Preview The Official 2010 Fixture Discussion Thread

[DapperDon]

Bullshit.

Well, with an argument like that you sure showed me.

Harden up mate, this is our fixture. If you want to throw in the towel in October I feel really sorry for you.

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

It is the best draw you could've hoped for.. A young developing team thats has no realistic chance of winning the flag needs to be tested and playing the good sides more often this year will hold you in good stead for future years.

 

[Slattery_20]

YOU DON'T WIN A PREMIERSHIP PLAYING MELBOURNE!

We did.

 

[DapperDon]

We did.

Haha smartarse

 

[Knight Ryders]

On a side note, we are surely going to take over the mantle of average attendances next year with so many blockbusters.

Could be a fixturing disaster or it has actually got the potential to build a confidence and momentum in the team that may shape similar to 1993 (now that is some optimism). The excuberance and confidence of youth shouldn't be under estimated, especially when the youth is quality.

 

[The Donners]

http://www.essendonfc.com.au/matches/fixture.aspPrediction:

Round 1 - LOSS
Round 2 - WIN
Round 3 - WIN
Round 4 - LOSS
Round 5 - LOSS
Round 6 - WIN
Round 7 - WIN
Round 8 - LOSS
Round 9 - WIN
Round 10 - LOSS
Round 11 - WIN
Round 12 - LOSS
Round 13 - WIN
Round 14 - LOSS
Round 15 - WIN
Round 16 - WIN
Round 17 - WIN
Round 18 - LOSS
Round 19 - WIN
Round 20 - WIN
Round 21 - WIN
Round 22 - LOSS

13 wins - 6th-7th

 

[Synth]

14/22 Friday night and Saturday night games + ANZAC Day.

HOW CAN YOU COMPLAIN!

Also Collingwood need to harden the **** up! We play the TOP 4 TWICE this season after finishing 8th.

But im still happy that our boys get a fair amount of exposure this season.

 

[lamaros]

At least the media will wake the **** up this season and give us some credit if we make the 8.

I like the draw. To be the best you have to beat the best, and I support teams that try to be the best.

 

[beev]

Each time i look at the draw i think we haven't done that bad. Our main problem is traveling so to only travel three times is massive for us. I'd give us more of a chance of beating the saints in melbourne then beating say brisbane in brisbane.

Loving the 7 friday nights and 7 saturday nights.

 

[Tailypo]

I like the draw. I think it plays to our strengths, or rather against our weaknesses. Our inability to travel or turn up against supposedly inferior opposition almost unravelled us this past season. Hell, it almost cost us finals. This draw gives us just 3 interstate trips and only one game each against the likes of North and Richmond. TBH I'd be more confident about beating Collingwood or Saints than I would about beating those two. Some other positives:

*Interstate trips spread out, no travel after R14
*9 day break after Subi trip
*Port (bogey team) @ Etihad
*Play Brisbane once, and it's a home game
*Blockbuster games, plenty of Friday and Saturday night games, not many Sunday games.

Negatives:
*R12-R14. Geelong, Hawks, Adelaide (@ AAMI). Ouch.
*No 'gimme' games, though I don't think any exist for a young team like ours.
*Last 5 games against 2009 finalists (not an easy run home).

 

[Beerfish]

I believe you guys are in the better half of the teams... but your draw has basically eliminated you from the finals... if I were you... i would be pissed off bad... i have never seen a harder draw before

Pfft.. typical carlolton supporter.

Bring it on I say. I'd rather be playing the contenders than the also rans.

I know we own them lately but judd missing round 3 is handy. Too many friday games, i detest friday football.

Me too. Hate playing Friday nights. The only good thing about it is you know it will be on tv. The umpiring is generally abysmal though. Completely whacked out decisions and just ridiculously whistle happy maggots.

 

[Hurley Bird]

In my opinion, we could not have asked for a better draw.

We have to be honest and say that we were never going to win a premiership this year. Therefore, with a youg side, what better way to get the experience then playing the best sides.

The confidence that the playing group will gain if they still make finals (and I truely believe they can) will be huge. I can't wait for round 1 .. BRING IT ON!!!!!!!!!

