Did anybody catch the item on 7 News about next year's draw? We open on Easter Thursday against the Tigers. No Good Friday game. Blues right out of prime time schedules.
Sounds like we're up for a few twighlight games on Sunday and the odd Saturday arvo fixture. :(
I love Saturday arvo, best time to play.
We don't deserve anything better.
Hardly surprising really. We were pretty dismal viewing in 2015.
Did anybody catch the item on 7 News about next year's draw? We open on Easter Thursday against the Tigers. No Good Friday game. Blues right out of prime time schedules.
Sounds like we're up for a few twighlight games on Sunday and the odd Saturday arvo fixture. :(
Listen, if you expect an evenly balanced schedule from a Ch.7 run draw you are joking, the broadcasters have a massive say in the draw and the only reason we got so many Friday's last season was because the ridiculously biased Ch.7 EssenScum crew wanted to keep their head down! I bet you blind that EssenScum will end up with a Friday night bonanza in 2016!
That's okay, time for this club to learn to earn respect.
As the least watchable team in 2015, we will be in the least watched slots in 2016, it is common sense and we can't have any complaints at all.
The broadcasters have to have a huge say, otherwise they wouldn't pay the money they do for the rights to broadcast. I have far less issue with time slots, than I do with bias draws.
In saying that I hate twilight games, but when we are winning we will be back in the better time slots, so all is good.
At least it's going to mean less ruined weekends by Friday night embarrassments.
Hardly surprising really. We were pretty dismal viewing in 2015.
no dismal since 2003...4 spoons in 13 years..its looking grim
Listen, if you expect an evenly balanced schedule from a Ch.7 run draw you are joking, the broadcasters have a massive say in the draw and the only reason we got so many Friday's last season was because the ridiculously biased Ch.7 EssenScum crew wanted to keep their head down! I bet you blind that EssenScum will end up with a Friday night bonanza in 2016!
No, I don't. Just reporting was I saw. I don't watch TV footy much. I prefer to go to games and twighlight Sunday is horrible for me as an attendee not TV watcher.
We finished last and quite frankly, watching us the last few years on Friday and Sat nights has been embarrassing. I hope they give us no Friday or Sat nights and the most obscure timeslots available. We might be in for a bit of pain in the coming years, so no point "scaring the kiddies".
I love Saturday arvo, best time to play.
Too right!
Getting flogged is bad enough but getting flogged during prime time is even worse.
Channel Seven must have swallowed Malthouse's line about us not losing a game ::)
It's fair enough that we are relegated to less popular viewing times, particularly as they are often the best times to watch live.
I want to rebuild quietly away from public floggings like we saw in every Friday night game this year. Not good for anybody.
First time I have seen my kids speechless for 3 entire hours was the 140 point loss to Hawthorn, don't want any of us to go through that sort of public massacre again.
Back to prime time when we have something to show case.
I won't miss the derogatory cr@p about us dished out by Ch 7 commentators on Fri nights for sure. Might have to invest in an AFL Live subscription for the year - I have vowed never to let Foxtel back in the house.
I want to rebuild quietly away from public floggings like we saw in every Friday night game this year. Not good for anybody.
First time I have seen my kids speechless for 3 entire hours was the 140 point loss to Hawthorn, don't want any of us to go through that sort of public massacre again.
Back to prime time when we have something to show case.
spot on
Listened to SEN ( I dont know why I bother) and Slobbo said CARLTON didnt deserve to be in th e opening game of the the SEASON against Tiggers.When the Tiggers were down and out I never heard him say they didnt deserve to be the opening game or worse never ever heard him say lets take away ANZAC day match or the DREAMTIME game from The Druglords. What an absolute flog,dickhead
I turned it off it made so angry... Robbo wanted to give every single showcase game to "more deserving" clubs like the pies and cheats FC.
