What is the biggest Adv. Re the "Fixture"

[Hearts to hearts]

Last year North were scheduled to play Geelong at Docklands for the Cats' home game, they had it changed to keep their eight game deal (and, quite rewaosnably, to not play their home game at their opponent's home ground). It's a pain to be drawn there every season (and preseason too this year) but good on them for making it work.

In the end the Kardinia Park fixture is less an unfair advantage to Geelong than it is to the clubs who are never ever drawn to pay there under the competition's financial maximisation strategy. Same goes for Aurora Stadium, and same will go for Ballarat if it gets up and running for North. Some clubs will never have to play outside Melbourne CBD. Other clubs will have to travel to the genuine home grounds of their opponents more often. It's not just about interstate games, it's more a general rule that smaller-drawing clubs get a tougher fixture for where their away games are played.

And yes, I know we all like to share the cash, just saying that in an ideal world the fixture would be more equitable and not divide scheduling advantages based primarily on crowd drawing power. Might be nice for clubs with smaller home grounds and supporter bases more remote from Melbourne city to have the big drawing clubs visit once in a while too.

 

[jonbe54]

Why should they have to move? No one forced the other clubs to move. Its a joke that they dont get a true home final.

Nobody forced other teams to move?

Have you ever heard of a club called Fitzroy?

 

[jonbe54]

Tima, I think you are onto something here. It can't be jealousy or fear by Pies supporters.

It couldn't simply be sharing the pain around could it Sttew?

Because pies have been coping this same sh1t about advantageous fixtures for years. Now a Pie supporter or two has shoveled a bit of sh1t on your doorstep you don't like it eh?

I'm not surprised a Pies supporter started it or another thread because your mob have been getting away with a soft draw for years AND are the only Victorian team not have to share a home ground.

 

[jonbe54]

You just made that highlighted bit up. Who has used that excuse?

If the AFL would let them, Geelong would play all 11 home games at Geelong. They make a lot more money there than playing in Melbourne.

How is it fair that Geelong have to play four home games at their opponents home ground and don't get a home final?

Last time I looked Geelong wasn't part of Melbourne.

Cunning sidestep - sidestep this then. . .

You are the only VICTORIAN side that doesn't have to share your home ground

 

[shintemaster]

A lot of "neutrals" complain that Collingwood get a cushy draw b/c every club demands to play them on the MCG. So be it. These neutrals complain that the AFL pander to Collingwood's fixture requests, again, no issue with that.

What surprises me that Geelong obviously do not demand to play the powerhouses of the AFL, such as Collingwood, Hawthorn & St. Kilda at KP. They use the old, we make more money at the MCG excuse. Fair enough. If people are so pent up about Collingwood always getting their fixture requests then why don't they focus on Geelong being handed a cushy draw against also rans at KP?

My understanding is that Geelong want all their home games at KP. The AFL have decided this will not be allowed and the 'compromise' is to schedule them against the bigger clubs so they don't kick up an even bigger stink. It's important to remember that 9 times out of 10 the fixture is the way it is because the AFL want it that way. Requests? Please, that is a story told to keep the sheep quiet.

Don't get me wrong, I have no doubt clubs make requests, however this only happens because they are encouraged to do so by the AFL and they sure as hell pick and choose based on what suits them.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Cunning sidestep - sidestep this then. . .

You are the only VICTORIAN side that doesn't have to share your home ground

And? That's a silly argument. Should we just relocate the city of Geelong to Melbourne somewhere to keep Collingwood supporters happy? What would they be called then?

I've posted on forums plenty of times I'd love it if there was someway clubs like North and Footscray could play home games at Kardinia instead of selling them off interstate. The ground is unfortunately underutilised having only 7 senior games per year played on it.

If my memory serves me correct, for Geelong to break even financially with what it makes out of a home game at Kardinia, they need to draw 75k plus at the MCG.

 

[Skeppersap]

AFL has outgrown these surburban grounds, it's not 1974 anymore. Why they allow this ground to still be in existence is beyond me. Just a joke. It should be a training base.
All Victorian games should be exclusively at the 'G or Etihad 2011 style.

Name any major sport in the world which limits games to 2 stadiums???

Restricting all games to only 2 stadiums is limiting the growth of the game.

How stupid are you???

 

[D-N-R]

Just a wild guess, but I'm tipping Collingwood only travelling interstate on 4 occasions will feature again.

Therefore can all Victorian supporters loby their clubs to stop begging for the AFL to fixture home games against Collingwood. Easy solution isn't it.

The draw is a farce though. Everyone should play each team once =17.
Then all teams that finish 1-6 or 7-12 or 13-18 play the other teams in their grouping to make up the final 5 games = 22.

Draft, salary cap to make the comp fair, then you have a ridiculous lucky dip draw. Two games against the Suns certainly helps Cats to rest players.

I think this is an very good solution, but I would split the groups as 1st,4th,7th...16th - 2nd,5th,8th...17th - 3rd,6th,9th...18th. (The team placed 6th in your system is playing against the top four and probably wouldn't pick up too many wins).*

Then there would have to be a draw (televised) to determine who plays whom home and away. I guess this could be done by having 18 balls in a barrel, draw one out and then draw the others in order H,A,H... etc. Then the team drawn first stays out and the rest are put an the barrel and the process repeated until all fixtures are determined. The 'group' games are just the reverse fixture of whatever was drawn out of the barrel.

What this system could throw up is situations where some teams (in particular the Vic teams) rarely leave Melbourne - they could draw home games against 'interstate' sides and away games against Vic sides. But if this is determined randomly and not behind closed doors, then I think fans could accept this - the 'luck of the draw' comes into play.