 

[Rack Watts]

I haven't read any of the previous posts but I can fairly well assume that it's blatant pessimism.

Two points I would like to throw in.
1. We only have 3 interstate trips (the fewest of any team)
2. We hack face at big games.

WIN.

Also, playing good teams in 2010 means we will smash some panties in 2011 as our young'ns will learn so much.

 

[daffo]

No need to already be looking towards 2011. We have a tough draw but so what. We beat Hawks twice this year, no one would of thought that'd be possible. With a bit of luck our way and a bit of bad luck the other we could be winning enough to make finals again.
My worry is the two games against Geelong.

 

[essendon2008]

Some of the feedback on the draw by our supporters is a disgrace. Yet other have been very good. If we do not make finals next year it will be disappointing but not nocessarily harmful IMO. The draw is really tough in that we play the top sides, however very little travel is a bonus for us and as we all know sometimes the easy games are the ones EFC loses atm.

If we do make finals then we will have completed a very good season, no doubt with some great wins against good sides. I can't wait for next season, i believe we are capable of making finals. Obviously i will be disappointed if we don't but we would be a very worthy top 8 team if we do make it.

 

[Mad Bomber Sean]

My crystal ball is currently in the shop for repairs.

So I am not too sure how to feel about the draw but before we except our 'apparent' fate it should be noted.

Through the 2009 lens the fixture presents some great challangers for us. A real opportunity to build some deep belief.

We play only 1 game at Subi, Scg & AAMI

Injuries happen to all sides, and have a huge impact on the teams performance.

From Heros to Zero's:
-Hawthorn's amazing decline in 2009 after wining a flag in 2008
-Adelaide back to back premiers in 97/98 ( did not make the finals in 96 or 99 either)
-Port made GF in 2007 ( smashed by Geelong) to totally miss finals in 2008

In 2009 the Blues, Bombers & Lions replaced the Hawks,Roos & Swans in the finals .

Our fate is in our own hands. We will do better than this 2009, how much better depends on us - not the draw...

 

[Dont be a lemon]

Re: Draft draw - Cats Round 1

I'd be extremely surprised if we only travel 3 times. Even Collingwood always travel 4 times.

Consider me surprised but happy

 

[yodellinhank]

Is the club sponsorship deal with Samsung a multi year deal, or do they have to re-sign? We supposedly set a record last year with the Samsung deal, the exposure we will get next season is going to be massive. Should be even bigger dollars to sign on as a sponser of the dons next year...

 

[fishguts]

Great draw, couldn't ask for more.

 

[Kong]

Also Collingwood need to harden the **** up! We play the TOP 4 TWICE this season after finishing 8th.

Mick Malthouse will find absolutely anything to complain about.

I think the entire league is sick to death of Collingwood's "us against the world" attitude.

 

[scotia]

Hi guys and girls.

I've updated my fixture builder with the 2010 dates.

It builds CSV, iCal and PDF fixtures to import into Outlook/Thunderbird/Google Calendar/etc. Obviously the PDF is for printing!

You can customise your calendars, set reminders, categories, etc.

I have also built iCal (ics) calendars you can subscribe to, which will be updated with scores etc. once the season has started.

To create a customised calendar, go to: http://www.thismonkey.com/cgi-bin/football-fixture.pl?start=2010&end=2010&type=ha&code=afl

and to subscribe to 2010 calendars, go to: http://offsite.thismonkey.com/fixtures/afl/calendars/aus/2010/index.html

Please leave feedback if you like it, hate it, or think it needs improvement.

(You can find other football codes at http://www.thismonkey.com)

Thanks,
Go Pies,
Scott

 

[teak]