Professor he wanted to give the opener to the Dogs v Tiggers ,lucky to be 60000 at the game and 50000 will be Tigger supporters anyway
We had 83k this year then going backwards 80k, 78k, 61k, 72k, 86k, 72k, 60k when we had the tigers in R1 (not sure if they've all been season openers).
Why don't we deserve it?
We have close to the largest fan base of any club, albeit much of that is currently latent support. It staggers me that people like Robbo dismiss this so readily.
When we get back on our feet you watch them all come crawling back to jump on the bandwagon... Hawks v coasters, meh, we'd pull 90 000 at our next final vs just about anybody.
And we'd win the bloody thing too.
I would have been ecstatic if we didn't open the season. No more prime time for us until we have something to offer/show.
HTF does cheats FC establish yet another marquee game and call it the "country game". Last I saw Essendon was a suburb of Melbourne!
The heading "bush master... Sheedy launches Farmer's clash" is on the back page of the small paper - had to read it twice, initially thought it read "bullcrap master... Sheedy launches Farmer's clash".
The arrogance of that mob is deadest unbelieveable.
Rumour is plenty of travelling next season with a lot of interstate games...going to be a long hard season in 2016...
Rumour is plenty of travelling next season with a lot of interstate games...going to be a long hard season in 2016...
This can be a good thing, nothing better for team building than being on the road with your teammates, especially for that unexpected win. How much good would of the come from behind win in Adelaide have done that squad in 00's?
AFL would still realize that we can draw a crowd when the time is right, a few early Melbourne games when the optimism is still around then travelling to WA and QLD mid season. Get to warmer places for a few days to recharge.
HTF does cheats FC establish yet another marquee game and call it the "country game". Last I saw Essendon was a suburb of Melbourne!
The heading "bush master... Sheedy launches Farmer's clash" is on the back page of the small paper - had to read it twice, initially thought it read "bullcrap master... Sheedy launches Farmer's clash".
The arrogance of that mob is deadest unbelieveable.
My personal boycott of any games involving EFC will continue next year. >:D
My personal boycott of any games involving EFC will continue next year. >:D
That'll learn'em cookie. ;)
Rumour is plenty of travelling next season with a lot of interstate games...going to be a long hard season in 2016...
Good, our blokes need to adopt the "anywhere, anytime" mentality. Green grass, 4 sticks at either end, get agot, kick it through the big sticks more times that the opo. KISS.
No Friday night footy......AFL (and moreso the Hun) think it's a slap in the face, as far as I'm concerned they're doing us a favour!!! Rushing home from work, end-of-week tiredness, Friday night traffic, staying for just 3 quarters (if that) watching us get flogged, weekend ruined before it's begun.......no more of that = win-win!!! Thanks AFL!!!
HTF does cheats FC establish yet another marquee game and call it the "country game". Last I saw Essendon was a suburb of Melbourne!
The heading "bush master... Sheedy launches Farmer's clash" is on the back page of the small paper - had to read it twice, initially thought it read "bullcrap master... Sheedy launches Farmer's clash".
The arrogance of that mob is deadest unbelieveable.
Farmer's game for the bombers is appropriate given what they were injecting into their players. The only thing they didn't give them was sheep dip.
No Friday night footy......AFL (and moreso the Hun) think it's a slap in the face, as far as I'm concerned they're doing us a favour!!! Rushing home from work, end-of-week tiredness, Friday night traffic, staying for just 3 quarters (if that) watching us get flogged, weekend ruined before it's begun.......no more of that = win-win!!! Thanks AFL!!!
Nothing worse that this season when we lost on Friday nights, it ruins your whole weekend.
Friday night is the leagues showcase, I fully understand why we don't get these games, we finished last and were noncompetitive most of the time. The top 8 should get the lions share of those games, but I'm sure Collingwood and Essendon will get a big chunk too, let's just hope that they get flogged too. >:D
We still get to play each weekend, develop out of the main stream and when TV execs look at the poor ratings of a Port v Bulldogs Friday night game, complain to the AFL, we'll see how long before things are changed.
