keep their season opener which is fair enough.

 

[MadBomberman]

The problem with a grand final replay is that if a team has a Hawthorn 2009 or a St Kilda 2011 slip up, then the game will not be interesting to the general public and the attendance will not be too great. Some of the ANZAC day clashes were very one-sided, yet still got a full house. Why would the AFL possibly change the teams that are playing when it is so successful? It is the second biggest game behind the grand final, so why would they ruin it? The fact that the AFL still haven't changed the fixture despite criticism shows that it will not change. Collingwood and Essendon made that an Australian tradition.

Imagine if Hawthorn and Geelong make the Easter Monday game huge, building it up for 15 years and Carlton come and want to take it from them? I would assume that the general public wouldn't be too happy with Carlton. With Essendon and Collingwood though, nobody cares what they build up because they are two big clubs so need to share the day that they made a tradition. It should remain Bombers vs Pies. Carlton and Richmond have the tradition of opening the season and Geelong and Hawthorn seem to be building up a tradition on Easter Monday. When Good Friday footy starts, another two teams can build that game up as their own. Essendon vs Collingwood on ANZAC day has become one of the biggest events in the country and it should stay that way.

 

[FootyJunkie]

Have nothing against Collingwood v Essendon as a permanent fixture for Anzac Day. In fact, the only changes I would make is that it be the sole game on Anzac Day every year and that it be the only all-Victorian game for the round.

The game should (almost) be treated like a GF!

Weekend fixture for Anzac Day Friday

Friday (Anzac Day)
Collingwood v Essendon - 2:40pm - Ch 7
(No Friday night game)

Saturday (5 games as per usual)
1 game in Melbourne 1:45pm - Ch 7
1 game in Melbourne 2:10pm - FOX
1 game in SEQ 4:40pm - FOX
1 game in Sydney 7:40pm - Ch 7
1 game in Perth 7:40pm - FOX

Sunday (3 games as per usual)
1 game in Melbourne 1:10pm - FOX
1 game in Adelaide 3:10pm - Ch 7
1 game in Melbourne 4:40pm - FOX

Weekend fixture for Anzac Day Saturday

Thursday Night
1 game in Melbourne at 7:40pm - FOX

Friday Night
1 game in Melbourne at 7:40pm - Ch 7
1 game in Adelaide at 7:40pm - FOX

Saturday (Anzac Day)
Collingwood v Essendon - 2:40pm - Ch 7

Sunday
1 game in Melbourne 12:40pm - Ch 7
1 game in SEQ 12:40pm - FOX
1 game in Melbourne 3:20pm - Ch 7
1 game in Sydney 3:20pm - FOX
1 game in Perth 6:10pm - FOX

Weekend fixture for Anzac Day Sunday

Thursday Night
1 game in Melbourne at 7:40pm - FOX

Friday Night
1 game in Melbourne at 7:40pm - Ch 7
1 game in Adelaide at 7:40pm - FOX

Saturday (5 games as per usual)
1 game in Melbourne 1:45pm - Ch 7
1 game in Melbourne 2:10pm - FOX
1 game in SEQ 4:40pm - FOX
1 game in Sydney 7:40pm - Ch 7
1 game in Perth 7:40pm - FOX

Sunday (Anzac Day)
Collingwood v Essendon - 2:40pm - Ch 7

 

[Air_Chester]

The idea of Essendon vs. Richmond at the MCG and Carlton vs. Collingwood at Waverley in 1984 on the one day is amazing to think about. Just another downfall of losing Waverley, because if it still existed, Essendon vs. Collingwood could still take place and the two Grand Finalists meet at the opposite venue. If either Essendon or Collingwood were a previous year Grand Finalist, then the other team plays somebody else at the opposite venue. That'd be cool.

 

[sutto]

Here's how I'd schedule it next year:


ROUND 4 (the round before Anzac day)
Friday
Hawthorn vs Geelong MCG (N)
St.Kilda vs Carlton ES (N)

Saturday
Essendon vs Melbourne ES
Collingwood vs Geelong MCG
Fremantle vs West Coast Sub (Twi)
Sydney vs Kangaroos SCG (N)
Brisbane vs Richmond Gabba (N)

Sunday
Adelaide vs GWS AAMI (early)
W.Bulldogs vs Gold Coast (ES)
Melbourne vs Port Adelaide MCG (Twi)

Bit harsh on Melbourne and Geelong, I would've thought.

 

[harmesy 37]

The problem with a grand final replay is that if a team has a Hawthorn 2009 or a St Kilda 2011 slip up, then the game will not be interesting to the general public and the attendance will not be too great. Some of the ANZAC day clashes were very one-sided, yet still got a full house. Why would the AFL possibly change the teams that are playing when it is so successful? It is the second biggest game behind the grand final, so why would they ruin it? The fact that the AFL still haven't changed the fixture despite criticism shows that it will not change. Collingwood and Essendon made that an Australian tradition.

It's a free meal ticket to two clubs that don't need a free meal ticket.

Carlton was one of only 3 clubs that had over 1 million spectators last year. If we had more games at the G and if we end up winning more games the club has potential to generate a lot of income through the gates for the AFL.

Time to end the duopoly and give it to the two highest placed Victorian teams from the previous year.

Geelong vs Collingwood.

That would be a beauty ! I would look forward to that more than Collingwood vs Essendon ..which is a bit dull in my opinion.

Eventually this duopoly will fold. It may take 10 years it may take more..but it will fold. Open it up to voting for the members of public on the AFL website. If Collingwood vs Essendon get at least 51% of the vote then keep it as it is. Let democracy dictate.

This is a good article ..


http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...nzac-day-duopoly-20120423-1xhd0.html#comments



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[ManWithNoName]

Why should Essendon and Collingwood give up a game they put the work into building up and have made the sacrifices (4 days between games like this year) in order to make it the biggest H&A game and a guaranteed sell out every year?

Anyone?