Okay so it is a tough draw, and some posters have agreed that this is a good thing, while others are dead set against it.
I can appreciate both arguments, but just to put some numbers to quantify how difficult this draw is...
If you were to give last seasons ladder positions a set amount for where the finished after round 22 [after all this is the draw only for the H&A season] I figure give 1st place [Saints] a value of 16, 2nd place [Geelong] a value of 15, etc down to 16th place [Melbourne] a value of 1.
Now if you look at the draw and give each of the teams these values you would come up with something like this:
209 - Essendon
196 - Collingwood
192 - Hawthorn
192 - Melbourne
189 - West Coast
188 - Brisbane
188 - Fremantle
188 - Richmond
188 - Sydney
187 - Average
185 - Carlton
184 - North Melbourne
184 - Western Bulldogs
183 - Geelong
178 - Adelaide
178 - Port Adelaide
170 - St Kilda
That is, the higher the number, the more difficult your draw is indicated by the previous season.
But this doesn't take into account interstate trips. For arguments sake, lets give an interstate trip a value of 1 for a team. [Other than those that have sold their home games to Darwin, Canberra or Tasmania]
This leads to a revised 'difficulty of draw' that follows as such:
211 - Essendon
200 - Collingwood
199 - Brisbane
199 - Sydney
199 - West Coast
198 - Fremantle
197 - Melbourne
195 – Hawthorn
193.6875 - Average
193 - Richmond
190 - Carlton
189 - North Melbourne
188 - Adelaide
188 - Geelong
188 - Port Adelaide
188 - Western Bulldogs
176 - St Kilda

What was the point of this you ask? Well I have no life.
But, you can appreciate why Essendon's draw is considered such a difficult one, but as previous posters have said, we have to beat the best to be the best.

 

[Godzke]

Both viewpoints on this draw are valid. Those, who like me, are more concerned about travelling rather than anything else + want to play the best teams to help develop our players into big game players and then those wanting to play easier teams to get us an easier chance into the eight.

Well, let's be honest here. We're not going to make the top 4. With this current draw I reckon we're still good enough to finish above Carlton next year as Fev's exit is going to be flipping huge. Not to say life post lloyd/lucas will be easy, but we're in much better shape to manage the transition.

This may be the season when we reflect back thinking it really moulded some of our players for the future. Like I said earlier, we want big game players in our ranks and playing ANZAC Day, hawks and a few other rivals is a good foundation but this will be even better.

 

[Godzke]

Okay so it is a tough draw, and some posters have agreed that this is a good thing, while others are dead set against it.
I can appreciate both arguments, but just to put some numbers to quantify how difficult this draw is...
If you were to give last seasons ladder positions a set amount for where the finished after round 22 [after all this is the draw only for the H&A season] I figure give 1st place [Saints] a value of 16, 2nd place [Geelong] a value of 15, etc down to 16th place [Melbourne] a value of 1.
Now if you look at the draw and give each of the teams these values you would come up with something like this:
209 - Essendon
196 - Collingwood
192 - Hawthorn
192 - Melbourne
189 - West Coast
188 - Brisbane
188 - Fremantle
188 - Richmond
188 - Sydney
187 - Average
185 - Carlton
184 - North Melbourne
184 - Western Bulldogs
183 - Geelong
178 - Adelaide
178 - Port Adelaide
170 - St Kilda
That is, the higher the number, the more difficult your draw is indicated by the previous season.
But this doesn't take into account interstate trips. For arguments sake, lets give an interstate trip a value of 1 for a team. [Other than those that have sold their home games to Darwin, Canberra or Tasmania]
This leads to a revised 'difficulty of draw' that follows as such:
211 - Essendon
200 - Collingwood
199 - Brisbane
199 - Sydney
199 - West Coast
198 - Fremantle
197 - Melbourne
195 – Hawthorn
193.6875 - Average
193 - Richmond
190 - Carlton
189 - North Melbourne
188 - Adelaide
188 - Geelong
188 - Port Adelaide
188 - Western Bulldogs
176 - St Kilda

What was the point of this you ask? Well I have no life.
But, you can appreciate why Essendon's draw is considered such a difficult one, but as previous posters have said, we have to beat the best to be the best.

Don't try and quantify a friggin draw. rofl! A qualitative approach is the only way. Trying to crunch numbers here is a meaningless exercise when we all know the top 4/8 and bottom 4/8 are going to be completely different.

I think I remember someone saying that there's always been a top 4 team that has failed to make the finals in the following season. Is this right?

 

[yaco55]

Each club provides a wish list to the AFL for next year's fixtures

i imagine that Essendon's would have included the following

- playing crowd pulling Melbourne based teams twice
- few interstate trips