The average punter are sick of Hawthorn, Sydney and Freo being the contenders each season, West Coast is almost as bad. North is as fun to watch as getting a prostate exam with no lube. The AFL needs new blood at the top of the ladder and they need a healthy Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon and Richmond. While the AFL execs can lick their own collective icy poles over a Gold Coast V GWS grand final, it would pale into insignificance to a Carlton V Richmond one.
No Friday night footy......AFL (and moreso the Hun) think it's a slap in the face, as far as I'm concerned they're doing us a favour!!! Rushing home from work, end-of-week tiredness, Friday night traffic, staying for just 3 quarters (if that) watching us get flogged, weekend ruined before it's begun.......no more of that = win-win!!! Thanks AFL!!!
Its always nicer on a sunny saturday afternoon at the footy anyway rather than a cold night at the footy. Its that crappy sunday twilight spot that annoys the living crap out of me.
HTF does cheats FC establish yet another marquee game and call it the "country game". Last I saw Essendon was a suburb of Melbourne!
The heading "bush master... Sheedy launches Farmer's clash" is on the back page of the small paper - had to read it twice, initially thought it read "bullcrap master... Sheedy launches Farmer's clash".
The arrogance of that mob is deadest unbelieveable.
Rumour is plenty of travelling next season with a lot of interstate games...going to be a long hard season in 2016...
This stuff is no accident, the loss of all Friday night football, the re-establishment of EFC marquee games, the increased travel for Carlton. The AFL, the AFL media and the AFL as an industry is dominated by old boys / past players. It all confirms the rumors I have heard about an anti-Bolton bias in existence, many are rumored to be really bitter about him getting he job ahead of past players. Although it is also rumored the clubs and the AFL want him to succeed primarily as a cost reduction measure, they are powerless to assist because past player influence is endemic across all aspects of the AFL.
If it's true it will cost Bolton his job in the long term, he faces the same issue and Brittain. Bolton is on a hiding to nothing and Carlton cannot really win this battle! You can write the reports now as soon as there is a Carlton stumble, is the coach's lack of playing experience the issue, can you win a flag with a coach who has never played the game at the highest level, does the coach really understand what is needed on the MCG in Sept!
No Friday night footy......AFL (and moreso the Hun) think it's a slap in the face, as far as I'm concerned they're doing us a favour!!! Rushing home from work, end-of-week tiredness, Friday night traffic, staying for just 3 quarters (if that) watching us get flogged, weekend ruined before it's begun.......no more of that = win-win!!! Thanks AFL!!!
Yep
I'm looking forward to plenty of Sat arvo games next year - my favourite timeslot and a chance to get that traditional footy experience back. :)
Its that crappy sunday twilight spot that annoys the living crap out of me.
You can mark us down for a few of those.
Hawks first up in the NAB challenge ...then its the Swans and the WADA Bombers..........
Tough start for the undefeated Bolton....
WE need to be careful though.
I dont mind not playing Friday night this year, but a big attraction for our club (used to be) is playing big games at the MCG, testing your wares on Friday night Footy.
If we want to attract big names in future years, we need to be at a stage where we are playing and winning Friday night footy again.
Hawks first up in the NAB challenge ...then its the Swans and the WADA Bombers..........
Tough start for the undefeated Bolton....
But on a positive note, the game against Hawthorn is in Launceston!!!!!
Then Essendon at Princes Park with Sydney at Etihad, the final match. a 1 hour plane trip each way for the entire pre season, not too shabby.
The last time we played here, Waite lined up on Buddy at CHB and Shuan Grigg caught Richard Pratts plane home so that he could go to a mates 21st.
Hawks first up in the NAB challenge ...then its the Swans and the WADA Bombers..........
Tough start for the undefeated Bolton....
Lucky for us those games don't count.
No Friday Night games and now we have been banished To Tasmania first up.
