Any reason why

[Thiele]

Three afteronn matches this weekend Just wondering why

[Dutchy]

playing one less game on the Sunday so it reduces the chances of teams coming off 6 day breaks into finals the week after...notice that the Sunday games include Saints, Richmond, Essendon & Melbourne - fair to say the AFL thought there was a good chance of them not making the finals!

I like what they have done, with 3 games on Saturday arvo but cant understand why they are playing the twilight game on Sunday still, surely that would be the game you would move and keep the early game on Sunday Saints not only cop the Sunday game and a days less preparation than their finals opponent in Week 1 but wont finish their game until 7-00pm Sunday night....weird...

[rogernumber10]

To increase the flexibility for week one finals, with less sides having played on a Sunday. The late Sunday game was kept, rather than the early Sunday game, so that it could be an all-Victorian game. if they kept the early Sunday game, that is played in Adelaide, Brisbane or Sydney, which would involve a team travelling on a Sunday the week before the finals. As such, it was preferred to have no teams travel after Saturday, and just play two games on Sunday in the afternoon slots when no-one would have to travel.

[Dutchy]

fair enough Rog, I just think Saints would have still preferred the early game on Sunday, there have been all Victorian early Sunday games this season already (which there hasnt been in the past IIRC)

[Booney]

To increase the flexibility for week one finals, with less sides having played on a Sunday. The late Sunday game was kept, rather than the early Sunday game, so that it could be an all-Victorian game. if they kept the early Sunday game, that is played in Adelaide, Brisbane or Sydney, which would involve a team travelling on a Sunday the week before the finals. As such, it was preferred to have no teams travel after Saturday, and just play two games on Sunday in the afternoon slots when no-one would have to travel.

Perhaps with the AFL taking all this travel into account,maybe they could make Collingwood do it I dunno,lets say maybe twice or even three times a year? Just for a giggle.Or,now this would be funny,get Collingwood and Essendon to both leave Melbourne on the same weekend....

[rogernumber10]

fair enough Rog, I just think Saints would have still preferred the early game on Sunday, there have been all Victorian early Sunday games this season already (which there hasnt been in the past IIRC)

yes, there's been a couple of early all-Vic Sunday games. After talking to the broadcasters (who do get a big say), Fox was happy to give up one Sunday game into Saturday to help the finals flexibility, but wanted to keep the later game when more people would be watching, than the early game, when less would be watching. Key for the AFL was no travel on the Sunday, and not too concerned about a 7pm finish, compared to a 5pm finish, as long as there are options to meet the six-day break requirements into week one of the finals.

[Dutchy]

fair call, thought FOX might have been the ones who wanted it, funny though personally I find myself watching the early Sunday game on FOX more often than the twighlight game....

[rogernumber10]

To increase the flexibility for week one finals, with less sides having played on a Sunday. The late Sunday game was kept, rather than the early Sunday game, so that it could be an all-Victorian game. if they kept the early Sunday game, that is played in Adelaide, Brisbane or Sydney, which would involve a team travelling on a Sunday the week before the finals. As such, it was preferred to have no teams travel after Saturday, and just play two games on Sunday in the afternoon slots when no-one would have to travel.

Perhaps with the AFL taking all this travel into account,maybe they could make Collingwood do it I dunno,lets say maybe twice or even three times a year? Just for a giggle.Or,now this would be funny,get Collingwood and Essendon to both leave Melbourne on the same weekend....

For the last three years, the Victorian sides that have been fixtured to travel in round 22 have been those who have had the longest period since they travelled for round 22. Collingwood and Western Bulldogs travelling in round 22 this year, was Geelong, Hawthorn and Essendon in 2007, Melbourne, St Kilda and Carlton in 2006.

As for Collingwood and Essendon's interstate travel generally, well, I know that one backwards. That would change if every other Victorian club stopped listing their number one request for the fixture each year as:
- Can we please play Collingwood as a home game in the first three rounds;
followed by
- Can we please play Essendon as a home game in the first three rounds.

[rogernumber10]

fair call, thought FOX might have been the ones who wanted it, funny though personally I find myself watching the early Sunday game on FOX more often than the twighlight game....

Fox are more than happy with the Saturday triple header they have this week, but their biggest audiences each weekend are from 5pm onwards, compared to the 1pm and 2pm games.

[Dutchy]

fair call, thought FOX might have been the ones who wanted it, funny though personally I find myself watching the early Sunday game on FOX more often than the twighlight game....

Fox are more than happy with the Saturday triple header they have this week, but their biggest audiences each weekend are from 5pm onwards, compared to the 1pm and 2pm games.

Yep Saturday is certainly a footy feast!

Thinking about it I get to watch the early game on Sundays as the kids are usually in bed, come the twilight game they are usually feral and they get Foxtel to calm them down!

[Booney]

To increase the flexibility for week one finals, with less sides having played on a Sunday. The late Sunday game was kept, rather than the early Sunday game, so that it could be an all-Victorian game. if they kept the early Sunday game, that is played in Adelaide, Brisbane or Sydney, which would involve a team travelling on a Sunday the week before the finals. As such, it was preferred to have no teams travel after Saturday, and just play two games on Sunday in the afternoon slots when no-one would have to travel.

Perhaps with the AFL taking all this travel into account,maybe they could make Collingwood do it I dunno,lets say maybe twice or even three times a year? Just for a giggle.Or,now this would be funny,get Collingwood and Essendon to both leave Melbourne on the same weekend....

For the last three years, the Victorian sides that have been fixtured to travel in round 22 have been those who have had the longest period since they travelled for round 22. Collingwood and Western Bulldogs travelling in round 22 this year, was Geelong, Hawthorn and Essendon in 2007, Melbourne, St Kilda and Carlton in 2006.

As for Collingwood and Essendon's interstate travel generally, well, I know that one backwards. That would change if every other Victorian club stopped listing their number one request for the fixture each year as:
- Can we please play Collingwood as a home game in the first three rounds;
followed by
- Can we please play Essendon as a home game in the first three rounds.

So its the other Victorian clubs that make Collingwood and Essendons draw so easy.....I see now.

If and when will we possible see Collingwood travel from the MCG on 6 occasions? (Adelaide 2x,Perth 2x ,Brisbane and Sydney)

[NO-MERCY]

Any reason why Collingwoods travelling interstate this weekend?
What are the League thinking playing the Woods at Subiaco? How dare they!

[rogernumber10]

Collingwood and Essendon play the greatest number of away games to other Victorian clubs over the last decade (the financial kick that gives to other clubs not doing as well) and also play the largest number of home games in Victoria against non Victorian sides over the last decade (because of their capacity to be able to absorb predominantly one-team crowds). Exception to this second rule is Geelong, who playing out of a limited capacity venue at Skilled Stadium, where they do really well.
Fixture rules say that every Vic team must go interstate four times minimum which covers Adelaide once a year minimum, to Perth once a year minimum, and to Brisbane / Sydney once a year minimum.
Part of the financial equalisation of the draw and, yes, we all know that the fixture is never even while we are dividing 16 teams into 22 weeks.

[stan]

Any reason why Collingwoods travelling interstate this weekend?
What are the League thinking playing the Woods at Subiaco? How dare they!

And in the last round before the finals, the AFL must be on something!;)