In answer to the OP, the problem is a lack of transparency in the way that the 'draw' is determined. This is done for economic reasons as we all know and with CW having a huge fan base, means other teams want a piece of the action. Until the AFL admin can start determining the fixture for sporting reasons instead of economic reasons, there will always be some whinging and conspiracy theories.

* I think this system works better with a 16 team comp. Split the groups 1st,3rd,5th...15th and 2nd,4th,6th...16th and play each team in your side of the draw twice (16 games) and each team from the other group once (8 games) to create a 24 round season. For the one-off games, you could even introduce the '8-point game system' described on another thread essentially making it a home and away fixture in one.

 

[terryo]

Draft, salary cap to make the comp fair, then you have a ridiculous lucky dip draw. Two games against the Suns certainly helps Cats to rest players.

Who said it's a lucky dip?

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Just a wild guess, but I'm tipping Collingwood only travelling interstate on 4 occasions will feature again.

Therefore can all Victorian supporters loby their clubs to stop begging for the AFL to fixture home games against Collingwood. Easy solution isn't it.

The draw is a farce though. Everyone should play each team once =17.
Then all teams that finish 1-6 or 7-12 or 13-18 play the other teams in their grouping to make up the final 5 games = 22.

Draft, salary cap to make the comp fair, then you have a ridiculous lucky dip draw. Two games against the Suns certainly helps Cats to rest players.

Lucky dip? You're kidding yourself. Ablett defects to Gold Coast and creates interest in games against Geelong. AFL trying to cash in, nothing more, take it up with them.

 

[Rush Stand]

It's not just about Collingwood. All Victorian clubs have it easy. Being able to play on the ground that the grand final is played on is a huge advantage.

Is it now? How many flags have Richmond and Melbourne won in the last 30 years? Yes, ZERO. Remember, they had exclusive home game rights to the MCG at one stage.

 

[MarkT2]

It's the AFL, I think - Geelong could play Collingwood at Skilled, and still have their main request filled.

Check out my earlier post - http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?p=21782885#post21782885

If Geelong really wanted to play Collingwood at skilled they ask for it. They don't need the drawing power of Collingwood to fill the stadium but they do to get 70k-80k at the G. It's pretty simple logic. Collingwood make a much bigger difference to an MCG home game retrun than they would at skilled.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

If Geelong really wanted to play Collingwood at skilled they ask for it. They don't need the drawing power of Collingwood to fill the stadium but they do to get 70k-80k at the G. It's pretty simple logic. Collingwood make a much bigger difference to an MCG home game retrun than they would at skilled.

Have you read any of the thread? The AFL wouldn't even entertain the idea of Geelong and Collingwood at Kardinia these days. Unable to play night games there and hardly any Collingwood supporters would be able to get in. Unlike other clubs, Geelong don't need Collingwood's drawing power to make good money on a home game.

The only advantage to Geelong playing Collingwood at the 'G', and it's certainly not to be underestimated, is it gives players experience in a finals like atmosphere at the ground where finals are played and it's also good for Geelong's, Melbourne based members.

 

[JUBJUB]

Last year North were scheduled to play Geelong at Docklands for the Cats' home game, they had it changed to keep their eight game deal (and, quite rewaosnably, to not play their home game at their opponent's home ground). It's a pain to be drawn there every season (and preseason too this year) but good on them for making it work.

That was this year.The only reason that was ever going to be at Docklands was because ch10 wanted to have it as a night game so they could flog to death the Scott twins coaching against each other.Ten didn't seem to realise they'd already coached against each other in the NAB Crap and nobody,including the twins,gave a fat rats clacker about them coaching against each other again.

 

[jonbe54]

And? That's a silly argument. Should we just relocate the city of Geelong to Melbourne somewhere to keep Collingwood supporters happy? What would they be called then?

I've posted on forums plenty of times I'd love it if there was someway clubs like North and Footscray could play home games at Kardinia instead of selling them off interstate. The ground is unfortunately underutilised having only 7 senior games per year played on it.

If my memory serves me correct, for Geelong to break even financially with what it makes out of a home game at Kardinia, they need to draw 75k plus at the MCG.

I wasn't using it as an argument but it is a fact, just as numerous clubs begging to play the pies at the G is a fact. People need to realize that a number of teams have advantages due to the nature of the competition and stop bellyaching about things that can't and won't change.

 

[boomer_29]

A lot of people make a big song & dance about Collingwood's i/s fixturing, so be it.

In the last 2 years, Geelong have been drawn against...

Port (currently 17th in 2011) x 2 (10th in 2010).
WC (16th in 10').
Richmond (15th in 10').
Melbourne (currently 11th in 2011) x 2 (12th in 2010).
North Melbourne (currently 10th in 2011) x 2 (11th in 2010).
Brisbane (13th in 2010).
GC (currently 15th in 2011)
Adelaide (currently 14th in 2011).
WB (currently 12th in 2011).

That is 12 games (or half a season) against effectively bottom 4 sides at KP.

In the same time, the highest ranked side to play at KP was Sydney, who finished 6th in 2010 & are sitting 7th position this year. So out of 14 games at KP, 2 have only been against 1 side that finished in the 8 that year.

A lot of people complain that Collingwood demand their fixture to play less games i/s & play as many games at the MCG, so be it. Is Collingwood's 13 games at the MCG each year a big of an adv. as Geelong's soft fixturing at KP?

North finished 9th in 2010, seems like a typical one-eyed Collingwood supporter, ignorant to the rest of the competition and lacks football knowledge.