How far we have fallen. :P
The last time we played here, Waite lined up on Buddy at CHB and Shuan Grigg caught Richard Pratts plane home so that he could go to a mates 21st.
And we actually won! Pity is was a pre-season game.
No Friday Night games and now we have been banished To Tasmania first up.
How far we have fallen. :P
Won't be going to that one.
And we actually won! Pity is was a pre-season game.
That's right - we did too and from memory, it was Cain Ackland's first (and probably best) game for us. Remember at the time Hawks not being happy, 'cos apparently Carlton supporters comfortably outnumbered Hawks supporters, as they were just starting to dip their toe into the Tassie market & were hoping for a more pro-Hawthorn response from the locals.
Yep Hawthorn was booed when they ran onto the ground and the sea of Navy Blue walking to the ground outnumbered Hawthorn gold 5 to 1
Yep Hawthorn was booed when they ran onto the ground and the sea of Navy Blue walking to the ground outnumbered Hawthorn gold 5 to 1
I fondly remember you describing that at the time Ray......those were the days......
Yep Hawthorn was booed when they ran onto the ground and the sea of Navy Blue walking to the ground outnumbered Hawthorn gold 5 to 1
Yeah......"Tassie" ****ing Hawks....Pah !
We've always had a huge supporter base down here....it riles me to see us do nothing with it, and Hawthorn start picking up schoolkids before they know any better.
9 home games on a Sunday afternoon lol.
Ironic the only top team we play twice are the Sydney Swans, funny how they always get a nice draw.
9 home games on a Sunday afternoon lol.
Ironic the only top team we play twice are the Sydney Swans, funny how they always get a nice draw.
Yeah, but only 2 are the 'later games'.
Swans in R2 @ 4:40.
Bombers in R5 @ 3:20.
The rest are all 1:10.
Not too bad considering.
6 interstate games, including Hawks at Tassie.
Sydney
GWS
GC
Brisbane
Fremantle
Play Thursday night opener.
Play Bombers, Pies, Swans, Lions and Saints twice.
6 home games at the MCG, Bombers, Pies, Crows, Eagles, Saints and Dees
Still get a home game against Geelong at Etihad....hopefully we can break that curse!
6, 6 days breaks 2 of which see us fly interstate on the short week.
12 saturday games (3 at night).
"I can't see how we can lose any of these games.........."
Was that you again, Mick?
;)
9 home games on a Sunday afternoon lol.
Ironic the only top team we play twice are the Sydney Swans, funny how they always get a nice draw.
Rather play them twice than just about any other side in the 8... maybe Richmond.
6 interstate games, including Hawks at Tassie.
Sydney
GWS
GC
Adelaide
Fremantle
Just substitute Adelaide for Brissy Lions. No travel to the city of churches at al!
Seven 1.10pm games Sunday.
Only just noticed, there's a completely bye week between the last round and the first week of the finals.
Seven 1.10pm games Sunday.
Don't mind that timeslot - I can head in straight after church. O:-)
Only just noticed, there's a completely bye week between the last round and the first week of the finals.
We got banned from Friday night football for being crap.
They changed the fixture for North tanking Friday Night Football.
Only just noticed, there's a completely bye week between the last round and the first week of the finals.
To stop the resting of players in the final round no doubt? Not a bad idea at all TBH, give all teams a fair chance to regenerate and remove all travel bias.
I think that's a really good idea...puts a clear distinction between the season and the finals and stops the farce of some teams resting players.
I think that's a really good idea...puts a clear distinction between the season and the finals and stops the farce of some teams resting players.
More likely that seasoned players like Hodge or Mitchell would get two weeks off if the ladder positions are fixed! :o
More likely that seasoned players like Hodge or Mitchell would get two weeks off if the ladder positions are fixed! :o
Was thinking the same..players like Mitchell, Pavlich, big Sandi will be rested for a couple even sent away for special treatment etc..
Yep it's a typical afl reaction.
Try to stop something that is impossible to stop. Insert this week in this season and nothing changes. North would have employed the same strategy anyway.
Yep it's a typical afl reaction.
Try to stop something that is impossible to stop. Insert this week in this season and nothing changes. North would have employed the same strategy anyway.
I don't see anything wrong with resting players; the goal is to win the GF, not the last home and away round.
At the time, the AFL defended North and Freo but now it seems that winning the last home and away round has become as important as doing well in the finals. I may be cynical but I wonder if Channel 7 and/or the gambling lobby leaned on the AFL.
You're right Thry, if the situation arises again, North and Freo, or any other team, will rest players to ensure that they have the best chance of progressing in the finals.
Meanwhile, the build up to the finals will have a speed bump and interest will drop off. Poor decision AFL!
Whilst I don't like it, I prefer it to the godawful 17 & 5 fixture system that is talked about.
It will be a major advantage to an older team like the Hawks.
Druggos apparently don't play any of this years top 6 teams.
It craps the he11 out of me that they get so much help from the powers that be.
I don't see anything wrong with resting players; the goal is to win the GF, not the last home and away round.
At the time, the AFL defended North and Freo but now it seems that winning the last home and away round has become as important as doing well in the finals. I may be cynical but I wonder if Channel 7 and/or the gambling lobby leaned on the AFL.
You're right Thry, if the situation arises again, North and Freo, or any other team, will rest players to ensure that they have the best chance of progressing in the finals.
Meanwhile, the build up to the finals will have a speed bump and interest will drop off. Poor decision AFL!
I disagree, I don't think 3 weeks off is a good thing leading into the finals and that is effectively what it would be. Also if sides resting players affects the chances of other teams making the finals then it's a poor look all round.
Well done to the AFL on this one.
I may be in the minority...a small one it seems ;D
But as I mentioned earlier I like the idea of a break before the finals.
It's just a personal feeling, but lately I've found the transition from the last round of H&A into the first week of the finals to be a bit unexciting...it just seems to roll into that period and to me the first week of finals feels more like another round rather than the start of a new section.
Resting players to be ready for finals is OK, preferable actually .....but there can be ramifications in terms of ladder, draft position and finals opponents when sides are going at half pace.
Where do you draw the line and say one team resting players is OK "there will be no effect on the 'integrity' of the competition".....but another team can't do it because it could alter positions.
If every team has a break it becomes much fairer.
Some suggest a bye round may affect fan/supporter interest?
So make it interesting. Fill it with something football.
Awards, exhibition matches.
State games are probably out of the question as a lot of the best players would be preparing for finals.
Teams already out of contention would be sending players off for surgery and rests and it would be hard to get the players up for something like a 'nines' competition...
....but what about something like an U/18 All Australian match.
Rather than announce the U/18 AA side at the carnival have two teams of the best players from that competition play out in an effort to gain All-Australian honours through the bye week.
We get to highlight the best junior talent prior to (and much closer to) the draft.
The interest in these kids would be much greater at that time of year than it was back at Carnival time.
Would we not be interested in watching Weitering vs Schache knowing we had pick 1?
Club supporters with a fair idea of their actual draft picks would get an equal kick out of watching possible selections.
Make it the All/Australian weekend with awards and the selection of the senior All-Australian side.....lots of possibilities.
I don't see anything wrong with resting players; the goal is to win the GF, not the last home and away round.
At the time, the AFL defended North and Freo but now it seems that winning the last home and away round has become as important as doing well in the finals. I may be cynical but I wonder if Channel 7 and/or the gambling lobby leaned on the AFL.
You're right Thry, if the situation arises again, North and Freo, or any other team, will rest players to ensure that they have the best chance of progressing in the finals.
Meanwhile, the build up to the finals will have a speed bump and interest will drop off. Poor decision AFL!
Me neither.
I don't agree that the week will cause interest to drop off.
Those playing finals will be as anxious and excited as ever.
Those not will have dropped off weeks ago depending on how bad their team has faired over the season.
The status quo will remain, except we get another week breaks between the regular season and finals football and the big winners will be any blokes carrying an injury towards the end of the season as they get another week to get their body right which is not a bad thing. It might have helped Freo go all the way this season with Fyfe having another weeks rest.
Murphy's law... this year will no doubt be one of those seasons where every team in the 8 needs to win for different reasons. Then we have a weekend off to do some gardening.
@lods
Brownlow night to be held on the Saturday night perhaps??
@lods
Brownlow night to be held on the Saturday night perhaps??
I thought about that but apparently Gil has already given it the thumbs down.
The bye weekend pre finals is the perfect weekend for State of Origin footy among players of the teams who don't make the 8.
17 v 18 battle it out. Winner takes pick 1 and avoids the spoon - losing side must do a lap of the MCG on gf day with the spoon at half time. ;D
The bye weekend pre finals is the perfect weekend for State of Origin footy among players of the teams who don't make the 8.
Rightly or wrongly, no one was interested in the state of origin games after Ted Whitten passed away. I think they'd be less interested in it without the best players involved.
17 v 18 battle it out. Winner takes pick 1 and avoids the spoon - losing side must do a lap of the MCG on gf day with the spoon at half time. ;D
I like it! As long as it's not us.
The bye weekend pre finals is the perfect weekend for State of Origin footy among players of the teams who don't make the 8.
Possibly.
It would be a pretty diluted couple of teams...but there would still be a bit of quality there.
The problem would be how committed players would be to such a concept given most of them would be looking for a rest.
The problem would be how committed players would be to such a concept given most of them would be looking for a rest.
I'm not sure too many players would be interested in risking their preseason either. It's like a movie cop on his last day before retirement - it's tempting fate big time :P
The AFL could run a lightning premiership with two 15 minute halves and the final on the Sunday afternoon. It might be our best chance for some silverware :)
Murphy's law... this year will no doubt be one of those seasons where every team in the 8 needs to win for different reasons. Then we have a weekend off to do some gardening.
Sounds good now but bet it'll be crap when the time arrives. Kills public "momentum" leading ti the finals. Get on a high after round 23 then anti-climax.
Druggos apparently don't play any of this years top 6 teams.
It craps the he11 out of me that they get so much help from the powers that be.
Incorrect.....although i can see how you can make that assumption. Richmond finished 5th at the end of the H+A season. Although they did lose week 1 of finals.
Incorrect.....although i can see how you can make that assumption. Richmond finished 5th at the end of the H+A season. Although they did lose week 1 of finals.
OK, I read it in a news article.
Druggos apparently don't play any of this years top 6 teams.
It craps the he11 out of me that they get so much help from the powers that be.
EFC plays every other team once and Richmond twice.
According to this analysis in the Age, Carlton and Essendon have the easiest fixtures, while North has the toughest.
The other most striking thing about these rankings is the recognition by the AFL that the two clubs with the most premierships to their name are - in performance terms - mere shadows of their former selves.
Carlton might not be too pleased going from six Friday night games to none next year, but the considerable upside is the Blues have been dealt by my reckoning the easiest fixture in the AFL for 2016.
The Blues aren't happy with the short-term commercial outlook, but a more negotiable draw might be a far better starting point in public relations terms than some of the drubbings they received before wider audiences this year.
Essendon are in a similar situation. The Bombers, like the Blues, have generally had a fixture in the tougher half of the rankings despite their comparative lack of latter-day success, but that all changes next year.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/afl-fixture-release-2016-our-formula-finds-the-real-winners-and-losers-20151030-gkmur1.html#ixzz3q6M04uBp
EFC plays every other team once and Richmond twice.
According to this analysis in the Age, Carlton and Essendon have the easiest fixtures, while North has the toughest.
Why EssenScum with an easy draw, are the AFL predicting a mighty whack heading their way?